The University of British Columbia
Vancouver, Canada
- Cost of LivingCAD 25,224
- Tuition Fee FromCAD 5,729
- Country Rank-
- Batch Strength66,747
- Global Diversity-
- Gender Ratio-
Overview
About
The University of British Columbia is a public research university situated in the province of British Columbia in Canada. British Columbia’s oldest university and ranked among the top 20 public universities in the world, the university commonly referred to as UBC is also ranked among the top three universities in Canada. The university traces its roots back to 1908 with two campuses in the cities of Vancouver and Kelowna in British Columbia. The university prides itself on maintaining impeccable standards of teaching, learning and research at the institution.
The education system at the university is divided into faculties and schools, some operating out of the university’s Vancouver campus and some from the university’s Okanagan (Kelowna) campus. UBC provides an array of courses in a wide variety of fields and disciplines at the undergraduate and postgraduate levels. Faculties at the Vancouver campus are listed as follows:
- Faculty of Applied Science
- Faculty of Arts
- Sauder School of Business
- Continuing Studies
- Faculty of Dentistry
- Faculty of Education
- Faculty of Forestry
- Faculty of Graduate Studies
- College of Health Disciplines
- College for Interdisciplinary Studies
- Peter A. Allard School of Law
- Faculty of Medicine
- Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences
- Faculty of Science
Faculties and colleges at the university’s Okanagan campus are:
- Irving K. Barber Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences
- Irving K. Barber Faculty of Science
- Faculty of Creative and Critical Studies
- Okanagan School of Education
- Faculty of Applied Science
- Faculty of Health and Social Development
- Faculty of Management
- Faculty of Medicine
- College of Graduate Studies
The university’s academic affiliations include the Association of Commonwealth Universities (ACU), the Association of Pacific Rim Universities (APRU), the Association of South East Asian Institutions of Higher Learning (ASAIHL), the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada (AUCC), and the U15 Group of Canadian Research Universities. As sport is an immensely important part of a university’s extracurriculars, the University of British Columbia’s sporting affiliations includes the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), U Sports, and the Canada West Universities Athletic Association.
UBC welcomes students from countries all across the world with its student population comprising over 70,000 students. It also houses over 15,000 administrative and academic staff at its campuses. The university does not have an extremely selective admissions policy with the University of British Columbia’s acceptance rate at 52.4%. The university also boasts an impressive list of alumni including Nobel laureates, Rhodes Scholars, Olympians, American Academy of Arts and Sciences fellows, Royal Society fellows, fellows of the Royal Society of Canada and Canadian Prime Ministers.
Ranking
UBC has maintained its rank in the top 3 best universities in Canada and belongs in the top 50 best universities around the globe. Noted for its contribution to the world of education and research in a number of education journals, research publications and ranking surveys conducted by independent ranking bodies, the university rank high in terms of academic reputation. As for its course-wise ranking, its programmes in finance, engineering, science, medicine and humanities are renowned in the country as well as across the world. In Canada, the university ranked second and 26th in the world for Graduate Employability Rankings. Some of the global University of British Columbia rankings are mentioned below.
- #32 globally - THE Times World University Rankings 2022
- #40 - THE Times Top Universities by Reputation 2020
- #28 - THE Times Graduate Employability: top universities in Canada ranked by employers 2022
- #42 - Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU) / Shanghai Rankings 2021
The course-wise or subject-wise rankings of UBC for 2021 by different ranking bodies and publications are listed as follows:
- #84 - MBA (QS)
- #29 - Business Analytics (QS)
- #35 - Business and Economics (THE)
- #96 - Management (Financial Times)
- #43 - Accounting and Finance (QS)
- #32 - Engineering and Technology (QS)
- #49 - Computers (THE)
- #33 - Life Sciences (THE)
- #13 - Psychology (THE)
Year
QS Ranks
US News Ranks
2025
#38
-
2023
#47
#35
2022
#46
#35
2021
#46
#35
Facilities
The university has campuses in the city of Vancouver and in the city of Kelowna in the Okanagan Valley, both in British Columbia. Both campuses are spread out over their respective cities. The sub-campuses and university buildings on the Vancouver campus consist of UBC Point Grey, UBC Robson Square, UBC-VGH Medical Campus, and UBC-Great Northern Way. Sub-campuses and buildings in Kelowna comprise UBC Okanagan Campus, OBC Innovation Library, and the UBC-KGH Clinical Academic Campus. The Vancouver campus is spread out over an area of 993 acres and the Okanagan campus is spread out over 515 acres.
Being a key player in the arena of research, the University of British Columbia facilities are designed to support world-class teaching, learning and research environments. The University of British Columbia Library is a true marvel housing millions of volumes, ebooks, journals, locally produced digital collections and other manuscripts unlike no other library and learning in the country. For students, there is a wide range of associations, councils, committees, clubs and societies to immerse themselves in and indulge in a range of hobbies and interests as part of the university experience.
