The University of British Columbia
A forested peninsula campus between ocean and mountains in Vancouver, with a second campus in the Okanagan Valley.
- Students
- 72,100
- 59,688 undergraduates
- International
- 25%
- of students
- Tuition
- CA$48,780
- From · 2026-27
- Founded
- 1908
About UBC
The University of British Columbia was established in 1908 and today enrols 72,100 students across two campuses: 60,309 at Vancouver's Point Grey campus and 11,791 at UBC Okanagan in Kelowna. The Vancouver campus occupies a peninsula at the western tip of the city, surrounded by Pacific Spirit Regional Park, beaches and ocean views toward the North Shore mountains. About a quarter of Vancouver students (25.4%) are international.
UBC is organised into faculties including Arts, Science, Applied Science (engineering), the Sauder School of Business, Forestry, Land and Food Systems, Kinesiology, Medicine and the Peter A. Allard School of Law. It reports 936.4 million dollars in research funding for 10,120 projects, hosts TRIUMF, Canada's particle accelerator centre, and counts 8 Nobel laureates, 3 Canadian prime ministers and 76 Rhodes Scholars among its community.
Admission is broad-based: alongside grades, almost every high school applicant writes a personal profile that UBC scores for engagement, leadership, substance and voice. UBC suits students who want a research university with outdoor life built in and who can make a big campus feel small through residences, clubs and faculty communities.
Tuum est
“It is yours / It is up to you” — university motto
Why students choose UBC
The Point Grey campus is ringed by forest, beaches and mountain views, and UBC counts 67 Olympic medals won by its varsity athletes.
UBC's personal profile lets applicants show engagement, leadership and voice, so admission is not based on grades alone.
International Major Entrance Scholarships of $10,000 to $25,000 a year (renewable for three more years) and the need-based International Scholars Program support international students.
UBC reports that 84% of undergraduates take part in enriched learning such as co-op, research or international experience by graduation.
Admissions
Winter Session starting September 2027
Selectivity
UBC does not publish an overall admit rate. Admission is to a degree program on a specific campus and combines academic grades (general and degree-specific requirements) with a scored personal profile; Sauder Commerce, Engineering, Computer Science pathways in Science and Kinesiology are among the most competitive.
Typical entry requirements
| Canadian high school (incl. BC, Ontario) | Graduation with general admission requirements plus degree-specific Grade 11 and 12 courses; decisions use interim grades |
|---|---|
| IB Diploma | Complete the IB curriculum including general and degree-specific requirements; initial decisions use interim/predicted grades, final IB results confirm admission and determine first-year credit |
| US high school | Graduation from an academic curriculum meeting degree-specific prerequisites |
| English language | IELTS 6.5 · TOEFL iBT 90 TOEFL iBT 90 (Reading 22, Listening 22, Writing 21, Speaking 21); IELTS Academic 6.5 with no band below 6.0; Duolingo 125 (subscores 115-120). Can also be met by four years of full-time English-language education in Canada, qualifying AP/IB English results, or other routes. Deadline February 15, 2027. |
Deadlines
- International scholarship consideration Non-binding Next deadline · In 40 daysNovember 15, 2026
Apply by this date to be considered for UBC International Scholars Program awards.
- Domestic major scholarship consideration Non-binding In 56 daysDecember 1, 2026
For Presidential Scholars, Centennial Scholars Entrance and Beyond Tomorrow Scholars awards (Canadian citizens/permanent residents).
- Application deadline Non-binding In ~3 monthsJanuary 15, 2027
11:59 p.m. PST. English proficiency due February 15, 2027; out-of-province/country high school transcripts due March 15, 2027. Decisions released continuously from November 2026 to June 2027.
Online application opens in early October 2026.
How to apply
Apply online directly to UBC (not via OUAC), choosing degree programs and campus, and complete the personal profile (several short-answer questions of about 50-500 words each) unless applying to Architecture/Landscape/Urbanism design, Dental Hygiene or Music. Some programs need supplements or auditions. Submit transcripts and English proficiency evidence by the document deadlines.
What admissions looks for
- Strong grades in general admission and degree-specific courses.
- Engagement and accomplishment: how you pursue your interests and contribute.
- Leadership: responsibility you have taken on that benefits others.
- Substance and voice in the personal profile: depth of reflection and an authentic, distinctive way of communicating.
Tips for applying to UBC
- 1 Treat the personal profile as seriously as your grades: UBC scores it on engagement, leadership, substance and voice, and it applies to most programs.
- 2 International students who need funding should apply by November 15, 2026 to be considered for the International Scholars Program.
- 3 Canadian applicants aiming for major entrance awards should apply by December 1, 2026.
- 4 Use examples from across several years; UBC says it considers activities over multiple years, not just Grade 11 and 12.
