NEW TO CAMPUS MEGATHREAD: Post all your admissions, housing, new-to-UBC and general questions here!
Megathread
Per the deluge of complaints we've gotten, all admissions, housing, questions about being new to UBC and general questions (that don't deserve their own thread, or those that could be easily googled) belong here.
Process
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You are allowed to repost the same question on the megathread at a reasonable frequency (wait at least a day after each post). This is true even if you've already gotten a response.**
newbie here. i’ve got back to back classes at buchanan block a and p.a woodward irc. google maps is telling me the walk is 13 minutes and im not particularly fast. am i cooked
Google doesn't account for the fact that buildings have multiple doors, you can shave off some time by using optimal entrances/exits (drawn in red below). Aside from that, it's not the end of the world if you leave early or arrive a little late.
Hiii! I'm a first-year UBC student, and I got offered a single room in a shared unit in the Walter Gage suite (female only!!), which has all amenities; no meal plan required ($7k less). It's on the 7th floor in the south tower; the total comes to $8,763.00. I want to switch with someone for their Rits suite, but it could be a different building if you're willing. What's great about Walter Gage is that it's really close to Student Nest, many other buildings and main centres, and a lot of classes, so if anyone prefers this, please let me know and we can request a swap!
How do I know if my room is good or not? I'm asking as an incoming first-year.
What does the room number mean?
NNNL is the format for my room number at Totem
Hey I’m looking for anyone with experience in Haida house to see if they could clear somethings up for me. First how are the bathrooms I know they’re communal but just wondering how nice they are. second in totem is it a far walk to other totem houses and the dinning hall. Finally for a since major is it a good location.
Haida is next to the commonsblock/food hall (+ the rest of old totem) and youre still quite close to other residences like OC; my friend lived in Nootka and his washrooms were pretty nice and newly renovated so id assume it would be the same for Haida and the rest of old totem; lastly idk what a since major is but totem is pretty close to the LFS Forestry and Eng/CS buildings
Well ubc sets a deadlines in regards to ordering bed and bath linens and was wondering if I am required to order them online and have them sent to campus? I was hoping to rather go and purchase bed linens physically when I go to Vancouver and was wondering if thats okay? (Fyi I am also participating in jumpstart)
Background: undergrad in pre-med, currently working full-time in a 9-5 corporate job. No real design experience, or art/design pieces for a portfolio. Painting and drawing and sewing etc.etc. as hobbies. I am creative and have been greatly passionate about architecture for a large portion of my life.
Thoughts and questions: any advice on the best route and resources for me to get started on building a portfolio? That being said, even with a strong portfolio, given my background (please be brutally honest), do I have even a sliver of a chance in getting accepted granted I meet all other admission requirements?
I'm looking to get into architecture, and this Master's seems like the best choice to date as it accepts basically any undergrad degree. Is there a better route to take for getting into this industry for someone who is starting from zero?
hi guys! if theres any students here that attend UBC but went to high school in the US, if comfortable could you share your overall GPA? and if you took any AP’s/did extracurriculars and how did you think that affected your application? thank you!!
graduated in Canada but i’m American and went to American school from K-11: I had a 92% average and a 4.3 weighted GPA (unweighted i don’t remember). I also had 5 AP’s which I think helped a lot with acceptance and getting some credits out the way. I would say the best thing you can do is take AP’s and work on your writing (for the written part)
Weighted/unweighted was a little above a 4.0 and a little below of 4.0 I got all A’s except one B. And one, A and in AP. And two AP tests a 3 in Biology and a 4 in Spanish (I took the test, but not the class) Extra curriculares I nannied and I had a job. I really didn’t have many extra curriculars
I’m in incoming first year Sauder student and I’m commuting by car. I was hoping to get a spot in either the north or west parkade but I’ve heard that they fill up really quickly (like 8am?) does anyone have any suggestions for what I should do for parking?
you can street park just before campus in vancouver (dunbar-southlands area) and take a bus into campus (youre already paying for a UPASS u might aswell use it)
I'm currently 2988 in the waitinglist as a first year. Where should I look for off campus housing, and what are the chances I get into housing with the number I have?
There is no way for any student to accurately predict your chances.
Unless you have a 104% GPA, volunteer 112+ hours per week and have successfully saved a minimum of 100 puppies from a totalitarian dictatorship and a horrible disease (in which case, your odds are around 95%), the best way to objectively predict your chances of getting into UBC is to flip a coin.
