The Vancouver Island University Board of Governors determines tuition and fees, which vary depending upon the type and duration of the program. Rates are listed in Canadian dollars. VIU reserves the right to amend this fee schedule without notice.

Fees are effective April 1.

Course/Program Area

Tuition and Other Fees

Adult Basic Education

n/a

Co-op Education Fees

$722.68 per semester

Credit-based Undergraduate Programs (includes career and technical programs)

$166.40 er credit

English as a Second Language Programs

n/a

Literacy

n/a

Trades & Applied Technology Programs

Full-Time: $499.20 per month
Part-Time: $299.54 per month
Apprenticeship Programs: $115.23 per week
(Note: See individual program listing for fees if applicable)

Programs for which Differential Tuition and/or Other Mandatory Student Fees Apply

Course/Program Area

Tuition and Other Fees

Activity Assistant Certificate

$2,876.42 per program

Advanced Diploma in Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Applications

$361.63 per credit

Adventure Tourism and Recreation Certificate (ATRM)

$5,743.43 lab fee

Animal Care Aide Certificate

$2,876.42 per program

Automotive Service Technician

$179.27 supply fee

Bachelor of Design in Graphic Design

Years 1, 2, and 3: $41.83 lab fee
Year 4: $83.66 lab fee

Bachelor of Interior Design

Year 1: $155.07 lab fee
Year 2: $183.78 lab fee
Year 3: $178.05 lab fee
Year 4: $195.27 lab fee

Bachelor of Science in Nursing

Year 2: $89.63 lab fee
Year 3: $89.63 lab fee

Bachelor of Social Work

60 credits at $452.76 per credit

Business Fundamentals for Aboriginal Communities Certificate

$237.71 per credit

Carpentry

$478.03 supply fee

Community Mental Health Work Certificate

$8,697.41 per program

Cooperative Entrepreneur Training Program

$239.22 per credit
$220.81 lab fee

Culinary Arts Management Diploma Year 2

$426.65 lab fee

Culinary Arts - Professional Cook Level 1

$615.58  lab fee

Culinary Arts - Professional Cook Level 2

$280.37 lab fee

CYC 212 Introduction to Activity Based Child and Youth Care Practice

$119.51 lab fee

CYC 391 Therapeutic Applications of Wilderness Programming

$1,335.07 per course
$965.51 lab fee

Dental Hygiene Program

Tuition: $249.92 per credit
Year 1: 39 credits 
Year 2: 3.7.5 credits 
Material Fee: 
Year 1: $4,527.63
Year 2: $3,880.81

ECEC 110, 111, 130

$632.87 per course

EDEL 500, 501, 502, 503, 504

$291.08 per credit

EDPB 501 Introduction to Visual Arts in Education

$53.77 supply fee

EDTE 417 Curriculum and Instruction: Visual Arts

$53.77 supply fee

EDUC 201 Intro to Visual and Performing Arts for Non-specialists

$41.83 supply fee

EDUC 203 Sustainability & Teacher Identity

$56.30 lab fee

Electrician Apprentice (Levels 1-4)

$60.95 lab fee

Electrician Entry-Level Certificate

$323.41 lab fee

Esthetics and Spa Therapy Certificate

$14,335.14 per program

First Nations Housing Manager Certificate

$1,282.97 per course

Fundamentals of Forest Harvesting Practices Certificate

$11,592.84 per program

Hairstylist Foundation Certificate Program

$382.14 supply fee
$468.66 lab fee

Health Care Assistant

$499.20 per month

HCAS 170 Healing 3: Personal Care and Assistance

$41.83 lab fee

Heavy Equipment Operator Foundation

$881.80 per 4-week program

Heavy Equipment Operator Specialized Machine Training

$2,069.77 per week

Heavy Equipment Operator Technician

$783.49 per 5-week program

Heavy Mechanical Trades Foundation

$179.27 lab fee

HHED 100 Introduction to End of Life Doula

$452.76 per credit

Horticulture

$179.27 supply fee

HOSP 120 Accounting Principles

$29.87 lab fee

HOSP 130 Lodging, Organization and Operation

$59.76 lab fee

HOSP 133 Beverage Theory

$29.87 lab fee

HOSP 240 Principles of Food Production

$95.60 lab fee

HOSP 241 Food Service Management

$29.87 lab fee

Indigenous Protected & Conserved Areas Planning Advanced Certificate

$416.16 per credit

$2,080.80 for IPCA 407 for Field Component

Information Technology and Applied Systems

$117.17 lab fee

Introduction to Construction Essentials

$4,393.72 per program

Jazz Studies Diploma

Private Tuition:
1. Primary instrument private tuition courses (2 credits each) - $399.10 per credit
2. Secondary instrument private tuition courses (1 credit each) - $782.99 per credit

