Varsity athletes

Advisers understand that varsity athletes have demanding schedules that require careful planning. To ensure that you are meeting your academic goals, additional academic advising appointments are available just for you. UVic varsity athletes can meet with an adviser from September to April to review program plans and course selection.

Academic advisers can

  • review programs offered at UVic and work with you to narrow down your options,
  • assist with course planning for programs in Humanities, Science and Social Sciences,
  • provide information to help you prepare for transfer or application to other programs (e.g., Commerce),
  • answer questions about university life and connect you to other services on campus,
  • provide information on adding or dropping courses, program planning, academic standing and course load, and
  • provide informed referrals to other units on campus.
Please note: advisers can’t register you in (or drop you from) courses—you'll have to do this yourself. For more information on our registration system, as well as guided tutorials, see UVic's course registration and course timetable pages.

Advising appointments

We offer prebooked, 20-minute appointments for varsity athletes on Wednesday mornings between 10:00 a.m. and noon. Appointments are offered through the Academic Advising Centre and are available from September to April.

To request an appointment, please email  and include the following information:

  • first and last name
  • UVic student number
  • faculty and/or program of interest
  • sport

Please note: you are always welcome to access the same-day, drop-in appointments at the Academic Advising Centre (AAC). If the varsity-dedicated appointments are full or if the time does not work for you, please make an appointment at the AAC.

Preparing for your appointment

Once your appointment has been scheduled, it's important that you are ready for it. This will make the best use of your time and the adviser’s time. We recommend that you complete the following steps before your appointment:

  • review your CAPP report (if you've declared) or the program planning worksheet for your program of interest
  • make note of your specific questions
  • know your student number and bring your UVic One Card to your appointment so that we can verify your identity

Remember: it's important that you understand the information that you are given, so please ask for clarification during the meeting (or follow up with an email to the adviser afterwards) if there is something that isn't clear to you.

The Academic Advising Centre is on the second floor of the Jamie Cassels Centre (JCC) at the University of Victoria. For additional campus wayfinding, including parking maps, please visit the maps & buildings information page.

Can I drop a course?

Before you decide to drop a course, we strongly recommend that you check in with an academic adviser () about program requirements. We also recommend that you check in with your coach and our athletics administration officer () before dropping any classes.

I have failed or may not pass a course. What should I do?

We encourage you to reach out to an academic adviser right away. An adviser can help you to understand how failing to pass a course might impact your program plan and what adjustments you may have to make to your future registration. We can also refer you to other campus services that may help you.

For information on how your eligibility may be impacted, please also contact the athletics administration officer at .

I need to take a course this summer. What are my options?

There are lots of options for taking university-level courses in the summer session. You can study at UVic or perhaps at another institution (in person or online).

If you are planning to take courses from somewhere other than UVic, you'll need a submit a Request for a Letter of Permission to Take Courses Elsewhere form. Please also plan to meet with an academic adviser before you commit to courses elsewhere so we can assist you with course selection and program planning.

Please note: each sport has specific regulations around eligibility, so you'll need to contact both your coach and our athletics administration officer () before proceeding with courses elsewhere.

I will be travelling and/or competing during a scheduled exam. What should I do?

Communication is key! At the beginning of each term, review your course outlines and/or syllabi and your travel schedule to determine if there are any conflicts. Notify your instructors as soon as possible and see if there are alternative options for you.

Don’t know if you are travelling? Assume that you are and plan accordingly. It is your responsibility to work with your instructors to find appropriate alternatives for any missed class time.

I have questions about my eligibility. Who do I talk to?

Nancy Duncan is the athletics administration officer and is the person to contact for questions related to eligibility. You can contact Nancy at . Please remember to include your name, student number and sport in your communication. Contact Nancy as soon as possible when you have eligibility questions—the sooner, the better.