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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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Should you work with an agent to apply to UBC?

By Crissy Campbell on October 18, 2024

Should you work with an agent to apply to UBC?

Have you considered working with an education consultancy, or agent, to apply to university? Researching and applying to overseas universities can be overwhelming, and an agent can sometimes simplify the process.

Before engaging with an agent, it’s important to know what your options are.

Do you need to work with an agent to apply to UBC?

No. Students are encouraged to apply directly to UBC and use the information provided in our Applying to UBC section. If you’re stuck or have a question about the application process, there are several ways you can connect with us:

What questions should you ask an agency?

Professional agencies follow standards of good practice, but not every agency is equal. If you work with an agency, you’re hiring them to perform a service for you and you should be free to ask some basic questions before committing.

  • Do you charge service fees to your clients, or do you have commission-based agreements with universities? If you charge service fees, what are they, and when should they be expected?
  • Are you certified by the American International Recruitment Council (AIRC) or other organizations or associations? Which ones? (Note that AIRC has one of the strictest certification processes for agencies to become members.)
  • Ask the advisor you are working with about their experience. They should be knowledgeable about the institutions they are promoting:
    • How many years have they been advising students about universities abroad?
    • Have they have visited UBC or the institution you are considering, or even your country of choice?
    • Have they taken any training, such as the Canada Course for Education Agents?
  • If an agent claims to have an agreement with UBC or another institution, ask to see a copy of their active agreement (not the certificate of representation on the wall, but the actual agreement).
  • Do you have the qualifications to advise on Canadian visas and study permits?

 

Important tips

  • The entire UBC admissions process occurs online.
  • Agents are not involved in any of UBC’s scholarships – these are adjudicated by UBC alone. Students are automatically considered for entrance awards, while International Scholars awards require a nomination from your high school.
  • Please do not allow an agent to complete your UBC application on your behalf. This may jeopardize your application if UBC Admissions determines that your application is not an authentic submission.
  • You – not the agent – are responsible for submitting your application to UBC on time, paying your fees, and ensuring you meet the requirements. You are also responsible for completing all the other necessary steps to be considered for admission.

 

What an agent cannot do for you

  • Working with an agency does not increase your chances of admission or of obtaining a scholarship at UBC. All students are assessed on the merit of their grades and overall application.
  • An agent cannot write or assist in writing your personal profile or any part of your application.
  • An agent cannot submit false records or documents.
  • Agencies cannot access your UBC records without your consent. You must have completed a Third-Party Authorization in order for your agent to have access to your UBC information in the Applicant Service Centre.
  • An agent cannot submit payments for any UBC-related fees on your behalf.

And remember – we’re here to help. If you’re having difficulty with the application process, need to know more about UBC, or have any further questions about working with an agent, please contact us.

 

Degree Spotlight: Media Studies at UBC Okanagan

By Crissy Campbell on October 17, 2024

Degree Spotlight: Media Studies at UBC Okanagan

Are you fascinated by how technology can be used to make art? Do you hope to enter a career where you’ll work with still images, sound design, videos, or create games? UBC Okanagan’s Bachelor of Media Studies might be the perfect program for you.

 

What will you learn?

Media Studies at UBC Okanagan is much more hands-on than you might expect. The degree is a computational arts program, which means that you’ll have the chance to use many different technologies to build your creative projects.

In your first two years, you’ll study courses that include creative writing, cultural studies, digital humanities, media studies, and visual arts, and learn how to write computer code. Depending on your preferences and career aspirations, in your final years you can choose to focus on visual arts, or specialize in the degree’s custom-created computer science pathways.

 

Student Scoop

“[UBC Okanagan’s Bachelor of Media Studies program is] a very interesting degree because it takes a lot of practices from visual arts and computer science and blends them together… it exposes you to so many different things and later it allows you to narrow things down and specialize in a certain digital field.” – Kai H. Read about Kai’s experience in the Bachelor of Media Studies program. 

 

Why choose Media Studies at UBC Okanagan?

