Indigenous Language Revitalization CILR FAQ

Yes! Online offerings are now a part of both community cohort and individual offerings. In 2022, CILR is piloting its first-ever national online cohort, a full-time fully online program. Stay tuned for future online opportunities!

The CILR program works in partnership with Indigenous communities, organizations and other postsecondary institutions to deliver community-based programming. If your community is interested in a community partnership, please contact cilr@uvic.ca for more information. In addition, CILR offers courses occasionally on campus in Victoria and in 2022/23, is piloting a fully online national cohort. 

Fluent speakers have the option of doing a course challenge in lieu of the language course requirement. A course challenge involves paying half the tuition cost, arranging to do a “test” of your language proficiency with an approved fluent speaker, and then you receive credit for the course. You may complete two course challenges (two levels of language) as credits towards the CILR certificate.

Tuition for CILR is based on the current UVic undergraduate tuition fees. For 2022/23, tuition per course is $604.47. 

All undergraduate 1.5 unit courses at UVic must be 39 instructional hours. CILR courses are delivered in many different formats- from full-time intensive week-long offerings to a full semester, with a variety of other scheduling options designed to meet community and student needs.

Many of our students are sponsored by their Bands, their workplaces or other organizations. We are always on the lookout for bursary opportunities for our students and provide information and referrals when possible. Information on financial supports for Indigenous students at UVic can be found here.

Yes, individual offerings welcome all students. Cohort offerings may prioritize learners who intend to complete the full program. And while we encourage the majority of students to do the courses for credit, it is possible to register as a non-credit participant (same cost and workload).

This depends on your Faculty or Department, but in general, CILR courses are accredited first year Linguistics courses and may be eligible as elective courses for other programs.

Some students who complete the certificate are already working or wish to work in language or culture organizations within their communities. Some students are already working in schools or are educators in both formal and informal settings. For community-based cohorts, CILR can also be used to ladder into UVic’s Indigenous Education diploma and degree programs.