Capilano UniversityStudent Guide

Academic dates, campus language, housing, and student-life references for Capilano University. Free for students.

University in North Vancouver, BC. Operating on a semester system.

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University

Institution Type

7

Housing Buildings

Student guide · Summer 2026 Full Term

The semester, explained for Capilano University

Dates from the active academic calendar, plus the campus language and local details students actually need. Every entry comes from DormWay's approved campus reference library.

Relevant term
Summer 2026 Full Term
Campus terms
52
Local details
26

Academic calendar

Summer 2026 Full Term runs May 11, 2026 – Aug 26, 2026. Calendar aliases that share a date range are grouped together, with every source term still shown.

10 entries
  1. Summer 2026 Session I
  2. Summer 2026 Full TermRelevant now
  3. Summer 2026 Session II
  4. Summer 2026 Session II
  5. Fall 2026
  6. Spring 2027
  7. Summer 2027 Session I
  8. Summer 2027 Full Term
  9. Summer 2027 Session II
  10. Summer 2027 Session II

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Campus language

Search the full glossary. Nothing is sampled or hidden when the search field is empty.

52 terms

B

Birch
The Birch Food Court, the primary cafeteria and largest dining area on the North Vancouver campus.
Birch Caf
The main campus cafeteria and dining hall located in the Birch Building.
Blues
The collective name for the university's varsity athletic teams.
BOSA
Commonly used to refer to the Bosa Centre for Film and Animation or its programs.
Bosa Cafe
The smaller food service outlet located within the Bosa Centre for Film and Animation.
Bosa Grind
The nickname for the steep, uphill walkway connecting the south end of campus to the Bosa Building.

C

Cap
The ubiquitous shorthand name for Capilano University used by the student body.
CapU
The official brand shorthand used by students and staff alike.
CBPS
Capilano Business and Professional Society, an umbrella organization for business-related student groups.
CCAA
Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association, the national governing body for CapU's varsity sports.
CDC
Career Development Centre, offering job search and career planning resources.
CFA
Capilano Faculty Association, the union representing the university's instructors.
CIE
Centre for International Experience, which provides support for international students.
Cinema Cafe
The cafe located within the Bosa Centre for Film and Animation.
Crap College
A derogatory nickname for the university used by some students to express frustration with food quality or facilities.
CSU
Capilano Students' Union, the primary representative body for students.
CSU Lounge
The Capilano Students' Union lounge in the Maple Building, often used as a space for student-led food events and hanging out.
CTE
Centre for Teaching Excellence, which provides academic support and resources.
CUE
Capilano University English, often used in course listings and departmental shorthand.
CUPE
Canadian Union of Public Employees, the union representing many staff members at the university.
Cypress
One of the three specific housing buildings within the CapU Residence complex.
Cypress, Seymour, and Grouse
The names of the three individual buildings within the CapU Residence complex.

D

Dollarton
Common shorthand for the CapU Residence, referring to its location away from the main campus.

F

Fir Kiosk
The small food and coffee service stand located in the Fir Building.

G

Good Earth
The coffee shop located on the main floor of the Library (Arbutus Building).
Gross Hall
A derogatory nickname for Grouse Hall, used by students to describe the poor condition of the residence showers and facilities.
Grouse
One of the three specific housing buildings within the CapU Residence complex.

I

IDEA
Refers to the IDEA School of Design, often used to describe the program or its specific student cohort.
ILMP
International Leadership & Mentorship Program, a peer-mentorship initiative for international students.

J

Jay
The official mascot of the Capilano Blues, a Steller's Jay.

K

KSA
Kinesiology Student Association, a prominent student-led academic group.

M

Market Cafe
The dining kiosk located within the Library building.
MOPA
Motion Picture Arts, commonly used to refer to the film program and its associated student community.

O

Off-campus dorms
A common way students refer to the university's main residences (Grouse, Cypress, and Seymour Halls) because they are located on Dollarton Highway rather than the main Purcell Way campus.
OIE
Office of Indigenous Education and Affairs, supporting Indigenous learners.

P

PACWEST
Pacific Western Athletic Association, the provincial conference in which the Capilano Blues compete.
Phibbs
Phibbs Exchange, the major transit hub near campus where most students transfer to the connector bus.

R

Res
The official CapU student residence located off-campus on Dollarton Highway.
Routes
Routes Eatery, the main dining facility located on the CapU Squamish campus.

