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Finance your education

Your courses should challenge you, not your finances. We know how intimidating and complicated student finance can be, so we've simplified things. This page is divided into three distinct areas, each designed to help you access and understand the information you need quickly and easily. Take a look and learn about financial aid, scholarships, Work Study, budgeting and more. With our many helpful finance officers and resources, there's no reason to go it alone.

What will it cost?

How will you pay?

On top of your savings and summer job earnings, and contributions from your family, there are several ways to make ends meet, including co-operative education, work study, student loans, scholarships and bursaries.

Scholarships (Entrance Scholarships, In-Course Scholarships)
Loans and grants (Canada Student Loans, BC Student Loans, Bursaries)
Paid work experience (UVic Co-op program, Work Study program, Career Services)

Helpful resources

The Office of Student Awards and Financial Aid is committed to helping you find options to finance your post-secondary education. Staff welcome your questions and can help you find financial solutions.

Info for
Aboriginal Students

Tuition and fees

A student with a typical workload--fifteen units of coursework over eight months--can expect to spend around $15,245 on tuition, fees, supplies, and living expenses. Additional funds are required for travel, recreation, and clothing. (Fine Arts, Business, and Law students might have higher expenses.

A breakdown of these annual costs can be found on the registrar's webpage. Information about tuition fees is also available.

Awards & bursaries

UVic offers $3.7 million in scholarships and bursaries each year. All students are encouraged to apply for student scholarships, bursaries, and loans.

In addition to the general entrance scholarships and in-course scholarships, there are more than 40 different awards and bursaries for Aboriginal students. Visit the Aboriginal Liaison Office website for a list of awards and bursaries.

Funding opportunities are also available through the LE,NONET Project, a recent initiative designed to support the success of Aboriginal students. Students may apply for bursaries, pursue a Research Apprenticeship or Community Internship, or receive an honorarium for participating in the Peer Mentoring program. Visit the LE,NONET website for further information.

Students who demonstrate reasonable academic standing and financial need can also apply for one of the school's many entrance bursaries and non-repayable awards.

Further assistance is available through UVic's Work Study program, which offers on-campus part-time paid jobs to students in financial need.

Students are also encouraged to apply to the UVic Co-op Program where they will alternate academic terms with paid, relevant work experience in their field of study. Co-op is available in most program areas (in fact, Co-op is mandatory in some programs) and Co-op staff are available to help students through every step.

For more information about costs and methods of payment, visit the Student Awards and Financial Aid website.

Funding & sponsorships

Sponsored Aboriginal students should report the name and address of their sponsor to the Aboriginal Liaison Office. The office can provide the sponsor with appeal materials or course information on the student's behalf.

Students who are fully funded by an Aboriginal organization are still eligible to apply for a student loan -BC residents apply to the British Columbia Student Assistance Program. Applications are available in April-May of each year.

Info for
International Students

International student fees are different than domestic student fees. UVic offers many resources to assist international students as they pursue their degree: