University or college transfer students

If you are a well-qualified student attending a post-secondary institution, we welcome your application to transfer to UBC. Read more about transfer eligibility, and find your requirements if you are a post-secondary student in Canada or a post-secondary student outside of Canada.

Are you eligible to transfer?

To apply to UBC as a transfer student, you are strongly encouraged to have 24 transferable credits completed by May – with at least a C average (60% where 50% is a passing grade), or a grade point of 2.0. Use the BC Transfer Guide to see how previously evaluated courses from many institutions transfer to UBC. Having more than 24 credits applicable to your intended program may increase your likelihood of admission.

While requirements and limitations vary by program and campus, please note that:

  • Applicants should be in good academic standing at the last institution they attended.
  • Second-year applicants should ideally present 30 credits and satisfy all promotion requirements for advancement to that year.
  • Third-year applicants should ideally present 54–60 credits and satisfy all promotion requirements for advancement to that year. Some programs do not admit students at this year level.
  • Most programs have high school and/or post-secondary prerequisites. UBC requires prerequisites to be completed no later than April 30 (earlier completion is advised to avoid delays).
  • Admission to UBC is competitive, and satisfying the minimum academic requirements does not guarantee admission. UBC may review your entire record to ensure that your courses align with the requirements and expectations of your intended UBC degree program. Consistent academic performance and perseverance, progressive course sequencing with increasing rigour, and comparability with studies at UBC are among the factors that help demonstrate your suitability and readiness.
  • For some programs, a personal profile or other criteria (such as a supplemental application, portfolio, or audition) will also be considered.

Applicants who apply with fewer than 24 credits will be evaluated on the basis of final secondary school grades and the partial post-secondary studies completed. If this applies to you, you should meet all your high school’s curriculum requirements in addition to meeting the GPA for admission with the post-secondary courses you completed. High school requirements differ depending on where you’re coming from.

The chart below will help you understand how UBC calculates your admission average based on post-secondary credits completed, including failed or repeated courses.

 

Credits taken How an admission average is calculated
0 to 6 credits Admission average is based on your high school average only
7 to 23 credits Admission is generally based on your high school average and post-secondary grade point average (GPA) calculated using all transferable credits taken
24 to 30 credits Admission average is based on your post-secondary GPA calculated using all transferable credits taken
More than 30 credits Admission average is based on your post-secondary GPA calculated with an emphasis on the most recent 30 transferable credits taken

 

For more information, you can refer to the Admissions sections of the UBC Okanagan and UBC Vancouver Academic Calendars.

Degree-specific transfer requirements

Because of enrolment limitations, many degrees require a higher average for admission than stated above. For more information about degree-specific requirements and limitations, please consult the UBC Faculty or school for admission requirements for the degree that you are applying to. Note that many programs have specific prerequisite requirements at the secondary school and/or post-secondary levels, and some require applicants to present supplementary information for consideration.

At the time of your application, an admissions advisor will review your previous coursework and place you in the appropriate year level. Use the tables below to get an idea of what you’ll need to be admitted to each degree on each campus.

Okanagan campus degree-specific requirements

Degree Faculty website
Arts Irving K. Barber Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences
Education (Elementary) Faculty of Education
Education (Secondary) Faculty of Education
Engineering (Applied Science) School of Engineering
Fine Arts Faculty of Creative and Critical Studies
Health and Exercise Sciences School of Health and Exercise Science
Management Faculty of Management
Media Studies Faculty of Creative and Critical Studies
Nursing School of Nursing
Science Irving K. Barber Faculty of Science
Sustainability Bachelor of Sustainability (Irving K. Barber Faculty of Science)

 

Vancouver campus degree-specific requirements

 Degree Faculty website
Acting Department of Theatre and Film
Applied Biology Faculty of Land and Food Systems
Arts Faculty of Arts
Commerce UBC Sauder School of Business
Creative Writing Creative Writing Program
Design School of Architecture and Landscape Architecture
Dental Hygiene Faculty of Dentistry
Engineering Faculty of Applied Science
Film Production Department of Theatre and Film
Food, Nutrition and Health Faculty of Land and Food Systems
Forest Bioeconomy Sciences and Technology Faculty of Forestry
Forestry Faculty of Forestry
Global Resource Systems Faculty of Land and Food Systems
International Economics Vancouver School of Economics
Kinesiology School of Kinesiology
Medical Laboratory Science Faculty of Medicine
Media Studies Faculty of Arts
Midwifery Faculty of Medicine
Music School of Music
Natural Resources Conservation Faculty of Forestry
Nursing School of Nursing
Pharmaceutical Sciences Faculty of Pharmaceutical Science
Pharmacy (PharmD) Faculty of Pharmaceutical Science (see PharmD programs)
Pharmacy Faculty of Pharmaceutical Science
Science Faculty of Science
Social Work School of Social Work
Theatre Design and Production Department of Theatre and Film
Urban Forestry Faculty of Forestry
Visual Art Department of Art History and Visual Art
Wood Products Processing Faculty of Forestry

Transfer students in Canada

If you’re a student attending a college or university in Canada, we invite you to continue your studies on our Okanagan campus or Vancouver campus. You’ll meet students from across the globe who share your passion for learning, and earn a degree respected in Canada and the world over.

See your admission requirements

Transfer students outside Canada

If you’re a student attending a college or university outside of Canada, we invite you to continue your studies on our Okanagan campus or Vancouver campus. UBC is North America’s most international university and is highly respected both locally and globally.

See your admission requirements

Second-degree applicants

If you hold a previous undergraduate degree, you won’t automatically receive transfer credit for courses taken during your first degree. After you are admitted, you will be able to discuss with your Faculty which program requirements can be waived for your second undergraduate degree.

Ready to complete your application?

Apply now