Costs & financial aid
2026-27 · figures in CAD
International students are automatically considered for International Major Entrance Scholarships ($10,000-$25,000 a year, renewable) and can apply for the need- and merit-based International Scholars Program by November 15. Canadian students can apply for Presidential Scholars, Centennial Scholars Entrance and Beyond Tomorrow awards by December 1.
- $10,000-$25,000 per year, renewable for up to three more years
- International Major Entrance Scholarship (2026-27)
- $9,188
- Domestic tuition, Commerce years 2-4 (2026-27)
- $53,082
- International tuition, Science (2026-27)
Academics
Academic calendar: Winter Session (two terms, September-April) plus Summer Session
Commerce (Sauder School of Business)
The most expensive international program ($66,678 in 2026-27) and one of UBC's most competitive entry points.
Engineering (Applied Science)
Direct-entry engineering in the Faculty of Applied Science, charged at its own tuition rate ($7,648 domestic in year 1).
Forestry and Land and Food Systems
Specialised faculties that are rare among Canadian universities and draw on UBC's West Coast setting.
Physics and nuclear science
TRIUMF, Canada's national particle and nuclear physics laboratory, is on the Vancouver campus.
Kinesiology
A dedicated school on a campus whose varsity athletes have won 67 Olympic medals.
Research
- 936.4 million dollars in research funding for 10,120 projects.
- TRIUMF, Canada's national particle accelerator centre, is located on the Point Grey campus.
- 296 companies have been spun off from UBC research.
- The Museum of Anthropology houses Bill Reid's sculpture The Raven and the First Men.
Schools & faculties
- Faculty of Arts
- Faculty of Science
- Faculty of Applied Science
- Sauder School of Business
- Faculty of Forestry
- Faculty of Land and Food Systems
- School of Kinesiology
- Faculty of Medicine
- Peter A. Allard School of Law
- UBC Okanagan
Student life
UBC Vancouver is a small city in its own right: first-years mostly live in on-campus residences, the student union building anchors clubs and events, and Pacific Spirit Regional Park and the beaches below the cliffs, including Wreck Beach, are a walk away. The Thunderbirds compete in U Sports' Canada West conference. Downtown Vancouver is a bus ride away, so life tends to centre on campus, the outdoors and the mountains.
- UBC Thunderbirds teams in U Sports and Canada West; UBC Okanagan competes as the Heat.
- Pacific Spirit Regional Park forest trails and nearby beaches border the campus.
- The Museum of Anthropology and TRIUMF are on campus.
- 84% of undergraduates take part in enriched learning such as co-op, research or exchange.
Housing. First-year residence is available on both campuses; UBC points students to its cost estimator for housing and meal-plan costs.
Location
Vancouver is a coastal city framed by mountains and ocean, with a mild, rainy winter climate by Canadian standards and easy access to skiing, hiking and beaches. It is expensive, especially for housing. The Point Grey campus sits at the city's western edge, a bus ride from downtown; UBC Okanagan is in Kelowna, a smaller lake city in BC's interior.
Nearest airport: Vancouver International Airport (YVR)
Notable alumni
- KC Kim Campbell19th Prime Minister of Canada
- JT John Turner17th Prime Minister of Canada
- JT Justin Trudeau23rd Prime Minister of Canada
- BB Bertram BrockhouseNobel Prize in Physics 1994 for neutron spectroscopy
- RM Robert MundellNobel Prize in Economics 1999
- WG William GibsonScience fiction writer, author of Neuromancer
- RH Rick HansenParalympian and Man in Motion World Tour
- KH Kathleen HeddleThree-time Olympic gold medallist in rowing
Frequently asked questions
When is the UBC application deadline for 2027?
January 15, 2027 for September 2027 entry. International applicants seeking International Scholars awards should apply by November 15, 2026, and Canadians seeking major entrance awards by December 1, 2026.
Does UBC require the SAT?
UBC's requirement pages do not ask for SAT or ACT scores; it admits students on grades in required courses plus a scored personal profile.
What is the UBC personal profile?
A set of short-answer questions (roughly 50-500 words each) that UBC scores for engagement and accomplishment, leadership, substance and voice. Most high school applicants must complete it.
How much is UBC tuition for international students?
For 2026-27 at UBC Vancouver, first-year international tuition is about $51,530 CAD in Arts, $53,082 CAD in Science, $66,200 CAD in Engineering and $66,678 CAD in Commerce (Music is $48,780 CAD). For students starting in 2026-27, UBC caps later increases at 3% a year.
What English test score does UBC need?
TOEFL iBT 90 (with section minimums), IELTS Academic 6.5 with no band below 6.0, or Duolingo 125.
Sources & methodology
Figures on this page were checked against official university publications, national application services and ranking publishers in September 2026. Each number is shown with the year or admissions cycle it describes. Always confirm deadlines and fees on the university's own website before applying.
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