KIN 118 Outdoor Activities, Summer

$57.43 lab fee

KIN 142 Introduction to Paddle Sports$59.76 lab fee
KIN 222 Physical Activity and Local Food Production$45.95 lab fee
KIN 270 Introduction to Leadership of Outdoor Pursuits$59.76 lab fee
KIN 280 Physical Growth and Motor Development$53.77 lab fee
KIN 370 Outdoor Education, Interpretation and Adventure Programming$59.76 lab fee
KIN 401 Injury Management of Physical Activity$56.30 lab fee
KIN 461 Applied Leadership in Physical Activity$59.76 lab fee
KIN 491 Scholarship in Sport, Health and Physical Education$53.77 lab fee

Management Skills for Supervisors Certificate

$403.64 per credit

Medical Device Reprocessing Certificate

$9,987.83 per program

Medical Office Assistant Certificate

$5,290.04 per program

MGMT 146 Team Building Skills

$78.03 supply fee

MGMT 252 The Wine Industry

$28.71 supply fee

MGMT 352 Wine Appreciation

$109.13 supply fee

NRCF 001 Strategic Business Planning

$1,040.40

NRCF 002 Project Management

$1,040.40

NCRF 003 Financial Resource Management

$1,040.40

NCRF 004 Human Resources

$1,040.40

NCRF 005 Informed Decision Making

$1,040.40

NCRF 006 Fisheries Operations

$1,040.40

Nursing Unit Assistant Certificate

$5290.04 per program

Office Administration

$119.51 supply fee

Power Engineering/Process Operator 4th Class

$9,959.11 per program
$487.59 lab fee

Practical Nursing Diploma

$221.93 per credit

PRNU 106/116/126 Integrated Nursing Practice

$71.71 lab fee per course

PRNU 206/216 Integrated Nursing Practice

$71.71 lab fee per course

Professional Baking and Pastry Arts

$478.22 lab fee

Professional Indigenous Lands Management Certificate

$418.89 per credit
$162.36 per course

Science and Technology courses with compulsory lab

$23.90 lab fee per course

Teaching English as a Foreign or Second Language Certificate

$2,759.10 per program

Trades Discovery

$1,757.48 per program

Welder Fitter

$3,047.47 per program
$179.27 supply fee

Welder Foundation

$363.91 lab fee

Workplace Essential Skills and Training (WEST)

$4.80 per contact hour
Module 7 - $121.90 lab fee
Module 8 - $121.90 lab fee
Module 9 - $243.80 lab fee
Module 10 - $243.80 lab fee

Fees for Graduate Courses and Programs

Course/Program Area

Tuition and Other Fees

EXTN 500 - Extended Research

$896.31 per course

Graduate Certificate in Business

$463.76 per credit

Graduate Diploma in Gerontology: Active Aging

$443.88 per credit

Graduate Diploma in Hospitality Management

$601.73 per credit

Graduate Diploma in International Trade

$601.73 per credit

Graduate Diploma in Project Management

$601.73 per credit

Inclusive Education (Special Education) Graduate Diploma

$444.20 per credit

Literacy, Language, and Learning Graduate Diploma

$443.88 per credit

Master of Arts in Sustainable Leisure Management

$14,876.49 per program
$1,015.83 field school fee

Master of Business Administration

$29,727.83 per program

Master of Community Planning

$355.53 per credit
$1,218.99 one-time field studies fee
$1,462.79 one-time thesis/major project fee

Master of Education in Educational Leadership

$453.08 per credit

Master of Education in Special Education

$453.08 per credit

Master of Geographic Information System Applications

Year 1: $361.63 per credit
Year 2: $486.23 per credit

MEDL 600

$51.00 lab fee

Online Learning and Teaching Graduate Diploma

$443.88 per credit

Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy Graduate Certificate

$535.81 per credit
$520.20 lab fee

Urban and Regional Planning Extension Program

$162.35 per course

Course/Program Area

Tuition and Other Fees*

Advanced Diploma in GIS Applications

$642.60 per credit

Co-op Education

$2,399.31 per semester

English as a Second Language Programs

$5,625.96 full-semester (13 weeks)
$2,812.98 half-semester (6.5 weeks)
$2,289.00 short-term (4 weeks)
$1,902.90 short-term (3 weeks)

EXTN 500 - Extended Research

$1,349.46 per course

Graduate Certificate in Business

$765.77 per credit

Graduate Diploma in Hospitality Management

$765.77 per credit

Graduate Diploma in International Trade

$765.77 per credit

Graduate Diploma in Project Management

$765.77 per credit

Master of Arts in Sustainable Leisure Management

$837.33 per credit

Master of Business Administration

$756.00 per credit

Master of Community Planning

$575.66 per credit

Master of Education in Educational Leadership

$690.80 per credit

Master of Education in Special Education

$690.80 per credit

Master of Geographic Information System Applications (MGISA)

$642.60 per credit

Mental Health Care Assistant

$734.51 per credit

Online Learning and Teaching Graduate Diploma

$765.77 per credit

Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy Graduate Certificate

$765.77 per credit

Teaching English as a Foreign or Second Language Certificate

$2,756.72 per program

Trades & Applied Technology Programs

$2,399.31 per month

Undergraduate Degree, Diploma and Certificate Programs

$799.77 per credit

* Fees are payable in Canadian dollars.

