Business and Management Program Policies

Students must apply by completing the PDF or online program application form for the CBA and DBA programs by deadlines indicated, no exceptions (see Important Dates page). Fully-complete applications will be reviewed by our admission staff in the order in which they were received. In order for an application to be fully-compete, students must also submit all required supplementary documents such as transcripts, proof of English proficiency and other documents as requests. All supporting documentation must be received within 30 days of the original application submission, or the application will be cancelled.

Application to the program does not guarantee acceptance into the program. If an application is denied, our admission staff will communicate the reason and options for moving forward, if any. 

Business and Management Programs has the right to edit or change application deadlines without notice, waitlist applications, or to close application deadlines. Acceptance into the program does not guarantee registration in individual courses, as such early program application and course registration is strongly encouraged. 

If you are interested in completing a short Professional Development Certificate (PDC) within your CBA or DBA program requirements (ie: PDC in Business Communication), a separate application is not required. A one-time program fee of $20 can be selected at the time of course registration. 

Application fees are due at time of program application. Business and Management Programs cannot review applications before receiving the non-refundable application fee.

Tuition deposit (if applicable) is due within three weeks of acceptance into the program. When an applicant is offered a spot in the program, they will be sent a payment link to pay the tuition deposit. This amount will be held as a credit towards tuition fees and is not an additional cost. Applicants must pay the deposit to accept their spot in the program. Applicants will have 3 weeks for receipt of the tuition deposit. If the tuition deposit is not received by this time, the offer will expire and the application will be cancelled.

Remaining tuition and student services fees are due at, or prior to, course registration. View information about available payment options.

If English is not your first language, you will be asked for proof of proficiency in English before you will be admitted to a Business and Management course or program.

You will be asked to provide evidence of proficiency through one of the following:

• Transcript showing graduation from a Canadian secondary school
• Four years of full-time academic studies in which all language of instruction is English at a high school or post-secondary institution
• Successful completion of a recognized degree program from an accredited university in which all language of instruction is English, in a recognized English-speaking country
• IELTS (academic) 6.0 overall (no sub-score less than 5.5)
• TOEFL IBT 79 (no sub-score less than 17)
• TOEFL Paper-based Test 550 (discontinued)
• UVic ELC Intensive English (ELPI) level 570
• Successful completion of approved English partner pathway level (note: conditional acceptance possible with proof of registration in a pathway program)

Please note we will not accept tests taken more than two years prior to the date of your program application. 

Please note that in rare circumstances we may request secondary verification of English proficiency prior to admission. 

All registered students must be 18 years or older by the start date of your study program, with no exception.

Students applying to the Business and Management programs who meet all academic requirements except for the English proficiency requirement, may apply for conditional admission. 

You may qualify for conditional admission if registered in an English program through one of our approved English pathway partners - please contact us (bmt@uvic.ca) for more info. Students have 1 year from their acceptance date to provide proof that the condition has been met.

If you do not provide proof of meeting the English proficiency requirement within 1 year of acceptance date, you will be withdrawn from your registered program and re-application will be necessary.

Upcoming new international students who are unable to begin the program on their accepted program term start date can request a one-time deferral to a future term within 1 year.

Students requesting a deferral should submit a deferral request form by the deadlines noted below. We are unable to accommodate late deferral requests. Deferral deadlines: 

• September term: August 15
• January term: December 15 
• May term: April 15 

Deferral requests are subject to approval and available seats. A deferral fee ($100) will be charged for approved deferrals, and there is a limit of one deferral per student, no exception. Students who have previously deferred their studies will not be permitted to defer repeatedly and, instead, will be required to re-apply to the program and pay a new application fee and program deposit.

If you are an international student and your visa is denied, the above will apply. If your visa is denied a second time, you will need to submit a new application with another deposit and application fee.

International students already in Canada cannot transfer fees between programs unless an emergency requires them to return home. In these cases, students must provide the Business and Management Programs with a doctor’s note and proof of a return air ticket to their home country. This process is subject to an additional $100 transfer fee and must be approved by the Program Director.

