Visual Arts Diploma at Vancouver Island University in Nanaimo, Canada is a diploma in Visual Arts programme. The programme runs for 2 years, delivered on campus. Teaching is in English. Tuition is CAD 5,100 per total for local students.
At a glance
Degree:Diploma
Field:Visual Arts
Duration: 2 years
Delivery: On Campus
Language: English
Local tuition: CAD 5,100 / total
Information for the 2027/28 academic year · Last reviewed September 2026 ·
Program details
Overview
VIU's Visual Art Diploma is a two-year, 60-credit studio program in Nanaimo, with the first year built around foundation coursework in drawing, an art history survey, and 2D/3D design fundamentals, alongside six credits of English and two non-art electives. In the second year, students choose eight art courses from specialized studio areas spanning painting, printmaking, photography, ceramics, and sculpture, with at least one course from either ceramics or sculpture required in each course grouping; at least 45 of the 60 total credits must come from art department courses, including six credits of art history at a minimum C grade. The diploma itself is awarded on successful completion of the 60 credits with a minimum 1.84 grade point average; applicants submit a portfolio electronically through SlideRoom along with a letter of intent. VIU states that interviews are not required for this program. Students must complete mandatory safety training before getting access to studio facilities and are responsible for purchasing their own equipment through the VIU Campus Store, though transfer credit from other institutions is accepted for advanced students.
Requirements
Admission Requirements: For general admission this Diploma follows VIU's institution-wide Academic Programs route: BC secondary graduation (or accepted equivalent) with at least a "C" in English Studies 12 or English First Peoples 12, a prior university degree, Letter-of-Permission visiting-student status, transfer with 24+ university credits, or academic mature-student entry (21+, same English "C"). On top of that, Visual Art asks for a portfolio of at least 10 original works (drawings, paintings, collage/mixed media, or photographs of 3D, mural or craft pieces) submitted electronically with a letter of intent by the programme deadline; the interview normally required has currently been waived. Enrolment is limited, so meeting the minimum requirements does not guarantee a seat. VIU does not publish a central English-test table for domestic applicants; neither this page nor the linked admission-requirements page states IELTS/TOEFL scores.
Application Details
Start Date:September
Application Deadline:Domestic (Canadian) applicants apply through EducationPlannerBC; Vancouver Island University sets no institution-wide equal-consideration date, and its admissions FAQ states deadlines vary by programme, with applications for most academic programmes opening 1 October in the year before a September start. VIU publishes no general closing date for that window; applicants are directed to each programme's own page for its own deadline. International applicants use the same portal; VIU publishes no international-specific institution-wide date either, and several health programmes (Practical Nursing, Nursing Unit Assistant) are stated as not currently open to international students. Each programme's own page carries its own Start Date, Deadlines, and Additional Application Details table for the 2026-27 cycle, and admission for programmes without a stated window is treated as ongoing/rolling until the intake fills. These are institution-wide dates; this programme publishes no deadline of its own.
