University of Victoria

Overview

The University of Victoria came into being on July 1, 1963, as Victoria College became a degree-granting university on its new Gordon Head campus. Victoria College had offered first- and second-year McGill University courses from 1903. UVic is a public research university in Victoria, near the southern tip of Vancouver Island, and the city is smaller and quieter than Vancouver.

Co-operative education is built into several UVic degrees, including Biomedical, Civil, Computer, Electrical, Mechanical and Software Engineering, Commerce, Health Information Science and Public Administration. It is optional in computer science and in many science, humanities, social sciences and fine arts programs.

How to apply

You submit the application and pay the fee through EducationPlannerBC, then use UVic's own applicant portal to see your checklist and upload grades, as its how to apply page explains. For September entry, most degree programs close on January 31, but some programs have other dates on the application deadlines page, and UVic notes that deadlines can change; check your program for the fall 2027 date. UVic asks you to send current grades as soon as possible: BC students order transcripts through the StudentTranscripts Service, IB students upload predicted scores, and students from other Canadian curricula self-report interim grades.

A few programs ask for more than grades, such as auditions for music, portfolios for visual arts, and supplementary information for some health and social programs.

How grades are considered

For BC students, UVic looks at English Studies 12 (or English First Peoples 12) and the other Grade 12 courses each program requires, which is why it asks for current grades early. Students from other provinces and the US are assessed on their own curricula, and UVic publishes requirement pages for each. Final offers depend on your completed Grade 12 results.

Engineering applicants from BC, for example, need Pre-calculus 12, an approved science 12 or Calculus 12, and Chemistry 11 and Physics 11; check Grade 12 courses for engineering to make sure your plan fits.

Studying on an island

Victoria is on Vancouver Island, so trips home for students from the mainland or other provinces involve a ferry or a flight. That is worth factoring into your budget and holiday plans. In return, the climate is mild by Canadian standards, the city is easy to get around by bus and bike, and co-op work terms can take you anywhere in Canada or abroad, so island life does not limit where your experience comes from.

Costs and funding

Tuition depends on the program and on domestic or international status. UVic has an official tuition estimator on its tuition and costs page. For study permits and the rules on co-op work, start at the Government of Canada page on studying in Canada.

Getting ready with StudyBrix

• Co-op means interviews in first or second year: practise with the interview skills deck.
• Engineering and science: review physics readiness and calculus readiness.
• Set up a routine early with the university study skills deck.

Compare BC universities with the rest of Canada in our guide to universities in Canada.