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Planning your finances

By Crissy Campbell on November 7, 2024

Planning your finances

It’s important to have a financial plan for your first year of university, and now is a good time to start thinking about how to manage your budget. There are lots factors to consider, and you might be surprised at how quickly your expenses add up.

 

Costs to consider

As a university student, you’ll be responsible for paying tuition and student fees. Your citizenship status usually determines whether you’ll pay domestic or international tuition fees, but there are a few exceptions.

If you’re applying for on-campus housing, you’ll also need to include residence fees in your budget, and factor in an optional or mandatory meal plan on the Okanagan campus, or the mandatory meal plan at UBC Vancouver. If you plan to live off campus in the Okanagan or Vancouver, you’ll want to set aside money for rent, utilities, and groceries. And don’t forget to budget for clothing, entertainment, and your monthly cell phone bill!

To offset your costs, you can apply for various scholarships and awards at UBC, and see if you’re eligible for bursaries, loans, or other methods of funding support.

 

Need help?

Use UBC’s online cost calculator and first-year budget-planning worksheet to get a better sense of your financial situation.

 

 

All the ways you can pay your UBC fees

By Crissy Campbell on May 21, 2024

All the ways you can pay your UBC fees

Once you’ve accepted your offer of admission and registered for courses, there are many different ways to pay your tuition, student fees, and residence and meal plan fees. The payment options available will depend on the specific type of fee you’re paying, which bank you are using, which campus you’re attending, and where you are in the world.

If you’re a Canadian student or paying from a Canadian account

Here are just a few of the ways you can pay your tuition and fees:

  • Online or telephone banking bill payment from any Canadian financial institution
  • Pre-authorized debit (PAD) from any Canadian financial institution
  • Payment at any Canadian RBC branch (you do not have to be a RBC customer)
  • Online credit card payment (a 2.5% convenience fee applies for certain payments)
  • In person by cheque or Canadian debit at the Student Records and Financial Services office at UNC 214 (UBC Okanagan students only)

You also have the option of:

If you’re an international student or paying from an international account

You can pay your fees in a number of ways. Here are a few options:

  • International funds transfer (IFT) with TransferMate
  • Online credit card payment (a 2.5% convenience fee applies for certain payments)
  • Payment at any Canadian RBC branch

Did you know?

If you’re an international student, paying your fees via TransferMate lets you pay in your home currency, secure a competitive exchange rate for up to 72 hours, and avoid additional transaction fees – no Canadian bank account required.

TransferMate Price Match

If you find a better rate from a similar provider within 2 hours of completing a transaction through TransferMate, you can email rateassurance@transfermate.com within 1 month to receive suitable compensation for the price difference, subject to terms and conditions.

 

Step-by-step instructions

For a full list of payment options and to get step-by-step instructions for your payment method(s) of choice, check out the links below. Please note that tuition fees and residence fees are paid to different departments at UBC.

 UBC Okanagan:

UBC Vancouver:

Questions?

If you have questions about paying fees, we’re here to help!

What you need to know about registration deposit deferrals

By Crissy Campbell on April 23, 2024

What you need to know about registration deposit deferrals

In most cases, you will be required to pay a non-refundable deposit in the Applicant Service Centre when you accept your offer of admission to UBC. The acceptance deposit counts as your first registration deposit, and is applied to your tuition fees after you register for classes.

There are some exceptions, though. If you’re receiving a major award or sponsorship funding – from UBC or a third party – and that funding is delayed, you can request for your registration deposit to be deferred until when your tuition fees are due, by contacting an advisor on the Okanagan campus or your Enrolment Services Advisor on the Vancouver campus.

For Indigenous students who have self-identified in their online application to UBC, your registration deposit will be automatically deferred in an effort to support students who are being funded by third parties, including their Band or Nation.

 

Who can help you with financial planning?

If you have financial concerns or you’re facing financial challenges, please contact an advisor on the Okanagan campus or your Enrolment Services Advisor on the Vancouver campus. We can help you plan how to finance your studies at UBC.

 

 

Don’t miss out on the Schulich Leader Scholarships

By Crissy Campbell on January 11, 2024

 

 

Have you demonstrated excellent leadership abilities and academic results during your time in high school? Are you planning to pursue a degree in STEM? If so, you could be eligible for a Schulich Leader Scholarship.

 

What is a Schulich Leader Scholarship?

Schulich Leader Scholarships recognize students across Canada who plan to study a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) subject on either of UBC’s campuses.

 

Award value

If you’ve chosen to study Engineering, your Schulich Leader Scholarship will be worth $120,000. You’ll receive annual payments of $30,000 over a period of four years.

For STEM faculties outside of Engineering, the awards are valued at $100,000. You can expect annual payments of $25,000 over a period of four years.

 

Are you eligible?

