Living in residence

You don’t have to wander far to realize why UBC’s Vancouver campus residences are so special. With Pacific Spirit Park right next door and the Pacific Ocean, gardens, and rainforest trails all within walking distance, the location is, in short, spectacular.

Residence options

Housing more than 13,000 students in 15 residences, and offering 100 acres to study and play on, UBC has the largest residence in Canada.

Many first-year students will qualify for the First Year Guarantee to live in Winter Session Residence (September–April). Most students in this group are assigned to live in Orchard Commons, Place Vanier, or Totem Park. These residences all have furnished shared and single rooms, vibrant common areas for socializing, dining halls that serve fresh, healthy cuisine, and plenty of space for quiet study time.

Based on availability, some students may also be assigned to live in Ritsumeikan-UBC House, or Walter Gage – which offer the same great amenities, but feature in-suite shared kitchens – alongside some upper-year students.

Residence support

Living in residence at UBC means there is a strong support system for help when you need it. From our Residence Advisors to our Front Desk staff, you are never alone.

UBC’s Residence Advisors are experienced students who know the ropes at UBC and can connect you with resources and supports, secret study spots, and favourite pizza shops. Have a question or need some advice? Residence Advisors can help.

All residences have a front desk with friendly staff who can help you access information and resources to make your stay at UBC comfortable. Watch for info from the Residence Life team for news on upcoming events, group study sessions, potluck dinners, or off-campus adventures.

Meet the team for a more robust list of who’s who in Residence Life.

Meal plans

From seasonally sourced to internationally inspired, vegan to gluten-free, and everything in between, we’ve got your taste buds covered with UBC’s residence meal plan. If you live in Orchard Commons, Place Vanier, or Totem Park, you’ll be required to purchase an All Access Dining Plan, which offers unlimited access to all three dining halls, with no restrictions on how often you enter or what you eat. If you live in any of the other residences, you have the option of purchasing a UBCcard Value Plan to save at numerous food services outlets around campus.

Getting around

UBC’s Vancouver campus is only a 30-minute bus ride from Vancouver’s bustling downtown core. Want to explore farther? The campus is served by plenty of bus routes, with connections across the Lower Mainland.

Your U-Pass provides unlimited bus, SeaBus, Skytrain, and Canada Line transit services within Metro Vancouver, as well as discounts on the West Coast Express.

All eligible students at UBC’s Vancouver campus have access to the U-Pass BC program. Costs are assessed as part of your UBC student fees.

Residence costs

Costs vary depending on what type of residence and room type you live in, and whether you are a first-year student with a required All Access Dining Plan. A typical cost for a room and meal plan for a first-year undergraduate student is roughly $12,000 to $14,500 for the eight-month school year. However, fees can range from $10,300 to just over $15,000 depending on your room type. Payments for housing and meal plans are spread out over the academic year.

Applying for residence

Most first-year students are eligible for a guaranteed room in residence as long as they meet the First Year Guarantee deadlines.

You can start your residence application when you apply to UBC, and then visit UBC’s Student Housing and Community Services (SHCS) Online Service Centre to finish your residence application. If you didn’t apply for housing when you applied to UBC, you can apply directly to Student Housing and Community Services before May 1.

If you are considering both the Okanagan and Vancouver campuses for your studies, apply to both residences at the same time and you will only pay the application fee once.

The Winter Session Residence application deadline is May 1. If you wait until you are given an offer of admission to UBC to apply for residence, you are not guaranteed to receive an offer for residence in your first year.

Important dates

May 1

Apply for residence by this deadline to receive the First Year Guarantee. Complete your residence preference and roommate requests online at the Student Housing and Community Services (SHCS) Online Service Centre.

June 1

Accept your offer of admission by this deadline (or the deadline indicated in your Applicant Service Centre account).

June – August

Check your email regularly for your residence offer. Once UBC sends your offer, you have seven days to accept it and pay your first instalment of residence and meal plan fees. If you are going to be away in the summer, make arrangements to check your email regularly.

Mid-August

Watch for detailed room assignment information. If you have a roommate, you’ll be able to contact each other in advance.

Late August – early September

Time to move in! Bring your stuff to campus, meet your floormates and Residence Advisor, and start living and learning at UBC.

Find more information about housing deadlines

After your first year

Residence is not guaranteed after your first year. Returning students who want to live in residence in their second or subsequent years should submit their application for Year Round Residence and are encouraged to apply early. Applying early, even when you submit your application for first year, will give you the best chance of receiving housing.