Vancouver Island University

General admission, academic programs (domestic)

Canadian citizens and permanent residents qualify with graduation from a BC secondary school or equivalent with a minimum C grade in English Studies 12 or English First Peoples 12; a previous university degree; visiting-student status with a Letter of Permission; transfer status (at least 24 transferable university-level credits); or academic mature student status (21 years old by the first semester and a minimum C in English Studies 12 or English First Peoples 12). Most programs add their own course prerequisites and minimum grades, set on each program page.

Trades and applied technology

Graduation from a BC secondary school or equivalent, or mature student status at age 19 (by the first two months of the program), plus a minimum age of 17 unless stated otherwise. Programs may require a resume, letter of intent, references, an interview, or math, reading or trades aptitude tests, and applicants must be physically fit with good hand and eye coordination and a valid driver's license where vehicles are operated.

Unclassified students and upgrading

Applicants not meeting a program category may enter as Unclassified Undergraduate students (BC secondary school graduation or equivalent, or age 19 mature status) and take courses for which they meet prerequisites. Unclassified Graduate students need a previous degree and permission of the department chair for each course. Applicants missing prerequisites can take tuition-free upgrading through Academic and Career Preparation, with free support from Pathways to Post-secondary.

International applicants

Undergraduate and vocational applicants need high school graduation or equivalent (VIU keeps a country-by-country equivalency list) and proof of English proficiency. Applicants who completed high school in English in a country where English is official need a grade equivalent to a C in BC English 12. Applicants with a high school diploma or university degree from listed English-speaking countries, which include Canada, Ghana, Nigeria, Kenya, the United Kingdom and the United States, are exempt from submitting a test; South Africa and Rwanda are reviewed case by case. Up to 30 advanced credits may be granted for Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate Higher Level courses. Applicants who meet academic but not English requirements may receive conditional admission pending completion of the VIU English Language Centre program (Level UP5).

Test scores must be no older than 2 years. Undergraduate minimums include: IELTS Academic 6.5 (no band below 6.0); TOEFL iBT 88 (no section below 20) for tests before January 21, 2026, or 4.5 (no section below 4.0) after that date; CAEL 60; Pearson PTE Academic 60 (no section below 60); Duolingo English Test 115 (no band below 105); Cambridge C1 Advanced or C2 Proficiency 176 overall; English Studies 12 (BC) minimum C; IB English HL/SL grade 3; AP English grade 2; GCSE/O-level English grade C or 4; or completion of University Preparation Level 5 in VIU's English Language Centre. Online test versions are accepted by VIU, although IRCC may require an in-person test for the study permit.

Documents: official transcripts, proof of English proficiency, a passport photo-page copy, a copy of the high school diploma and any university degree, and certified English translations or notarized copies of documents in other languages. Official documents or certified translations go to the Registration Centre, Vancouver Island University, 900 Fifth Street, Nanaimo, BC V9R 5S5. Processing takes 2 to 8 weeks, longer for master's and limited-entry programs. A Letter of Offer sets out start dates and the tuition deposit; once the deposit is paid a Letter of Acceptance is issued for the study permit application. Programs lasting longer than six months require a study permit and a Temporary Resident Visa or eTA; students should apply three to four months before arrival.

Graduate entry

A minimum B average in the final two years of a bachelor's degree, plus English proficiency: IELTS Academic 6.5 (no band below 6.0), TOEFL iBT 88 (no section below 20) before January 21, 2026 or 4.5 (no section below 4.0) after, CAEL 60, PTE Academic 60, Duolingo 115 (no band below 105), Cambridge 176 overall, or UP5 completion. No GMAT or GRE is required; programs may add document and work-experience requirements.

How to apply and fees

Applications are made online through EducationPlannerBC after choosing a program: apply, submit any requested documents, receive a decision, accept the offer and pay the tuition deposit, then register. Application fee (non-refundable): domestic undergraduate $46.98, domestic graduate $121.86, international all programs $156.06 (the international admissions page quotes $153; credit card only). There is no application fee for Adult Basic Education. Domestic credit-based undergraduate tuition is $173.12 per credit and international MBA tuition is $771.12 per credit, in Canadian dollars. Information sessions and recruiters are available.

• Nanaimo (main campus), 900 Fifth Street: 92 acres at the base of Mount Benson with forest and Japanese gardens and views of the Salish Sea. Home to the Trades Discovery Centre, Malaspina Theatre and the View Gallery. Academic, graduate and trades programs are offered. Facilities include student housing for more than 500 students, two cafeterias, the Campus Store, Library, Writing Centre and Welcome Centre; Mariners varsity teams play here.
• Cowichan: on the traditional territory of Cowichan Tribes, with a main campus building and the Cowichan Trades Centre; academic and trades programs, including partial delivery of arts and science degrees.
• tiwšɛmawtxʷ (Powell River): serves the qathet region of the Sunshine Coast on the traditional territory of the Tla'amin First Nation; trades programs such as Automotive Service Technician and partial delivery of arts degrees.
• Deep Bay Marine Field Station, Deep Bay: research site and home of the Centre for Seafood Innovation.