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Our dedicated admissions and financial advisors will help you through the application process by writing about admission requirements, financial matters, the application, events and visits, and everything in between.
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When will you receive your UBC admission decision?

By Crissy Campbell on March 3, 2025

When will you receive your UBC admission decision?

We know that selecting universities to apply to is a huge decision – one that involves plenty of research and preparation. And although that part is done, you still have one big decision left: which admission offer will you accept?

The UBC Admissions Office is meticulously reviewing your application so that we can give you our decision as soon as we can – we want to help you make your big decision in good time. That being said, we’re not going to rush through our evaluation of your application – we want to make sure you get a carefully considered decision from us. As soon as we have evaluated your application, you will see our decision on the Applicant Service Centre under Admissions > Application Status.

 

Why do some students receive their admission decision before others?

The simple answer: we receive grades at different times depending on your school system.

For some of you, we started evaluating your application in mid-to-late January because you applied by December 1 to be considered for a first-round offer of admission. Right now, we are receiving International Baccalaureate anticipated grades for Canadian high school applicants, BC Ministry of Education grades, and OUAC grade information from Ontario, and we continue to receive international documents.

From March 1st to March 15th, applicants from Alberta, Manitoba, the Maritimes, and Saskatchewan will upload their documents so that we can evaluate their applications.

Our Admissions team has been reading personal profiles and evaluating applications as we receive grades and other information, and we will continue to do so until all applications have been carefully reviewed. We’re working as quickly and carefully as we can to give you an admission decision shortly after we receive all of your grade information.

 

Admission decisions are not first come, first served

Most important to you: we use the same evaluation criteria for everyone when their files are complete. If your files are complete in March, we will evaluate your application exactly as we have done for those whose files were complete in January. Our decisions are not made on a first-come, first-served basis, and we take great care to make sure you get the right decision shortly after your application is complete.

 

 

Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Quebec, and the Maritimes: UBC document upload deadline is March 15

By Crissy Campbell on February 28, 2025

Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Quebec, and the Maritimes: UBC document upload deadline is March 15

Have you uploaded your documents to the Applicant Service Centre yet? Document upload will be closing on Saturday, March 15, 2025, so be sure to get your documents in as soon as you have them.

Check out our tips on uploading your documents.

If you are an International Baccalaureate Diploma student in Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Quebec, or the Maritimes, we will receive your anticipated IB results directly from your IB coordinators, so you do not need to upload documents to complete your application.

Have questions? Email us at admissions.inquiry@ubc.ca with the subject line “document upload,” and remember to include your full name and UBC student number so we can assist you.

 

 

You’ve applied to UBC. Now what?

By Crissy Campbell on February 27, 2025

You’ve applied to UBC. Now what?

Congratulations on completing your UBC application! You’re one giant step closer to joining our vibrant community of students and faculty from around the globe.

 

Submitting your documents

Tens of thousands of UBC applicants like you have begun – or will soon begin – submitting their documents. The UBC Admissions Office is doing its best to read everyone’s personal profile and transcript as carefully and quickly as possible. We’re swamped with incoming documents, but we’re working very hard to process each one and give you a considered and fair decision as soon as we can. It may take a while for us to acknowledge that we’ve received your documents, so thank you for bearing with us at this busy time.

 

To find out what documents you need to send to us, check your email for a message from UBC, or log in to the Applicant Service Centre.

 

Your admissions decision

Depending on the degree you applied to, the standard of your application, and when your grades become available, high school applicants can expect an admissions decision any time between the end of January and May and post-secondary transfer applicants can expect an admissions decision any time between February and late June. Be sure to check your application status often in the Applicant Service Centre under Admissions > Application Status.

If you’re itching to know what comes next in the admissions process, check out the video below:

 

 

Until you hear back from us, take this time to learn more about the degree that you applied to. This is also a great opportunity to envision your future at UBC and have your questions answered by joining a campus tour, attending an event for applicants, or taking part in an online info session.

