University or college transfer students

If you are currently attending a post -secondary institution and you have successfully completed high school you may apply to UBC as a transfer student. You need to meet the following to be eligible to apply.

1. Meet UBC’s minimum English Language Admission Standard (ELAS)

English is the primary language of instruction at UBC. All prospective students are required to demonstrate a minimum level of English before they’re admitted. There are nine ways to meet UBC’s English language admission requirement.

2. Show good academic standing

The minimum academic standing to qualify for admission to UBC is an admission average of C (60%, where 50% is a passing grade), or a 2.0 on a 4.0 point scale, typically on the most recent 30 credits attempted. Meeting this minimum entrance requirement does not guarantee admission, as entry into many degree programs is competitive and some require specific prerequisites.

You will need to submit:

• A grade summary or copy of your transcripts of your current post-secondary institution that shows all courses attempted and in progress.
• A grade summary or copy of your transcripts from all previous post-secondary institutions you’ve attended, and final high school transcripts.
• If required, translations of transcripts and course descriptions.

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.

3. Have a minimum of 30 Credits

If you are a student transferring from within Canada the following information on credits will apply. If you are a student transferring from outside of Canada, please email us your questions about transfer credits.

• 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.
• 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.

4. Meet the degree-specific transfer requirements

Students who meet the minimum credit requirements still need to satisfy the degree-specific promotional requirements for advancement to that year. Review the table below for the requirements needed for specific degrees.

5. Have the correct documents 

Please check the UBC Applicant Service Centre for details on what documents you need to submit to UBC and how to submit them. To apply as a transfer student, you will need to submit an application form, your transcripts from current and previous post-secondary institutions, your high school transcripts and some programs may require supplemental materials.

The number of applicants to UBC exceeds the number of spaces available. Admission criteria are carefully designed to ensure fairness and equity in this competitive and comparative selection process. UBC may assess post-secondary applicants on a combination of factors, including your grade point average (GPA), any required prerequisite courses, and a review of your overall academic history. We may also require you to submit a personal profile, supplemental application, portfolio, or audition. For more information, review What we look for.

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

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 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. For professional programs, please visit the program page directly for details.

At the time of your application, an admissions advisor will review your previous coursework and place you in the appropriate year level. Review the degree-specific requirements to get an idea of what you’ll need to be admitted to each degree.

Okanagan campus degree-specific requirements

For programs on the Okanagan campus, review the Degree planning resources for further admissions information for transfer students.

Vancouver campus degree-specific requirements

If you are a well-qualified student attending a post-secondary institution in Canada, we welcome your application to transfer to UBC. Find your requirements, and read more about the documents and GPAs that UBC requires.

College students in BC and Yukon

Courses successfully completed at recognized colleges in British Columbia and Yukon are granted transfer credit in accordance with agreed-upon equivalents published in the BC Transfer Guide. Those interested in earning a Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science are encouraged to consider an Associate Degree.

University students in Canada

University-level courses successfully completed at Canadian universities will be assessed on a course-by-course basis at the time of evaluation. You can use the UBC transfer credit search tool to see how previously evaluated courses from many institutions transfer to UBC (for universities in BC, use the BC Transfer Guide). If a course has not yet been approved, you may be asked to submit a copy of the course outline for further consideration.

Canadian colleges (outside BC and Yukon), institutes of technology, and colleges of applied arts and technology

UBC will consider your application if you have successfully completed an academically appropriate diploma program and achieved competitive standing from an institute of technology or a college of applied arts and technology. Admission is determined on an individual basis and courses are generally not transferable.

Collège d’enseignement général et professionnel (CEGEP) pre-university program (DCS/DEC)

If you are an applicant from a CEGEP, you must satisfy general admission requirements and degree-specific requirements, depending on whether you are applying after one year of CEGEP, or after two years.

If you are applying after two years of CEGEP, you must have:

• Completed a two-year academic diploma program
• Two courses in either English (603) or French (601)

Courses in Preparatory English or English as a Second Language are not acceptable for admission to UBC. You must also meet degree-specific requirements for students from other post-secondary institutions.

Transfer credit for up to one full year of study may be applied toward a UBC degree for students who have completed a Diplôme d’études collégiales (DEC) program.

If you are a well-qualified student attending a post-secondary institution outside of Canada, we welcome your application to transfer to UBC.

International universities, colleges, and polytechnic institutes

Review “Are you eligible to transfer?“.

Coursework successfully completed at accredited post-secondary institutions will be assessed on a course-by-course basis at the time of evaluation. To get a sense of how likely you are to receive transfer credit, check out the UBC Transfer Credit Search Tool and the BC Transfer Guide. If you don’t find your courses listed, you can visit our UBC Academic Calendar and compare the course descriptions of our classes with the course descriptions of classes you’ve already completed. The more similar they are, the better your chances.