Scholarships and Funding

Global Skills Opportunity (GSO) Student Travel Grant (Funding has ended)

These grants are designed to increase participation in study/work abroad experiences (particularly to non-traditional destinations) and reduce barriers to participation in Education Abroad, particularly for Low Income Students, Indigenous Students, and Students with Disabilities. 

Learn more about Global Skills Opportunity

Global Citizens Network and Stipend Program (In Review)

This is your opportunity to engage in international education events on campus, develop your intercultural skills, and earn funding towards your international experience. Earn $500 upon completion of the Stipend Activities.

Learn more about the Global Citizens Network and Stipend Program

Exchange Ambassador Stipend Program: $1000 

VIU Exchange Ambassadors are champions of the VIU Exchange Program who help prospective exchange students find out more about the possibilities of exchange through info sessions, classroom presentations, social media campaigns and other events.  As a recognition of their time (30 hours) and engagement, Ambassadors are awarded with $1000 upon completion of the Stipend Activities.  See the program page for more information on how to apply to the program.

Learn more about the Exchange Ambassador Stipend Program

VIU Scholarships and Awards manage a number of awards available to students accepted enrolled in VIU Education Abroad programs (exchange, field school, internship or practicum overseas). 

To apply, update and submit your Scholarship/Award/Bursary Profile from your student record by the March 31 deadline.  The following list is a summary of some of the "Study Abroad" awards available and this information is subject to change.  For more information, see VIU Financial Aid and Awards.

Ann Buchanan Liberal Studies Award

1 award, $1000; Available to students who are single parents, and who will be attending a Liberal Studies Abroad program.

International Internship Award

1 award, $3,000; Available to students participating in an internship of at least 3 months in a development country in the global south. Preference will be given to students whose internships are aligned with CIDA priorities and themes.

Morvah Award for International Development

1 award, $500; Available to Canadian students working on short-term projects overseas; based first on overall abilities and life goals, then GPA. Awarded on the basis of the Centre for International Studies evaluation of a short proposal demonstrating the following objectives: 1) furthering international awareness and understanding of the economic barriers to poverty alleviation, contributing to initiatives that may be able to overcome these barriers, in a sustainable manner; 2) bringing tangible benefits to both VIU and the host country counterparts, and 3) where possible to leverage co-funding of development projects from other sources (eg CIDA, Province of BC, CCC), to maximize the awards' impact.

Patricia Forbes Awards for Professional Development

2 awards, $1,000 each; Available to students in Recreation and Tourism programs, who will be participating in a professional development activity, such as attending a conference, undertaking professional training, or participating in a field school, research project, or semester abroad.

Koki Sato International Scholarship

1 award, $300; Available to full-time Canadian or International students, based on academic excellence and demonstrated leadership in international and community development and relations. To apply, update and submit your "Scholarship/Award/Bursary Profile" from your student record by the March 31 deadline. Funds awarded as a tuition credit for the fall semester.  

BC Study Abroad Scholarship

The BC Study Abroad Scholarships celebrate the study abroad experience through student-generated content and financial support. Scholarship recipients will receive $500 for a virtual study abroad program and $1000 for a in-person study abroad program, and the opportunity to share their in-person and/or virtual exchange study abroad experience via blog and photos.

Eligibility

To be eligible for the BC Study Abroad Scholarships, applying students must meet the following criteria:

1. Be currently enrolled at a BC Study Abroad Consortium Institution.
2. Enrolled in or accepted into a short-term study abroad program. Please note that the program may be conducted either as an in-person exchange (e.g. physically in another country) or as a virtual exchange using virtual learning platforms hosted by a foreign institution.

