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Updates to international study permits

By Crissy Campbell on October 23, 2024

Updates to international study permits

The Canadian government has recently made changes for international students who want to study in Canada, including changes to the study permit process and a cap on the number of students receiving study permits. We understand that these changes may be concerning, but UBC is confident that all qualified international students who want to come to UBC will be able to join our community. 

As you know, international students need a valid study permit to attend UBC. Study permits are issued by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), the government department that handles immigration. As an international student, you’ll either need to extend your existing study permit from inside of Canada or apply for a new study permit from outside of Canada.

Changes to the study permit process

Last winter, the Canadian government issued changes to the study permit process. The process is different depending on if you are an international student outside of Canada or an international student inside of Canada. Here are the steps for how to apply for a study permit.

Cap on study permits

For international students who need to apply for a study permit, UBC is confident that the new cap gives us enough room to welcome all qualified students who wish to join UBC.

 

UBC values international students and the important contributions they make to UBC’s academic and research mission. They bring unique and diverse perspectives to the learning environment and our campus communities. Across all fields, international students are contributing to UBC’s excellence in countless ways.

 

Our priority is to support the academic success of UBC’s current international student community while also ensuring that Canada and UBC continue to welcome new international students from around the world who want to contribute to our vibrant academic community.”

Read more in a statement from the Provosts at UBC Okanagan and UBC Vancouver.

Watch a message from the President of UBC

 

UBC is here to help. If you have questions, please contact International Student Advising at UBC Okanagan or UBC Vancouver for support.

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.

 

What have UBC graduates gone on to do?

By Crissy Campbell on August 22, 2024

What have UBC graduates gone on to do?

As one of the globe’s top 40 universities, it’s no surprise that some of UBC’s graduates have gone on to accomplish incredible things. Applying to UBC opens the door for you to try many new academic avenues, clubs, sports, volunteer opportunities, and more. Your path might help you follow the footsteps of some of these outstanding alumni.

 

Canadian prime ministers

UBC has educated three prime ministers. Our current leader, Justin Trudeau, earned a bachelor of education from UBC in 1998. Kim Campbell and John Turner, who have also held the top office, were both graduates from the Peter A. Allard School of Law at UBC.

 

Nobel Prize winners

Eight Nobel Laureates are associated with UBC – most famously Michael Smith, who won the Nobel Prize for Chemistry in 1993 for his ground-breaking work in reprogramming segments of DNA. Smith was just one of a longstanding community of faculty and alumni who have earned international recognition for their important work. At UBC, you can conduct research as an undergraduate, led by our outstanding academic faculty.

 

Olympic athletes

The Thunderbirds Varsity program has an enduring legacy of success. Their athletes have won more intercollegiate championships than any other Canadian university, and they boast an impressive roster of champions that includes 241 Olympians. During your time at UBC, you can join or cheer on some of the best athletes in the world.

 

Rhodes Scholars

The Rhodes Scholarships, established in 1902, were designed to bring outstanding students from across the world to study at the University of Oxford in the interests of promoting international understanding and public service. Eleven Canadians are selected each year to join a class of 84 Scholars from across the world. In that time, 74 UBC students have been selected for the prestigious award. You could be studying alongside them, or claim the honour yourself.

 

Royal Society of Canada Fellows

The Royal Society of Canada is the highest accolade a scholar can achieve in the arts, humanities and sciences in Canada. A total of 289 UBC professors have been named to the Fellowship across multiple faculties – including Dr. Pieter Cullis who developed the lipid nanoparticle delivery technology that enables advanced nanomedicines, such as the highly effective COVID-19 mRNA vaccines. At UBC, a Royal Society of Canada Fellow could be teaching you in the fall.

 

 

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.

Application deadline extended to January 31

By Crissy Campbell on January 17, 2024

Application deadline extended to January 31

Good news! UBC has extended its application deadline for most undergraduate degrees to January 31, 2024.

Applying to university can be an important, exciting, but sometimes stressful time for many students. We’d like to do our part to reduce the stress. So please take advantage of this extra time to complete and submit your application to UBC by January 31, at 11:59 pm Pacific Time.

If you have any questions about the application process, visit How to apply. And if you need any help with your application, please contact us.

New Minors Spotlight: Minor in Writing and Communication and Minor in Journalism and Social Change

By Crissy Campbell on December 15, 2023

New Minors Spotlight: Minor in Writing and Communication and Minor in Journalism and Social Change

Do you want the tools to understand and respond to social change? Are you looking to use writing and communication to make a social impact? Do you want the skills to communicate information and ideas across platforms?

UBC’s Vancouver’s School of Journalism, Writing, and Media has just launched two new minors that students can enroll in starting this year: Writing and Communication and Journalism and Social Change.

Minor in Writing and Communication

 UBC Vancouver’s new Minor in Writing and Communication will strengthen your writing and communication skills and provide you with a way to explore the role of writing and communication in your own academic discipline, as well as across other academic disciplines, cultural communities, and public contexts.

In the program, you will have opportunities to practice and enhance the impact of your writing and communication in a variety of contexts and engage in conversations about the role of writing and communication in negotiating identity, community, culture, knowledge, and power.

Why Choose the Minor in Writing and Communication?

Open to undergrad students across faculties at UBC, the new Minor in Writing and Communication prepares you to communicate in today’s world.

  • Experience multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary learning: Join students from across UBC to explore the writing and communication used in different academic disciplines, communities, and professions and explore what it means to communicate within group and across divides.
  • Build confidence and practical skills: Gain hands-on experience developing writing and communication skills you need to thrive at UBC and beyond — learn how to tailor your communication style to each situation, to reach your audience and your goals.
  • Gain critical perspective and transformative agency: Tackle pressing questions about writing, communication, ethics, and power and come away with experiences and tools you can use to make writing diverse, equitable, and inclusive.

Start with WRDS 200 — an open-enrolment “big ideas” course that lets you sample themes explored in the Minor. Finish with WRDS 400 — a limited enrolment capstone course, where you create a portfolio of your work in the Minor and complete a project identifying challenges and opportunities for social impact beyond UBC.

Minor in Journalism and Social Change

Facts matter more than ever and we need accurate, verifiable information to understand the complex global and local worlds that we live in.

UBC Vancouver’s new Minor in Journalism and Social Change will give you essential journalism skills and knowledge to effectively communicate information and ideas across various communities and platforms through the lens of social change.

The Minor in Journalism and Social Change gives students across all majors the opportunity to develop skills and knowledge needed to inform, engage, inspire, and prepare them for the digital communication economy. Students will gain fundamental journalistic capabilities grounded in principals of verification social responsibility, and effective engagement with communities by learning essential techniques and concepts for gathering, assessing, creating, and presenting factual information to diverse publics.

What will you learn in the Minor in Journalism and Social Change?

  1. Journalism skills. You’ll learn responsible information-gathering and verification skills, while considering key questions such as the source purpose and content of a news story, information gathering techniques, credibility, and impact of news and other media messages on individuals and society.
  2. Critical thinking and analytical news literacy. You’ll explore the need for more meaningful, socially conscious, and community-focused storytelling, especially in the context of ongoing social-justice movements, the climate crisis, and other aspects of social change.
  3. Ethical relationship-building across communities. You’ll receive foundational training in communicating and engaging across a broad range of communities, while learning to understand the context behind key events and social transformations in those communities.
  4. The role of journalism in social change. You’ll sharpen your understanding of social change and learn how to engage with and assess journalism’s role and responsibilities in times of social change and political unrest.

Questions? Contact UBC’s Vancouver’s School of Journalism, Writing, and Media.