Students who fail or do not attend multiple courses (receiving an assigned grade of W, F, or I on their transcript), over more than one study term, may be withdrawn from the program. Students wishing to continue their studies would then need to re-apply for a subsequent term.

Business and Management Programs reserve the right to make changes to program or course fees, schedules, and programs without notice. 

Courses or programs may be cancelled without notice. If a course or program is cancelled, all tuition fees including applicable student services fees, will be refunded. The application fee is non-refundable. Business and Management Programs reserves the right to establish special regulations for admission to programs at any time.
 

Students who complete the CBA Program may continue to future study in the DBA program. Courses completed in the CBA program will be credited towards the DBA course requirements. Students must submit an application to the DBA program including the application fee. 

Students studying in our CBA Fast Track and DBA programs may qualify to apply to a degree program at a partner institution such as Royal Roads and the MGB Program at UVic.

Students can complete any number of approved Professional Development Certificates (PDC) within their CBA or DBA programs. Students may not retroactively receive a Professional Development Certificate if all courses are already completed. 
 

Students can transfer between programs once. Request must be submitted in writing to bstadvisor@uvic.ca. A request to transfer must be received prior to the start date of your final term in your current program of study.

Students admitted to or who have started the CBA program may be permitted to transfer to the DBA program. Credit will only be granted for DBA program.

Students admitted to or who have started the DBA program may be permitted to transfer to the CBA program. Credit will only be granted for the CBA program. Students who wish to continue their studies in the DBA program would need to re-apply upon completion of the CBA.
 

The application fee, program deposit and deferral fee for all programs are non-refundable.

Withdrawal deadlines and details are listed below:

All requests to withdraw or transfer from a course must be submitted to the registration team at uvcsreg@uvic.ca or (250) 472-4747.

Full-time international students who are accepted in the program, but do not register for their courses by the program start date will be withdrawn. Re-application to the program including application fee and program deposit will be required.

If you are an international student and your visa application is denied by the Canadian Embassy and you wish to withdraw, we can refund tuition fees paid including the program deposit. In order to process the refund, students must provide a copy of the visa refusal from the Canadian Embassy. All requests for withdrawal must be received in writing to bmt@uvic.ca.

Please note tuition refunds may be less any applicable currency exchange or banking fees.
 

BIDA, ISP, TECH, etc. elective course codes may adhere to different policies and deadlines. Please refer directly to those course pages for details. The Business and Management policies do not replace these individual course policies. 

A maximum of 3 BIDA/TECH electives can be applied toward the DBA requirements (with the exception of TECH100 and TECH110). Students can complete more, to qualify for a PDC or for general interest, but they will not count toward their Business Program Requirements.

The University of Victoria requires a student’s consent to release any information pertaining to the student record, or to conduct student-related business, with anyone other than the student. In order to release student information to another individual, students must email bmt@uvic.ca with their written permission.
 

For students who are in their final term of study or those who have completed the program requirements, please be sure to submit an Application to Graduate. The deadline to apply for Spring (June) convocation is February 28, and the deadline to apply for Fall (November) convocation is August 15. 

• CBA Application to Graduate
• DBA Application to Graduate

International agents provide valuable student recruitment and support service for UVic Business and Management Programs. We carefully screen, onboard, and train these representatives, however students should be aware of the following:

• An agent's services are not required in order to apply to Business and Management programs. Students are welcome to send inquiries and applications directly to Business and Management Programs. 
• Business and Management Program agents are only authorized to recruit for Business and Management Programs and other approved UVic Continuing Studies programs.
• UVic Business and Management Programs cannot take responsibility for any errors, omissions or other failures of any agent.
• Students may discontinue their agent relationship at their own discretion, by written request to the Business and Management programs staff at bmt@uvic.ca.
• Students are not permitted to 'change' agents under any circumstance once their application has been processed, though they may discontinue their agent relationship.
   