Expectations

In return for a $1000 scholarship, successful student applicants will submit the following:

• One 300 to 400-word blog post (with photo) to be submitted during their study abroad program
• One 300 to 400-word blog post (with photo) to be submitted within 60 days of the completion of their study abroad program
• Upon completion of the program, 8 to 10 high resolution photos taken by the student documenting their experience:
  
  • Photos must be at least 150 dpi
  • Accompanied by a document (i.e. Word, Excel, etc.) containing:
    • Image file name
    • Caption for each image
    • Location where each image was taken (i.e. geotag)
    • A short presentation to be made at their home institution once back in BC

How to apply

• Review the application checklist
• Email using the subject line:
  • Stories from Study Abroad: British Columbia Study Abroad Scholarships Application
• Email all required material as a single email to:
  •  info@bcstudyabroad.ca

Application Deadline: Monday, March 13

One World International Scholarship Program: $2,000 - $5,000

1. Are studying abroad (outside Canada and USA) for no longer than one year;
2. Have been enrolled full-time in a program at least one year in length at a BC public post-secondary institution; and
3. Can demonstrate significant community and/or school involvement.

There are two kinds of One World International Scholarships:

1. $2000 - $5000 Scholarships for students studying abroad as part of an exchange or other international arrangement with their home institution for academic credit recognized by their home institution, and;
2. $2000 Scholarships for students studying abroad for experiential learning experiences which are not for credit.

Application Deadline: March 15 and November 15 annually.

Submit complete  application form to VIU Education Abroad.

More details at BC Scholarship Society

Premier's One World Scholarship: $8,000 - $12,000 

This is a prestigious, high-value award, available on a competitive basis to eligible British Columbia students from across the province whose study abroad program is one semester or two consecutive academic semesters of full time study at one institution. In the case of work abroad activities, including applied experiential learning such as cooperative education placements, internships and field work, they may be included if they are an integral part of a student’s study abroad program, but they must be combined with at least one semester of academic work.  Apply directly to the Irving K. Barber Society.

Learn more about the BC Scholarship Society 

BC Study Abroad (BCSA) Scholarships

This consortium offers a variety of scholarships. Check out the Stories from Abroad Scholarship, with application deadlines in the Spring semester.

Learn more about BC Study Abroad Scholarships and Awards

UMAP-Canada Scholarships

The UMAP-Canada scholarships are available to Canadian citizen students of Canadian UMAP member institutions to study at UMAP member institutions in other countries and for foreign nationals from a UMAP member institution to study at UMAP Canada member institutions on an approved UMAP program (physical or virtual).

Eligible Programs or study abroad terms must be registered in the UMAP Student Connection Online (USCO) system or pre-approved for consideration by UMAP IS.

Award value: The scholarship value is based on the type and length of the program.

Physical mobility

• 1-8 month programs: $8000-$10,200 CAD/ semester for 1 and 2 semester programs
• Short-term programs (longer than one week (7 days) and shorter than one month (30 days): $1000-$3500CDN

Virtual mobility

• All programs: longer than one week (7 days) to a maximum of one semester (3-4 months), pro-rated for program type and length, $1000CDN per month

Application procedures: By invitation only. Students must apply and be accepted to a UMAP physical or virtual exchange program. Eligible students will be contacted with scholarship application details. Contact the UMAP International Secretariat for more information (umap-is@umap.org).

Learn more about UMAP-Canada Scholarships.

Canadian Bureau for International Education (CBIE) Scholarships

CBIE supports several scholarships for Canadian students wishing to learn abroad.

Learn more about the Canadian Bureau for International Education (CBIE) Scholarships

Federal Government Scholarships

Explore international scholarship opportunities for Canadian students and researchers to study and conduct research abroad. Explore the database by country of destination to find scholarships, fellowships or funding opportunities made available by Global Affairs Canada and other Canadian federal government departments.

