For high school counsellors and school representatives

If you’re working with a student who is unsure of where to apply, or if UBC is the right fit for them, here’s a good place to start. You can direct them to the choosing a university page. If your student is interested in getting a sense of which program they might want to take at UBC, you can review UBC degrees at a glance.

There’s lots to know about UBC in general, so here’s a starting point.

About UBC

UBC is a world leading centre of teaching, learning and research excellence and among the world’s top 50 universities. At UBC, students can choose from 43 degree programs and more than 261 majors across two campuses. Recognized as North America’s most International University, with students from more than 160 countries, UBC offers an inclusive and welcoming experience for students and supports them in achieving their personal and academic goals. UBC is home to top ranked programs and world class teachers and research.

We have the largest co-op program in Western Canada, the second largest in Canada. At UBC students can gain soft and hard skills to prepare them for today’s job market. 90% of students who completed the co-op program are able to get a job after graduation.

Two campuses

UBC is one university which offers two unique campus options so that students can live and study in the environment that will best fit their individual needs. Students at our Okanagan and Vancouver campuses both graduate with a UBC degree in their chosen discipline, will be challenged academically and will become a part of a vibrant student community. What differs, is the campus city, size and location. Some degrees or specializations are offered at both campuses while others are uniquely offered at one campus or the other. We encourage you to learn about both campus options (UBC Vancouver and UBC Okanagan) so that you can best support your students in selecting the program and campus that will see them thrive both in and out of the classroom.

Key dates

• November 15: International Scholars Program deadline
• December 1: Scholarship deadlines for Canadian citizens, permanent residents, and international students
• January 15: Application closes for all students

Admission requirements

There are general admission requirements and program specific requirements. When you’re advising students, be sure to encourage them to review both. Another part of the application for students to be aware of is the personal profile.

UBC takes a holistic approach when we review applications. You can also point your student to the what we look for page so they can get a better understanding of our review approach. Some programs require video interviews, or portfolios as part of the application so it’s helpful to advise your student to start looking into requirements early.

English Language Admission Standard

Another area you might receive questions about is the English Language Admission Standard (ELAS). All students must meet ELAS. This is separate from Grade 12 English in Canada. Your students need to make sure they meet this requirement and can check on our ELAS page. If your student would like to submit ELAS, support their application by submitting a relevant recommendation letter.

Workshops and events for students to help with application

Workshops and events are available for students to support them during the application process. Please encourage students to find relevant events during the fall through our events listing.

Applying

When a student is applying, it’s one application to UBC, but applicants get two program choices amongst all our undergraduate degree programs on both UBC campuses.   Applicants will need to rank their first and second choice program and indicate the campus which they are applying to for each choice. If the applicant does not receive entry to their first choice degree they will be assessed for their 2^nd choice.

When your student is applying, they can review the how to apply page for videos and details of this process.

Third-party authorization

Student records and information at UBC are protected under the freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act. If students want to have someone access their information, that person would require third-party authorization.

Key dates

• February 15: English language requirement deadline
• March 15: Grade submissions

Submitting documents

When your student needs to submit a document, you can direct them to the submit your documents page. Encourage your students to submit their documents and check their status in the Applicant Service Centre. If students have questions about what they need to do at this point, encourage them to check their email for next steps.

You may be asked by a student to submit official documents on their behalf. Official documents can be emailed to final.grades@ubc.ca by a counsellor or school.

Key Dates

• May 1: Housing deadline for a guaranteed space for both UBC Vancouver and UBC Okanagan

You can help guide your student depending on the response they receive from UBC.

Conditional offer of admission

If your student has received a conditional offer of admission, you may want to let your student know they may receive invitations to events, and to pay attention to the acceptance deadline.

If your student is interested in housing, Vancouver and the Okanagan have two separate applications. If they are interested in both they’ll need to apply twice.