  1. Gain skills beyond a traditional Media Studies degree. The world is going digital. As a student of Media Studies at UBC Okanagan, you’ll not only learn the history and theory behind media and art, but discover how they can be transformed by technology. You’ll develop artistic, technical, and analytical skills, and sharpen your understanding of critical thinking, problem solving, and self-expression.
  1. Enjoy a self-directed, graduate feel. Art is a process of discovery, and so is this program. You’ll have the chance to focus on topic areas that you enjoy most, such as filmmaking, sound design, animation, game design, interactive art, or computer coding. The Bachelor of Media studies is a tight-knit learning cohort, and you’ll have plenty of opportunity to interact one-on-one with your professors. Study alongside others who are interested in discovering creative technologies, multimedia platforms, and art history. 
  1. Learn from scratch. You won’t need any prior experience in coding to enter the program, and you don’t need to be an expert in a particular medium. The Media Studies courses are designed specifically for this program, and you’ll develop a  streamlined set of computer science and critical thinking skills aimed at code-based art and design skills in creative arts and digital humanities.
  1. Collaborate with industry partners. Take part in the Capstone course and work together with community members and organizations on a full-year project. The course lets you foster meaningful connections with industry partners and use your multimedia skills to solve real-world challenges.
  1. Take part in co-op experience. Build your career confidence through co-op and explore work experience that challenges and inspires you. Co-op provides the opportunity for you to gain paid, full-time experience in a variety of work settings, and test out possible career options. You’ll benefit from a variety of support workshops, one-on-one coaching, and work experience relevant to your future career goals.

 

Degree spotlight: Bachelor of Management

By Crissy Campbell on October 16, 2024

Degree spotlight: Bachelor of Management

Are you looking to use your leadership skills to make a difference in the world? Do you want to steer organizations towards doing the right thing?

UBC Okanagan’s Bachelor of Management degree is designed to help you achieve those goals.

 

What will you learn?

While traditional business schools might direct students to chase profits, UBC Okanagan’s program will teach you how to incorporate social, financial, and environmental sustainability into the way organizations are run.

Your first two years will offer a broad overview of management and business principles, focusing on particular areas such as financial accounting, marketing, and management communications if you wish. Your third and fourth years will let you dive more deeply into topics that you care about, for example entrepreneurship or sustainability, while continuing to allow you to study a wide range of subjects. You’ll finish the program with hands-on experience creating real-life management solutions for one of UBC’s partner organizations.

After graduating, you’ll be ready to work within your community or beyond, launch your own business, and/or empower organizational change.

 

Student Scoop

Abby with her laptop on the UBC Okanagan campus

 

“The ability to be in a smaller tight-knit community while having access to the resources of a larger intuition is a large reason as to why I chose the Okanagan campus. I love being a big fish in a small pond and getting to pursue different opportunities in a competitive yet supportive environment has allowed me to put myself out there, learn from my mistakes, and more importantly try again! I also love that I’m not just a number, my faculty and professors know me by name and we’re able to have meaningful conversations about their research, shared interests, and their journey of getting to where they are today.” – Abby N. Read about Abby’s experience in the Bachelor of Management program.

 

What makes the program unique?

Like other programs at UBC Okanagan, the Bachelor of Management degree is your chance to experience life on a close-knit campus while gaining your education at one of the world’s top 40 universities. Here are five other facts you might not know about the program:

1. Apply your management knowledge to different fields. The Bachelor of Management at UBC’s Okanagan campus is designed to let you pursue your interests and learn what sectors you might like to enter after you graduate. You’ll have the opportunity to complete a minor in Computer Science, Cultural Studies, Economics, Sociology, or Psychology.

2. Work within your community. UBC Okanagan has strong ties to local businesses, and you’ll have the chance to make a difference in those organizations. The faculty also offers a variety of experiential learning opportunities, such as the capstone project course in your fourth year, during which you will address a specific community challenge presented by a local organization or business.

3. Gain work experience while you study. Build your career confidence through co-op placements and explore work experience that challenges and inspires you. Co-op placements provide the opportunity for you to gain paid, full-time experience in a variety of work settings, test out possible career options, and begin building a professional network – all before graduation. You’ll benefit from a variety of support workshops, one-on-one coaching, and work experience relevant to your future career goals.

4. Build new connections and friendships. You’ll be part of the Management Student Association on the Okanagan campus, which provides optional professional and social experiences for you during your degree, including conferences and competitions throughout the year.

5. Travel and learn. See the world through Go Global, a UBC exchange and study abroad program with more than 150 partner universities and allied institutions worldwide. Take the opportunity to immerse yourself in an international experience while you work towards your degree.

