For students who want a unique learning experience, the University of British Columbia is worth a look. The university, often shortened to UBC, is on Canada’s northwest coast and has campuses in exciting Vancouver and beautiful Kelowna. The special surroundings are just one part of UBC’s appeal, though — it’s also a university recognised across the country for its courses, programmes, high teaching standards and forward-thinking approach.
UBC has a great reputation that has been created over the course of a century, and students from over 140 countries are currently in attendance. In fact, of the 70,000 enrolled, just under 50 per cent are international students. The University of British Columbia is perfect for ambitious academics who want to learn with the best. Plus, the student support services are incredible for domestic and international students, helping out with everything from career planning and employability to settling into life in Canada.
With the busy city nightlife on one campus and nature on the other, there’s nothing a student can’t experience at UBC. Western Canada is the place to see some of the country’s greatest landscapes, and it’s also home to lots of different cultures living together happily.
The two main campuses offer the same approach — tutors provide quality teaching and make a feeling of community a priority. There are also lots of societies, sports teams, volunteering opportunities and work placements available to UBC students to prepare them for professional success and ensure they have enough recreation and social fun in their calendars.
The Forest Sciences Centre, which opened in 1998, is another special part of the university and has become a cultural landmark in the past 24 years. The centre has 11 classrooms, two lecture theatres, computer labs and laboratories.
At UBC, talented lecturers help students to achieve their goals, and cooperation is as important as academic success. Students with open minds and academic gifts will find a lot to enjoy. Offering the best of both the urban and rural university experiences, the University of British Columbia is an institution that provides a bright future to anybody who dreams of one.
Find out more about studying at UBC:
The University of British Columbia, according to rankings, is one of the top 40 universities in the world and has been for a while. The Times Higher Education World University Rankings for 2022 places it at 37. With a teaching score of 61.9 per cent, students can expect quality teaching across all departments, schools and faculties. In fact, three former UBC students have since become Canadian prime ministers.
In the ranks of staff who keep the teaching quality so high are 74 Rhodes Scholars and 289 Royal Society of Canada Fellows. The university has even been formally recognised for its high-quality teaching and awarded several external awards for teaching excellence.
Research and development are big priorities at UBC, especially when it comes to increasing sustainability and tackling the damage being done by climate change. Students and staff members in the sciences are driven to change society for the better, always innovating. In the field of Sustainable Development Goals, UBC ranks 13th out of more than 1,400 institutions around the world.
UBC receives a joint number one ranking for Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure and a sixth-place ranking for Reducing Inequality. This means students can expect more than good teaching, they can expect to be changing and positively developing the industries they enter. These lecturers know how to help students make a difference, and with an international outlook rating of 94.9 per cent, applicants can be confident of quality across every course of study.
General entry requirements for the University of British Columbia will change based on a student’s level of schooling, country of schooling and educational background. Domestic students must have graduated from high school with at least 70 per cent in Grade 11 or 12 English for the Vancouver campus and should ideally have completed at least six Grade 12 courses.
International students will need to find out their educational equivalent to the above university entry requirements. If a student is applying as an International Baccalaureate, for example, they must have completed an IB Diploma, including at least 3 Higher Level courses. IB certification courses can be used for admission combined with other high school certifications at standard and higher levels.
Certain other university requirements might need to be met for specific courses/programmes of study, and this is something students should look into to figure out their eligibility before they apply. For postgraduates, the assessment process will be similar but based on university qualifications and higher forms of education.
Support is always provided to students who aren’t sure if they meet the entry requirements, and options are available to bring a person up to this standard if they currently fall below it.
There are nine ways for international students to show UBC that they meet the minimum English language requirements. Commonly completed tests recognised by the admissions department include the CAEL, the IELTS and the TOEFL.
