UBC admissions blog

With UBC’s application deadline coming up next month – January 15, at 11:59 pm (PST) – you’re probably excited to select the university experience that will be the best fit for you. Know your options before you apply, and make sure you check out UBC’s Okanagan campus in Kelowna, BC.

UBC is consistently ranked among the top 40 research universities in the world, and UBC in the Okanagan is a great place to be challenged, to thrive, and to develop into a global citizen. For 10,610 undergraduate students from 110 countries, the campus provides an unparalleled mix of academics, community, and recreation.

10 reasons why we love UBC Okanagan

1. UBC’s Okanagan campus has the unique distinction of being founded in partnership with local Indigenous peoples, the Syilx Okanagan Nation. You can study the Nsyilxcn Language Fluency program created to sustain and revitalize language traditions, restore language competence, and protect the knowledge of Indigenous communities.
2. There are treadmills in the Serwa reading room in the library so you can exercise while you study.
3. The Okanagan is one of North America’s top grape-growing regions. You can study wine chemistry in a campus that is in the heart of 180+ wineries.
4. Christine Schreyer, who teaches linguistic anthropology at UBC Okanagan, developed the Kryptonian language for the Superman: Man of Steel
5. You can take part in the BARK program, which brings cute, friendly dogs to campus to help you de-stress.
6. There’s a beach volleyball court on campus.
7. As well as more traditional courses, you could choose to take classes on the popular culture surrounding Harry Potter, vampires, and superheroes.
8. The Nechako residence offers an all-you-can-eat buffet every day, so you’ll never go hungry.
9. There’s plenty of modern student housing with no shared bedrooms. After class, you can take in the views by relaxing on the rooftop patio of the Purcell residence.
10. You can study several majors exclusive to UBC Okanagan, including sustainability, data science, freshwater science, zoology, and health promotion.

Explore UBC Okanagan 

Start by checking out the list of programs offered at UBC Okanagan, and read up on what it’s like to live in the Okanagan Valley. Would you rather live in residence or live off campus? Take a look at this video about one student’s move-in day to get a sense of how it might be for you.

The best way to get a feel for the Okanagan campus is to join us for an in person campus tour or a live virtual tour.

Ready to apply? Coming to UBC’s Okanagan campus could be the best decision you’ve ever made. To learn more about Kelowna and the Okanagan campus, email recruitment.ok@ubc.ca, or call 1.888.807.8521.

It’s fantastic that so many of you are currently working on your online application to UBC. Starting early means you’ll have time to reflect on your answers for the personal profile section: an important part of UBC’s admissions decision.

The personal profile asks you six or seven questions about challenges you have overcome, significant achievements in your life, your academic pursuits, and what you have learned from these experiences. The questions differ depending on the degree program you are applying for, and you’ll find out what you’ll be asked when you begin your application.

Does everyone have to submit a personal profile?

Not all applicants are required to submit a personal profile, and others will have additional requirements, such as portfolios or auditions. To find out if your degree requires a personal profile, start the online application process and follow the instructions.

How do we assess your profile?

When we evaluate your application, two trained UBC readers will look for four qualities in your personal profile: engagement and accomplishment, leadership, substance, and voice. This is a chance for us to find out more about you and your experiences beyond academics. We want to hear about your life and achievements – what have you learned, and how have these moments allowed you to grow?

We are not looking for a particular experience, and there are no right or wrong answers. Be authentic, and focus on what you want to say about yourself and how you want to say it, rather than writing what you think we want to hear.

Do you need to record a video interview?

If you are applying to the UBC Sauder School of Business’s Bachelor of Commerce degree, you will be asked to provide video responses to interview questions in addition to your personal profile. You will be prompted to create your video responses within your application, including detailed instructions on how to include the video interview in the personal profile section of your application. Read our tips and watch a video about creating your video interview.

If you have not started working on your application yet, we encourage you to begin as soon as possible to make sure you have everything you need to submit your application on time.