Accepted

You can advise the accepted student to pay their non-refundable acceptance  deposit, accept their offer in the Applicant Service Centre, and attend the admitted student event which they can find in the event listing. We also have a comprehensive checklist for accepted students that you can direct them to.

Acceptance deadlines are not flexible. Students need to accept by the deadline otherwise the space may be given away to someone else.

Waitlisted

If your student is waitlisted they are placed in a group of students being looked at for competitiveness. We don’t have a number assigned to each student on the waitlist as there are a number of variables involved. You can encourage your student to contact UBC to make a Plan B. There are options to transfer to UBC if you’re not initially accepted.

Second choice offer

Sometimes, a student may receive an offer for second choice and not hear back from their first choice until later. If this happens, the student is still competitive for their first choice. If the student accepts their offer to the second choice, they can still get an offer for their first choice. If the student chooses to accept their second choice, they can still accept their first choice and they will be switched to their first choice program.

Alternate offer of admission

Some students who don’t receive first choice, may be considered for an alternative degree program that they are eligible for. If your student needs further guidance, they can contact us.

Declined

It’s difficult to advise a student who is disappointed with a decision. Students are accepted and declined for a variety of reasons. We have a holistic approach and consider a variety of factors in making these decisions. You can point your student to the what we look for page so they can get a better understanding of how UBC makes decisions. You can encourage your student to contact UBC to see what other ways they can come to UBC.

Housing

If your student hasn’t been offered admission/waitlisted and they are still considering UBC as a primary option, the student needs to apply by May 1.

It’s official, your student is a UBC student now! Encourage them to get advising and support from UBC staff. Depending on their campus, they can contact the appropriate Enrolment Services Advisor (UBC Vancouver or UBC Okanagan).

Faculties will start reaching out around mid-May. Encourage your students to keep an eye on their email to get information on faculty information sessions and course registration webinars.

UBC Okanagan Resources

• • Academic Advising
  • Collegia
  • Create (event)
  • Disability resources
  • Global Pathways Program (International students)
  • Indigenous Programs and Services
  • Jump Start (event)
  • Learning Hub

UBC Vancouver Resources

• • Centre for Accessibility (Vancouver)
  • UBC Career Centre
  • Collegia
  • First Nations House of Learning
  • International Student Advising
  • Imagine Day (event)
  • Jump Start (event)
  • Vancouver Summer Program

There are many opportunities for students to get involved with UBC and specific programs before they even apply to UBC. If you have a student interested in signing up for programs at UBC earlier on, encourage them to take a look at these programs:

• Future Global Leaders: high school students ages 15-18 try academic courses taught by UBC professors.
• Geering up high school summer programs: week long programs for high school students at UBC Vancouver, UBC Okanagan, and South Surrey.
• Taste of LFS (Land and Food Systems): in November, high school students can attend sessions of interest.

Opportunities for Indigenous students in grades 9-12:

• UBC Summer Science: a one-week program for Indigenous high school students to experience university first-hand and engage in health science, Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), and cultural activities.
• Seed2STEM: a summer research program for Indigenous high school students in Metro Vancouver and Kelowna, aims to increase Indigenous participation in STEM by introducing Indigenous youth to STEM fields in a fun and supportive environment with paid placements and wraparound supports to ease participation barriers.
• Verna J. Kirkness Education Foundation: brings First Nations, Métis, and Inuit high school students to campuses across Canada for a transformative week of hands-on learning and cultural exchange.
• Indigenous Programs & Services at UBC’s Okanagan campus: hosts two summer camps for Indigenous youth. They host an Indigenous Summer Scholars Camp for Grades 7 to 9 and an Indigenous Summer Leadership Camp for Grades 10 to 12.

If your student would like to learn about UBC they can also start researching programs at UBC and checking out our virtual tour.

Contact recruitment.ok@ubc.ca to be connected to a recruiter. For individual contacts review the Student Recruitment and Advising contact sheet (PDF).

Contact international.recruitment@ubc.ca to be connected with a recruiter.