Please note that if you are an international student and your visa application is denied by the Canadian Embassy, we can refund tuition fees paid including the program deposit. In order to process the refund, students must provide a copy of the visa refusal from the Canadian Embassy. If your visa is denied a second time, you will need to submit a new application with another deposit and application fee.
 

A comprehensive medical insurance plan is one of the benefits provided to international students enrolled in full-time Business and Management programs, upon payment of the Student Services Fee. This fee includes:

• Medical insurance provided by guard.me@UVCS
• Access to CARSA, UVic’s world-class athletic facility.
• A bus pass valid while you are studying
• Expanded access to UVic student clubs, organizations and events

The cost of health care in Canada is very high for those who do not have health insurance. In order to ensure medical issues do not cause you financial difficulty, all Business and Management Program students are required to have comprehensive coverage for the duration of their studies. Family members who are with you in Canada should also have comprehensive coverage. You can purchase dependent coverage for them at an additional cost through guard.me directly. Further information can be found by visiting Medical coverage for international students.

British Columbia has a mandatory medical services plan (BC MSP) that provides health care coverage for people residing in the province. International students studying in BC for more than 6 months with a valid study permit must apply for BC MSP.
 

Students in the CBA or DBA programs who wish to study full-time must take a minimum of 3 courses per term. In order to set yourself up for success with a manageable workload, we strongly suggest registration in no more than 4 courses per term. Upon Director approval, students may be able to register for 5 courses in a term.

Please note that our intensive programs have a set schedule and do not fall within the guidelines noted above. 
 

Full-time International students with valid study permits must meet certain conditions to maintain their legal status in Canada, including "actively pursuing your studies." However, we understand that sometimes you may be required to take some time off your studies for personal and/or health/medical reasons.Students who require a leave from their studies for their upcoming or current term they are studying in must complete and submit the Leave request form.

Before applying, students are advised to review the IRCC website on what counts an authorized: Authorized Leave and Study Permit Conditions. The length of the leave of absence may affect your status as a student and your eligibility for the Post Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) after completing your program.

Domestic students and those without a study permit are not required to submit leave requests. 

We advise early registration in courses as space and course selection cannot be guaranteed. Course registration open and close dates can be found on the Important Dates page. All course tuition and student services fees are due at time of course registration. Business and Management Programs will not hold seats in courses without payment.

Students may register for individual courses and are not required to apply for CBA/DBA programs. 

All international students in full-time programs who do not register in courses by the term start date or new students who do not defer their acceptance to a future term of study will be administratively withdrawn from the CBA/DBA program. Re-application to the program including application fee and program deposit will be required. Please note it is the responsibility of students to ensure they are meeting the requirements of their study and/or work permits.

If you have any questions or concerns about registration, course selection, or graduation requirements, please contact us.

A course exemption is only available to students in their last term of study and who require an additional elective course to be approved in lieu of one of the required courses in the CBA or DBA program.

A course exemption is limited to only one approved course. If you are in your final term of study and your last required course is either full or not scheduled, you may request a course exemption by completing the Course Exemption form.

Once processed and approved, students will receive a confirmation by email. If you have any questions, please contact the Business Program Advisor.

Students may apply to transfer a previously completed course from other colleges and universities or from UVic credit programs, provided the content and learning outcomes closely match a specific Business and Management Programs course. Only one course submission will be considered toward one advanced standing request, and at least 90% of the learning outcomes must match.

Due to course content changes over time and to meet current curriculum and learning outcomes, only BMBA-coded courses completed within the last ten (10) years will be eligible for consideration (e.g. BMBA100 Business Administration). For our TECH100, TECH110 and TECH325, we will consider courses completed within the last four (4) years. All other TECH, BIDA and ISP coded courses are ineligible for transfer.

Please note the maximum number of advanced standings allowed per program type:

• Diploma in Business Administration: two (2) courses
• Certificate in Business Administration: one (1) course

Students can submit a request at any time during their program.  An advanced standing approval will be processed in the term in which the request is received.  An advanced standing course does not replace an ‘active’ course within a study term, and therefore does not count towards the number of courses a full-time student must complete in a term.