 

 

Which Arts first-year study option is right for you?

By Crissy Campbell on February 21, 2025

Which Arts first-year study option is right for you?

After you’ve been admitted to the Bachelor of Arts degree, you’ll have to decide which courses to take when registration opens in June. That might seem like a long way off, but it’s worth thinking in advance about how you might like to structure your timetable.

There are three ways to shape your first year in the Faculty of Arts. Arts One and the Coordinated Arts Program (CAP) offer curated course schedules, where you’ll take most of your classes with the same group of students—helping you build connections with peers and professors from the start. These programs provide a more structured, interdisciplinary learning experience with built-in academic support, making them a great way to transition into university. You can also choose to create a Custom Timetable, selecting individual courses and building your own schedule.

 

What are Arts One and CAP?

Arts One and CAP allow students to study together in small seminars (up to 25 people) and larger lectures (up to 125 people). Each brings courses and ideas together across different disciplines – for example literature, history, psychology, economics, and philosophy – by focusing on a shared topic or theme.

Both programs are worth 18 credits, but you can take up to 12 additional credits (2 classes) each semester to explore other subjects you’re interested in.

 

Why should you choose Arts One or CAP?

Arts One and CAP will help ease your transition from high school to university by offering:

  • A pre-selected timetable — most of your first-year requirements are included, so you don’t have to worry about picking courses to fulfil your degree requirements
  • Coordinated assignment deadlines, which means your major assignments won’t overlap or cause too much stress
  • Dedicated academic support with program-specific advisors who are there to help you throughout your first year
  • Access to exclusive study spaces where you can connect with your classmates and professors

The small-group format makes it easier to form friendships and build a sense of community, while close interaction with your professors helps you build personal connections and sets you up for a variety of degree pathways across different disciplines.

What’s the difference between Arts One and CAP?

Arts One

Arts One is a single, integrated course led by five instructors who work together to create the assignments and a reading list centred on a shared theme. The program is capped at 100 students, and then divided into five seminars each with up to 20 students. You will also meed regularly in smaller groups to present and discuss the papers you’re writing, offering a more personalized way to refine your work and ideas.

Rather than taking six separate one-term courses, you’ll take one cohesive course with multiple components that let you approach the materials from a variety of perspectives.

You’ll explore classical and contemporary texts from novels and philosophical writings to political texts, films, drama, and graphic novels to discuss their impacts on culture and society. The professors will take turns giving the weekly lectures, and you’ll work closely with one instructor who leads your seminars and tutorials each week.

 

CAP

In CAP, you’ll get to choose from one of five streams, each offering a different combination of courses from across the Faculty of Arts. This year’s streams are: Environment and Society, Individual and Society, Law and Society, Media Studies, Philosophy and Economics, and Political Science.

While courses in your CAP stream are separate, the faculty members work together to make sure the themes and concepts you study in each course are connected. They will also coordinate deadlines for your major assignments and tests, making it easier to stay on top of your work.

Like Arts One, CAP offers smaller classes than you will find if you create a Custom Timetable, with seminar-style courses typically having 25 students, and lectures ranging from 100-125 students.

 

How to register

Registration for both Arts One and CAP is first-come, first-served. Both programs simplify the process by offering easy-to-use forms on their websites, or you can register directly in Workday when first-year registration opens in June. Find out more about registering for Arts One and registering for CAP on their websites.

Looking for more information? Read what it’s like to be an Arts One student and a Coordinated Arts Program student and why students chose each program.

Study at UBC through our inclusive post-secondary initiative with STEPS Forward

By Crissy Campbell on February 13, 2025

Study at UBC through our inclusive post-secondary initiative with STEPS Forward

UBC prides itself on being a welcoming and inclusive environment for all students. If you have developmental or intellectual disabilities and are interested in attending post-secondary education in a way that supports your strengths and learning style, you can study at UBC through an inclusive post-secondary initiative with STEPS Forward.

