Watch:
Move-in day at UBC Okanagan
Tag along with new student Robert and experience what it’s like getting settled into life on campus.
What it’s like to live in residence
Enjoy the best of nature and nurture – a supportive, close-knit community on campus and a breathtaking natural playground in your backyard. From clubs on campus to mountain biking trails, museums, and wineries nearby, there’s plenty to see and do in the Okanagan Valley.
Campus
Over 9,000 students from the Okanagan region, across Canada, and about 100 countries from around the globe study with us at our Okanagan campus. A bustling centre for research, our students and faculty alike make a real-world impact on their community.
Residences
As a first-year student, you’ll likely live in Cassiar, Kalamalka, Nicola, Purcell, Valhalla, Skeena, Nechako, or Similkameen Place. Each residence includes single furnished rooms, cozy common areas perfect for snacking and socializing, and plenty of space for quiet study time.
Living Learning Communities
Our popular Living Learning Communities (LLCs) offer you a chance to live in a close-knit community alongside peers who share similar interests and values. Choose from among nine different communities on campus, from Innovation and Technology to Leadership and Civic Engagement.
Meal plans
Your UBCcard can be used at any of the food service locations on campus: grab a coffee and snacks at well-known favourites like Starbucks, and Tim Hortons or find fresh salads, sushi, and stone-baked pizza at EMEats, Green Thread Market, and the Sunshine Café. Headed off campus with friends? You can also use your UBCcard at select off-campus vendors, including Momo Sushi and Tossing Pizzeria.
Fun and support
Living on campus offers you a safe, supportive environment so you can pursue your academic goals and enjoy your time with your new friends. Residence Advisors – current UBC students – offer guidance for health and wellness programs, and plan fun activities for you to get involved.
What to expect
Guarantee your spot
Your place in residence is only guaranteed if:
- you are entering UBC directly from high school or CEGEP. (i.e., you graduated within the last year, between this June and the previous June) – and you have not completed any post-secondary coursework,
- you submit your residence application for Winter Session housing by the May 1 deadline, and
- you accept UBC’s offer of admission by the date indicated in your letter of admission (but no later than June 1).
Learn how to secure a spot in residence.
Receiving your residence offer
Your residence offer is different from your offer of admission to UBC. Residence offers are sent by email between June and August, so keep an eye on your inbox. You will have a limited time – usually just one week – to accept and pay the deposit. Next, you’ll receive your residence room assignment by email in mid-August.
Costs
Depending on your budget, find the perfect type of room and meal plan for you. We spread your payments out between three payments over the course of the eight-month academic year, making it easy to plan your monthly expenses.
How to secure a spot in residence
So you’ve decided you’d like to live on campus. What comes next?
1
Determine your eligibility. The first thing you should do is make sure you qualify. Living in residence is generally based on two factors: academic credit load and your age.
2
Decide where you’d like to live. When applying, we’ll ask you to rank room preferences so we can match you up with the perfect room for you.
3
Apply! We recommend that you submit your residence application at the same time you apply to UBC (but make sure you do it before May 1).
Explore UBC Okanagan
Living off campus
If you choose to live off campus, you’ll be able to pick between a variety of different neighbourhoods, each with their own personalities and charm. Many students choose to live in areas such as Lake Country, Ellison, Glenmore, and Rutland, and often live with other students to reduce costs.
UBC Okanagan is served by BC Transit. All UBC Okanagan students receive a U-Pass, or universal transit pass, giving you unlimited access to local transit services. Buses operate from early morning hours to after midnight.
How to find off-campus housing
If you have time to walk around local neighbourhoods, there are often vacancy signs posted on rental properties and houses close to campus. Otherwise, head online to check UBC Student Housing, or drop into the University Centre to check notice boards for other students looking for roommates.
On-campus spaces for commuter students
Find your home base and a sense of community here on campus by visiting our UBC Collegia spaces. There are three different Collegia spaces at UBC Okanagan where you can relax, heat up your lunch, or fit in some study time in between classes.