Victoria is the capital of British Columbia (BC). The region has approximately 335,000 inhabitants. The University is located a roughly 15-minute bus ride from Victoria center, which is south of Vancouver Island. It is an approximately 1.5 hours journey by ferry from Victoria to Vancouver. There are also ferries to the US, one to Seattle and one to Port Angeles in Washington. The large and lush University and campus are home to approximately 22,000 students. It is a safe area with its own security guards, two gyms, many restaurants, and even its own bus station. Even with so many students, the large library always has available sitting. Many of the buildings on campus are open 24 hours a day.
There are unlimited study places for those paying tuition fees for students within the field of economics and subject areas 'Humanities, Sciences and Social Sciences'.
Norwegian students must choose between courses equivalent to 7,5 credits per semester. The tuition fee will vary based on the courses you select but is approximately CAD 13,500 per semester. This amount includes a bus card, extended health plan, access to the gym amongst other things. The tuition fee for courses within Business is approximately CAD 2100 per 1,5 unit. (You must have 7.5 units per semester). The total tuition fee is given in the admission letter.
Once you accept admission, you must pay CAD 200 deposit which will be deducted from the total tuition fee amount.
Credits and Modules
7.5 credits is equivalent to 30 ECTS at the University of Agder. You must take a total of 5 courses.
Students that wish to study at another faculty can apply but each application is processed individually.
Housing
The University is helpful in assisting students with finding student housing. It is possible to apply for housing on campus. There is no guarantee that you will receive housing on campus. This is reserved for recent high school graduates. Other applicants are selected based on a lottery system. UVic also has an overview of housing located off-campus.
Will you be in Canada for 6 months of more? You must apply for a student visa and also pay for biometrics (85 dollars), in addition to the application fee. You will then receive a letter with the instructions on how to complete the biometrics. Biometrics can only be completed in Stockholm. Read more about the timing, dates and process here. In order to apply for a student visa, you need a admission letter from the Canadian host university. That is why you cannot complete the biometrics process before. The biometrics must be entered directly in during the application process.
Will you in Canada for 6 months or less? You do not need to apply for a student visa. You must only apply for an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA).
Note: It is a bit expensive to purchase books and you must be prepared to use some money for this.
There are many student clubs you can choose from (over 200!): everything from "ballroom dancing" til "insektstitting". What about "Outdoors Club"? At UVic, the possibilities are endeless.
Insurance: All students at UVic must pay for UVIC`s Mandatory Temporary Medical Insirance (MTMI). This costs $265 per semester. The university will provide you more information regarding this.
It is also wise to have your own private insurance from Norway, for example ANSA’s insurance.
If you wish to go on exchange to UVic, you must also be prepared to put in extra time and effort into your studies as the course content and expectations can be difficult for some students.