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General Information for International Students

Admission

Vancouver Island University accepts international students under one of the following conditions:

  • direct application;
  • application through authorized representative;
  • institution-to-institution exchange program;
  • sponsorship through inter-governmental agreement;
  • winner of academic competition or international scholarship.

Admission to English Language Centre Programs

  • High school graduation with 6 years of previous English language study – TOEFL, IELTS or other test scores are accepted but not required.

Admission to Undergraduate Degree, Diploma, and Certificate Programs

  • Graduation from high school or equivalent.
  • Meet VIU’s English language requirements for academic programs. Conditional acceptance is possible for students who do not meet the English language requirements.
  • First-year credit may be granted for most Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate (higher level) courses.
  • Academic programs may have additional program admission requirements and course prerequisites.
  • International students who are B.C. high school graduates must have a minimum grade of “C” in English 12 to enter directly into an academic program.

English Language Requirements for Academic Programs

  • To meet the English language requirements for academic programs, students must have completed VIU’s English Language Centre's University Preparation Program, or have already achieved a minimum TOEFL 550, TOEFL Computer Based Test (CBT) 213, iBT 80 (with no score under 19), IELTS 6.0 (with no score under 5.5), CAEL 60, Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English (minimum “B”), or Cambridge Certificate of Advanced English (minimum “B”).
  • Conditional letters of acceptance to enter academic programs are provided for students who meet the academic requirements but need to start in the VIU's English Language Centre's University Preparation Program.

Admission to Post-Degree Diploma in Business Studies

Admission to MBA Program

  • Minimum “B” average in the final 2 years of a business or non-business Bachelor’s degree.
  • Meet one of the following VIU English language requirements:
    • Completion of VIU's English Language Centre University Preparation Program.
    • A minimum TOEFL iBT 88 with no sections under 20, or IELTS 6.5 with no band under 6.0, CAEL 70, or equivalents.
  • Work experience is preferred but not required.
  • No GMAT score required.
  • Submit Letter of Intent, Resume and two Letters of Recommendation from past employers or professors.

Application Process

International students should follow these steps when applying to Vancouver Island University.

  • Complete an International Application for Admission form, available online at viu.ca/international/apply or viu.ca/mba/apply for the MBA/MScIB program..
  • Enclose a $150 (Cdn) non-refundable Application Processing Fee – pay by VISA, MasterCard or Amex if applying online. Note: Applications will not be processed without this fee.
  • Enclose an official copy of all educational documents in the original language, and a certified copy translated into English, if applicable.
  • Enclose a passport-size photograph.
  • Mail these to:

    Director, International Admissions
    International Education Department
    Vancouver Island University
    900 Fifth Street, Nanaimo, B.C.
    V9R 5S5 Canada
    E-mail: study@viu.ca

For most programs, applications are processed in two working days; an exception is the MBA programs where a committee reviews applications monthly.

VIU will send a letter of offer. If an e-mail address is provided on the application, this letter will be sent by e-mail.

The letter of offer contains information on payment of first installment of fees, and program start dates.

Once the first installment has been paid, VIU will issue an official letter of acceptance and information on arrival, budget samples, accommodation, and other helpful tips.

The letter of acceptance is required to apply for a study permit at a Canadian Embassy, Consulate, or High Commission.