VIU Scholarships Awards and Bursaries

More than $6 million given to students!

We gave students more than $6.7 million in VIU scholarships, awards and bursaries during the 2024-25 year. VIU scholarships, awards and bursaries are funded by the University, government grants and donations from hundreds of private donors.

The VIU Awards Committee handles the application process. It sets the rules for the VIU scholarship, award and bursary program. It also selects recipients. Representatives from across VIU make up the committee. Each award has its own criteria, and students that submit their profile application will be considered for all awards they are eligible for.

Important dates

September 1: Student Awards Profile application opens
October 30 at midnight: deadline to apply for bursaries
Early January: students selected for bursaries will be notified by email and tuition credits applied before the tuition due date
March 30 at midnight: deadline to apply for scholarships, awards, and entrance awards
March 31 to August 31: profile closed for internal updates and awards selections
April and May: students selected for entrance awards and scholarships will be notified by email
May to July: students selected for other awards and scholarships will be notified by email
September: enrolment is checked for students who have been selected for awards and scholarships; tuition credits applied before the tuition due date

Find more information

Learn more about scholarships and awards.
Learn more about bursaries.
Learn more about how to apply, deadlines and processes.

VIU scholarship, award and bursary program

The program provides money for your education.

Are you interested in accessing the many VIU scholarships, awards and bursaries?

Complete your Scholarship, Award, and Bursary (SAB) profile for consideration. You must complete your SAB profile each year. The SAB profile is in the Finance tab of your VIU student record.

Learn how to apply and complete your SAB profile each year. Do this by the two deadlines: October 30 Midnight and March 30 Midnight.

*Important: Your VIU student record information must be accurate and current. It should include your mailing address, email, phone number, photo ID, and security question.

Criteria

Scholarships reward good grades. They may also require the recipient to show qualities that match the donor's priorities, like community involvement. To qualify for a scholarship, students must meet the following:

Achieve a semester and cumulative GPA of 3.50 (A- average).
Maintain a semester course load of 80%. This is 12 credits for most programs.
Students with a documented permanent disability can take a reduced course load of 60%. This is 9 credits for most programs.

Awards recognize academic achievement. They may also require the recipient to show special qualities. These qualities must match the priorities of the donor, such as community involvement or financial need. To qualify for an award, students must meet the following:

Achieve a semester and cumulative GPA of 3.0 (B+ average).
Maintain a semester course load of 60%. This is 9 credits for most programs.
Students with a documented permanent disability may have a reduced course load of 40%. This is 6 credits for most programs.

Bursaries are for students who demonstrate a financial shortfall and high financial need. To qualify for a bursary, students must meet the following:

Achieve a semester and cumulative GPA of 2.0 (C average)
Maintain a semester course load of 60%. This is 9 credits for most programs.
Students with a documented permanent disability may have a reduced course load of 40%. This is 6 credits for most programs.

In all cases, students who are enrolled with a higher course load will be given first consideration for awards. Split enrollments do not qualify as part of the required course load.

If you have received an award, you must contact the Financial Aid Office if you make any enrolment changes or withdraw from any classes.