Vancouver Island University and VIU Student Housing is located at the base on Mount Benson. We live on a mountain and because of that, we have great views but also a lot of stairs and steep slopes. Student Housing recognizes and acknowledges what these challenges can pose to some of our students. Because of that we are working with Accessibility Services and Facilities on campus to continuously support our students needs. Being clear with Student Housing and Accessibility Services about what accommodations you may require allows us to better support your educational and learning journey here at VIU.
For those needing an accessibility accommodation at VIU Student Housing. All medical information is collected for VIU Student Housing records only. It may be accessed and disclosed to emergency personnel in the event of a medical emergency.
Accessible accommodations for both academic/learning and Student Housing living requirements are facilitated through VIU's Accessibility Services.
For applicants needing accessible accommodations in Student Housing, please be advised that all paperwork and supporting documentation needs to be received in full by the office of Accessibility Services by May 1 for the upcoming Fall (September) admissions to Student Housing. For second semester (Spring Term) accessible applications please contact Residence@viu.ca before Nov. 1 for more information and availability.
Applications received by the office after this date are not guaranteed and will be placed in line for placement in the order that they were received.
On Campus
The Nanaimo campus is beautiful, yet complex. Important accessibility features such as powered doors and ramps are not always readily visible and easy to find. Additionally, accessible routes can be difficult to find amongst the maze of stairs. For more information visit Universal Access at VIU
The VIU Accessible Wayfinding Initiative was created in 2019 to mitigate these issues. The Universal Access Website presents the results of the project: a collection of accessible mobility wayfinding maps for the Nanaimo Campus.
If you require any more information on general medical care at VIU please visit the Student Health Clinic.
Residence Accessibility Accommodation Form
Please Complete the Student Housing Accessibility Accommodation Form with supporting documentation and sent it to VIU's Accessibility Services. Accessibility Services will assess the documentation and make recommendations to Residence regarding any accommodations needed. The deadline to submit all completed forms and documentation to Accessibility Services is May 1 for incoming Fall academic year applicants.