Quest University shutting down after this semester due to money troubles

Quest University in Squamish, BC, announced Thursday it’s suspending academic operations after the spring semester due to ongoing financial difficulties.

The private, not-for-profit school hasn’t secured enough funding to continue teaching students beyond this year, it said in a news release.

“The Board’s first priority is to protect our current and prospective students,” it said. “Resources will primarily be focused on helping current students complete their education program or to make alternative education arrangements.”

A number of transfer agreements have been established with other universities, and Quest said its students will receive one-on-one support to transfer their credits. Prospective students who’ve already paid application fees or enrollment deposits will be refunded.

Graduation for the class of 2023 is still going ahead, with the ceremony scheduled for April 29 on campus.

Staff at Quest will be advised in the coming days about the status of their position going forward.

“Several factors contributed to this difficult decision,” Quest said. “Although Quest continues to explore financing options and remains hopeful, it has been unable to secure additional funding for ongoing operations beyond spring. As a result, the Board concluded it had no alternative to make the responsible decision at this time.”

Since 2007, Quest has offered students a unique way to work toward their undergraduate degree by letting them study one subject at a time in blocks, as opposed to a traditional course load of five or more classes a semester.

The university declared bankruptcy and filed for creditor protection back in 2020, after the pandemic exacerbated its existing financial problems. It put its 55-acre campus up for sale several months later.