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Before courses start at Canadian universities, many students will be travelling both internationally and across the country, so it is important to make your travel arrangements early. Ask about the best deals, and be sure to check if there are any special rates or discounts for students.
TIP: If you are waiting to receive immigration documents, ask whether you can reserve your tickets ahead of time without a cancellation penalty.
When to Arrive
Plan to arrive in Victoria about a week before classes begin so you have time to settle in, recover from travelling, and explore the campus and the city. If you intend to live on campus, check out the information about move-in dates on the Accommodation webpage. If you want to live off campus in a rental accommodation, you should arrive at least two weeks before classes begin to allow time for the search. Consult the UVic Calendar for a list of important dates.
Try to arrive on campus between 9:00am and 4:00pm, Monday through Friday, when services are available. Most university services are closed Saturdays, Sundays and statutory holidays. If you plan to start classes in January, you should be aware that most university services are closed during the winter break.
Arriving late puts you at a disadvantage. If you miss orientation events, you will miss important information and a chance to meet other students before classes start. Visit the New Student Orientation website to sign up for orientation! If you arrive after the first day of classes, you will need to contact your instructors or else you may be dropped from your courses to make room for waitlisted students.
Getting to Victoria and UVic
Victoria is located in the province of British Columbia (BC) on the southern tip of Vancouver Island. As you make travel plans, please consult the Directions to UVic webpage.
Ideally, the final destination for your air travel should be Victoria International Airport (YYJ). If you terminate your air travel at the Vancouver International Airport (YVR), you will need to take a ferry boat to get over to Victoria on Vancouver Island. Travelling by ferry boat is scenic and possibly less expensive than flying. However, the ferry trip will add more than three hours to your overall travel time.
TIP: If you decide to purchase a plane ticket to Victoria International Airport after you arrive in Vancouver, it will cost quite a bit more than if that flight is included when you originally book your ticket.
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