To be eligible, you must:

  • Be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident of Canada who is graduating from a Canadian high school, secondary school, or CEGEP in the 2023/2024 academic year.
  • Be nominated by your high school, secondary school, or CEGEP.
  • Meet the following criteria:
    1. Academic excellence; and
    2. Leadership, charisma, and creativity.
  • Be entrepreneurial-minded and intend to pursue a career in one or more of the focus areas of technology, engineering, entrepreneurship and business enterprise, and applied scientific research.
  • Not be pursuing a career as a practicing physician and/or medical researcher (e.g., doctor, dentist, nurse, psychologist, pharmacist, optometrist, etc), and not intend to become a professor and conduct theoretical research.
  • Not be focusing on activism (i.e., environmental, political, or societal).

Strong consideration will be given to students with financial need.

 

Eligible degree programs

You are eligible for the award if you apply to one of the STEM faculties listed below:

Engineering Programs

  • Faculty of Applied Science (Vancouver Campus)
  • Faculty of Applied Science (Okanagan Campus)

Science & Math Programs

  • Faculty of Science (Vancouver Campus)
  • Faculty of Science (Okanagan Campus)

Review the details of the eligible UBC faculties and programs.

How do you apply?

Your high school, secondary school, or CEGEP must nominate you for the award. High schools may nominate one student per year, and CEGEPs may nominate up to four students.

For more information on the application process, take a look at the Schulich Leader Scholarships website.

 

When is the deadline?

The Schulich Leaders nomination period closes on January 30, 2024 in Canada.

If you’re nominated by your school, you must submit a separate online Schulich Leader application by February 20, 2024. A link to this application will be emailed by representatives from the Schulich Leader Scholarships office.

Winners will be notified by June 15.

 

 

Financial planning and student loans

By Crissy Campbell on June 21, 2023

Financial planning and student loans

Going to university is an investment in your future. The cost of tuition, books, residence fees or rent, food, monthly bills, clothing, and entertainment can add up quickly, so having a plan for financing your education is essential. To help you offset your costs, student loans and bursaries are two options you may want to consider.

Student loans

For Canadian citizens or permanent residents

If you’re a Canadian citizen or permanent resident of Canada, you may be eligible for a student loan if you’re studying at UBC Okanagan or UBC Vancouver. Student loans offer two big advantages. First, the government will pay the interest on your loan as long as you’re a full-time student at UBC Okanagan or UBC Vancouver. Second, you’re not required to begin repaying your loan until six months after you graduate (or you cease to become a full-time student). If you’re a BC student, apply for a loan online through StudentAidBC. If you’re coming from another province or territory, apply through your provincial or territorial lender.

For US citizens or dual US-Canadian citizens

If you’re a US citizen, or a dual citizen of the United States and Canada, you’re eligible to apply for a Direct Loan (Direct Subsidized Loan, Direct Unsubsidized Loan, and/or Direct PLUS Loan). It can take a while for loan applications to be processed, so we recommend applying at least six weeks before the term starts to ensure funding is available in time.

Bursaries

If you’re a Canadian citizen, permanent resident of Canada, or refugee, and you have unmet financial need even after receiving a student loan, you may be eligible for a UBC bursary from UBC Okanagan or UBC Vancouver. If you’re interested in a bursary, we recommend submitting a student loan application by July 31 to ensure that your student loan is confirmed by the bursary application deadline of September 15.

Questions?

If you have questions about financial planning or financial aid opportunities, UBC can help:

UBC Okanagan: Contact Student Records and Financial Services at srfs.ubco@ubc.ca or +1.250.807.9100

UBC Vancouver: Contact your Enrolment Services Advisor.

UBC fees for dual citizens and permanent residents of Canada

By Crissy Campbell on September 30, 2021

UBC fees for dual citizens and permanent residents of Canada

You don’t have to be a Canadian-born student to be eligible for domestic tuition fees. UBC usually determines what fee structure you’ll follow based on your citizenship, but there are a few exceptions.

 

Canadian students

UBC considers you to be a Canadian student if you meet one of the following criteria:

  • You are a Canadian citizen;
  • You hold multiple citizenships and one of them is Canadian;
  • You are a permanent resident of Canada;
  • You have refugee status in Canada; or
  • You are the dependent of a diplomat assigned to Canada (your fees and status will change to international once they leave their post in Canada).

 

International students

All other students will follow the international student fee structure, unless you’re eligible for one of these exemptions:

  • You have an affiliation with an Indigenous nation of Canada (First Nations, Métis, or Inuit);
  • You identify as a member of an Indigenous nation that extends across the Canada-US border (American Indian or Alaska Native);
  • You are in Canada with a full-time, employer-specific work permit for more than one year; or
  • You are the dependent or spouse of an individual who is in Canada with a work permit that fulfils the same criteria.

If one of these bullet points describes your situation, you might be eligible for domestic tuition. Make sure to get in touch with Student Services (UBC Okanagan) or your Enrolment Services Advisor (UBC Vancouver) before the tuition fee payment deadline to confirm.

 

Calculate your costs

Now you know which tuition fees you’ll pay at UBC, use our cost calculator to estimate your first-year costs for your chosen campus and degree.