Get Admitted to Your Dream University – The University of British Columbia

The University of British Columbia (UBC) is a public research university located in the Canadian province of British Columbia. Established in 1908, it is the oldest university in British Columbia. It consistently ranks among the top 3 universities in Canada and the top 20 public universities in the world. UBC is renowned for its eminent alumni: 3 Canadian Prime Ministers and 8 Nobel Laureates among others. UBC athletes have won 65 Olympics Medals including 19 Gold. UBC’s vision is “inspiring people, ideas and actions for a better world.”

Campuses:

UBC has 2 campuses:

• Vancouver Campus: This is the main campus of UBC and is located approximately 10 kilometers from downtown Vancouver. UBC Vancouver also has two satellite campuses within the City of Vancouver: at Vancouver General Hospital, for the medical sciences, and at Robson Square in downtown Vancouver, for part-time credit and non-credit programs.

• Okanagan Campus: This campus was established in 2005. Located in the province’s southern interior, UBC Okanagan offers a breadth of outstanding academic programs alongside unforgettable urban experiences and year-round outdoor adventures in the sunny Okanagan Valley. It also has its own Academic Senate.

Schools and Faculties:

Through its 2 campuses, UBC offers more than 150 programs at undergraduate and postgraduate levels. Some schools and faculties are listed below:

International students targeting UBC need to have an excellent academic profile as a prerequisite to apply to most of the programs offered here. In addition, the UBC admissions committee also looks at the interests pursued by students outside of their classrooms.  Here is a list of important factors for admissions to undergraduate courses:

1. Academic Requirements

Students targeting admissions to UBC’s undergraduate programs need to maintain a good academic record – especially during Grades XI and XII as the university admissions committee takes a close look at these scores in relation to the major/course of study.

UBC requires Indian students to have a minimum score of 85% or an equivalent CGPA for application. There are other specific admission requirements for international students based on their high school curriculum. The table below lists the subject requirements for students from the CBSE and IB Boards:

If students complete university-level courses at high school, they may become eligible for first-year credit at UBC. 

2. Essays

Students applying to UBC’s undergraduate programs (except for Bachelor of Design in Architecture, Landscape Architecture, and Urbanism) must write effective essays to secure admission. This section is referred to as the “Personal Profile” and plays a crucial role in the admission process. This section provides students with a chance to highlight the things that are important to them, their significant achievements, what they’ve learned from their experiences, and the challenges they have overcome. It allows the UBC’s admissions committee to determine whether the student is a good fit for UBC and if they will receive an entrance scholarship.

Personal Profile Questions:

Depending on which degree(s) they apply to, students will be asked to answer some or all of the following questions in their personal profile:

1. Tell us about who you are. How would your family, friends, and/or members of your community describe you? If possible, please include something about yourself that you are most proud of and why.

2. What is important to you? And why?

3. Describe up to five activities that you have pursued or accomplishments achieved in one or more of the following areas. Please outline the nature of your responsibilities within these activities:

   • Club

   • Family/community responsibilities

   • Creative or performing arts

   • Work/employment

   • Athletics

   • Volunteer

   • Service to others

   • Other(s)

4. Tell us more about one or two activities listed above that are most important to you. Please explain the role you played and what you learned in the process. You will be asked for a reference who can speak to your response.

5. Additional information: You may wish to use the space below to provide UBC with more information on your academic history to date and/or your future academic plans. For example: How did you choose your courses in secondary school? Are there life circumstances that have affected your academic decisions to date? What have you done to prepare yourself specifically for your intended area of study at UBC?

6. Please submit the names and contact information of two referees who know you well and can comment on your preparedness for study at UBC. Examples of referees include an employer, a community member, a coach, a teacher/instructor, or anyone who knows you well. One of the referees you select must be able to speak to one of the activities/experiences described in one of your long-answer responses above. For applicants who are currently attending a high school, one of your referees must be a school official (e.g., Grade 12 or senior year counselor, teacher, or IB coordinator). Neither referee should be a friend, family member, or paid agent. Note that UBC does not send a link to references. Your references will be contacted directly, after offers of admission have gone out.

3. Extra-curricular Activities

As is evident from the Personal Profile section above, UBC looks for students with a holistic profile. Students interested in applying to UBC should participate in at least one extracurricular activity. Students must devote at least a few hours every week to this activity – ideally starting from Grade 9 – so that they can have something substantial to mention in their Personal Profile section. These activities not only help students with securing admissions at UBC but can also play an important part while the committee decides their suitability for an entrance scholarship.

4. English Language Proficiency

All prospective students are required to demonstrate a minimum level of English before they’re admitted to their preferred course at UBC. International students can appear for any one of the IELTS, TOEFL, or PTE to meet the English requirements. The minimum scores are listed below:

Applicants for the 2023/2024 Winter Session must submit test scores from January 1, 2021 onwards.

5. How To Apply?

All prospective students must apply to UBC through EducationPlannerBC – a common portal that helps students apply to multiple universities in the province of British Columbia. Students need to sign up on this portal to initiate the application. They are then required to fill in personal and academic information, post which they can choose the university and course they wish to apply to.

All things considered, UBC offers a great college experience for international students. Being among the top universities in Canada, UBC offers excellent academic and extracurricular opportunities for students to discover their true potential.