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

By Crissy Campbell on February 13, 2024

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 us to 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.

 

The deadline to begin your application for Fall 2025 is December 30, 2024.

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

By Crissy Campbell on February 12, 2024

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!

 

 

 

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

By Crissy Campbell on February 7, 2024

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 two ways to shape your first year in the Faculty of Arts. The first, the Custom Timetable, lets you pick the classes you’re most interested in and build your own schedule. The second lets you join a predesigned course schedule for your first year, where you’ll take nearly all of your classes with the same people.

For Arts students, there are two of these predesigned options to choose from: Arts One and the Coordinated Arts Program (CAP).

 

What are Arts One and CAP?

Arts One and CAP allow students to study together in small classes (between 20 and 100 students). 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.

To complete either study option, you’ll need to take all of the courses together , which are collectively worth 18 credits. You can also take up to two additional courses of your choice each semester.

 

Why should you choose Arts One or CAP?

Arts One and CAP ease the transition from high school to university by offering standard timetables, coordinated assignment schedules, access to an exclusive study space, dedicated academic advisors, and support from your fellow students and faculty.

Both study options admit a small number of students – around 100 in Arts One, and about 100 per stream in CAP. Because you’ll spend most of your time with your cohort – sometimes in groups as small as four in Arts One, and 25 in CAP – you’ll find it easier to make friends. You’ll also work closely with your professors, helping you to make personal connections with faculty. Taking Arts One or CAP sets you up for a variety of degree pathways, and allows you to satisfy the first-year writing and literature requirements.

 

What’s the difference between Arts One and CAP?

Arts One

Arts One is a single, integrated course that is led by five instructors who work together to create the assignments and a reading list based on the year’s theme.

You’ll read classical and contemporary texts and discuss their influence on culture and society, including novels, philosophical and political texts, films, drama, graphic memoirs, and more. The professors take turns to give the weekly lectures, and you’ll work closely with one instructor who will lead your twice-weekly seminar discussions (20 students) and once-weekly tutorials, where you and three other students will read and evaluate each other’s essays.

 

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, your streams will be Environment and Society (previously People and Planet); Individual and Society; Law and Society; Political Science, Philosophy, and Economics; and Media Studies, and allow students and faculty to discuss ideas from various perspectives.

While your CAP courses are separate, faculty work together to connect the concepts and issues you’ll study, and to make sure your deadlines won’t overlap. Like Arts One, CAP classes are smaller than if you choose to create your own Custom Timetable, ranging from 25 students in the writing course to around 100 to 125 students in a lecture. As part of CAP, you’ll also have the chance to participate in an annual student conference, and in its stream-wide academic and social events during the term.

 

How to apply

For Arts One, you’ll sign up on Workday Student when registration opens in June by selecting the program course (i.e. ARTS 001A) and one seminar.

For CAP, you’ll also sign up when registration opens in June by selecting your chosen CAP stream.

Registration for Arts One and CAP is on a first-come, first-served basis.

 

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

What we look for when evaluating your application

By Crissy Campbell on February 6, 2024

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!

Update on first-round offers of admission

By Crissy Campbell on February 2, 2024

Update on first-round offers of admission

This year, we’ve received almost 10,000 applications from high school students who follow the Canadian curriculum and will be considered for a first-round offer of admission. That’s a lot of Personal Profiles to read! We’re already sending out first-round offers of admission and will continue to send them through to February 28. If you don’t receive an offer by February 28, don’t worry – no one will be refused admission during first-round offers of admission.

 

If I am not admitted by February 28, what do I do?

UBC is reviewing student applications every week. High school students who applied before the December 1 deadline will be admitted on different days as the weeks go by. All students who follow the Canadian curriculum and met the December 1 deadline will be considered for first-round offers of admission, and all of those offers will be finalized by February 28.

If you are not admitted by February 28, sit tight and follow the instructions we send you by email for additional grade information.

 

Can someone tell me if I’ll receive an offer?

If you contact our front-line team, they will not be able to tell you if you will be admitted. If you want to know what your current status is, have a look at the Applicant Service Centre (ASC). When you visit the ASC, you can learn about where your application is in the process by viewing your “Applicant Status.” The messaging on your applicant status will tell you if you have successfully submitted your application, list your dates and deadlines, and lay out your next steps.

If you have already been admitted, your applicant status will tell you that. If it does not say that you are admitted, check back after February 28. At that time, you’ll see new instructions that you must follow.

 

 

Tour UBC’s Okanagan and Vancouver campuses

By Crissy Campbell on January 31, 2024

Tour UBC’s Okanagan and Vancouver campuses

If you’ve submitted your application to UBC – congratulations! We’re looking forward to learning more about you.

While you wait for your admissions decision, you can get a head start on deciding whether UBC is the right place for you by joining us for a campus tour.

You can find lots of great info and photos about what it’s like to be a UBC student on Instagram and TikTok, but there’s really no substitute for connecting with some of our current students and having them share their knowledge and experiences with you. Our students are excited to show you their favourite spaces on campus, and to answer your questions about life and learning at UBC.

 

What to expect

We have two tour options at both of our UBC Okanagan and UBC Vancouver campuses – in-person campus tours and live virtual tours.

In-person campus tours

Visit us on campus and take a walking tour to get to know UBC. Tours are run by friendly student ambassadors who are excited to show you around campus.

UBC Okanagan tours last 90 minutes and UBC Vancouver tours run for 2 hours.

 

Live virtual campus tours

During your Zoom tour, you’ll learn more about UBC, see photos from some of our favourite spots at UBC Vancouver or UBC Okanagan, and hear from real students about their experiences in class, residence, and beyond.

