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International students: Remember to apply for a study permit

By Crissy Campbell on April 25, 2024

International students: Remember to apply for a study permit

To study in Canada, you’ll need to apply for a study permit well in advance and receive approval before you travel to Canada and start your UBC classes. You’ll also need to ensure you have a valid study permit throughout your studies. Study permits are issued by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) and allow you to study and stay in Canada. Learn more about study permits at UBC Okanagan and UBC Vancouver.

Depending on your country of citizenship, you also need a Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) or an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) to travel to Canada (US citizens are exempt). If you apply for your initial study permit application outside Canada, you will automatically be issued a TRV or eTA when your study permit is approved.

You can’t apply for a study permit until you’ve received your letter of admission. For new study permit applications from outside Canada, you must also receive a Provincial Attestation Letter before you can apply for your study permit.

When do you apply?

You should apply for a study permit online as soon as you receive your letter of admission to UBC and Provincial Attestation Letter, if required. Applications can take several months to process.

You cannot travel to Canada until you’ve received your Letter of Introduction (study permit approval letter).

 

How do you apply?

To prepare your application, visit UBC’s step-by-step initial study permit tutorial for UBC Okanagan or UBC Vancouver. Here, you’ll learn about the application process, how to fill out the application form, and what documents to provide.

If you are currently a resident of Antigua and Barbuda, Brazil, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, India, Morocco, Pakistan, Peru, Philippines, Senegal, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, or Vietnam, you have the option to apply through the Student Direct Stream (SDS). Learn about pre-payment of tuition for SDS for UBC Okanagan or UBC Vancouver.

If you are a US citizen, US permanent resident, or a resident of Greenland or St. Pierre and Miquelon, you have the option to apply for a study permit at the airport or land border crossing on arrival.

Be sure to check our Canvas application review course for the regular process or Student Direct Stream (SDS) to go over your application before you submit it.

What if you’re already studying in Canada?

You do not need a Provincial Attestation Letter if you apply for a study permit extension inside Canada before your study permit expires.

You are coming to UBC from a Canadian high school

You should apply for your study permit extension as soon as you receive your letter of admission. You can include a letter of explanation to request conditions to work in Canada.

If your study permit expires more than 6 months from now or you have more than 150 days between schools, contact International Student Advising for support.

You can only apply for a study permit extension when you are in Canada. In this case, a Provincial Attestation Letter is not required. If you are in Canada, apply for a study permit extension by reviewing the step-by-step study permit extension tutorial for UBC Okanagan or UBC Vancouver as soon as you receive your letter of admission. Check the Canvas application review course before you submit your application. If you will not be returning to Canada before your study permit becomes invalid or expires and your Temporary Resident Visa expires (if applicable), contact International Student Advising for support.

If your study permit expires more than 6 months from now or you have more than 150 days between schools, contact International Student Advising for support.

You are transferring to UBC from a Canadian college or university

If your study permit is still valid, you can use the same study permit to study at UBC. However, you must notify IRCC by changing your DLI number online.

Contact International Student Advising for support with your study permit validity if you completed a program in Canada, as well as with your status in Canada if you will have more than 150 days between institutions.

What do you need to prepare before travelling to Canada?

Before making travel plans, be sure to review our Travelling to Canada Guide for UBC Okanagan or UBC Vancouver to learn about when to travel, what to bring, ensuring your study permit allows you to work, and more.

If you still have questions

The UBC International Student Guide for UBC Okanagan or UBC Vancouver is a great resource and reference handbook for everything you need to know about coming to UBC.

If you still have questions, our International Student Advising team at UBC Okanagan and UBC Vancouver is here for you.

We also recommend that you enroll in iPREP, a pre-arrival course designed for new students to learn about immigration documents, health insurance, banking, cell phones, and more.

International high school students in Canada: Remember to extend your study permit

By Crissy Campbell on April 25, 2024

International high school students in Canada: Remember to extend your study permit

If you’re an international student coming to UBC from a Canadian high school, you’ll need to take action to extend your study permit while you are in Canada and before it expires.

You can start your studies at UBC if you applied for a study permit extension before your study permit expires and you’re waiting for your new study permit, as long as you don’t leave Canada after your study permit expires.

If your study permit expires more than 6 months from now, or you will have more than 150 days between finishing high school and beginning studies at UBC please contact International Student Advising for support.

 

When do you apply?

You should apply as soon as you receive your letter of admission from UBC. You do not need a Provincial Attestation Letter if you are extending your study permit in Canada. You must apply before your study permit expires.

How do you apply?

If you’re in Canada and your existing study permit is still valid, apply to extend your study permit by reviewing the step-by-step study permit extension tutorial for UBC Okanagan or UBC Vancouver, then complete the Canvas application review course. Be sure to apply before your study permit expires.

You can only apply for a study permit extension when you are in Canada.  Plan ahead if your documents expire soon and you have travel plans. In general, it’s best to extend your study permit and Temporary Resident Visa (if you need one) inside Canada before you travel, or that you return before your documents expire to extend your study permit from within Canada. Contact International Student Advising for support with planning your document extensions and travel plans, or if you are outside Canada.