Your personal profile and disruptions outside of your control

We know that disruptions can arise that may affect your access to extracurricular activities at school or in your community. We will be as flexible as possible to ensure that your personal profile is not disadvantaged by disruptions caused by things outside of your control.

Remember that when we assess your personal profile, we take into account all of the activities you’ve done across multiple years, not just the ones you hoped to complete in Grade 11 or 12. Your examples can come from any aspect of your life, including within your family or smaller community. There are no right or wrong answers – we’re not looking for certain activities or a long list of achievements, but rather your reflections on what you’ve experienced.

Good luck! We’re looking forward to learning more about you.

Every aspiring high school student applying to UBC (and some transfer applicants too) must submit a personal profile as part of their online application. It’s a chance for you to tell the university about your life and accomplishments: What have they taught you about yourself and the world around you?

Preparing for your personal profile

Each of the personal profile questions requires short essay responses (50 to 500 words), so you’ll want to think about your answers before you start your online application. Here are three tips to keep in mind:

• Take time to reflect. Instead of simply listing your accomplishments and experiences, tell us what you’ve learned from them.
• Be specific. Use details to provide context and elaborate on your answers.
• Be true to who you are. Don’t focus on what you think we want to hear. Use your unique voice to tell us what you want to say.

We’ve compiled helpful information for writing your personal profile, and we want all UBC applicants to have the benefits of reading these tips. Visit our personal profile page to learn more about what to consider before writing your profile, and how UBC will evaluate it.

References

As part of your personal profile, you will need to include two references. These should be people who know you well and can comment on your preparedness to study at UBC. A reference can be an employer, a community member, a coach, a teacher/instructor, or anyone who knows you well. For applicants who are currently attending high school, one of your referees must be a school official (e.g., Grade 12 or senior year counsellor, teacher, or IB coordinator). References should not be a friend, family member, or paid agent. You do not need to include written references in your application, just the contact information of your references so that our admissions team can contact them.

UBC does not send a link to references. We will contact your references directly, after offers of admission have gone out.

Your personal profile and disruptions outside of your control

We know that disruptions can arise that may affect your access to extracurricular activities at school or in your community. We will be as flexible as possible to ensure that your personal profile is not disadvantaged by disruptions caused by things outside of your control.

Remember that when we assess your personal profile we take into account all of the activities you’ve done across multiple years, not just the ones you hoped to complete in Grade 11 or 12. Your examples can come from any aspect of your life, including within your family or smaller community. There are no right or wrong answers – we’re not looking for certain activities or a long list of achievements, but rather your reflections on what you’ve experienced.

Still have questions?

If you require any further assistance with putting together your application or need help with the personal profile in particular, please contact the UBC Undergraduate Admissions Office.

Updated: January 23, 2024

Now the new school year has begun, it’s time to shift your focus to what comes next for you academically. If your sights are set on a future at UBC, now’s the time to start thinking about applying.

Important deadlines

UBC’s online application for the 2024/25 academic year is now open.

Admission to UBC is not granted on a first-come, first-served basis, so you can take time to think about your application. The deadline to apply is 11:59pm PST on January 15, 2024 January 31, 2024 (deadline extended).

Your application deadline will be earlier if you’re a Canadian citizen or permanent resident of Canada and you’d like to be considered for a Presidential Scholars Award, or you’re an international student who’d like to apply for the International Scholars Program awards. For be eligible for each, you must apply to UBC by at 11:59pm PST on December 1, 2023.

Note: to be considered for the International Scholars Program awards, a separate application is due by 11:59pm PST on November 15, 2023.

Before you begin

You’ll need to make sure that you fulfil all the admission requirements before you apply to your degree. Have a look at our worksheets (PDF download) to help you plan ahead.

Review the key steps on how to apply to get a sense of the process. When you’re ready to get started, click Apply to UBC.

Where will you go?