Students who don’t speak English as a first language/don’t tick other boxes that would allow them to skip an English test will need an IELTS overall band score of at least 6.5 to be considered for admission, with a score of no lower than 6 on each individual band. The TOEFL asks for a minimum score of 90, with the following minimum scores in each section:
As briefly mentioned, if a student attends a school outside of Canada that uses English as the language of instruction, they may be eligible for admission without providing English test results. The six education options that satisfy the admission standard are:
Student admission to UBC is competitive, and meeting the minimum entry requirements isn’t enough to guarantee anything. International students in Canada register as temporary residents, so to apply for UBC admission, they will need to provide their passport, study permit, Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) if their country requires it for entry and documentation for their family (if they’re joining them).
University admission applications for domestic and international students are conducted online, and applicants select their first and second choice degree options. Then they complete a personal profile (though some courses don’t assess in this way). This profile is looked at by the admissions team and evaluated on the following:
The University of British Columbia tells students to start their admission application early and not rush over it. The application fee for international students who need a study permit is CAD 123. Tuition fees for international students can range from CAD 40,517 to CAD 55,848. Any international students seeking further advice on their application process can contact the International Student Advising Office.
UBC understands that for some international students, the cost of studying abroad is a worry. Students from poorer economic backgrounds may require financial assistance when studying in Canada, and UBC may well be able to provide this assistance through scholarships and other forms of funding support.
In total, UBC offers 16 university scholarships that all international students can apply for. In fact, since UBC prides itself on its strong community of international students, international applications are encouraged.
These scholarships come with different levels of funding, and they’re all merit based. Students can apply/be eligible for them based on their academic record and their involvement in community activities/leadership roles.
Some scholarships at the university are course-specific and programme-specific. The SRK Graduate Scholarship, for example, is for students in mining-related fields and covers up to CAD 3,000 per term. Some are broader, like the International Tuition Award, which covers fees of up to CAD 3,200 each year and is an automatic scholarship (it doesn’t require a separate application, eligible students are automatically considered and awarded/not awarded). Some funding support options are community-driven, like UBC’s Vantage One Award, which totals CAD 85,000 over two to four years.
There are university scholarships and awards available for those who are studying at undergraduate and postgraduate levels. Options for postgraduates include the Four Year Doctoral Fellowship (4YF), the Killam Connection and the Arthritis Society Graduate PhD Salary Award.
The University of British Columbia can help curious, clever people to grow and develop, both personally and intellectually. UBC is broken into ten faculties, 11 schools and one college and these departments are spread across two campuses: Vancouver and Okanagan (near Kelowna).
The 14 areas available for students to study (containing many courses) at UBC are:
The Vancouver Campus is only 30 minutes outside the city centre. With such a fun and interesting city on the campus’s doorstep, students have everything they need to pursue their academic, extracurricular and social interests.
The Okanagan Campus sits near Kelowna, right in the heart of the beautiful Okanagan Valley. It’s ideally situated for the Irving K. Barber Faculty of Science, surrounded by lots of natural research opportunities and special resources.
There are 13 libraries and many research centres across the campus sites, so students can borrow books, develop projects and access electronic databases, indexes and ejournals easily. Wherever a student happens to be at UBC, they can be confidently aware that their environment has been created to help them make the most out of their learning experience.
Students at UCB will never have to worry about not having enough to do. The fantastic research and learning facilities will support their studies, while the food and drink fairs, campus shops and student activity centres create an exciting social atmosphere.
The average lecture theatre at this institution is equipped with some of the best technology available, and with generous capacities of 100 to 400, there’s room for everyone to learn, but group sizes never get too large. Students can feel comfortable sharing their ideas, and classmates can become trusted peers.
Each campus has a central student life centre where people can study, lounge in the sun, or head to one of the many food and drink establishments to relax. Campus catering options enable students to dine in or take their food away, so things can be as flexible as they need to be. UBC also releases a newsletter called Good Eats detailing campus food events, promotions, and special deals.
Sports lovers are spoiled for choice, too, with lots of student recreation centres to stay active in. The Vancouver Campus has the famous UBC Baseball Rose Indoor Training Centre, complete with a triple court gym, a fitness centre, a studio and a dojo. The Okanagan Campus is where students will find the Nonis Sports Field, built in 2010. This field has been ideal for sports like soccer, football, field hockey and lacrosse ever since.