S

Seymour
One of the three specific housing buildings within the CapU Residence complex.
Squamish Residence
The student housing facility located at the CapU Squamish campus on Tantalus Road.

T

The Blues
The collective name for Capilano University's varsity athletic teams.
The Caf
The main cafeteria located on the second floor of the Birch Building.
The Courier
The Capilano Courier, the university's long-running independent student newspaper.
The Hill
A common reference to the campus's steep, sloped geography in North Vancouver.
The Res
The off-campus CapU Residence complex located on Dollarton Highway.
The Rez
The off-campus student housing complex located on Dollarton Highway.
The Treehouse
The student lounge and community space managed by the CSU that offers snacks and coffee.
Tim's
The on-campus Tim Hortons outlet, a primary quick-service food option.
TRECSA
Tourism and Outdoor Recreation Student Association, a student-led group for outdoor and tourism majors.
TreeCeps
The cafe and snack bar located in the Centre for Sport and Wellness (CSW).
Treehouse
The common name for Lam̓íwa/ʔqe̓t̓ax̱wtxʷ, CapU's first dedicated on-campus student housing building.

Places and practicalities

Buildings, logistics, and other local references drawn from the approved campus snapshot.

26 details
239
The primary bus route that connects the campus to the Lonsdale Quay SeaBus terminal.
239 / 255
The primary bus routes that connect the campus to Phibbs Exchange and Lonsdale Quay.
Arbutus
The building that houses the campus library and various computer labs.
Birch
The central hub building housing the cafeteria, registrar, and performance theatre.
birch_food_court
Birch Food Court
Bosa
The Nat and Flora Bosa Centre for Film and Animation, known for its high-tech facilities.
Cap Card
The official university ID card, which also serves as a library card and access key for campus services.
Cap Core
The university's mandatory core curriculum framework that all degree-seeking students must complete.
CapCard
The official student ID card required for library services and campus building access.
capilano_student_dining_hall
Capilano Student Dining Hall
CapU Bus
The dedicated shuttle service that runs between Phibbs Exchange and the North Vancouver campus.
Cedar
The building housing the campus bookstore and various classrooms.
Compass Card
The physical transit card required to load and use the student U-Pass BC.
CSW
The Centre for Sport and Wellness, the campus gym and athletics facility.
eLearn
The Moodle-based online platform where instructors post course materials and assignments.
Fir
The building primarily used for science, nursing, and mathematics courses.
Frontline
The centralized student services desk located in the Birch Building for registration and financial aid help.
Frontlines
The main student service desk located in the Birch Building for registration and general inquiries.
Library
The Library Building (LB), which houses the university library, learning commons, and registrar's office.
Maple
The Maple Building, a smaller facility that houses the Capilano Courier office and a student lounge.
myCapU
The central student web portal used for registration, checking grades, and paying tuition.
NAT
The Nat and Anne Taylor Gymnasium, the main athletic facility on campus.
Phibbs
Phibbs Exchange, the major transit hub in North Vancouver where most students transfer to the 239 or 245 buses to reach campus.
The 239
One of the primary bus routes connecting the campus to Phibbs Exchange and Lonsdale Quay.
treehouse_dining_hall
Treehouse Dining Hall
U-Pass
The monthly transit pass that students must link to a TransLink Compass Card.

Quick answers

Useful facts students can verify from the guide above.

What academic term is relevant now?
Summer 2026 Full Term runs May 11, 2026 – Aug 26, 2026.
How much campus context is included?
52 approved campus terms and 26 local details are included in full.
Are all approved campus terms included?
Yes. The complete approved glossary is available in the scrollable, searchable campus-language section.
Where does this guide come from?
Calendar dates, campus terms, and local details come from DormWay's approved campus reference library.

Class of 2030 · Capilano University

You just committed to Capilano University.

The four months ahead don’t need to be one giant open tab. Sign up and we’ll only email you when Capilano University actually needs you to do something this summer — orientation, housing, course registration, immunization. That’s the whole product.

What we’ll email you about

  • Aug 14

    Fall Tuition and Fee Payment Deadline

    Required · source

  • Aug 15

    CapCard Photo Submission Deadline

    Required · source

  • Aug 27

    CapU Launch (Main Orientation)

    Required · source

  • Sep 1

    Housing Move-in Day

    Required · source

One email per real deadline. Source link cited every time. We re-check 7 days before each one fires.