What if you still have questions?

To find out more about your study permit requirements, check out our UBC International Student Guide for UBC Okanagan or UBC Vancouver.

If you still have questions, our International Student Advising team at UBC Okanagan and UBC Vancouver is here for you.

What you need to know about registration deposit deferrals

By Crissy Campbell on April 23, 2024

What you need to know about registration deposit deferrals

In most cases, you will be required to pay a non-refundable deposit in the Applicant Service Centre when you accept your offer of admission to UBC. The acceptance deposit counts as your first registration deposit, and is applied to your tuition fees after you register for classes.

There are some exceptions, though. If you’re receiving a major award or sponsorship funding – from UBC or a third party – and that funding is delayed, you can request for your registration deposit to be deferred until when your tuition fees are due, by contacting an advisor on the Okanagan campus or your Enrolment Services Advisor on the Vancouver campus.

For Indigenous students who have self-identified in their online application to UBC, your registration deposit will be automatically deferred in an effort to support students who are being funded by third parties, including their Band or Nation.

 

Who can help you with financial planning?

If you have financial concerns or you’re facing financial challenges, please contact an advisor on the Okanagan campus or your Enrolment Services Advisor on the Vancouver campus. We can help you plan how to finance your studies at UBC.

 

 

Everything you need to know about UBC’s Campus-wide Login

By Crissy Campbell on April 22, 2024

Everything you need to know about UBC’s Campus-wide Login

Every UBC student needs to create a Campus-wide Login (CWL) once they’ve accepted their offer of admission. UBC’s CWL gives you access to UBC’s websites for the duration of your studies (including Workday Student, UBC Library, Canvas, and others), enabling you to use the same username and password across all websites.

When do you need to create your UBC CWL?

 

The first time you’ll need a CWL will be to log into Workday Student, UBC’s student information system, to register for your courses. Before then, you can use your EducationPlanner BC (EPBC) username and password to log into:

  • The Education Planner BC website (EPBC) to apply to UBC.
  • The Applicant Service Centre (ASC) to check your application status, see next steps required to complete your application, upload documents required by UBC, and accept or decline your offer of admission.
  • The Housing website (UBC Okanagan | UBC Vancouver) to apply for student housing, check the status of your housing application, and make payments to your residence account.

 

UBC will email you when it’s time to prepare for registration – providing you with your registration date and time. When it’s your time to log into Workday Student to prepare to register for your courses, that’s when you’ll need to create your UBC CWL.

How do you create your UBC CWL?

 

You need an active student number to create a CWL Student Account. This is why you should not create a CWL before you have accepted your offer of admission to UBC.

 

Once you’ve accepted your offer of admission, find out how to create your UBC CWL Student Account by reading the “Student Accounts (CWL Account Upgrader)” section on the UBC CWL website. You’ll use your EPBC username and password to log into the CWL Account Upgrader. Then, simply follow the steps to create your CWL.

 

Do you need a CWL to apply to UBC, check your application status, or apply for housing?

 

No, new undergraduate students do not need a CWL for these websites. Simply use the EPBC username and password that you created to apply to UBC via the EducationPlanner BC website.

 

If you created a CWL before accepting your offer of admission to UBC your CWL might not work. Why?

 

If you created a CWL before accepting your offer of admission, your new UBC CWL will not be properly connected to your application to UBC. You’ll likely find that you aren’t able to log into the Applicant Service Centre with this unconnected UBC CWL.

 

If this happens to you, you can use your EducationPlanner BC username and password to log into the Applicant Service Centre.

But you’ll need to contact UBC so we can connect your UBC CWL with your application. This process can take a week or two.

How to plan and register for your courses

By Crissy Campbell on April 18, 2024

How to plan and register for your courses

Now that you’ve accepted your offer, you may be thinking about planning your courses for September 2024. Course registration starts in June and takes place over several weeks. But there’s no action for you to take just yet. You will receive an email from UBC with your assigned registration date and time two weeks before you’re eligible to register.

 

In the meantime, you can prepare for your UBC studies by:

 

 

When and where will you plan your course schedule?

UBC’s course schedule for September 2024 is not available yet but when it is available, you’ll access it in UBC’s new student information system called Workday Student. Workday Student is replacing a system called the Student Service Centre (SSC). You’ll do your course planning and you’ll register for your courses online in Workday Student.

 

UBC will email you in late May 2024 to let you know when you’ll have access to Workday Student. When you gain access to Workday Student, you’ll also be provided with step-by-step instructions that are designed to help you register for your courses – from logging in and viewing your course schedule to creating a saved course schedule, resolving course conflicts, and preparing for registration day.

 

When will you register for courses?

Two weeks before you’re eligible to register for courses, you will receive an email from UBC with your assigned registration date and time (and a link to Workday Student). It’s very important that you register on that specific date at that specific time – regardless of where you are in the world – for the best chance of securing your first choice of courses.

 

Will you need to access the Student Service Centre?

