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TORONTO, ON, June 25, 2026 – Yorkville University and Toronto Film School (TFS) today signed a Collaborative Agreement with the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) at HMCS York, marking a milestone in the institutions’ longstanding commitment to Canada’s military community.
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Alongside the signing, Yorkville and TFS also announced membership in the Canadian Military, Veteran & Family Connected Campus Consortium (CMVF3C) and participation in the Serving Scholars program.
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Together, the three partnerships formalize what Yorkville and TFS have been building for over a decade. Since 2015, the schools have provided more than $4 million in Canadian Armed Forces Bursaries to 1,822 students – both service members, as well as their spouses and children. Today, 323 students are actively studying on a military bursary – 159 active serving members and 164 military family members – across programs in Counselling Psychology, Education, Business, Creative Arts, and Interior Design. All Yorkville and TFS students also have access to free, 24/7 mental health supports.
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“For more than a decade, Yorkville University has been proud to support the military community – not as a gesture, but as a genuine commitment. We’ve seen firsthand what it means for a serving member or a military spouse to pursue a degree while managing the demands of service life. Those who contribute to Canada’s security and sovereignty shouldn’t have to put their education on hold to do it,” said Dr. Julia Christensen Hughes, President and Vice Chancellor of Yorkville University.
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“Today’s partnerships with the Royal Canadian Navy, the CMVF3C, and the Serving Scholars program reflect our belief that with the right institutional support, serving your country and advancing your education aren’t a trade-off.”
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A Formal Relationship with Canada’s Navy
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The Collaborative Agreement with the RCN formalizes a relationship centred on experiential and work-integrated learning. Under the agreement, Yorkville and TFS students gain access to RCN recruiters and opportunities to work alongside CAF and Navy members in practical settings. RCN members with relevant occupational backgrounds may also receive advanced standing credit toward Yorkville and TFS programs – up to 75 per cent in TFS diploma programs and up to 50 per cent in Yorkville degree programs – through prior learning assessment.
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Both institutions will also assign dedicated liaison officers to support student-reservists, and the agreement creates a formal feedback mechanism for continuous improvement. Work-integrated learning opportunities are also enabled where a student’s program of study aligns with their military occupation.
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“The Royal Canadian Navy recognizes the vital role that education plays in developing the leaders, innovators, and professionals who serve our country. Today’s agreement reflects a shared commitment to ensuring that military service and academic achievement are complementary pursuits, not competing priorities,” said LCdr Chris Elliott, Strategic Outreach Officer – Royal Canadian Navy.
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“By creating greater access to education, recognizing the valuable experience gained through military service, and supporting our sailors and their families throughout their educational journeys, we are investing in the long-term success and resilience of Canada’s military community. This partnership demonstrates what can be achieved when educational institutions and the Canadian Armed Forces work together to support those who serve our country.”
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Joining a National Network for Military-Connected Campuses
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Yorkville and TFS have also signed onto the Guiding Principles of the CMVF3C, a national consortium of post-secondary institutions and community partners working to advance Military, Veteran & Family Connected Campuses across Canada. Enabled by the Canadian Armed Forces, Veterans Affairs Canada, and Military Family Services, the consortium is built around knowledge sharing, evidence-informed practices, and coordinated support for military-connected learners – those currently serving, veterans in transition, and their families.
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Membership commits Yorkville and TFS to the consortium’s core principles: collaborative, evidence-based, trauma-informed, and equitable access for members, those transitioning out of service, and their families.
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Supporting Serving Scholars
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Yorkville and TFS are also joining the Serving Scholars program, an initiative developed by Dr. John Walsh at the University of Guelph to bridge the gap between academic and military responsibilities. Serving Scholars – currently serving CAF members in either the Regular or Reserve Force – face obligations that don’t pause for academic deadlines: training, exercises, domestic and international deployments, and ceremonial duties are all part of the job.
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The program supports serving members through academic flexibility when military duties conflict with coursework, promotes leadership and professional development through experiential learning, and fosters cooperation between post-secondary institutions and the CAF.
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Yorkville University’s participation in all three initiatives reflects a conviction at the heart of today’s announcement: serving members of Canada’s military should not be asked to choose between their education and their service. With the right institutional commitment, they can do both.
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About Yorkville University
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Yorkville University began with a bold vision: to offer flexible, rigorous, and career-focused programs that transform lives. Since 2004, Yorkville University has expanded to campuses across Canada, offering both online and on-campus programs. Our graduates have advanced their careers through programs in the behavioural sciences, social sciences, business, design and the creative arts. Yorkville University’s student-centred, practitioner-oriented approach equips graduates with skills that employers value, making us one of Canada’s largest private universities. Learn more at https://www.yorkvilleu.ca/
