UVic’s WUSC committee is one of over 70 WUSC Local Committees active on university and college campuses across Canada. Our primary function is to run the Student Refugee Program (SRP) on campus. We believe that access to education is a right, and we work, at least in a small way, to make that a reality. Each year, we sponsor three students from refugee camps to pursue their post-secondary studies at UVic. the sponsored students receive Permanent Residence status upon arrival in Canada.
The WUSC Local Committee provides financial, logistical, and community support to the sponsored students. The SRP is a unique program, requiring a great amount of attention, especially during the initial stages of settlement. Through the program we organize social events, coordinate settlement details, introduce students to services within the community, find tutoring for course work, provide advice, and much more.
The program is funded by UVic, donations, and undergraduate and graduate student fees. All of this money goes directly to the sponsored students’ budgets. This includes the cost of accommodations, tuition, books, and other living expenses. In addition, our Local Committee pays into the WUSC Ottawa contribution fund, which helps finance some of the overseas costs incurred by the program. While the SRP only covers living expenses for one year, the students can apply for student loans and/or UVic bursaries to help them continue their studies. They also have a well-established support network, consisting of Local Committee members and fellow SRP alumni.