UBC Okanagan tours last for 75 minutes, and UBC Vancouver tours run for 90 minutes.

 

Tour schedules

We offer tours for UBC Okanagan and UBC Vancouver on multiple days every week. You can find our most up-to-date schedules and discover how many spots are available by visiting the campus tours webpage.

 

How to register

To view all upcoming Okanagan and Vancouver tours, and to register, visit our Tours and Events page.

If you are Indigenous (a member of a First Nation, Métis, and/or Inuit community in Canada) and would like to register for an Indigenous campus tour or connect with an Indigenous advisor, please email our Indigenous campus tours team at indigenous.tours@ubc.ca.

 

Can’t make it to one of our in-person campus tours or a live virtual tour?

No problem! If you are unable to attend one of our in-person tours or one of our live virtual 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.

ubc, virtual, tour, Vancouver, Okanagan, campus, visit

 

Also, if you are in Kelowna and are unable to attend one of our scheduled in-person campus tours, the staff at the Student Recruitment desk (UNC222) in the University Centre would be happy to provide you with a Self-Guided Walking Tour handout for the Okanagan campus.

Explore your university interests with the UBC Future Global Leaders program

By Crissy Campbell on January 30, 2024

Explore your university interests with the UBC Future Global Leaders program

If you’re a high school student aged 15 to 18, get a head start on your academic goals with the UBC Future Global Leaders program. Explore your academic interests with a top-tier university, try a popular subject without the stress of exams, and make lifelong friends. This pre-university program is a great way to work out what your passions are while you’re still in high school, and prepare yourself for success at university and beyond.

Study on campus

At our UBC Future Global Leaders Summer On-Campus program, you can choose between living the full university experience by staying in a UBC student residence, or commuting daily to UBC Vancouver. Either way, you’ll spend an unforgettable summer discovering your passions and challenging yourself, making new friends, and exploring UBC’s stunning campus. When you finish your program, you’ll receive a letter of completion.

Discover your interests and passions

Choose from over 30 unique courses and mini schools in:

  • Business and Economics
  • Engineering and Technology
  • Health and Life Sciences
  • History, Law, and Politics
  • Media and Fine Arts
  • People, Culture and Society

Each two-week program includes morning classes, afternoon workshops, and fun social activities. You can also consider taking two courses in another session and stay at UBC for four or six weeks.

See all UBC Future Global Leaders On-Campus courses and dates.

Study at home

Future Global Leaders blog

You also have the option to study from home with our Future Global Leaders Summer Online program. These courses run for three weeks, Monday to Friday, and include two hours of live online classes per day. You’ll also have access to a Virtual Lounge hosted by our online student ambassadors. Online courses will include psychology, business, engineering and more.

See all UBC Future Global Leaders Online courses and dates.

 

On-campus and online course dates

 

On-campus session dates:

Session 1: July 1−12, 2024

Session 2: July 15 − July 26, 2024

Session 3 July 29 – August 9, 2024

 

Online session dates:

Session 1: July 1 – 19, 2024

Session 2: July 22 – August 9, 2024

 

How to register

 

Registration is now open. No application, transcripts, or proof of English is required.

To register for the on-campus program:

  1. Select the course you’re interested in, in your preferred session.
  2. Choose between Canadian student and international student, residence option and commuter option, and pay a $500 deposit or pay in full.
  3. Click add to cart.
  4. Click complete registration and make your payment.

To register for an online course:

  1. Select the course you’re interested in in your preferred session.
  2. Click add to cart.
  3. Click complete registration and make your payment.

Registration is first-come-first-served. We recommend registering early as some of the courses fill up very quickly.

 

Who can take part?

 

To register for a UBC Future Global Leaders course, you must be 15 to 18 years old and have completed Grade 10 or equivalent. We suggest that you have a grade point average of 78% or letter grade B or higher, or a minimum IB final grade of 5.

If you want to register for an academic course and English is not your first language, we recommend an IELTS (International English Language Testing System) score of 6.0 or equivalent, or TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) Internet-based score of 80 or equivalent. You don’t need to provide your scores, and can self-assess your own levels.

 

UBC President Bursary Program for high school students in British Columbia

The UBC President Bursary Program for Summer 2024 is now closed.

The UBC Future Global Leaders program awards bursaries to Grade 11 high school students (or those who have just completed Grade 10) in BC, who have financial need. Each bursary covers full tuition for one on-campus or online course of your choice.

To be considered for the bursary, you must have an overall average of 80% or higher, and 80% or higher in Grade 11 English (or equivalent). If you are entering Grade 11, you must have an overall average of 80% or higher, and 80% or higher in Grade 10 English (or equivalent). You must be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident, live in a lower income household, and your parent(s) or caregiver(s) must not have attended a university or university-college.

 

University Applications and Skills courses

 

You can also get ready to apply to university with our online university preparation courses, Writing Effective University Applications, Academic Skills for University Success, or Student Well-Being, Mental Health and Resiliency. These courses are self-paced, and you can log in anytime. As part of the course, you’ll get personalized feedback from the instructor on your university application assignments.

See all University Applications and Skills courses.

See what UBC Future Global Leaders program is like

 

 

 

Improve your English and earn a UBC degree with Vantage One

By Crissy Campbell on January 26, 2024

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 Engineering or Science, and you’ll be taught by award-winning UBC faculty members.

The Science Vantage One 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 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.

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 50 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:  Engineering or Science.
  2. Meet the Vantage One admission requirements.
  3. Apply online and pay the fee.
  4. Submit your required documents.
  5. Stay in touch.

The application deadline for Vantage One is January 31, 2024 for studies beginning in September 2024.