To request advanced standing, students can complete the online Request for Advanced Standing form and upload the following mandatory documents (in English, or accompanied by an official translation):

• transcript showing the course name and code, date taken, and the passing grade achieved
• detailed course outline/syllabus containing:
• a course description
• learning outcomes
• weekly structure
• assessments
• course materials/textbook
• total instructional hours

Calendar and/or website descriptions are unacceptable due to lack of detail. Only requests received with these mandatory documents will be reviewed.

International students should note that adding advanced standing courses to their program may shorten their overall program length, as there will be fewer courses to complete with UVic. Before submitting a request, we recommend you review the IRCC web page for post-graduation work permit (PGWP) validity and the 'Transfers between educational institutions' section for more information about how transferring courses for advanced standing may affect PGWP validity: View IRCC website.

The fee is $350 per advanced standing granted, and is non-refundable upon acceptance.

Please allow 4 – 6 weeks for processing.

The university expects students to attend all courses in which they are enrolled, including weekly participation in online courses. Instructors may take attendance every class and assign a portion of the overall grade to attendance. University policy allows an instructor to refuse a student admission to class because of lateness, misconduct, inattention, or failure to meet the responsibilities of the course.

A program area may require a student to withdraw from a course if the student is registered in another course that occurs at the same time or may fail students in both courses for lack of attendance.

Students who are absent from more than one class due to illness, accident, or family affliction should notify their instructor. If illness, accident, or family affliction causes a student to miss an exam during the term, or to be late submitting a course assignment, the student should contact the instructor to request a deferred exam or due date. Normally the instructor will require documentation from a health professional to support the request. Students who neglect their academic work, including assignments, may be refused permission to write the final examination or complete the final assignment in a course.

Regular attendance and participation in all face-to-face and online courses is expected. Students who do not attend class or connect to their course site without previous written communication and consent for absences may be administratively withdrawn from a course.

For international students in CBA/DBA full-time programs:
International students in full-time programs who are inactive in any course could be administratively withdrawn, which may drop you to part-time status and may have implications for your temporary resident status in Canada and eligibility for future immigration programs. It is the responsibility of students to ensure they are meeting the requirements of their study and/or work permits. 

All non-credit students must follow the Division of Continuing Studies academic regulations on standards of academic integrity for non-credit courses noted in the Policy on Academic Integrity. All allegations of academic integrity violations, including plagiarism, unauthorized use of an author, multiple submissions, cheating and aiding others to cheat, will be dealt with according to the University’s academic regulations.

If you have any questions about appropriate ways to acknowledge other people's work, please review the University of Victoria's Academic Integrity Resources and Plagiarism FAQs. If you have further questions, please contact your instructor or program staff.

Students can request a formal review of their final grade by completing the Request for Grade Appeal form if they wish for clarification or are dissatisfied with their grade for an assignment or a course. Students must discuss the assigned grade with their instructor via email before requesting a formal review.

The Program Director will manage the appeal process, which may include discussion with the course instructor, a review by an external content specialist in the topic of the course, and a review of all written work assigned in the course or, in the case of online work, a review of student contributions to online course discussions.

The grade determined by means of a review will be recorded as the final official grade, regardless of whether it is the same as, or higher or lower than, the original grade. The decision of the Program Director is considered final, subject to an appeal to the Dean of Continuing Studies.

The grade appeal fee of $25 CAD will be charged upon receipt of request. The grade appeal request and $25 fee must be received within 21 days after the release of grades. Once the grade appeal request has been submitted and the fee charged, we will make every effort to complete the review within 21 days.

• Students must provide the following documentation at the time of the request:
  • A description of the assignment(s) in question
  • The original work submitted for the grade(s) in question
  • A grading rubric for the assignment(s) in question or an explicit statement on how grades were determined and what assessment techniques were used in the course
  • Emails and correspondence between the instructor and learners discussing the assignment(s) in question
  • A clear statement in writing noting in detail the grounds for believing that the grade awarded should be changed