 

Choosing what to study

By Crissy Campbell on October 15, 2024

Choosing what to study

A common question we’re asked here at UBC is about the difference between a degree and a program. What’s a program? What’s a degree? And why is it important to tell them apart when you’re deciding what to study?

 

Degree versus program. What’s the difference?

At UBC, your degree refers to the level and type of study you will complete during university (e.g., Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science). It’s the designation you’ll earn at graduation.

A program refers to the subject you choose to specialize in (e.g., your major in Anthropology or Biology). It’s your area of focus within your degree. For most degrees, you don’t have to commit to a program until your second or third year of study.

For example, if you study in the History program, you’ll earn a Bachelor of Arts degree. If you study in the Civil Engineering program, you’ll earn a Bachelor of Applied Science degree.

 

Determine your UBC degree

Before you apply to UBC, you need to decide which degree and campus you’ll choose. To do so, take a look at our programs page to discover what you want to what to study, and find the degree information in the grey box.

Find out more information on choosing what to study.

 

Filling out your UBC application

The online application allows you to select two degrees (a first and second choice), which can be on different campuses and in different faculties.

When you fill in the online application, you’ll enter those degree choices in the Program Selection tab. Enter your first-choice degree in the “First Program Choice” field and enter your second-choice degree in the “Second Program Choice” field.

 

 

 

Join us for a campus tour!

By Crissy Campbell on October 11, 2024

Join us for a campus tour!

Are you wondering what life at UBC is like? Are you curious about your new classes, or how to build your community? Maybe you’d just like to see if UBC feels like the right place for you?

If so, come and join us for a campus tour! We have two tour options for both UBC Okanagan and UBC Vancouver – in-person campus tours and live virtual campus tours.

In-person campus tours

Free walking tours are offered throughout the week at both our Okanagan and Vancouver campuses. Each tour lasts 90 minutes on our Okanagan campus and two hours on our Vancouver campus and is led by a friendly student ambassador, current UBC students who are excited to share their knowledge and show you around campus. After your tour, you’ll have the chance to connect with an advisor and ask any questions you have about attending UBC.

Note: until December 14th receive a 1-day Big White lift pass for attending an in-person campus tour on the Okanagan campus.

 

Live virtual campus tours

You’ll be in excellent hands as you join our friendly student ambassadors, who provide an in-depth look at UBC. Live virtual tours of the Okanagan campus and the Vancouver campus run for 90 minutes. Both finish with a student Q&A panel where you can ask your questions. Our ambassadors are current students who are excited to share their knowledge and experiences with you, and help you discover what it’s like to be a UBC student! All of our live virtual campus tours are offered on Zoom.

 

Tour schedules

Tours are scheduled at both UBC Okanagan and UBC Vancouver on various days throughout the week. Take a look at our campus tours page to see the most up-to-date schedule.

 

Additional tours for Indigenous students

We offer Indigenous-specific campus tours for prospective Indigenous students (members of First Nations, Métis, and/or Inuit peoples in Canada) at both of our Okanagan and Vancouver campuses. Tours are led by our friendly and knowledgeable Indigenous student ambassadors who will guide you around campus and highlight Indigenous-specific spaces, services, and resources available to you. After the tour, an Indigenous student advisor will be available to answer your questions. We welcome individual requests and groups of all sizes.

Request an Indigenous campus tour of UBC by emailing indigenous.tours@ubc.ca.

 

How to register

To view all upcoming campus tours and to register, visit our Tours and events page and select the campus tours tab.

If you are an Indigenous person of Canada and you’d like to request an Indigenous campus tour, send us an email.

 

Keep exploring

If you are unable to attend one of our in-person or live virtual campus tours or you want to learn more about UBC at your own pace, you can also experience our two campuses by taking a self-guided virtual tour.

 

We hope you’ll join us!

 

 

Tips for creating your Bachelor of Commerce application video interview

By Crissy Campbell on October 10, 2024

 

If you’re applying to UBC’s Sauder School of Business’s Bachelor of Commerce (BCom) program, your personal profile will include a video interview section. You’ll be asked to provide on-camera responses to two pre-recorded questions. We’ve created these tips to help you prepare for, and create, a strong video. Read on for more information!

 

Why is the video interview important?

In the BCom program, collaboration, in-class discussion, and public speaking are daily activities. Your ability to listen to others and to communicate your thoughts and ideas clearly are essential to your success, and, in many cases, the success of your team during group work.

