Source: www.cbc.ca
Vancouver Island University is the latest post-secondary school to allow students to pay tuition with Aeroplan miles, under the HigherEdPoints program.
For every 35,000 miles students redeem, they get a $250 credit toward tuition fees and other costs associated with their learning.
In comparison, 25,000 miles could be exchanged for a flight inside continental North America by Aeroplan members.
The plan also lets students crowdsource miles from family and friends that can be dedicated towards their tuition.
VIU is the fourth in B.C., and one of dozens of post-secondary schools across Canada, to join the program introduced by Aeroplan in November 2013. Other schools include:
- Bishop’s
- Carleton
- Ryerson
- York
- Western
- New Brunswick
- Fredericton
- Prince Edward Island
- Lethbridge
- Crandall
- Regina
- Acadia
- Mount Allison
- Manitoba
- Winnipeg
- Brandon
- Brock
- Algoma
Every bit helps
The VIU Students Union says the program might not go very far to address affordability and student debt issues, but executive director Michael Olson said every bit helps.
“With tuition fees going up … having this as one more opportunity, it’s good,” said Olson.
Full-time tuition for VIU students is about $5,000 a year.
VIU’s director of advancement and alumni relations, William Litchfield, said the school is collecting points too.
“You don’t have to have a student at VIU to donate your points. You can donate it to VIU, and we can help set up bursaries and other scholarships.”
Details of the miles-for-tuition program can be found at www.higheredpoints.com/how-it-works.
