Business Administration program policies

Students must apply by completing the online program application form for the CBA or DBA programs by the deadlines indicated. Fully complete applications will be reviewed by our admission staff in the order in which they are received. In order for an application to be fully complete, students must also submit all required supplementary documents (e.g., transcripts, proof of English proficiency and other documents as requested). All supporting documents 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 any other options for moving forward.

Business and Management programs have the right to edit or change application deadlines without notice, waitlist applications or close application deadlines. Acceptance into the program does not guarantee registration in individual courses. As such, applying early and registering for courses early is strongly encouraged. 

Additional micro-certificates

If you are interested in completing a short micro-certificate within your CBA or DBA program requirements (i.e. Business Communication or Business Intelligence and Data Analytics), a separate application is not required. A one-time program fee of $20 can be selected at the time of course registration. 

Please see the CBA program page and DBA program page for the application deadline for each starting term. We will continue to accept applications until the posted deadline, space permitting. 

International students are encouraged to consider study permit processing times when selecting a starting term in their program application.

Application fees and tuition deposit

Application fees are due at the 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 three 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 service fees are due at, or prior to, course registration. View information about available payment options.

When should I pay my tuition and student fees?

Course tuition and any required student fees are due at time of registration for each term of study. Please refer to the Important Dates page for registration opening and closing dates. 

Can I pre-pay my tuition and student fees?

What is included in the student service fees?

Student Service fees are mandatory each term for full-time, face-to-face study and includes: a bus pass, gym membership to the on-campus athletic facility CARSA, and UVic student society access. In addition, international students studying in Canada will be charged for Guard.me medical insurance until MSP coverage is in place.

More information for international students can be found through the UVic Continuing Studies International Student Fees and Health Insurance page.

Do the estimated fees on the website for full-time cover the full program?

The estimated fee totals listed on the program page for domestic students and international students are for the entire program. Tuition is paid term by term upon course registration. Applicable student fees are paid term by term upon registration.

After submitting your completed application, the processing time will be approximately five to seven business days. Please note that during high volume periods, application processing times may vary. To check the status of your application, please email BMT@uvic.ca. 

All supporting documents must be received within 30 days of the original application submission or the application will be cancelled. A fully completed application form, along with all supporting documents is what our registration team defines as a "completed application." Only completed applications will be reviewed for admission by our staff.

Business and Management programs reserve the right to make changes to program or course fees and schedules 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 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 the 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.

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

Application fees and program deposits

The application fee, program deposit and deferral fee for all CBA and DBA programs are non-refundable. Program deposits are refundable only in cases of study permit refusal.

For any changes that occur within Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), our refund policy remains the same.

Course tuition fees

A full course refund will be provided only if you withdraw or transfer from the course prior to the date indicated on the Important Dates webpage. A refund (course tuition and a $60 administrative fee) will be issued if you request to withdraw or transfer courses by the date indicated on the Important Dates webpage. 

Deadlines are firm and no refund will be available afterwards even if you are requesting to transfer to another course. Requests to transfer from one course section to another, or to withdraw from one course to another, are considered withdrawals and will adhere to the withdrawal deadlines noted on the Important Dates webpage. 

All requests to withdraw or transfer from a course should be directed toward the registration team at uvcsreg@uvic.ca or 250-472-4747.

Withdrawal due to failing a course or inadequate attendance

Students who fail and/or do not actively participate in their courses (receiving multiple incomplete - "N", withdrawn - "W" and/or failing - "F" grades on their transcript) will receive written warnings and are at risk of being withdrawn from the program.  

Students who have been withdrawn from the program and who wish to continue their studies would need to re-apply to the program, including current application fee and program deposit.

Withdrawal due to duplicate registrations 

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. 

International students

Full-time international students who are accepted into the program, but do not register for their courses by the course registration deadline indicated on the Important Dates webpage 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 by the start term. All requests for withdrawal must be received in writing to bmt@uvic.ca.

Please note that refunds may be less due to any applicable currency exchange or banking fees.

To see our upcoming offerings and review the overall CBA and DBA program course requirements, please view our anticipated course schedule. A different selection of courses are offered every term. Students register for courses according to program completion requirements and preferred electives. As such, not all students will complete all of the same courses.

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 service fees are due at the 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 different selection of courses are offered every term. To see our upcoming offerings, please view our anticipated course schedule.