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Assisted

Find a few communities to try at Capilano University

These are things we discovered from public campus sources. We are constantly looking for more.

Tell us what we missed

39 mapped items from 11 public sources

Interest filters
  • Major-aligned clubs, pre-professional groups, and research communities.
  • Performing arts, visual arts, student publications, film, and music.
  • Cultural orgs, identity communities, and faith-based groups.
  • Volunteer groups, civic engagement, mutual aid, and student government.
  • Outdoor clubs, intramural sports, club sports, and rec center programs.
  • Entrepreneurship, hackathon teams, makerspaces, and engineering project teams.
  • Casual hangouts, interest groups, and open events without applications.

Worth a look

Capilano Students' Union (CSU)

A non-profit organization run by a democratically elected student board that represents and advocates for all students at Capilano University, providing services, events, and clubs.

Regular commitment

Easy to try first

New Student Orientation

A series of events and workshops at the beginning of the Fall semester to welcome new students and introduce them to campus life, services, and resources.

Drop in any time

Drop-in Badminton

Open court time for playing badminton, available for all skill levels.

Drop in any time

Source: athletics.capilanou.ca · Verified 6 days ago

View Schedule

Campus rituals

Convocation

The official university ceremony where graduating students receive their credentials, cross the stage, and celebrate their academic achievements with friends and family.

Invite only

Resources & spaces

Accessibility Services

Offers support for students with disabilities, including academic accommodations, assistive technology, and learning resources to create an inclusive learning environment.

Source: capilanou.ca · Verified 3 days ago

Learn More

Career Development Centre

Empowers students and alumni with skills, tools, and resources to achieve their career goals, offering advising, workshops, and job boards.

Open to all

Career Development Centre (CDC)

Offers career advising, resume and cover letter support, interview preparation, and job search resources to students and alumni.

Open to all

Centre for International Experience (CIE)

Supports international students with advising on immigration, health insurance, and adjusting to life in Canada. Also manages study abroad and exchange programs.

Open to all

Counselling & Mental Health Services

Offers free and confidential counselling, mental health workshops, and medical services on campus to support student well-being.

Open to all

Counselling Services

Provides confidential personal, career, and educational counselling to help students manage stress, improve well-being, and achieve their academic goals.

Open to all

Math Learning Centre

Offers free drop-in and appointment-based tutoring for students in mathematics and statistics courses.

Open to all

Writing Centre

Provides free one-on-one tutoring sessions with experienced writing tutors to help students with any stage of the writing process for any course.

Open to all

Using DormWay at Capilano University

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Capilano University on DormWay

Current DormWay activity for this campus

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Life in North Vancouver for Capilano University Students

Everything you need to know about living and studying in North Vancouver.

Timezone

America/Vancouver

City Transportation

Public Transit

TransLink bus service, SeaBus

Nearest Airports

Vancouver International Airport

Climate Averages

Climate

Oceanic

Campus Operations Snapshot

Parking and Transit

Lot 7 & 10

surface_lot • Limited

Short-term parking only; no flat rates apply.

Lot 1, 3, 4

surface_lot • Moderate

Lot 1 includes designated Evo CarShare stalls.

Lots A, B, C (Squamish)

surface_lot • Limited

Located at the Squamish campus.

Upcoming Events

What's happening at Capilano University

NCAA D1 Summer Series: Purdue vs UFV

July 29, 2026

Centre for Sport and Wellness, Capilano University - Main Campus

Dorms & On-Campus Housing at Capilano University

Various dorm and housing options are available for students.

7 known dorm and housing options. Every known option is shown below.

CapU Residence North Vancouver (Treehouse / Lam̓íwa/θqétəw̓tx)

Capacity: 362

Room types: single, double, accessible single, accessible double, residence life facilitator suite

CapU Residence Squamish (three residence buildings)

Capacity: 333

Room types: single, double-occupancy unit, accessible single, apartment (resident assistant)

Cypress Hall

Capacity: 80

Room types: single, double, apartment-style units

Grouse Hall

Room types: single, double, apartment-style units

Seymour Hall

Capacity: 80

Room types: single, double, apartment-style units

Squamish Campus Student Housing Building 1

Capacity: 89

Room types: single

Treehouse (Lam̓íwa/θqétəw̓tx)

Capacity: 362

Room types: single, double

Campus Details

Academic System

Semester

Email Domain

@capilanou.edu

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