Notable Alumni
Courses
Admission
University of British Columbia Entry Requirements
Eligibility criteria to get into any higher education institution is a given. UBC also has a set of entry requirements to get into a programme of one’s choice at the university. Eligibility criteria are determined by a variety of factors including what course one wants to pursue, at what level, one’s previous academic records and where they have pursued their previous studies from. The university has a quite lenient admissions policy which makes it fairly easy for students to get a foot in provided they meet all the entry requirements. The University of British Columbia entry requirements for undergraduate and postgraduate admissions are listed below.
Undergraduate Admissions
- A recognised higher secondary school certification is required for undergraduate admissions and score requirements depend on the course one wishes to take. A minimum of 85% is required.
- The accepted English language proficiency tests are TOEFL, IELTS, CAEL (Canadian Academic English Language Assessment), Duolingo English Test (DET) and Pearson Test of English (PTE). Minimum scores for each include an overall band score of 6.5 (IELTS), an overall score of 90 (TOEFL), and an overall score of 65 (PTE).
Postgraduate Admissions
- An undergraduate degree from a recognised higher education institution is required for postgraduate admission to the university. Grade requirements depend on what course one wants to pursue at the postgraduate level but a minimum of 65% is required.
- English language proficiency test score requirements are standard across all courses and accepted tests are TOEFL, CAEL, IELTS, PTE and DET.
University of British Columbia Fees
University fees at UBC depend on whether a student classifies as a home or international student, what course they wish to pursue at the university and at what level they choose to study the said course. Tuition fees are just one component of university fees with personal expenses, admission fees, and expenses for books and supplies being other additional components. Below mentioned are the University of British Columbia fees for undergraduate and postgraduate students.
Tuition fees for international students for certain undergraduate programmes are mentioned as follows.
- Engineering: CAD 54,986
- Computer Science: CAD 44,091
- Media Studies: CAD 42,802
- Science: CAD 44,091
- Kinesiology: CAD 44,091
Tuition fees for international students to pursue a postgraduate degree at UBC range from CAD 10,000 to CAD 75,000 depending on the course and how many instalments the course has.
University of British Columbia Placements
While the university does not have a structured department that deals with career services and placements, the future of students after graduation is taken very seriously at UBC. Their strategic alliances and partnerships with some of the major organisations and corporations across Canada and the rest of the world put the university in a position to help ensure that its students land excellent employment opportunities after graduation. The University of British Columbia placements ensures that its students earn somewhere in the range of CAD 20,000 TO CAD 33,000 in whatever field they gain employment in.
Scholarship
Regardless of the programme you are studying, there are several scholarship opportunities provided by the University of British Columbia as well as other organisations. With so many scholarships available now, overseas students can greatly lower the financial burden of studying in a new country. You can apply for scholarships to study at the university through UniScholars. You can find the following types of scholarships based on your academic performance and financial situation:
- Merit-based scholarships
- Need-based scholarships
- Country-specific scholarships
- College-specific scholarships
- Student-specific scholarships
Finances
Most international students are obligated to show proof of sufficient funds in order to obtain a visa. While some students may have the opportunity to make use of scholarships, not all students cut the eligibility to get a scholarship or a grant. Moreover, not all scholarships cover 100% of your study abroad expenses. At such times, most students resort to acquiring education loans to avoid the financial hassles associated with studying at the University of British Columbia. For Indian students, UniCreds is the ideal education loan marketplace if you’re looking for low-interest rates and free consultation services!
Accommodation
There are several student housing options available for students planning to attend the University of British Columbia. You may select from a wide choice of affordable yet elegant student flats, halls of residence, studios, ensuites, and more! You have the option of staying on campus in the university halls of residence or in a private residence. Because of their proximity to the university, on-campus housing options may be ideal; nevertheless, they tend to fill up fast and are more expensive.
UniAcco simplifies the process of finding student housing and offers a variety of options. As a result, students can select from a wide range of available student accommodations near the university, such as luxury studios, en-suites, and shared apartments that are more inexpensive and student-friendly.
Cost of Living
It is always tricky to learn to keep track of finances while at university. Students at the University of British Columbia are always advised to build a budget to help keep track of their daily, weekly and/or monthly expenses during university. It is always best to stay abreast of all the expenses one would incur upon studying abroad. Below mentioned are the average costs a student might incur while living in Vancouver, Canada.
|
Particulars |
Expenses (per month) |
|
Off-campus Accommodation |
CAD 500 |
|
On-Campus Accommodation |
CAD 1500 |
|
Transportation |
CAD 124 |
|
Food |
CAD 720 |
|
Utilities |
CAD 96 |
|
Entertainment and Leisure |
CAD 99 |
|
Groceries |
CAD 96 |
|
Clothes |
CAD 53 |
|
Total Cost of Living with Off-Campus Accommodation |
CAD 1564 |
|
Total Cost of Living with On-Campus Accommodation |
CAD 2564 |