If you’re intimidated by the thought of speaking on camera, don’t worry. The questions will relate to your personal experiences and opinions, so there are no wrong answers. In fact, the video interview is a great opportunity for you to showcase how you can think critically, perform under pressure, and stand out from other applicants.

 

How to create your video interview

Within your personal profile, you’ll be directed to a separate online video-interview platform. Be sure to:

  1. Read all instructions thoroughly.
  2. Allow yourself ample time to test your recording equipment.
  3. Try a practice question before recording responses to two pre-recorded interview questions.

Please keep in mind that you’ll only have one attempt to respond to each question. Once you’ve started to view a question, you won’t be able to pause or replay it. You’ll be given 30 seconds to think about your answer, and up to 90 seconds to record it. You can review your video submission after answering each question, to ensure no technical errors occurred and that your answers were successfully uploaded but re-recording is not permitted.

 

Tips for creating your video interview

  • Take time to reflect. Think about past challenges, achievements, strengths, and beliefs.
  • Create the best recording space possible. Close all other browser windows and programs on your device. Make sure there’s good lighting in front of you. Silence all audible alarms and alerts. Eliminate loud background noises, and make sure you are free from other distractions.
  • Be confident. Maintain good posture, smile, and present yourself professionally. You’ll find these simple actions will put you in the right mindset to deliver a natural response. Do not read from prepared statements or notes.
  • Don’t dwell on mistakes. Natural speech isn’t always perfect – the occasional “umm” or mispronounced word is commonplace and to be expected. If you misspeak during your response, take a moment, breathe, and keep going. Remember, you’ll have just one attempt to answer each question – there are no do-overs.
  • Be authentic. One of the reasons we’ve incorporated the video interview into your application is to get to know you better. Don’t tell us what you think we want to hear; tell us what you want us to know about you.

 

 

Personal profile tips

By Crissy Campbell on October 9, 2024

Personal profile tips

Every aspiring high school student applying to UBC (and some transfer applicants too) must submit a personal profile as part of their online application. It’s a chance for you to tell the university about your life and accomplishments: What have they taught you about yourself and the world around you?

 

Preparing for your personal profile

Each of the personal profile questions requires short essay responses (50 to 500 words), so you’ll want to think about your answers before you start your online application. Here are three tips to keep in mind:

  • Take time to reflect. Instead of simply listing your accomplishments and experiences, tell us what you’ve learned from them.
  • Be specific. Use details to provide context and elaborate on your answers.
  • Be true to who you are. Don’t focus on what you think we want to hear. Use your unique voice to tell us what you want to say.

We’ve compiled helpful information for writing your personal profile, and we want all UBC applicants to have the benefits of reading these tips. Visit our personal profile page to learn more about what to consider before writing your profile, and how UBC will evaluate it.

 

References

As part of your personal profile, you will need to include two references. These should be people who know you well and can comment on your preparedness to study at UBC. A reference can be an employer, a community member, a coach, a teacher/instructor, or anyone who knows you well. For applicants who are currently attending high school, one of your referees must be a school official (e.g., Grade 12 or senior year counsellor, teacher, or IB coordinator). References should not be a friend, family member, or paid agent. You do not need to include written references in your application, just the contact information of your references so that our admissions team can contact them.

UBC does not send a link to references. We will contact your references directly, after offers of admission have gone out.

 

Your personal profile and disruptions outside of your control

We know that disruptions can arise that may affect your access to extracurricular activities at school or in your community. We will be as flexible as possible to ensure that your personal profile is not disadvantaged by disruptions caused by things outside of your control.

Remember that when we assess your personal profile we take into account all of the activities you’ve done across multiple years, not just the ones you hoped to complete in Grade 11 or 12. Your examples can come from any aspect of your life, including within your family or smaller community. There are no right or wrong answers – we’re not looking for certain activities or a long list of achievements, but rather your reflections on what you’ve experienced.

 

Still have questions?

If you require any further assistance with putting together your application or need help with the personal profile in particular, please contact the UBC Undergraduate Admissions Office.

Degree Spotlight: Natural Resources

By Crissy Campbell on October 8, 2024

Degree Spotlight: Natural Resources

Do you want to help fight climate change, protect the environment, and shape our future and planet?

