The Art Institute in Vancouver

• Founded: in 1979
• Location: Vancouver, Canada
• Age of students: from 17 years
• Programs: bachelor's degree, diploma program, professional certification, language courses
• Type of education: mixed
• Accommodation type: residence
• Language of instruction: English

The Art Institute of Vancouver (AIV) is one of the branches of famous The Art Institute. The history of this educational institution begins in 1979 with the sound school Buttertree (later - the Center for Digital Imaging and Sound Processing). In 2002, the school joined the Institute of Arts, and since 2003 the International Canadian Institute of Culinary and Hospitality is also part of the university.

Now this institution occupies a leading position in the United States in such fields of education as design, fashion, media and culinary arts. To date, in two countries - the United States and Canada - about 45 branches of the institute have been opened, where more than 125,000 students from all over the world come to study every year.

One of the latest achievements of the Institute of Arts in Vancouver - in 2017 the university in Vancouver has become an honorary member of a large educational network LCI Education, which includes 22 higher education institutions in different cities of the five continents - Barcelona, ​​Montreal, Jakarta, Melbourne and many others.

Also, according to the Princeton University ranking, AIV has been ranked among the TOP-10 North American educational institutions in the Game Design field for the last 4 years and is considered the undisputed leader of the direction across Canada.

Since 2004, the Art Institute of Vancouver has made available a variety of excellent educational programs for various kinds of applied art - from animation and digital cinema, to organizing events, programming and creating web design. The main credo of the university is to give its students the necessary knowledge, as well as ideas under the guidance of professionals in their field.

Thanks to the skills acquired at the institute, the Institute's graduates collaborate with various well-known companies: MTV, Disney, Microsoft, Yahoo, Time Warner, Marriott, Ford, Fox Interference and many others.

Sam Jones

Recruitment Director for Partnership with INTO Universities (Europe and Central Asia)

What firstly should be considered when choosing a university? Subjects, employer value, percentage of employment in the first year after graduation?

It depends on the student - everyone determines the most important criteria for himself. I would advise you to take several rankings and compare them with each other, plus take into account the cost of the course, the location of the university and its scale, the percentage of graduates' employment. See where graduates continue their studies or where they go to work.

AIV in Vancouver has two campuses - one belongs to the International School of Culinary Arts, another to students in the direction of design, fashion and media at Renfrew Street.

For the convenience of accommodating numerous students on the campus of the University of Vancouver, the "School of Sponsored Housing" program operates, which can arrange for you to stay in a complex of apartments not far from campuses.

Here, the students are offered rooms for up to 4 people: two bedrooms, desks for the number of residents, a balcony, a kitchen and a common room. But the territory of the hostel works free of charge WI-FI. For security, the entrance to the building is carried out by registered electronic cards, and in the common areas cameras operate.

Both campuses are in areas with good transport links, within a walking distance are the central park, shops and cafes where students can eat. Living in the residence, the young people themselves take care of their food. The cost of quarterly rental housing includes the use of basic furniture and utilities.

In addition, AIV students can be accommodated in a Canadian hospitable family. Here, each student will be provided with his own room (bathroom shared or separate). For an additional payment, the host family offers guests a full board meal - breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Subject list: Acting skills, animation, Art, Baking & Pastry Arts, business, Business and management, Culinary skills, design, Entrepreneurship, Fashion, Filmmaking, Hospitality Management, Hotel business, Information Technology, marketing, music, photography, planning, Science, Visual & Game Programming
Activity list: culinary arts, modeling

At the Vancouver Institute of Arts, students can get specialization in one of four thematic faculties:

• Design - graphic design, web design, interior design;
• Media Arts - 2D and 3D animation, game design and programming, digital video, digital photography, sound recording, special effects in film and TV, legal issues of film and TV industry;
• Fashion - fashion design, marketing and promotion;
• Culinary arts - culinary arts, management and organization of events.

Vancouver is one of those cities where you can actively spend your free time at any time of the year, since here in this city all kinds of sports are available. On the university territory you can engage in all types of physical activity for every taste.

