Counted among the top 20 universities in the world, the University of British Columbia (UBC) is a world-leading centre of teaching, learning and research excellence. With its two main campuses located in Vancouver and Kelowna, UBC has emerged as one of the most sought-after universities for both undergraduate and graduate studies.

With its motto “It is Yours”, UBC aims to create a progressive atmosphere for its students where they can grow, innovate and get equipped to change society. UCB offers several short-time and full-time courses to its students in diverse fields. Due to all this, there is tough competition to become a part of this prestigious institution. Scroll through this blog to know the University of British Columbia Acceptance Rate.

UBC values diversity and strongly encourages high achieving international students to apply to our graduate programs.

About 30% of master’s students, and 44% of doctoral students at UBC Vancouver are international students. We have close to 3600 doctoral students and 6200 master’s students, the fourth largest graduate student population among Canadian universities, and our 85 academic units offer over 250 research-based programs and 85 course-based master’s programs.

The University Of British Columbia

The University of British Columbia (UBC) is a global centre for research and teaching, consistently ranked among the 40 top universities in the world and among the top 20 public universities in the world. Since 1915, UBC has embraced innovation and challenged the status quo. Its entrepreneurial perspective encourages students, staff and faculty to challenge convention, lead discovery and explore new ways of learning. At UBC, bold thinking is given a place to develop into ideas that can change the world.

UBC ranks number one in the world for taking urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts. UBC’s research on climate change, use of energy and preparations for dealing with the consequences of climate change is world leading. UBC also ranks in the top three universities in the world for making a global impact through research, outreach and stewardship to address global challenges related to poverty, inequality, climate, environmental degradation, prosperity and peace and justice.

Centered on two major campuses in Vancouver and Kelowna, UBC hosts more than 70,000 students from Canada and more than 160 countries. It holds an international reputation for excellence in advanced research and learning, offering innovative undergraduate, graduate and professional programs.

UBC advances learning and teaching by expanding opportunities outside the classroom. This includes informal educational settings and enriched learning opportunities such as co-op placements as well as international and community service learning.

Undergraduate students receive personalized support from Enrolment Services Professionals. A broad-based approach to admissions makes UBC the largest Canadian university to include non-academic criteria in its application process.

Why Come To University Of British Columbia ?

• DEGREE PROGRAM CHOICEAt UBC, you can choose from more than 300 graduate degree program options and 2000+ research supervisors. You can even design your own program.
• INTERNATIONALTimes Higher Education ranked UBC as the most international university in North America in its “World University Rankings 2020.”
• MILD CLIMATEVancouver has one of the mildest climates in Canada.
• SUPPORTIVEUBC focuses on your success and offers dozens of professional development events and career sessions over the course of your program.
• SAFETYCanada is a safe country and study destination according to Global Piece Index and Global Law and Order Report.
• STUDY-LIFE BALANCEVancouver is one of the most attractive cities in the world, according to rankings by The Economist (world’s most livable city), Mercer Consulting (best city in the world) and by Condé Nast Traveler magazine (best city in the Americas).
• ENTREPRENEURIALSeed funding, tech accelerator, incubator, executives in residence – UBC provides support for all stages of venture creation, from ideation, through business model creation, to company building.
• FANTASTIC LOCATIONVancouver has it all: sea, parks, mountains, beaches and four seasons per year, including beautiful summers and mild, wet winters with snow in the mountains.
• ECONOMIC STRENGTHCanada was ranked 2nd in the 2018 Best Countries Ranking by US News, which measures global performance on a variety of metrics.
• MODERN FACILITIESUBC invested more than $1.5 billion dollars into infrastructure and facilities in the past few years.

University of Columbia Acceptance Rate for Undergraduate Students?

At UBC, undergraduate students enjoy a lot of special benefits and opportunities.

In fact, UBC focuses more on undergraduate students so as to nurture and train them properly.

But you shouldn’t think that graduate students get less attention and guidance.

Undergraduate programs at UBC usually last for four to five years depending on your course.

Furthermore, the choice of your course also determines the campus at which you would reside and learn.

Today, the University of British Columbia undergraduate acceptance rate is 65%.

In the coming years, analysts have predicted it will further drop behind by some percentage.

There are ten faculties in UBC which have over 100 courses in them in general. Therefore, these faculties include;

• Business and economics
• Earth, environment, and sustainability
• Education
• Engineering and technology
• Health and life sciences
• History, law, and politics
• Languages and linguistics
• Math, chemistry, and physics
• Media and fine arts
• People, culture, and society

Conclusively, undergraduate students at UBC enjoy the access to directly connect with their alumni.

University Of British Columbia Acceptance Rate For Masters

The Graduate School of UBC has programs separated into its campuses in Vancouver and Okanagan.