 

What is inclusive post-secondary education at UBC?

Academics

If you are admitted through this initiative, you may enrol in UBC courses and select an area of study of your choice. You’ll be part of the same classes, tutorials, and labs as UBC students studying for their degrees, but as a participating auditor: a status that allows your assignments and exams to be modified to suit your individual learning style. You’ll also be supported by STEPS Forward inclusion facilitators at UBC to engage fully in your courses.

Upon successfully completing your studies, you’ll receive a Certificate of Completion at convocation alongside students earning their Bachelor’s degree in the same field.

Student life

During your time at UBC, you’ll enjoy student life in the same clubs and social spaces as other undergraduates, and – with the support of STEPS Forward inclusion facilitators – you will be supported in individualized ways to make decisions about what you want to explore on campus.

Career development

Over the summer months (April to August), STEPS Forward will help you to find paid work, internships, training, networking, and other volunteer opportunities that relate to your career goals.

 

Who is eligible?

There are no minimum academic requirements to be accepted – instead, STEPS Forward will look at your desire to learn and have a typical student experience. The initiative is committed to supporting the inclusion of students with significant and/or complex support needs.

Discover more about the criteria used to select students.

 

How to apply

  1. Get in touch with usto find out more about whether accessing your studies through UBC’s inclusive post-secondary initiative (STEPS Forward) is right for you:

 

  1. Attend an interview. The interview is a way for us to learn more about what you want to get out of post-secondary education. You’ll be asked questions about what you’re hoping to gain from the experience and how you’ll grow from UBC’s academic teaching and student life. TIP: Before your interview, think about topics such as:
    • What makes you feel great about going to school?
    • Why do you want to continue your education after high school?
    • How do you want to get involved with sports, clubs, and campus events?
    • How can you get the most out of being a student with facilitator support?

 

  1. Receive your offer. About a month after your interview, we’ll contact you to let you know if you are accepted. If your application is successful, STEPS Forward will set up a series of meetings with you over the summer to prepare with you and your chosen family, advocates, or allies.

 

Attend an Information Session

Steps Forward is hosting a virtual Information Session on February 18 at 6:30 pm. 

For questions or more info, contact selena@steps-forward.org or join via Zoom on February 18.

Take a self-guided virtual tour of UBC’s campuses

By Crissy Campbell on February 12, 2025

Take a self-guided virtual tour of UBC’s campuses

Now that your application has been submitted, it’s time to get to know our campuses better. A great way to get a feel for our campuses and what it’s like to be a student is through a campus tour!

As well as the student-led live virtual campus tours and the in-person campus tours that we offer for both UBC Okanagan and UBC Vancouver, we also have two great self-guided virtual tours – one for each campus – for you to explore in your own time.

 

ubc virtual tour

 

The self-guided tours, you can have a look at all the highlights you can look forward to as a student. The tour will walk you through key locations, giving you a feel for what it’s like to live and learn at UBC. You’ll see UBC’s residences, study spots, recreational facilities, academic buildings, and more.

On your journey you’ll be able to take a look at 360° panoramas, photos, and videos, and you can pause at any time to check them out. If you like, you can share your favourite spots on social media.

No matter which tour option you pick, we’re looking forward to showing you around!

 

 

 

What we look for when evaluating your application

By Crissy Campbell on February 6, 2025

What we look for when evaluating your application

Yay! You’ve completed your UBC application! It’s a huge accomplishment and brings you one step closer to reaching your university goals. Now you’re probably wondering what we look for when we’re evaluating your application.

UBC receives thousands of applications a year and, as much as we’d like to, we don’t have the space to admit everyone.

Our admissions process is competitive and comparative. It’s important to keep in mind that your application will be evaluated against all of the other applications we have received this year for the same degree.

 

First, do you meet the admission requirements?

 

The first thing we look at when evaluating your application is whether or not you meet UBC’s admission requirements. This includes:

General admission requirements

  • Have you graduated from high school?

