Sponsoring a Student

Financial sponsorship of a student wishing to attend Vancouver Island University is a very practical way of supporting advanced education and training in the community. Many companies and government agencies choose to contribute to students' education in the form of sponsorship, and Vancouver Island University values this commitment and support.

Sponsor Letters

Formal sponsorship is based on a letter from the sponsoring organization committing to a legal contract with Vancouver Island University on behalf of the student. The sponsorship letter releases the student from any financial obligation and confirms that financial responsibility is accepted by the sponsor. Sponsor letter should  emailed to AcctsRec@viu.ca, mailed or faxed to Accounts Receivable at 250.740.6535.

Agencies wishing to sponsor students have two options:

  1. Complete VIU's Application for Sponsorship or
  2. Submit a letter

Letters must be on the organization's letterhead and must include the following information:

  1. sponsor name, address, phone number, contact person, and authorized signature
  2. student(s) name(s) and student number(s), if available
  3. date of anticipated enrolment in program/course(s)
  4. duration of sponsorship (i.e., Fall/Spring semesters, year)
  5. financial limits, if any (i.e., limit of $1,000)
  6. textbooks/supplies, if required, and financial limits, if any
    Note: if textbook purchases are included in the sponsorship, a duplicate letter should be sent to the VIU Campus Store by email at Campus-Store@viu.ca or by Fax at 250.740.6460.

Grade Information

Sponsors who require information on a sponsored student (e.g., grade reports) need to obtain permission from the student before VIU can release such personal information.

Note: Student needs to sign letter applications.
See below: Vancouver Island University Sponsor Application Section E for student release of information.

Vancouver Island University reserves the right to decline offers of sponsorship which may not be in accordance with VIU policies. The University may also cancel existing sponsorship, where warranted.

Billing Procedures

Once the Registration Centre has received the sponsor letter, the student's tuition fees will be deferred and coded for a third party billing. The Accounting department produces invoices on a bi-weekly basis, and payment terms are 30 days from the date of the invoice. Invoices not paid after 30 days will be treated as “unpaid fees” and could result in immediate de-registration of the student.

Commitment Fees

Students registering for any semester may be required to pay a non-refundable commitment fee in order to secure a seat in a course or a program. If the student presents a sponsor letter on the day of registration, the commitment fee will be deferred until the sponsor is invoiced.

Waitlist Procedure

Sponsors are only invoiced for courses in which the student has been officially accepted. Fees for waitlisted courses are not charged until the student is enrolled into the course(s). Students should follow the waitlist procedure outlined in the brochure "Now I'm Registered.....What's Next?"

Withdrawal Procedures

Agencies should emphasize to students that it is the students. responsibility to withdraw officially if they are not going to attend classes. Students officially withdraw by completing the "Student Record Change" form at the Registration Centre. In situations where the student has neither attended classes, nor officially withdrawn, sponsors can request a "Withdrawal of Student Sponsorship" form from VIU's Accounts Receivable office, phone 250.740.6235. The withdrawal will be effective upon receipt of the completed form.

Note: The sponsor is liable for all tuition fees incurred up until the date of receipt of the completed form.

Fee Refunds

Refunds can only be issued to sponsors if an official sponsor letter has previously been issued to set the student's fee account as a third party billing. Students must officially withdraw at the Registration Centre in order to begin the refund process.

  1. Refunds are calculated from the date the withdrawal form is received by the Registration Centre.
  2. Application and Student Fees are not refunded.
  3. Only the Tuition Fee, excluding the Commitment Fee, is subject to the refund scale as outlined in the Vancouver Island University Calendar.

Sponsor Liability

As a sponsor, you have assumed financial responsibility for your student's fees, as outlined in your sponsor letter. Please do not give tuition money directly to your student to pay fees after sending a sponsor letter to the University. If the student does not pay the fees, you are still liable to VIU for the outstanding amount.

For Further Information

For further information please contact

Accounts Receivable Department
Vancouver Island University
900 Fifth Street,
Nanaimo, BC V9R 5S5

Tel: 250.740.6235
Fax: 250.740.6535
Email: AcctsRec@viu.ca