Do you want to be involved in the design and development of renewable materials, energy, and sustainable land-use strategies or do you seek the challenge of applying technology and science to create environmentally and economically sound harvesting plans? Perhaps you want to play an active role in protecting and managing our natural environment, including wildlife, forests, rivers, oceans, and land?

UBC’s new Bachelor of Science in Natural Resources degree, offered within the Faculty of Forestry, focuses on the science, management, and conservation of natural resources.

 

What you learn in Natural Resources

There are six majors to choose from within the Bachelor of Science in Natural Resources, each offering immersive learning experiences like field schools, lab work, and co-op opportunities. Within each of these unique fields, students gain practical knowledge and skills that are critical for solving today’s natural resource challenges.

Majors are selected at the completion of Year 1. Note that some majors have unique pre-requisites that need to be taken in Year 1, so contact an advisor to learn more before selecting your courses.

 

Bioeconomy Sciences and Technology

UBC’s Bioeconomy Sciences and Technology program is the first in Canada to provide a multidisciplinary and comprehensive education that’s focused on the scientific, economic, and policy issues related to the growing bioeconomy and creating a sustainable future. As a student in this program, you’ll gain a solid foundation for the innovative design and development of renewable materials, energy, and sustainable land-use strategies.

As a Bioeconomy Sciences and Technology graduate, you will be familiar with key facets of the bioeconomy and possess the skills required to work in energy, design and develop renewable materials, and establish leading land-use strategies.

 

Conservation

This interdisciplinary program is the most popular program in UBC’s Faculty of Forestry. You’ll learn how to play an active role in protecting and managing our natural environment, including wildlife, forests, rivers, oceans, and land. As a Conservation student, you’ll take courses in English, math, and science – plus conservation, wildlife, fisheries management, computer applications, remote sensing, and soil science.

As a Conservation graduate, you’ll use your skills and knowledge to help protect and preserve the planet with a career in environmental sustainability and resource management at a government, non-profit, private consulting, education, or law organization.

 

Forest Management

If you love the outdoors and are excited by the challenge of planning and managing our forest lands, then Forest Management program may be for you. As a student in the Forest Management program, you’ll explore the scientific foundations that underpin the management of forest resources, while tailoring your educational journey with elective courses that emphasize biological, economic, social, or quantitative dimensions within this diverse field.

Forest Management graduates are well-prepared for diverse roles in consulting, sustainable forestry, and natural resource management.

 

Forest Operations

In the Forest Operations program, students learn how to apply technology and science to create environmentally and economically sound harvesting plans. This program emphasizes the integration of biological, physical, and social sciences, supplemented by advanced courses in geotechnical engineering, forest road design, slope stability analysis, and efficient harvesting system evaluation.

Forest Operations graduates embark on a world of diverse and evolving career opportunities within the forest industry. With additional courses, graduates can also work towards becoming a Professional Engineer (P.Eng), opening doors to a wide range of career opportunities in forestry and related fields.

 

Forest Sciences

In the Forest Sciences program, you’ll study scientific principles related to forests, forest organisms, and plant and animal ecology. You’ll also learn how to ask and approach important questions like: How do plants and animals in forest ecosystems react to insects and disease, climate change, pollution, harvesting, and recreational use? How can we sustain the biological diversity of our forests while meeting our resource needs?

As a Forest Sciences graduate, you can pursue a career as a forest geneticist, a biodiversity specialist, a fisheries and wildlife officer, a forest ecologist, a pathologist, or an entomologist.

 

Wood Products

Wood Products is an award-winning program that fuses science, engineering, and business. Students in the program gain a comprehensive understanding of wood science, business, and advanced manufacturing operations, while developing transferable skills in problem solving, communication, leadership, and teamwork.

Graduates of the program can pursue a career in material science, engineering, computer science, material processing, wood finishing, product design, quality control, or sales and marketing – or go on to graduate studies in wood science, finance and business, building construction technology, or medicine.

 

Why choose Natural Resources?

The Bachelor of Science in Natural Resources degree is offered on UBC’s Vancouver campus and has access to two research forests totalling 60,000 acres where students can enhance their classroom learning with field studies. In addition to field studies, the program also emphasizes experiential learning with lab work and co-op opportunities.

Natural Resources is also a small, supportive learning community. It has smaller class sizes, allowing you to make close friendships with fellow students and have closer connections with professors, including personalized mentoring, support, and guidance.

Find out more about what’s it’s like to be a student in the Faculty of Forestry