University or college transfer students
If you are a well-qualified student attending a post-secondary institution, we welcome your application to transfer to UBC. If you're planning to transfer to UBC, review all three sections below to confirm you are eligible to apply, check degree-specific requirements, and learn how your previous studies may transfer.
More on Admission requirements:
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Check your eligibility
If you are currently attending a post -secondary institution and you have successfully completed high school you may apply to UBC as a transfer student. You need to meet the following to be eligible to apply.
1. Meet UBC’s minimum English Language Admission Standard (ELAS)
English is the primary language of instruction at UBC. All prospective students are required to demonstrate a minimum level of English before they’re admitted. There are nine ways to meet UBC’s English language admission requirement.
2. Show good academic standing
The minimum academic standing to qualify for admission to UBC is an admission average of C (60%, where 50% is a passing grade), or a 2.0 on a 4.0 point scale, typically on the most recent 30 credits attempted. Meeting this minimum entrance requirement does not guarantee admission, as entry into many degree programs is competitive and some require specific prerequisites.
3. Have a minimum of 30 Credits
If you are a student transferring from within Canada the following information on credits will apply. If you are a student transferring from outside of Canada, please email us your questions about transfer credits.
- Second-year applicants should ideally present 30 credits and satisfy all promotion requirements for advancement to that year.
- Third-year applicants should ideally present 54–60 credits and satisfy all promotion requirements for advancement to that year. Some programs do not admit students at this year level.
- Applicants who apply with fewer than 24 credits will be evaluated on the basis of final secondary school grades and the partial post-secondary studies completed. If this applies to you, you should meet all your high school’s curriculum requirements in addition to meeting the GPA for admission with the post-secondary courses you completed. High school requirements differ depending on where you’re coming from.
The chart below will help you understand how UBC calculates your admission average based on post-secondary credits completed, including failed or repeated courses.
| Credits taken | How an admission average is calculated |
| 0 to 6 credits | Admission average is based on your high school average only |
| 7 to 23 credits | Admission is generally based on your high school average and post-secondary grade point average (GPA) calculated using all transferable credits taken |
| 24 to 30 credits | Admission average is based on your post-secondary GPA calculated using all transferable credits taken |
| More than 30 credits | Admission average is based on your post-secondary GPA calculated with an emphasis on the most recent 30 transferable credits taken |
4. Have the correct documents
Please check the UBC Applicant Service Centre for details on what documents you need to submit to UBC and how to submit them. To apply as a transfer student, you will need to submit an application form, your transcripts from current and previous post-secondary institutions, your high school transcripts and some programs may require supplemental materials.
Admission consideration
The number of applicants to UBC exceeds the number of spaces available. Admission criteria are carefully designed to ensure fairness and equity in this competitive and comparative selection process. UBC may assess post-secondary applicants on a combination of factors, including your grade point average (GPA), any required prerequisite courses, and a review of your overall academic history. We may also require you to submit a personal profile, supplemental application, portfolio, or audition. For more information, review What we look for.
For more information, you can refer to the Admissions sections of the UBC Okanagan and UBC Vancouver Academic Calendars.
Okanagan campus guaranteed admission for transfer students
As a post-secondary transfer student, you may be eligible for guaranteed admission to UBC’s Okanagan campus. You’re eligible for guaranteed admission to UBC Okanagan’s Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Commerce, or Bachelor of Science if you have:
- Achieved a 2.8 grade point average (GPA) on the most recent 8 to 10 transferable courses you have taken; and
- Met the minimum English Language Admission Standard (ELAS) and degree-specific transfer requirements.
Review degree-specific transfer requirements
Because of enrolment limitations, many degrees require a higher average for admission than stated above. For more information about degree-specific requirements and limitations, please consult the UBC Faculty or admission requirements for the degree that you are applying to. Note that many programs have specific prerequisite requirements at the secondary school and/or post-secondary levels, and some require applicants to present supplementary information for consideration. For professional programs, please visit the program page directly for details.
At the time of your application, an admissions advisor will review your previous coursework and place you in the appropriate year level. Review the degree-specific requirements to get an idea of what you’ll need to be admitted to each degree.
Okanagan campus degree-specific requirements
For programs on the Okanagan campus, review the Degree planning resources for further admissions information for transfer students.
Vancouver campus degree-specific requirements
- Applied Biology
- Applied Science (Engineering)
- Arts
- Bachelor + Master of Management
- Commerce (UBC Sauder School of Business)
- Dental Hygiene
- Design in Architecture, Landscape Architecture, and Urbanism
- Fine Arts
- Food, Nutrition, and Health
- Food Resource Economics (Data Analytics or Business and Markets)
- Indigenous Land Stewardship
- Indigenous Teacher Education Program (NITEP)
How your studies transfer
Transfer students in Canada
If you are a well-qualified student attending a post-secondary institution in Canada, we welcome your application to transfer to UBC. Find your requirements, and read more about the documents and GPAs that UBC requires.
Courses successfully completed at recognized colleges in British Columbia and Yukon are granted transfer credit in accordance with agreed-upon equivalents published in the BC Transfer Guide. Those interested in earning a Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science are encouraged to consider an Associate Degree.
University-level courses successfully completed at Canadian universities will be assessed on a course-by-course basis at the time of evaluation. You can use the UBC transfer credit search tool to see how previously evaluated courses from many institutions transfer to UBC (for universities in BC, use the BC Transfer Guide). If a course has not yet been approved, you may be asked to submit a copy of the course outline for further consideration.
UBC will consider your application if you have successfully completed an academically appropriate diploma program and achieved competitive standing from an institute of technology or a college of applied arts and technology. Admission is determined on an individual basis and courses are generally not transferable.
If you are an applicant from a CEGEP, you must satisfy general admission requirements and degree-specific requirements, depending on whether you are applying after one year of CEGEP, or after two years.
If you are applying after two years of CEGEP, you must have:
- Completed a two-year academic diploma program
- Two courses in either English (603) or French (601)
Courses in Preparatory English or English as a Second Language are not acceptable for admission to UBC. You must also meet degree-specific requirements for students from other post-secondary institutions.
Transfer credit for up to one full year of study may be applied toward a UBC degree for students who have completed a Diplôme d’études collégiales (DEC) program.
Transfer students outside Canada
If you are a well-qualified student attending a post-secondary institution outside of Canada, we welcome your application to transfer to UBC.
International universities, colleges, and polytechnic institutes
Review “Check your eligility“.
Coursework successfully completed at accredited post-secondary institutions will be assessed on a course-by-course basis at the time of evaluation. To get a sense of how likely you are to receive transfer credit, check out the UBC Transfer Credit Search Tool and the BC Transfer Guide. If you don’t find your courses listed, you can visit our UBC Academic Calendar and compare the course descriptions of our classes with the course descriptions of classes you’ve already completed. The more similar they are, the better your chances.