Can I complete my entire program online?

Yes, you can complete the CBA or DBA program through exclusively online study. Please note that our courses are offered on a rotating basis each term. Students completing the CBA or DBA program through exclusively online study may choose from a smaller pool of elective courses.

International students planning to apply for a Post Graduate Work Permit should refer to the IRCC Website for up to date information on online learning.

What can I expect in an online course? 

When you register for an online course, you will receive an email prior to the course start date that will instruct you on how to access your course and obtain the required materials. You will then login to the course and communicate with your instructor and fellow classmates via the course learning management system Brightspace. All assignments and course activities are submitted electronically to the instructor.

Most CBA and DBA online courses are asynchronous and do not require you to be online at a particular time or on a particular day. Exams and assignments may require students to log in during a limited window of time. Please note the delivery style associated with each course, as a small number of distance courses will have synchronous or hybrid delivery, requiring live participation. All of our distance courses are paced and require adherence to the course schedule. Please see our Online Learning FAQ's for more details. 

For further information about Brightspace, visit the Continuing Studies Guide to Accessing Your Online Courses.

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 micro-certificate or for general interest, but they will not count toward their business program requirements.

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 per cent of the learning outcomes must match.

Students can submit a request at any time during their program, although we recommend doing so as soon as you have begun your studies. An advanced standing approval will be processed in the term in which the request is received, not a future term in your program. 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.

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 website 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.

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

The maximum number of advanced standings allowed per program type is:

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

Please note that courses for which a student has received advanced standing will not be eligible to be put towards the completion requirements of other programs (e.g., our micro-certificates such as Business Communication and Business Finance). 

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

*Only requests received with these mandatory documents will be reviewed.

**Calendar and/or website descriptions are unacceptable due to lack of detail. 

The fee per advanced standing is:

• $350 per advanced standing granted for International students
• $150 per advanced standing granted for Domestic students

Advanced standings are non-refundable upon acceptance.

Please allow four to six weeks for processing.

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.

A full course refund will be provided only if you withdraw or transfer from the course prior to the date indicated on the Important Dates webpage. A refund (course tuition and a $60 administrative fee) will be issued if you request to withdraw or transfer courses by the date indicated on the Important Dates webpage. 

Deadlines are firm and no refund will be available after even if you are requesting to transfer to another course. Requests to transfer from once course section to another, or to withdraw from one course to another, are considered withdrawals and will adhere to the withdrawal deadlines noted on the Important Dates webpage. 

All requests to withdraw or transfer from a course should be directed toward the registration team at uvcsreg@uvic.ca or 250-472-4747.

Attendance

The university expects students to be present for all courses in which they are enrolled, including full attendance for each 3-hour class in the BMBA program, as well as regular participation in online courses

Instructors will monitor attendance and actively track your participation throughout the term. 

Students are expected to inform instructors in advance of any partial or full class absences. If you need to miss a class for any reason, proactive communication with your instructors is essential. 

If illness, accident, or family affliction causes a student to miss an assignment deadline or assessment, the student should contact the instructor prior to the deadline to request academic accommodation.  Documentation from a health professional to support the request may be required.  

Participation

Active participation in all face-to-face and online courses is expected. This includes regular attendance in classes (whether in person or virtually), contributing to discussions, completing assignments and assessments on time, actively engaging with course materials, peers and instructors. 

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. 

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. 

Students who do not attend class or connect to their course site may be assigned an "N" grade for the course

For international students in CBA/DBA full-time programs

International students in full-time programs who are not actively participating in any course could be assigned an "N" grade, which means you are not studying full-time and may affect your temporary resident status in Canada and eligibility for future immigration programs. Students are responsible for ensuring they meet 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. Violations of academic integrity (e.g. cheating and plagiarism) are considered serious and may result in significant penalties.

Students are responsible to carefully review the Division of Continuing Studies’ Policy on academic integrity for non-credit courses. Acts of academic dishonesty include, but are not limited to, the following:

• using the exact words of a published or unpublished author without quotation marks and without referencing the source of these words;
• duplicating a table, graph, or diagram, in whole or in part, without referencing the source;
• paraphrasing the ideas, of another person, whether written or verbal, without referencing the source;
• copying the answers of another student in any test, examination, or take-home assignment;
• providing answers to another student in any test, examination, or take-home assignment;
• taking any unauthorized materials into an examination or test;
• accessing tests prior to the time and date of sitting;
• changing name or answer(s) on a test after that test has been graded and returned; and
• submitting the same paper or portions thereof for more than one assignment without the instructor’s permission.