English language requirements

Degree-specific requirements

  • Do you meet the specific requirements for the degree you’re applying to?
  • You may need to take certain high school courses, submit a portfolio or complete an interview depending on the degree you are applying to.

If you meet these admission requirements, we take a closer look at your application.

 

Next, we review your grades and course choices

 

The next step in your application evaluation is looking at your grades. We look at all of your Grade 11 (Junior level) and Grade 12 (Senior level) classes, paying special attention to courses that relate to the degree you’re applying to.

UBC also looks closely at which courses you chose to take in high school:

  • Did you pursue all of your academic interests by taking a range of different subjects?
  • Did you challenge yourself by taking academic courses, advanced courses, or first-year university courses?
  • Did you demonstrate knowledge in your chosen area of study by taking courses related to the degree you applied to at UBC?

 

Lastly, we look at your achievements beyond academics

 

After making sure that you meet the admission requirements and reviewing your grades and course choices, the last thing we look at is your personal profile – the essay questions in your online application.

We read your personal profile to get a sense of who you are, what you’ve overcome and what you’ve achieved. Your personal profile helps us to assess whether you’re prepared for university studies. It also helps us determine if you’re deserving of an entrance scholarship or award by telling us what you’ve learned about your experiences, your academic and extracurricular achievements, and your leadership qualities.

Learn more about how UBC evaluates your application

 

 

Good luck!

Improve your English and earn a UBC degree with Vantage One

By Crissy Campbell on February 4, 2025

Improve your English and earn a UBC degree with Vantage One

Do you have an excellent academic record, but don’t quite meet UBC’s English language admission requirement? If you fulfil UBC’s general and degree-specific requirements, there are alternative pathways to help you achieve your UBC degree.

 

What is Vantage One?

UBC’s Vantage One programs are designed for international students who do not yet meet the English language requirement to enter directly into a UBC faculty. Vantage One courses last 11 months, and add English-language instruction to your first-year degree courses. You can choose from Arts, Science, or Engineering,  and you’ll be taught by award-winning UBC faculty members.

The Vantage One Science program takes place at UBC Vancouver and upon successful completion of the program you’ll progress into your second year of your Bachelor of Science degree at the Vancouver campus.

The Engineering program at Vantage One involves studying at both campuses, with the first 2 terms of the program taught at UBC Vancouver and Term 3 taught at the UBC Okanagan Campus. When you successfully complete your Vantage One Engineering program, you can continue your Bachelor of Applied Science degree at either UBC Vancouver or UBC Okanagan campuses.

The Vantage One Arts program is offered at UBC Vancouver. When you successfully complete the program, you can continue your Bachelor of Arts degree at the UBC Vancouver campus.

Why choose Vantage One?

The program is designed specifically for international students. Vantage One is a first-year cohort program, which means you’ll follow a set timetable and take nearly all of your classes with the same people, helping you to make friends from day one. It also includes an orientation, which will assist you with essential needs like health insurance, setting up bank accounts, and learning how to thrive in the classroom at UBC.

There are over 40 highly-trained faculty and staff at Vantage One, who will help you build on your academic performance, English language development, study skills, and readiness for your second year. While you will be completing the same courses as other UBC students, your classes will be tailored to you. They offer smaller class sizes, innovative teaching methods, language instruction integrated into your degree coursework, and the ability to connect closely with faculty. Best of all, taking part in a Vantage One program does not add extra time to your degree.

 

What are the requirements?

Vantage One accepts students with a minimum score of 70 on the TOEFL and 5.5 on the IELTS. Certain sub-scores apply for each test, so be sure to review the full English language requirements on the Vantage College website.

 

How do you apply?

  1. Choose your UBC Vantage One program: Arts, Science, or Engineering,
  2. Meet the Vantage One admission requirements.
  3. Apply online and pay the fee.
  4. Submit your required documents.
  5. Stay in touch.

If you have questions, you can contact Vantage One.