Important Application Information

Requirement to Disclose Information

Applicants are required to provide the information necessary for the University record. This includes disclosing all secondary and post-secondary (if applicable) institutions where any course registrations were made, and arranging for all official transcripts to be sent directly to Undergraduate Admissions. Applicants who fail to meet these requirements may lose transfer credit and/or have their admission and registration cancelled.

University’s Right to Refuse Applicants

The University reserves the right to refuse applicants for admission on the basis of their overall academic record, even if they technically meet the published minimum admission requirements.

University’s Right to Limit enrolment

The University does not guarantee that students who meet the published minimum requirements will be admitted to any faculty, program or course. In cases where the number of qualified applicants exceeds the number that can be accommodated, the University reserves the right to set enrolment limits in a faculty or program and to establish admission criteria beyond the minimum published requirements set out in this section.

Except in special circumstances, students must be at least 16 years of age to be admitted to first year, and at least 17 to be admitted to second year.

For more information, contact Undergraduate Admissions, visit <registrar.uvic.ca> or Ask UVic <www.askuvic.ca>.

Documentation Required for First Admission

In addition to the documentation requirements shown in the table below, applicants may be required to submit additional documentation or meet additional requirements as specified in the faculty and departmental regulations. Refer to individual faculty or department entries in the Calendar or their website for more information.

Official Transcripts

An official transcript is one which is issued directly to Undergraduate Admissions from the institution previously attended. The student's copy, a photocopy or an unsealed transcript is considered unofficial and may not be used when making an admission decision. No final decisions regarding admission will be made until final official transcripts have been sent from the institution directly to Undergraduate Admissions.

Applicants submitting falsified documentation or failing to declare attendance elsewhere will have their applications cancelled and no further applications will be considered; if they are registered in courses, appropriate disciplinary action will be recommended to the President by the Senate Committee on Admission, Reregistration and Transfer. Normally, failure to disclose attendance at another post-secondary institution and to submit, in a timely manner, a transcript of courses taken will result in suspension for a minimum of one year.

Transcripts in languages other than English or French must be submitted together with notarized translations into English.

Appealing Admission/Reregistration Decisions

Applicants who have been denied admission or reregistration to the University and who can prove extenuating circumstances or provide information that was not presented initially should forward a completed Notice of Appeal Form and supporting documentation to the Senate Committee on Admission, Reregistration and Transfer, c/o Admission Officer (new students), or Records Officer (returning students), Office of the Registrar, University Centre. Note that there are no personal appearances before the Committee. Should the Office of the Registrar deem that the appeal lacks sufficient supporting documentation, the appellant will be notified and provided the opportunity to supplement the appeal before it goes to the Committee.

Normally, grounds for appeal are limited to:

• significant physical affliction or psychological distress documented by a physician or other health care professional
• evidence of incorrect advice or errors of administration by authorized University personnel, with evidence that the applicant’s studies were adversely affected
• documented significant distress, or documented significant responsibility as a caregiver, as a result of an immediate member of the family suffering from a serious trauma or illness

Dissatisfaction with University regulations, or disagreements concerning the evaluation of admissibility (for example, calculation of grade point average, evaluation of English proficiency) or failure to meet published deadlines will not be considered grounds for appeal.

The Senate Committee on Admission, Reregistration and Transfer will consider all the documentation presented and will make a final decision on the application. The decision may be appealed to the Senate Committee on Appeals on the grounds of specific procedural error (see Appeals).

A student who has a marginal record upon admission may be placed on probation by the Senate Committee on Admission, Reregistration and Transfer.

Applicants Whose First Language is Not English

As English is the primary language of instruction at University of Victoria, all applicants, regardless of country of origin or citizenship status, will be required to demonstrate competence in the English language prior to admission in one of the following ways:

• completion of four years of secondary and/or post-secondary education in which the primary language of instruction is English, in one of the following countries: Anguilla, Antigua, Australia, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, Botswana, British Virgin Islands, Cameroon, Canada, Cayman Islands, Dominica, Gambia, Ghana, Grenada, Guyana, Ireland, Kenya, Jamaica, Lesotho, Liberia, Malawi, Mauritius, Montserrat, Namibia, Nigeria, New Zealand, Singapore, South Africa, Swaziland, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent, Tanzania, Trinidad and Tobago, Turks and Caico Islands, Uganda, United Kingdom, United States, U.S. Virgin Islands, Zambia, Zimbabwe
• completion of a recognized degree program from an accredited university in which the primary language of instruction is English, in one of the countries listed in the paragraph above
• completion of Grade 12 English or its equivalent in Canada with a final grade of 86% or higher within the last three years prior to admission
• a score of 86% or higher on the BC Provincial Grade 12 English Examination within the last three years prior to admission
• completion of 1.5 or more units of transfer credit for university-level English courses (excluding ENGL 181 and 182)
• Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL)* with a score of 575 or higher on the paper-based test, or a score of 90 or higher on the internet-based test —with no less than 20 out of 30 in any of the reading, listening, writing, or speaking sections
• Michigan English Language Assessment Battery (MELAB)* with a score of 90 or higher
• International English Language Testing System (Academic IELTS)* with a score of 6.5 or higher (with no part less than 6.0)
• Canadian Academic English Language Assessment (CAEL)* with a score of 70, with no subtest result below 60
• University of Victoria University Admission Preparation (UAP) course with a score of 80% or higher
• a score of Level 6 on the BC Language Proficiency Index (LPI)
• a score of 4 or higher on the Advanced Placement Exam in English Language and Composition
• a score of 4 or higher on IB Higher Level -English

* Tests taken more than two years prior to application will not be considered.

English Proficiency: Exchange Students

Applicants participating in a formal exchange program must demonstrate English language proficiency adequate for successful participation in the program. The level of proficiency and the manner in which it will be demonstrated will be stated in the exchange agreement approved by the University.

Students in exchange programs who later apply for regular admission to the University must at that time meet all admission requirements and demonstrate English language proficiency as defined above.

English Proficiency: Visiting Students

Visiting students whose first language is not English and who have not studied in Canada or another English-speaking country for four recent academic years in an acceptable program from an approved secondary or post-secondary institution must demonstrate English language proficiency as outlined above.