If you’ve accepted an offer of admission to UBC for the 2024/25 academic year starting in September 2024 or later, you are not required to access the Student Service Centre (SSC). In fact, you will receive an error if you try to log into the SSC. This error is expected behaviour because UBC is currently transitioning to the new student information system, Workday Student.

How can I maintain my offer of admission?

By Crissy Campbell on April 15, 2024

How can I maintain my offer of admission?

Your offer of admission to UBC is based on a combination of your academic profile and your Personal Profile. When we receive your final grades, we’ll still be taking your personal profile into account.

 

Our process and timeline

In May, we’ll review grades for students who received first-round offers and verify that the grade information submitted to UBC was accurate. If we have any concerns with your grades, we’ll reach out to you directly.

Between July and August, we’ll review final grades. If you meet the conditions on your offer of admission, we’ll update your offer to reflect that.

 

What you can do

Many students are looking for a definitive answer to how much their grades can drop before they lose their offer. But we can’t say: “Everyone whose grades decline more than X%, or fall below Y%, will lose their offers.”

Each student’s situation is unique and we review changes in academic standing on a case-by-case basis. We don’t like to withdraw offers, but we must ensure that they’re awarded consistently and fairly, and that you have a solid foundation for success.

Certain grade changes may cause us to look at your application more closely when your final grades are submitted. Our best advice is to keep working hard to present your best final grades so we can confirm your offer of admission to UBC.

 

Will dropping a course affect your offer of admission?

If you are considering dropping a course, please contact our admissions office as this needs to be addressed on a case-by-case basis.

 

Questions?

If you have any questions about maintaining your offer of admission, please contact us.

Post-secondary transfer applications

By Crissy Campbell on April 9, 2024

Post-secondary transfer applications

Have you applied to study at UBC after you’ve already begun your studies at another post-secondary institution? Every year, the University receives and reviews more than 9,000 post-secondary transfer applications from students in Canada and elsewhere around the world.

 

Your application assessment

We are in the process of evaluating applications. If you applied by December 1, your application will be evaluated on the interim grades that you have already provided. If we ask you for a final transcript, we will evaluate your application based on the available grades from that document. In the event that we require any additional information from you in order to process your application, an advisor will be in touch.

We appreciate your patience as we evaluate applications in the coming months. Application decisions will continue to be made throughout June and July.

 

Offers of admission

Admission decisions are posted in UBC’s Applicant Service Centre. Keep an eye on your Applicant Status for the most up-to-date information.

 

Transfer credit

Any transfer credits that you have been granted will be posted in the Applicant Service Centre under Grades & Records. If you are transferring from a BC institution, you can use the BC Transfer Guide to determine what transfer credit you can receive. Please note that in some cases, your transfer credits may not appear until you’ve accepted your offer and paid your deposit.

If you have a prior degree, transfer credits are not assessed. Please connect with your faculty advising office to determine second-degree requirements. Remember that you can only satisfy up to 50% of your second degree with credits from your first degree, even if your first degree is from UBC.

If you have questions about your post-secondary transfer application or transfer credits, please contact us.

 

 

Submit your UBC housing application by May 1

By Crissy Campbell on April 4, 2024

Living on campus is more than just a practical option for housing – it’s one of the best ways to immerse yourself in the UBC student experience. If you want to live in residence at UBC, you must apply by May 1, 2024.

If you are considering a degree on both campuses, you must complete a separate residence application for each campus. If you complete both applications within 14 days of each other, you will only be charged one application fee.

 

Are you guaranteed a spot?

Your place in residence is guaranteed if:

  • You are a first-year student entering UBC directly from high school or CEGEP.

AND

  • You submit your residence application for eight-month housing (Winter Session) by the May 1 deadline.

AND

  • You accept UBC’s offer of admission by the date indicated in your offer letter, or June 1 (whichever comes first).

If you have questions about priority access, residence guarantees, or housing beyond first year, visit the UBC Student Housing website.

 

What’s residence like?

No matter which residence you’re assigned to, you’ll be part of a supportive environment that’s designed to help you adjust to university life, enjoy your time as a student, and make lifelong friends. Plus, you’ll be able to enjoy the new All You Care To Eat meal plan on our Okanagan campus, and the excellent first-year Residence All Access Dining Plan on our Vancouver campus.

 

Move-in day on UBC’s Okanagan campus

Move-in day on UBC’s Vancouver campus

How do you apply?

If you have applied to UBC, you will be able to login to the Online Housing Service Centre with your EducationPlannerBC (EPBC credentials). This is the same account that you used to apply to UBC through the EducationPlannerBC website.

Should you apply if you haven’t received an offer of admission yet?

Yes. If you have applied to UBC and want to live in residence this fall, you need to apply by May 1 even if you haven’t received your offer of admission. The $50 application fee is non-refundable even if they are admitted.

 

What if residence isn’t for you?

If you’re not planning to live in residence, you can build your own home away from home at the UBC Collegia on our Okanagan and Vancouver campuses. These welcoming on-campus spaces are great spots to relax between classes, heat up your lunch, and connect with new friends. UBC Okanagan also has an Off Campus Housing Ambassador to support new–to–campus students and help them in their transition to the Kelowna Community.