Learn more about the Government of Canada International Scholarships for Canadians 

Student Research Scholarships and Awards

• Canadian Institutes for Health Research (CIHR)
• The BC Student-Led Research Program
• NSERC (Natural Sciences & Engineering Research Council)
• Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) SSHRC-related fields
• Jessica Wilde Fund for Conference Participation
• Warsh Law Corp Undergraduate Research Award

Learn more about VIU Research and Funding Opportunities

Awards, Grants, Scholarships

Various government agencies offer grants and awards, usually in a provincial or national competition.

• Foreign Government Awards - Korea The Government of Korea through the National Institute for International Education Development offers scholarships to Canadians for study/research at the graduate level. These scholarships are based on reciprocal agreements between the governments of Korea and Canada.
  • For more information, visit Foreign Government Awards Program - Korea

• The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) of the Government of Japan is currently accepting applications for its Japanese Studies Scholarship for Canadian students who wish to study at a Japanese university. The scholarship covers:

  1. Full tuition

  2. Monthly allowance

  3. Round-trip flight between Japan and Canada

The Japanese Studies Scholarship is aimed at undergraduate university students majoring in fields related to the Japanese language and/or Japanese culture, who are interested in deepening their understanding of the Japanese language, culture and affairs. 

ERASMUS + financial aid for Exchange to the University of Huelva

This mobility program offers an Erasmus Mobility Grant for one VIU student studying at The University of Huelva (UHU) during the fall or spring semester of the 2024-25 academic year.

Funding granted to the participants of the mobility program Erasmus + is designed to partially cover the expenses incurred by them during their stay abroad. Aid funds from the European Union under this call include:

1. Funding to cover subsistence expenses: This amount is set according to the country of destination and length of stay. The aid is divided by groups of countries, according to the approximate cost of living. Spain is included in Group 2 and mobilities contribution to this country is €850 a month for students.
2. Funding to help cover travel expenses. The amount is calculated as a function of distance bands. The distance should be calculated between the city of origin and University of destination, using the distance calculator European Union. In the case of VIU, the allocated travel fund per participant is €1500.

Learn more about ERASMUS+

Students approved to participate in VIU Education Abroad programs and who receive funding such as loans, grants or scholarships through StudentAid BC may be eligible to maintain their funding while studying abroad. It is the responsibility of each student to make the appropriate arrangements. The following is a guide to assist in navigating the process, for VIU Education Abroad participants. 

Outgoing Exchange Students

Students going on an exchange semester may be eligible for student loans. The Education Abroad Office recommends connecting with VIU Financial Aid and Awards if you plan to use student loan funding to offset the expenses of going on exchange. If you will be applying for financial assistance from StudentAid BC prior to participating in a planned semester exchange program abroad, you must advise VIU Financial Aid and Awards to ensure you meet the funding eligibility. Because the dates of exchange programs often do not match the dates of enrollment at VIU, your student loan application will require a separate appendix that the Financial Aid Office must complete.

If you were approved for a student exchange after applying for Student Aid BC, you may need to report a circumstance change and/or complete a reassessment process for funding. Please contact VIU Financial Aid and Awards for instructions.

Not all exchange partner universities are eligible for students to receive student loan funding. Visit StudentAid BC or contact VIU Financial Aid and Awards to verify if the host university is designated to receive student loans.

Short Term Education Abroad Programs

For students participating in Field Schools, Internships, Practica and Summer programs abroad who, you may be eligible to StudentAidBC funding.

In order to apply, you must be enrolled in at least 60% (40% for students with permanent disabilities) of a full-time course load for credit, for a period of at least 12 consecutive weeks. The Financial Aid office will be able to advise you on whether your program will qualify for StudentAid BC.

If you are currently receiving StudentAid BC funding, you may need to complete a Reassessment form (Appendix 7) in January to extend your end date to August. It is important that you submit this form to the Financial Aid & Awards Office early in the new year to ensure that additional funds are received by the field school payment deadlines. The additional funds are usually available 4 to 6 weeks after you submit your Reassessment application.

If you are not currently receiving StudentAid BC funding, and need financial assistance, contact VIU Financial Aid and Awards.