Domestic students 65 years or older are entitled to free tuition for Academic undergraduate courses, space permitting. This exemption applies to standard tuition fees, Student Services fees, and Student Activity Fees only, for courses scheduled within the regular timetable. The age exemption does not apply to:

  • Application Fee
  • Students’ Union Fees
  • Directed Studies courses or courses offered on a directed study basis
  • Differential Tuition and/or other mandatory Student Fees
  • Graduate courses
  • Professional Development and Training courses
  • Trades programs
  • Textbook purchases or other supplies.

 Please contact the Registration Centre for details.

For details see How Do I Pay?

Starting in the Fall 2024 semester, activity fees will be assessed at a rate of $19.97 per month. The fees are collected to administer extracurricular activities and athletic programs for students.

The Student Activity Fee does not apply to students in short-term Professional Development and Training courses, as these students are not eligible for the activities and programs funded by this fee.

Starting in the Fall 2024 semester, student services fees will be assessed for all programs at a rate of $22.05 per month. This fee will cover services related to three areas: student health services, experiential education, and access to technology.

The Student Services Fee does not apply to students in short-term Professional Development and Training courses, as these students are not eligible for the support services provided through the fee.

Students’ Union and other membership fees are collected by the University and distributed to several student organizations. The Navigator Newspaper Society is the University's student newspaper and supplies news, arts, music and sports information for the campus community. The Radio Malaspina Society is a student and community radio station that supports student broadcasting and provides information for students. The Canadian Federation of Students is Canada's national and provincial students' union and works to provide services and representation on behalf of all students in Canada. The VIU Students' Union is the voice of students at VIU and organizes events, hosts services, runs the student pub, provides advocacy and more.

Annually, each of the above organizations is responsible for conducting an audit of its finances to ensure that funds collected from students are spent appropriately. For more information about student fees, or any of these organizations, please contact the Students' Union office at 250.754.8866.

VIUSU Fees – Nanaimo

On a monthly basis, membership fees break down as follows:

Students' Union Monthly Fee - Nanaimo

Cost

VIU Students’ Union operation fee

$15.85

VIU Students’ Union Club fee

$0.99

World University Services Canada fee

$1.11

Navigator Newspaper Society membership fee

$1.64

BC Federation of Students membership fee

$2.76

Students' Union Building fee

$4.08

Radio Malaspina Society fee

$1.17

Total

$27.60

VIUSU Fees – tiwšɛmawtxʷ (Powell River), Cowichan

On a monthly basis, membership fees break down as follows:

Fee type

Cost

VIU Students’ Union operation fee

$12.84

World University Services Canada fee

   $1.11

Navigator Newspaper Society membership fee

 $1.64

BC Federation of Students membership fee

 $2.76

Total

$18.35

  • Fees are non-refundable
  • Fees are applicable throughout the entire year
  • Fees are applicable to auditing students at the full rate of the regular fee for any appropriate time frame (e.g., semester or monthly)
  • Fees are applicable only once for each student for each time frame (e.g., semester or monthly)
  • Fees are applicable to part-time students at the full rate of the regular fee rate for any appropriate time frame (e.g., semester or monthly)

Fees are subject to review and change. For further information, please contact the VIU Students’ Union office 250.754.8866.

Health and Dental plan fees are also collected by the University on behalf of the Students' Union. Some restrictions apply and students with pre-existing coverage are given a time-limited opportunity to opt out. For more information contact the Students' Union office at 250.754.8866.

Official tax receipts are prepared and available by early February.

Organizations wishing to sponsor students should submit a letter to the Registration Centre stating the terms of sponsorship. Letters must be printed on the organization’s letterhead and include the following information:

  • sponsor name, address, phone number, fax number and contact person;
  • student(s) name(s) and SIN number(s), if available;
  • date of anticipated enrolment in program/course(s);
  • duration of sponsorship (i.e., Fall/Spring semesters);
  • financial limit (if any);
  • books/supplies (if required) and financial limits. 

Note: a duplicate letter should be sent to the VIU Campus Store if books/supplies are included in the sponsorship.

For a brochure containing more detailed information regarding sponsor liability and refund/withdrawal policies, please contact VIU’s Accounts Receivables Department at 250.740.6235, or learn more about Sponsoring a Student.