While its Vancouver campus offers programs in Computer Science, Endodontics and English, its Okanagan campus offers graduate programs in Data Science and Engineering as well.

Although the two campuses don’t share the same location, they have the same curriculum and calendar too.

Graduate students in Okanagan get to have supervisors who will guide them throughout their research process.

Master’s students in UBC pay $1,665.26 per instalment as domestic students while international students pay $2,925.58 per instalment.

However, if you can’t afford tuition for your graduate program, there are some scholarship opportunities for you which will disclose later in this article.

Apart from the regular Master’s and PhD program, UBC has another special graduate program.

This program is called the Interdisciplinary Studies Graduate Program.

Hence, this program is designed for advanced interdisciplinary research exceeding the provisions of existing departmental programs.

In this program, students don’t work within a circle of topics, instead, they research borderless.

Highly motivated students usually take up these programs so as to move towards an independent course.

Interested students in this program can apply with their specific topics which UBC will approve.

UBC Graduate Admission Requirements

UCB offers 85 course-based master’s programs where students can choose from 330 postgraduate specializations.

In order to apply for admission to the UBC Graduate School, the following documents are required:

• Valid passport
• Academic transcripts
• English proficiency test scores
• Academic CV/ Resume
• Statement of Purpose (depending upon program requirement)
• Two Letters of Recommendation
• Proof of professional experience (if any)
• English proficiency test scores.

Please note that the International Baccalaureate and all course documents must be submitted in PDF format.

You may want to learn more about the requirements for international students to pursue a master’s degree in Canada. Check out our related article.

All applications are submitted through the university’s Graduate Admissions portal.

In addition, UBC charges a graduate tuition registration fee of 168.25 CAD. Online payments can only be made with MasterCard or Visa credit cards. Only Canadian debit cards can be used as payment cards.

They also accept Interac payments/debit payments from TD Canada Trust or RBC Interac account holders.

Application Fee Waiver

According to the UN, applicants from the world’s 50 least developed countries are exempt from application fees.

Please note that there is no fee for applying to graduate programs in the Department of Chemistry at the UBC Vancouver campus.

UBC English Language Test Requirements

Applicants from universities outside of Canada where English is not the primary language of instruction must submit the results of an English language proficiency test as part of their application. The exams must have been taken within the last 24 months when the application is made.

The value of English fluency

English is one of Canada’s two official languages ​​and the primary language used for teaching at UBC. A strong command of English means that Freshers can quickly integrate into their academic environment and meet fellow students and staff who are their peers at UBC. Students with good English skills are more likely to succeed; they experience much less stress and enjoy learning more.

Applicants are encouraged to focus on learning to speak, listen, read and write English, regardless of whether they are preparing for the TOEFL exam (or any other exam), as this will best prepare them to communicate in all situations. Students with strong English skills are more likely to do well on the TOEFL test.

Students from eligible countries who intend to apply for a Student Direct Stream (SDS) are advised to check the eligibility requirements carefully. Currently, SDS applications are only accepted for IELTS.

Individual graduate programs may require higher English language scores and may also require minimum scores on various sections of any test. Check the English language score requirements on the individual course websites.

Acceptable Language Tests

As you pay attention to the UBC acceptance rate and other admission requirements, you should also ensure that you know about the acceptable English language tests.

Individual postgraduate programs may charge higher English proficiency points than others. Check the program requirements for your field of study.

In order for the English test results to be official, the testing agency must send them directly to the graduate school.

Acceptable English language proficiency tests for applicants seeking graduate programs are as follows:

CAEL (Canadian Academic English Language)

The minimum score is 70, and no section is to be below 60.

Cambridge English Qualification

• C1 Advanced (Certificate of Advanced English).
• C2 Proficiency (certificate of English language skills).

The minimum score is 180, with no sub-section below 176.

*The results of these tests can be used at any time as they do not expire.

CEL (UBC English Language Certificate)

75% in each section of the 600-level course.

Duolingo English

The minimum total score is 125 and no section should be below 115.

*The exam is tentatively accepted until the summer of 2025.

Also Read: Columbia School of Social Work Acceptance Rate

IELTS (International English Language Testing Service) Academic

The minimum score for a band is 6.5, and no individual score should be below 6.0.

When ordering test results, use the school’s office address and enter the following information in the More Information section:

• Department Head’s Name: College of Graduate School
• Department Head’s email address: gradadmissions.ok@ubc.ca
• Head of Department Tel: 250 807 8772

MET (Michigan English Test) 4 Skill tests

A minimum score of 64 with no component below 59.

PTE (Pearson) Academic

The minimum total score is 65 points, and no item is below 60 points.

TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) iBT

The total score is 90, with at least 22 in reading and listening and at least 21 in writing and speaking (online version).

At least 22 reading and listening and at least 21 written (hard copy).

Scores that meet the minimum scores above will be considered eligible for the English language test.

School code TOEFL UBC – 0965.

TOEFL Essentials

The total score is 10 points, and no point is less than 8.5 points.

Scores that meet the minimum scores above will be considered eligible for the English language test.

UBC Okanagan’s institution code is 2499.

*The exam is tentatively accepted until the summer of 2025.

More information about UBC’s English language requirements can be found here.

Submission of test results

TOEFL and IELTS test takers can request the results to be delivered to the university electronically. The school only accept electronic delivery directly from the test centre to UBC. All other tests require an official paper test report ordered from the testing agency. No copies will be made of the test results.

PROGRAM OPTIONS

COURSE-BASED PROGRAMS

Course-based pograms, sometimes referred to as professional programs, require a student to complete a set number of courses to obtain a degree. Submission of an individual research thesis is usually not required, but programs may include major projects, capstone courses, internships or other work placements. Course-based programs tend to be shorter in duration and more flexible in program delivery, usually with higher tuition costs. These are often targeted at professionals with some work experience to attain the next career promotion or a change into another field.

RESEARCH-BASED PROGRAMS

Research-based programs usually include some coursework at the beginning of the degree and then focus on individual independent research under the supervision of a faculty member that culminates in the formulation of a thesis or dissertation. Most master programs require 2 years of study and PhD programs usually require between 5-7 years of study. Research degrees provide the possibility to become an expert in a chosen field of study with the possibility to pursue an academic career as professor as well as exciting careers in non-academic environments. Many UBC programs expect applicants to have obtained a master’s level qualification before entering a PhD, although direct entry into PhD progams is possible at UBC.

ACCEPTANCE RATE

With an acceptance rate of over 50% and around 25% for undergraduate and graduate courses, respectively, the institute allows a fair chance to all the worthy and deserving candidates. While some might counter-argue the competitive aspect of admissions in light of this high acceptance rate, however, it is no cakewalk to gain enrolment at the institute. 

The probability of acceptance at the university will vary in response to different parameters. For instance, it is comparatively likely to gain entry into arts than science or Okanagan than Vancouver. But applicants must ensure that they prepare well for the holistic approach that UBC takes and work on their References, Statement of Purpose, Project Proposals, and Internships as seriously as the good grades. 

Aspirants of Engineering department must note that there are no direct admissions from the committee and that candidates must get in touch with the faculty professors, show them interest, propose projects and see if they will be interested in assisting you as their student. Since University of British Columbia with its strong “employer reputation” can help you land some of the high-paying jobs in Canada, pursuing your dream rigorously will all be worthwhile in the end. 

UBC Graduate Admissions

Admission Portal: Apply online at the official website.*
*Some graduate degree programs, not administered by the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies, follow their individual application systems and must be applied for separately.
Application Fee: 143 CAD
Basic Academic Requirement: Bachelor’s degree
Admission-Related Requirements:

• Complete an online application and submit the mandatory documents including transcripts, letters of reference, among others.
• Provide the required test scores like English proficiency and GRE or equivalent.
• Submit a statement of interest and criminal record check, if required.

Program-wise specifications for graduate-level admission into diverse programs are tabulated as follows:

Requirements	Masters in Electrical & Computer Engineering	Master of Digital Media	Master of Business Administration (MBA)	Masters in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology	Master of Creative Writing & Theatre
Transcripts	Mandatory	–	Mandatory	Mandatory	Mandatory
GMAT/GRE	Required	Not Required	Required	Required	–
Resume/CV	Required	Required	Required	–	Required
LORs/References	3 References	3 References	2 References	Required	3 References
SOI/Essays	Mandatory	Mandatory	Mandatory	–	Mandatory
Experience	Preferred	–	2 years	Required	Preferred
Additional Requirements	–	Portfolio	Interview	Portfolio; Lab Experience	Portfolio

Every year, thousands of scholars apply to UBC for admissions, making it evidently more important for you to stand out. While LORs are usually the significant aspects of the admission process, they mostly are under-rated or overwritten. Make sure your references talk about your tenacity, perseverance, and why you will be a worthy candidate for the university. 

Tuition And Fees At the University of British Columbia

Tuition and academic financing at UBC depend on the program of study and whether you are a domestic or international student.

University of British Columbia Undergraduate Tuition Fees

Domestic Students

The program of study often determines the tuition fee at an undergraduate domestic student level at the University of British Columbia and varies between $5,506 to $8,874 annually.

International Students

Academic fees for an undergraduate international student at the University of British Columbia vary between $39,460 to $51 635 annually, dependent upon the study program.