BC Government Supporting Indigenous Students with Emergency Assistance

Vancouver Island University (VIU) is pleased to share the news the provincial government has announced an additional $1.5 million in emergency supports for Indigenous students. 

“We are pleased the province is providing additional support to our Indigenous students,” says Jennifer Christoffersen, VIU Services for Aboriginal Students Coordinator/Education Advisor. “For several years, the Indigenous Emergency Assistance fund has been instrumental in helping hundreds of VIU’s Indigenous students get through emergencies and unforeseen circumstances that impact their ability to concentrate on school. Access to the bursary has allowed Indigenous students to successfully complete their semesters, certificates, diplomas and degrees." 

Support is being made available through all 25 public post-secondary institutions in BC including VIU. VIU Indigenous students can email sas@viu.ca or Jennifer.Christoffersen@viu.ca for more information about emergency support.

The increase in financial assistance is in addition to the $3.5 million being provided to post-secondary institutions by the provincial government to boost their emergency bursary funds for students.  

In response to the growing need of students, last week the VIU Students’ Union and VIU Foundation partnered to launch a fundraising campaign to boost the amount of money available to support the most vulnerable students struggling to make ends meet because of the COVID-19 pandemic. To date, more than $150,000 has been distributed to more than 600 students who have applied for the emergency funding. VIU students can email financialaidinfo@viu.ca to apply for both the province’s and VIU’s emergency bursary funds. 

To learn more about the VIU fundraising campaign, visit https://giving.viu.ca/viu-campaigns/emergency-bursaries.