St. Michaels University School is a great place to be a student. That is because we believe passionately that the most important lessons — both intellectual and personal enable our students to discover who they are as individuals and whom they have the potential to become. We also recognize that the path to excellence will be different for each of us, which is why we are highly adaptable in our approach to education. We have developed our entire Kindergarten to Grade 12 program around these five guiding principles.
Students will succeed best in an environment where the character and self also grow where they develop as whole people. Our programs foster such virtues as honesty, tolerance, integrity, cooperation, respect, self-discipline, leadership, and social responsibility.
The school's mission is to aim for "excellence in all of us." As anyone who aspires for the highest standards will know, this is no easy task. A starting point is that "you have to be good to be great." However, an outstanding education requires a holistic view that provides opportunities for the development of the mind, body, and soul to enable young people to ask the big questions and find out who they are.
We believe in both passion – come with a spark of enthusiasm, and it will be fanned into a blaze – and compassion – education is a shared experience, and we all journey together. Indeed, the school's commitment to service and leadership has a reach far beyond BC. It is truly international.
Learning should be fun, but it should also be appropriately challenging. Rigor instills resilience, which we are told will be increasingly important as the world becomes more competitive. This should also be the time for reflection, the chance to pause and think and dream.
SMUS students have achieved remarkable success in a broad range of professions. Many report that this is down to quiet inner confidence, thinking independently, and committing civilized values. By providing a vast range of competitive sports, clubs, and activities, we hope to provide something for everyone to find their niche.
We invite you to meet us at our beautiful sites on Richmond Road and Victoria Avenue and find out first-hand the blend of people, place, tradition, and innovation that makes St. Michaels University School such a special place. Students have different learning styles and different strengths, different growth rates, and different experiences that influence the way they learn. We want students to be active in their learning and develop a sense of their voice and exercise it.
Excellence resides in the full development of each student's potential, and therefore each student should be measured in terms of that potential. Performance on a personal, school-wide, provincial and national level must be measured regularly, using various measurement procedures.
Students should learn to seek and value truth and to sift the relevant from the irrelevant. Our curriculum and teaching methods lead students to see the connections between ideas, think independently, and work cooperatively. Students learn for the growth and enlightenment of themselves and others. Our academic program is founded on the pursuit of truth, open-minded inquiry, and intellectual honesty – attributes we want our students to possess throughout their lives.
We invite you to discover more about our independent school and the education we offer. Located in Victoria, BC, we have a diverse boarding program for Grades 8-12, and our day students join us for Kindergarten up to graduation. We are an international community defined by our passion for education.
Please explore our school and contact us if you have any questions. Our school seeks excellence in all of us, with passion and compassion. We are a community shaped by the pursuit of truth and goodness, providing outstanding preparation for life. To learn, to lead, to serve. Respect, Courage, Honesty, Service. Our website and our online application center make it easy for you and your family to get to know our school and complete the application process. This section of our website will give you some tips on places to visit and questions to ask as you explore the options available to you. St. Michaels University School strives to attract and retain students who:
- Are keen to take on the challenge of an enriched academic program
- Are eager to participate in a wide variety of activities
- Have a positive attitude and a global focus
- Are capable of fulfilling the school's mission and
- Make up a student body that is economically, globally, and ethnically diverse.
The admissions process is designed to help you learn as much as possible about our school simultaneously as we become better acquainted with you. The application process varies depending on the applicant's grade, so please follow the instructions for the grade or program that most interests you.
Complete an online application. You will be asked some questions about why you are interested in SMUS and about your child's involvement in arts and athletics, as well as their hobbies. Please be prepared to submit the following supporting documents:
- A copy of recent pre-school reports, if they are provided by the pre-school.
- A copy of the birth certificate.
- A photocopy of the applicant's permanent residency card.