As well as all the useful and fun facilities, Vancouver Campus has 15 residence options, and Okanagan Campus has nine. When a student chooses an on-campus student accommodation option at UBC, their home environment/the surrounding area will have been designed to create community, friendship and safety.
On-campus housing is open to international and domestic students. Most undergraduates on the Vancouver Campus stay in areas like Orchard Commons, Place Vanier and Totem Park. They have quick and easy access to beaches, theatres, restaurants and clubs. They are also spoiled for choice when it comes to nightlife and venues for live music.
Student accommodation is similar at Okanagan, but the rural setting replaces busy nightlife with natural beauty. The student population at Okanagan is diverse thanks to wide-ranging specialisms on campus, so there are plenty of people to meet and befriend from many different backgrounds.
Single and sharing rooms are available across accommodation options at both campuses. Meal plans are also offered as part of the on-campus experience. The typical cost for accommodation and a meal plan at Vancouver Campus ranges from CAD 12,000 to CAD 14,500 per year for new undergraduates.
Some undergraduates might be eligible for the student housing supplement grant in their first year. Returning students can apply to live in year-round residence, but there is no room guarantee for returning students.
Because housing places at UBC are competitive, students are advised to start their university accommodation applications as soon as possible to make sure they don’t lose out on a room at their preferred residence. Off-campus living is also an option, and an exciting one in the city of Vancouver. Accommodation advisers can offer support for students who need help finding the right student house in the right area, but don’t know where to start.
The University of British Columbia offers a lot of different student support services, from 24/7 health facilities to immigration and monetary support for international students. In fact, international students can even access individual advisors and student guides if they need help adjusting to student life in Canada/gaining study permits/adhering to COVID-19 legislation and much, much more.
As well as emotional and physical health services like counselling and sexual health support, there is a full academic student support programme. This is available whether a student is an undergraduate or a postgraduate and can help with everything from developing stronger study skills to getting students back on track in a difficult class.
UBC also takes accessibility measures extremely seriously and helps disabled or disadvantaged students whenever this is needed. There is also student support and guidance for those wishing to withdraw from their degree/facing difficult circumstances.
Students always have a trained practitioner, expert or professional to turn to for help at UBC, and student satisfaction is consistently a priority for the institution. From career support to mental health support, there’s nothing that isn’t on offer when looking down the list of UBC student services.
UBC alumni are employed in 150 countries globally, and the institution’s position as one of Canada’s leading universities makes graduates very interesting to employers. Plus, many career services are available during a student’s degree that can help to improve their job prospects, boost their employability and prepare them for life outside of the university.
The Centre for Student Involvement and Careers offers lots of helpful employment services, including orientation, peer mentoring and career advising. They can connect a student with an individual career guide for one-on-one sessions focused on exploring career options, approaching the working world, and taking action. These sessions include topics like interview techniques and CV/covering letter reviews.
Students are invited to career events and workshops, which are great for networking and improving their professional image. Plus, the university’s online career resources platform allows UBC students and alumni to directly apply for work or volunteering opportunities during and after their studies. This includes roles in academia internally at the university.
Any research or extra-curricular volunteering opportunities students explore will set them apart for employers when applying for jobs. They can also take advantage of this by using the UBC Experiences programme, which lets them take part in peer programmes and provides them with the opportunity to lead projects.
In 2016, the university carried out a PhD career outcome survey and found that around 50 per cent of graduates between 2005 and 2013 had gone into prestigious jobs in higher education after their time at UBC. Just under 1,000 graduates went on to work in the private sector. International doctoral students may soon be offered great professional positions if they study at one of the world’s best universities.
Arsitektur dan Pembangunan
Bisnis dan Manajemen
Hukum
Humaniora
Ilmu Komputer dan Teknologi Informasi
Ilmu Pengetahuan Murni dan Terapan
Ilmu Sosial dan Media
Ilmu Teknik dan Teknologi
Kesehatan dan Kedokteran
MBA
Pariwisata, Perjalanan dan Perhotelan
Pendidikan dan Pelatihan
Pertanian dan Kedokteran Hewan
Seni Kreatif dan Desain
CAD$11.000
CAD$5.250
S2/S3
CAD$13.940