In the summer it is:

• Hiking
• Boating
• Camping
• Kayaking
• Rock climbing
• Golf
• Tennis
• Football
• Basketball
• Volleyball
• Baseball and so on.

In the winter:

• Skiing
• Snowboard.

in winter students of AIV are engaged in the ski slopes, located nearby - Blackcomb, Whistler or Cypress. Here you can meet like-minded people from all over the world and have a great time.

Since the city of Vancouver is the third largest center for television and cinema after Los Angeles and New York, there are many attractions and interesting places that you can visit during your free time.

Also for those students who live in the university's apartments, the campus administration organizes various entertainment activities - from field trips, for example, to the Vancouver Art Gallery or Vancouver Museum until evening gatherings (playing days, watching movies, brunches and etc).

The west coast of Canada, where the third largest city of the country is located, is considered the best continent in the climate. Vancouver is an amazing city that combines the elements of a metropolis and the extraordinary colour of local nature. Also due to its geographical location, the city allows people to breathe clean air, which contributes to the treatment and prevention of many respiratory diseases, cardiovascular and not only.

Vancouver is a place where you can enjoy a lot of world-class restaurants, art galleries, shops, activities and entertainment. That is why it is so popular with tourists. The University of Arts is at the epicenter of all this splendour and is surrounded by a comfortable traffic intersection.

The city has many interesting places and companies, including television and film studios, which makes Vancouver called "North Hollywood." The local sector of the media industry is simply huge - it's about 800 companies that are engaged in the creation of video games and animations. Here, AIV students can practice the acquired skills during the internship.

In Vancouver, AIV has two buildings: the International Culinary School and the Renfrew faculty. Campuses of the Institute are modern buildings with the most convenient infrastructure and excellent technical equipment - everything is organized according to the latest trends.

For example, students have a recording studio, culinary workshops, several creative studios, an impressive educational library, a universal gym, a private parking lot, a bicycle storage, a large laundry with smart card technology, a recreation area, a snack bar, a playground, a park with a basketball court, a tennis court, a football and volleyball fields. At night, a guard works on the campus. The Art Institute of Vancouver even has its own restaurant in the city center, where the students of the culinary department improve their skills.

Depending on the curriculum and its duration, the learning process can begin in January, April, July or September. Accordingly, the applicant will need to send documents to the potential university for 2-3 months before the start of studies.

Additionally paid:

• Registration fee;
• Air tickets in both directions
• Transfer to University campus
• Visa service and consular fee
• The fee for the institute;
• Educational materials
• Medical insurance
• Accommodation and meals.

Extras:

• Application fee 100 CAD
• Registration fee (for a programme/course) 50 CAD

Any young man of 17 years old can become a student of the Institute of Arts in Vancouver. To apply, the following documents must be prepared:

• Copy of passport
• Academic visa
• Certificate of secondary education
• Certificate of good knowledge of the language (for undergraduate - IELTS 6.5 / TOEFL IBT 79, for the diploma program - IELTS 5.5 / TOEFL IBT 55)
• Essays (from 250 words)
• Medical certificate (only for culinary faculty students).

A small advantage for enrollment is the availability of vocational education in addition to the average.

Also, every student must pass an interview with a representative of the institute. After all these actions, the admissions committee of the university decides on enrollment.

The Art Institute of Vancouver implements a good scholarship program for students, whereby Canadian citizens and students from other countries can receive a financial bonus of $ 500 to $ 20,000 CAD. Every young person can apply for a scholarship, but for successful passing of the competition each applicant must have:

• High level of English proficiency 
• High average score in the certificate of secondary education
• Excellent academic performance during his studies at the university
• Active participation in student and public life
• A clear manifestation of the qualities of the organizer and leader.

The scholarship can either partially cover the costs of studying, or completely. Therefore, to try to get it is recommended to everyone without exception. In addition, types of scholarships are regularly updated. You can request up-to-date information on this issue from SMAPSE employee.

• Guardianship services during the studies
• Student supervision