Jump Start at UBC Vancouver

Jump Start at UBC Vancouver

Registration for Jump Start Vancouver is now open.

Deadline to register is June 26. 

Check out our Frequently Asked Questions.

Need to contact us? Email orientations.jumpstart@ubc.ca.

Are you entering first year at UBC Okanagan?  Find information about UBC Okanagan Jump Start.

Register for Jump Start Vancouver

Register now using your Campus-Wide Login

Get a Jump Start on your UBC journey

Jump Start is UBC’s multi-day orientation program designed to give you a first look at university life. It is an opportunity to make new friends, explore campus, connect with faculty, and set yourself up for academic success before classes begin.

Who can register?  Jump Start is designed specifically for students coming directly from high school.  As a result, registration is not open to transfer students.

Students living in residence

If you’ll be living in UBC student housing (residence) during Winter Term 1, Jump Start gives you the chance to move in early, connect with classmates, and join on-campus events and programs tailored to new students.

Dates: 

  • Move in day: August 26
  • Jump Start: August 27 – 29

Fees: 

  • Program fee: $75 CAD + tax
    (Non-refundable; paid at time of registration) 
  • Meals and housing fee: $265 CAD + tax
    (Paid when you accept your Winter Session housing offer) 

Need financial support?
You can select a $200 subsidy for the meals and housing fee when paying for housing—it will be applied automatically. 

Students commuting to campus

If you’ll be living off-campus during Winter Term 1, Jump Start gives you the chance to practice your commute and get connected to your Collegium – a dedicated ‘home base’ on campus for first-year commuter students.  You’ll also connect with classmates, and join on-campus events and programs tailored to new students.

Dates: 

  • Jump Start: August 27 – 29

Fees: 

  • Program fee: $75 CAD + tax
    (Non-refundable; paid at time of registration) 

Why Jump Start?

Make friends

Be ready to hit the ground running on your first day of class. Over the course of the week, you’ll meet other first-year students who are new to UBC just like you.

Meet profs and peers

Spend time with UBC professors and current students before classes start. They’ll introduce you to their research and the academic community, and give you tips to help you successfully transition from high school student to university scholar.

Learn about UBC

Find out about all the UBC services available to you and discover more about the campus community you’ll be joining. Take part in a customized tour of campus, designed for students in your Faculty. Get your essentials, such as your textbooks and UBCcard.

What to expect: Academic

Learning Communities

You will be assigned to a group based on your faculty and stream, which will be led by two upper-year student leaders and a faculty fellow. Together, you’ll participate in the full range of activities during the program. The average size of a Learning Community is 25–35 first-year students.

Student leaders

Your Learning Community will be led by two upper-year students in your faculty. Student leaders will steer group activities and help build connections between you and other new students, offer personal support, refer you to resources, share their own experience of UBC with you, and welcome you into the UBC community.

Faculty fellows

Each Learning Community is matched with a professor from their faculty. Through daily learning seminars, Faculty fellows will provide an opportunity to learn about the expectations of the university learning environment, the academic classroom setting, and how to interact with faculty members, plus offer a closer look into their discipline.

What to expect: Social

During Jump Start

We’re excited to offer a number of ways for you to introduce yourself and get to know your new friends throughout Jump Start. You’ll be able to choose from a variety of small and large group socials, including trivia nights, photo challenges, games, exercise, sports and dance tutorials, and art activities. There will be lots of ways to meet others!

After Jump Start

The Learning Community group you’re with during Jump Start will continue! Students in your group will live in the same residence area, or be a member of the same Collegium, so you can keep on connecting after Jump Start is done.

What to expect: Resources

Self-directed modules and activities

Make sure you’re introduced to the services and resources that will help you start your year well. During Jump Start, you’ll have access to self-directed activities to help you learn about the unceded Musqueam territory on which UBC Vancouver stands, explore health and wellbeing strategies, understand academic integrity, and more. You can also refer back to this information throughout your first term.

Hear from past students

  • “Jump Start is such a great way to start the school year. I got to meet so many people who share common interests with me, and many of them I know I will be close friends with for life. It is also the perfect transition from summer to university, and also a great way to meet people and become familiar with the campus prior to classes.”

    Katie A.

  • “I would recommend Jump Start because it gives incoming first year students the chance to adjust to the transition from high school to university. Jump Start also allows incoming students to meet new people, get familiar with the campus, and learn more about what to expect during first year.”

    Emily S.

  • “I would recommend Jump Start because it has given me more time to get to know the campus and the people around me. I feel much more comfortable talking to new people and finding my way around campus than I did when I first arrived. I am glad that I already have this level of comfort now that classes are starting, and that I don’t have to try and figure it all out while also navigating my courses.”

    Keira S.