Vancouver International Universities Fair

The NACAC Vancouver International Universities Fair (VIUF) is an event about post-secondary education with university representatives, workshops and more.

In 2024 the fair takes place on Saturday, April 27th, at the Vancouver Convention Centre (in the newer West Building, not at Canada Place).

Hosted by the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC), the event is for students, parents and school counselors wanting to learn about post-secondary schools and program options in both Canada and around the world.

For the event’s official website, click NACAC International Universities Fairs.

This article contains the following information about the fair:

University and College Fair in Vancouver

The NACAC International Universities Fair – Vancouver is a large one-day event that draws crowds of over 3,500 people. It’s a wonderful opportunity to explore post-secondary options and start planning ahead for the future. The event features representatives from more than 120 colleges and universities from around the world.

At the fair, attendees learn about studying abroad, school sports, co-op programs, and more. There are also informative workshops throughout the fair about specific careers, university admission, financial aid, and other relevant topics.

At the fair attendees meet with admission representatives from over 100 universities. They also speak with college counselors, get information from sponsor tables, and learn about summer programs and gap years. There are very interesting and informative workshops as well.

Admission to the fair is completely free. Pre-registration, however, is strongly recommended. Continue reading for more details about the event or see the official VIUF website.

If you or your student plan to pursue a post-secondary education in Canada or abroad, you’ll want to attend this event.

For the event’s official website, click NACAC International Universities Fairs.

When and Where

The 2024 NACAC International Universities Fair – Vancouver runs from 1:00 to 4:00 pm on Saturday, April 27th.

The event takes place in the West Building of the Vancouver Convention Centre (primarily in Exhibit Hall A). The venue is located at 1055 Canada Place. It’s right along the waterfront with beautiful views and walking opportunities on the Coal Harbour Seawall.

Participating Universities

There are representatives from over 100 post-secondary institutions at the NACAC International Universities Fair in Vancouver this year. Some are from local colleges and universities, but most are from the United States and other parts of the world.

Participating institutions located in British Columbia include UBC and the University of Victoria. Other Canadian universities at the fair include the University of Alberta, McMaster University, and many more.

The 2024 event also features representatives from the University of Michigan, University of California, Penn State University, and dozens of other American institutions. From the United Kingdom, there is the University of Nottingham, Imperial College London, and more. Examples of other participating universities and colleges in 2024 include The American University of Paris in France, Trinity College Dublin in Ireland, and Bond University in Australia.

For the event’s official website, click VIUF.

Information and Learning Hub Sessions

There are several different workshops at the fair in 2024. They all take place during the event, but at different times and locations at the Vancouver Convention Centre. Session details for 2024 are listed below.

In the West Meeting Room # 109

Canadian Admissions: Who gets in? The truths and myths of how Canadian universities make admission decisions (from 1:30 to 2:20 pm).
US Admissions: What students should know when applying to American universities (from 2:30 to 3:15 pm).
Essay Writing: How to write a winning essay (from 3:30 to 4:20 pm).

In the West Meeting Room # 110

Student Athletes: How to navigate the NCAA and U Sports recruitment process and play varsity sports (from 1:30 to 2:15 pm).
Medical Panel: What it takes to become a medical doctor in Canada (from 2:30 to 3:15 pm).
Engineering Panel: Exploring engineering opportunities (from 3:30 to 4:15 pm).

NACAC University Fair at the Vancouver Convention Centre

In the West Meeting Room # 111

Australia/NZ: Studying in Australia and New Zealand (from 1:30 to 2:15 pm).
Canadian Best Fit: Finding Your best fit Canadian university (from 2:30 to 3:15 pm).
UK Panel: Learn about universities in the UK (from 3:30 to 4:15 pm).

The Learning Hub

The following sessions take place at the back of Exhibit Hall A.

European Consortium: Learn about universities and post-secondary options in Europe (from 1:30 to 2:10 pm).
Indigenous Opportunities: Post-secondary opportunities for Indigenous students (from 2:30 to 3:10 pm).
Creative Arts: What is a Creative Career? This session looks at career and educational opportunities in fine arts, making movies, fashion design, building websites and things like that. (From 3:20 to 4:00 pm.)

For the event’s official website, visit the nacacattend.org.

NACAC University Fair in Vancouver

Tips & Suggestions

Listed below are some helpful tips that are good to know.

TIP #1: The fair is a popular event. For easier access to the representatives, it’s best to pre-register online, screenshot your personal barcode and take it with you to the event on your phone. This way, you won’t waste any time while you’re there.

TIP #2: As you arrive, be sure to pick up a copy of the event locator. This is an especially good idea if you have specific exhibitors you want to visit. There are also bags for you to fill up with all of the brochures and other materials you collect.

TIP #3: With all of the different post-secondary education booths and presentations, you’ll be learning a lot. Don’t forget to take notes!

TIP #4: Register in advance to take advantage of the fair’s MatchMaking feature. With the MatchMaking, as part of the online registration process, students complete a questionnaire identifying what they want in a university. After that, attendees get an e-mailed list of specific schools that best match their stated preferences. This is a great way to identify which universities to look out for on the day of the event!

TIP #5: Be sure to tell your friends about the fair. If they plan to pursue a post-secondary education, they’ll likely want to go too!

TIP #6: The sessions are very valuable, as is all the information you’ll get from speaking with the various university representatives at their booths. Note though that, with the sessions, different ones happen at the same time. Figure out beforehand which ones you want to attend. If there are two at the same time you want to go to, see if a friend or family member can join the ones you can’t, and ask them to make good notes!

Vancouver Fair Video

To see what to expect at the NACAC International Universities Fair in Vancouver, check out the following video. It shows scenes of the event from last year.

Other Information

To learn more about NACAC National College Fairs, visit nacacattend.org. You can also e-mail collegefairs@nacacnet.org or call 800-822-6285.

The organization behind the fair is the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC). Founded in 1937, it’s an organization of more than 26,000 professionals from around the world dedicated to serving students as they make choices about pursuing post-secondary education.

Other articles that may be of interest include the following: