The University of British Columbia

Founded 1908 | Vancouver, BC

An undergraduate could feel overwhelmed at a school as big as UBC, with its sprawling Point Grey campus and an international reputation for research and graduate programs. It’s a challenge that the university addresses. In an ongoing effort to create more intimate learning, UBC is adding more student-centric learning spaces and engaging neighbouring municipalities as community partners. The smaller Okanagan campus, which has about 12,000 students, is a research and learning hub.

It was founded in partnership with the Syilx Okanagan Nation and it agreed to support Okanagan Indigenous culture and knowledge. Both campuses offer a range of cultural and recreational activities, as well as spectacular natural scenery. UBC operates Canada’s largest student housing program, including the 650-bed Exchange Residence that features 71 small nano suites. UBC’s newest residence community, the Houses of the Ones Belonging to the Saltwater, provides more than 800 beds.

UBC boasts a strong record in the number of Rhodes Scholars it has produced and the number of faculty who have received 3M National Teaching Fellowships. “UBC is an exceptional university with an outstanding and diverse student body,” says president Deborah Buszard. “Through education and research with our renowned faculty, we challenge them to change the future. They rise to that challenge around the world.”

Standout Programs

• Bachelor + Master of Management: Students in this dual degree can combine undergraduate study from a range of disciplines with a master of management; opportunities to work on real-world business projects are included.

• Sustainability: This interdisciplinary program provides students with a nuanced understanding of today’s leading environmental issues through hands-on, community-based learning.

• Nsyilxcn Language Fluency: Students in this immersive bachelor program gain proficiency in the Nsyilxcn language while exploring strategies to promote its conservation and revitalization.

Tuition (includes compulsory ancillary fees)

$6,664

Minimum Entering Grades

Arts, Science, Commerce, Engineering:

UBC no longer captures entering grades as a single metric; grades are reviewed relevant to the program.

Student Body

Undergraduates: Full-time: 38,891 | Part-time: 19,848

Graduates: Full-time: 10,985 | Part-time: 1,694

International Students: First-year: 33% | Graduate: 41%

Male-Female Ratio: 45 to 55

Housing Facts

Residence Spaces: 15,337 (6,386 reserved for first-year students)

Residence Costs: Double room with meals: $10,295 to $12,635

Single room with meals: $11,469 to $15,035

Apartment-style: $6,720 to $13,571

Cool Courses

• Health Impacts of Climate Change: Draw on a public health perspective to examine how climate change affects human health, both physically and mentally.

• Shopping, Society and Sustainability: Students examine the effects of consumerism on the environment and learn how to make more informed choices.

Student Life on Campus

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