The University of British Columbia (UBC) is one of the top universities in Canada. It is also ranked among the world’s leading research institutions. UBC was established in 1908, making it one of the oldest universities in Canada. Its main campus is in Vancouver, British Columbia, while its second campus is in Kelowna, British Columbia. It has over 70,000 students across both campuses from different parts of the world.

The University offers scholarships to international students, like many other Canadian universities. It offers Teaching Assistantships to interested graduate students, as well as Research Assistantships for those who have secured a supervisor before admission. Scholarships and fellowships abound across different departments and faculties. There are also external scholarships available for international students. The Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship is one of the most prestigious scholarships funded by the Canadian government. It awards CAD 50,000 per year for three years to deserving students in health, natural sciences, engineering, social sciences, and the humanities. A total of 166 scholars benefit from it each year. International students can also apply for provincial awards and country-specific scholarships.

Among Canadian universities, the University of British Columbia is one of the few that offers application fee waivers. It has two main categories. Students who do not qualify for either category are required to pay CAD 168.25. Kindly note that applications for fee waivers must be submitted through the eVision application system.

• International applicants whose citizenship and correspondence address are located in one of the world’s 50 least-developed countries, as designated by the United Nations.
• Seniors: British Columbia residents who are Canadian citizens or permanent residents aged 65 years or older at the time of application.

Applications for the 2027 intake generally commence in September and run until August of the following year. Others may open between November and April, while some departments close as early as December. Be reminded that UBC is a highly competitive university and admits far fewer students than the number of applications it receives.

To apply for admission, the following documents must be submitted:

Transcripts: Each entry under the Academic History section of the application must include PDF copies of official, up-to-date transcripts for all current and previous post-secondary studies. Each transcript must be scanned as an individual PDF file and uploaded to the application system as instructed. Scan both sides of the transcript and/or degree certificate wherever there are information, notations, or stamps from the issuing institution. Please refer to any directions provided by your selected graduate program regarding the naming of scanned document files. Otherwise, files should be named as follows:

Examples:

Peng Zhang-Peking University Transcript.pdf

Peng Zhang-Peking University Transcript English Translation.pdf

Peng Zhang-CV.pdf

Peng Zhang-Journal of Neurosciences Paper.pdf

Each transcript must be uploaded as a single file rather than as separate files for each page. If your documents were issued in a language other than English, you must upload digital copies of the original documents along with certified literal English translations provided either by your home university’s translation service or by a certified English translator.

To be considered official, academic records must either be received in official university envelopes, sealed and endorsed by the issuing institution, or be received through secure electronic delivery directly from the issuing institution. If your university issues only one original set of academic documents (transcripts or degree certificates), please contact your graduate program for further instructions.

UBC does not accept the following:

• Photocopies that have not been stamped, attested to, and endorsed by the Registrar at your home university.
• Documents in envelopes that have been opened.
• Documents that do not arrive in sealed envelopes endorsed by the issuing institution or certified translator.
• Documents that arrive without the official seal of the university.
• Photocopies notarized by a notary public.
• Photocopies endorsed by a lawyer, professor, judge, or other individual.
• Unofficial translations.
• Non-literal translations.

Do not order academic records that are not in sealed and endorsed envelopes or sent through secure electronic delivery. Doing so will only delay the processing of your application.

Statement of Interest: A Statement of Interest is a crucial part of most graduate school applications. It may also be called a Statement of Intent, Description of Research Interests, or something similar. It is your opportunity to tell the graduate program:

• Your specific area of academic interest (the research topic you want to work on).
• How your previous education and other experiences have prepared you to succeed in the graduate program.
• What you hope to achieve through the graduate program.
• Why this particular program at UBC is the best place for you to pursue your interests.

The statement is generally written as a short essay. Be sure to carefully read the specific instructions provided by the graduate program and ensure you submit exactly what they request. Contact the program if you have any questions regarding the content of your Statement of Interest.

Letters of Reference: A minimum of two references is required for admission to graduate programs at UBC. Each graduate program determines the type of references (academic or professional) and the number required, which may range from two to four. References should be requested from individuals who are prepared to comment on your qualifications for the program. In the online application system, applicants are asked to provide an email address for each referee. (Please note that UBC is unable to accept references submitted from Hotmail, Yahoo, Gmail, MSN, or other free email accounts for referees.) A unique link will be emailed to each referee, allowing them to log into a secure website and submit an online reference or upload a reference document.

UBC also accepts references through Interfolio, a U.S.-based electronic reference service. Interfolio references should be sent to graduate.sas@ubc.ca. The application system also allows applicants to indicate whether each reference is academic or professional.

English Language Proficiency: Candidates whose primary language of instruction is not English must provide the results of an approved English language proficiency examination as part of their application. The test must have been taken within the last 24 months before submitting the application. A minimum overall score of 65 on the academic (not General) test is required, with minimum scores of 60 in Reading, Writing, Listening, and Speaking. Individual graduate programs may require higher scores. Please check your specific program’s website to verify its English language requirements.

Acceptable test results include:

• PTE Home/Online is not accepted for applications to UBC Vancouver.
• English for Academic Purposes (EAP): Applicants must achieve at least 75% in each component of the 600 level.
• CAEL (Canadian Academic English Language Assessment): A minimum overall score of 70, with at least 60 in the Speaking sub-test.
• The Duolingo English Test will be accepted for May and September 2027 admissions. Information about minimum requirements and score submission will be available in early September.
• TOEFL: For tests taken before January 21, 2026 (1–120 scale), a minimum overall score of 90 is required, with at least 22 in Reading and Listening and 21 in Writing and Speaking. For tests taken on or after January 21, 2026 (1–6 scale), a minimum overall score of 4.5 is required, with at least 5 in Listening, 4.5 in Reading and Writing, and 4 in Speaking.
• IELTS (Academic): A minimum overall band score of 6.5, with at least 6.0 in each component.

Graduate Record Examination (GRE): The Graduate Record Examination consists of a General Test measuring verbal, quantitative, and analytical reasoning skills, and a Subject Test measuring achievement in specific fields of study. The “GRE Requirements by Program” table lists which graduate programs at UBC require GRE scores. The UBC institution code is 0965.

Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT): Applicants to the MBA and MScB programs in the Faculty of Commerce and Business Administration are required to submit GMAT scores. Applicants to the MScB in Transportation may submit either GRE or GMAT scores. Applicants to the PhD program in the Faculty of Commerce and Business Administration must submit either GMAT or GRE scores.

Research Supervisors: The supervisor is the key person in a thesis-based graduate degree program. The principal role of the supervisor is to help students achieve their academic potential and to chair the student’s Supervisory Committee. The supervisor is expected to provide reasonable commitment, accessibility, professionalism, intellectual stimulation, guidance, respect, and consistent encouragement throughout the student’s program.

Graduate programs have different expectations regarding whether prospective students should contact faculty members before applying. Some programs require applicants to secure the commitment of a faculty member as a thesis supervisor before submitting an application, while others assign supervisors during the first year of study. Please review the requirements for your chosen program under “Admission Information & Requirements” in Step 3, “Prepare Application,” under the “Thesis Supervision” section.