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.

Your grade indicates the level of success that you are having in class. At the Division of Continuing Studies, grades are given in percentages, and we use the UVic Grading Schema as our grading scale. The only grades that are not given as a percentage are “N” for incomplete or “F” for fail (see Policy definitions).

An “N” grade is given where a student does not complete the course requirements, such as attending and participating in class, handing in assignments or writing exams, by the end of the term. An “F” grade is given when a student has completed course requirements, such as attending and participating in class, handing in assignments and writing exams, however the work submitted was inadequate to earn sufficient marks.

Students who receive multiple “N” (incomplete), “W” (withdrawn), and/or “F” (failing) grades are at risk of being withdrawn from the program.

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

• CBA requirements prior to February 2021
• DBA requirements prior to September 2021

The CBA program requires the completion of eight courses in total (five required courses and three electives). 

The DBA program requires the completion of 14 courses in total (nine required courses and five electives).

The full list of courses can be found on the CBA and DBA program pages in the Courses and fees section. 

Restrictions

• Only one of Computing Concepts or Management Computing may be applied towards the CBA or DBA
  
  
• A maximum of 3 BIDA/TECH electives can be applied toward the CBA or DBA requirements (with the exception of TECH100 and TECH110). Students can complete more, to qualify for a micro-certificate or for general interest, but they will not count toward their business program requirements.

Convocation ceremonies take place at the University of Victoria twice per year, in June and in November. Students attending the ceremony in person will receive their parchment (certificate or diploma) during the ceremony. Parchments can also be shipped to a student’s preferred address.

In order to formally graduate you are required to complete an Application to Graduate. The graduation application fee is $40 per program, and you will be required to choose between Spring (June) and Fall (November) convocation.

• For CBA program, please complete this form: Application to Graduate
• For DBA program please fill complete this form: Application to Graduate

The deadline to submit your application will be July 15 for November convocation and December 15 for June convocation. You are welcome to apply to graduate while your final courses are still in progress.

• For example, if you are completing your final courses during the Fall term, you will be eligible for June convocation and should apply to graduate by December 15. 

Following your successful application, the UVic Ceremonies & Special Events Office will contact you one to two months prior to your anticipated convocation date in order to confirm your attendance and any other important details. You can contact our office with questions regarding your status, however the certificate and diploma parchments are produced and held at the Office of the University Registrar.

Students who complete the CBA program may continue on to 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 can complete any number of approved micro-certificates within their CBA or DBA programs. Students may not retroactively receive a micro-certificate if all courses are already completed. 

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 Masters of Global Business (MGB) program at UVic.

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 one 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 team 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.

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 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 six months with a valid study permit must apply for BC MSP.

Rentals: most students seek rental housing, which can often be found on local Victoria classified websites. Additionally, the UVic Housing website has an off-campus housing resource page containing several resources for finding housing and connecting with potential roommates.

The UVic International Student Services website has additional information about off-campus housing. 

Since the Victoria rental market is in high demand, it is a good idea to secure housing well in advance of your intended arrival. 

UVic Dormitories: on-campus dormitories are generally limited to undergraduate and graduate students enrolled in programs throughout the main campus, which does not include our Continuing Studies students.

Homestay: limited housing with local families may be available through the Continuing Studies Homestay program.

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

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

No, the Certificate or Diploma in Business Administration are not post-graduate credentials. The DBA is designed to enable non-business degree graduates and learners with professional experience to pursue studies for career or professional development needs. The DBA also allows graduates to complete bridging programs designed to satisfy professional organization accreditation.

Our programs may qualify you to apply for a post-graduate work permit in Canada. 

The impacts of the September 18, 2024, announcement will depend on when you applied for your study permit.

For more details on the most up to date PGWP eligibility requirements and PGWP validity, please visit the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) website.

Immigration policies are subject to change at any time; as such, we cannot guarantee that students will receive a PGWP upon completion of these programs.

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, must complete and submit the Leave request form.

Before applying, students are advised to review the IRCC website on what counts as  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.

Note that domestic students and international students with permanent resident status are not required to submit a leave request. 

Please visit this IRCC page for more information about working while studying in Canada.

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.
• 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.

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.