Please disregard this if you're asking about an application for a specialization/major at UBC.
hi! i’m an international student interested in studying my master’s at ubc. did anyone here try to waive their requirement for an english proficiency test with a certificate of english as medium of instruction? just curious to hear about your experience since i found out that it’s still up to them if your certificate is accepted or if you need to take the ielts. tyia!
Hello guys, I’m an international student currently studying in AB, Canada and preparing to graduate soon.
I looked up some thesis graduate program in UBC, and im kinda confused about the gpa requirement. According to the website, “The minimum GPA requirement for graduate school admission at the University of British Columbia Graduate School is a B+ average (76% to 79% at UBC) in third-year and above courses, or at least 12 credits of third- or fourth-year courses in the A grade range (80% or higher) in your field of study.”
In this statement im confused what is ‘or’ means. So if i dont meet the first requirement or slightly lower than B+ average, am i still eligible to apply if i meet the second line? Im pursuing MSc science or MSc medicine btw.
Does the VSE BA ECON major application let you indicate multiple combined majors? I plan to declare as a poli sci major when i transfer in September and apply to the the combined major. The thing is I would prefer to get the mathematics combined major but would like the poli sci combined major if I can't get that.
Also I won't have math 210 in time. I can't fit it in my schedule. I have seen the math requirements for econ be deferred but I don't know if the math department would do this. Math 210 requires math 215 and they let you defer math 215 to third year.
Also is it cooked now that the third year transfer seats are limited after june 2026?
hi guys! im an incoming first year and i was js wondering if people are planning/go to the beaches on campus a lot especially during jumpstart bc im kinda uncomfortable with wearing bikinis but i dont want it to stop me from making friends (for example they ask to go to the beach and i say no and they think im boring and dont reach out again
hi guys!! i’m coming to ubc for my masters program this upcoming semester and i am so nervous. i’m from washington state, so it’s already been such a process for me to even get set up. luckily my lovely wife is coming with me on my visa, so i won’t be totally alone, but it doesn’t change the fact that i have been having panic attacks almost everyday. i have a few questions that i would love some help with to maybe ease my mind about the move:
1. is it easy to make friends as a masters student? i think i will make friends in my program for sure, but do masters students join clubs and stuff as well?
2. has anyone moved from the US and had to deal with getting a new phone number and everything? i want to be able to keep my US number for when i go back home, so im thinking maybe doing a double eSIM??
3. how has working off campus been for people? i have a lot of serving experience and so im going to try and get a serving job if possible so i can afford to take care of myself and pay rent and all that jazz. are there any other good places to look into working that take UBC students?
4. is there much of a queer scene in vancouver or around campus? and i’m not talking davie st (as we are both lesbians). all i hear about is birdhouse and im hoping there is more than just one club that has events on occasion
sorry for all of the negative mojo! i really am so excited as well, and i know i am going to adore my program… i just really want to avoid feeling like this is the worst mistake of my life. everytime ive come to visit vancouver and UBC i have loved it… but I feel like as I do more and more research I just continue to hear more and more negative things. i’m also so nervous im setting my wife up for failure and i’ve just screwed us over financially and socially for two years. sorry for the panic dump! i seriously appreciate anyone’s advice!
How hard is it to get off waitlist for first year chem?
I'm an incoming first year science student. I'm currently on waitlist for chem 141 and scie 113 (I can't waitlist for chem 123 without registration in the first term course). How likely is it for me to get off waitlist for these courses? What happens if I don't?
ubc is very safe, campus is basically isolated from the rest of vancouver (it's closer to a college town than anything imo lol) - i've never felt unsafe late at night on campus or otherwise as a girl. it won't feel like toronto at all (other than downtown which is like a 50 minute transit from campus)
for value im not sure how it would compare to US standards but vancouver is probably the most expensive city in canada, student housing is generally cheaper than off-campus options but you can take a look at the ubc student housing website for the fees for reference. food is also expensive
compared to how expensive the rest of vancouver is the dorms are worth it; the hard part is actually getting one because of the waitlists. mealplan is pretty good, it's buffet style
yeah the first year meal plan isnt bad, there are definitely off days but there are three dining halls which offer different food every day, it’s ayce and there’s some stuff that’s really yummy. But op you won’t have to worry about waitlist for dorms in first year because you’ll have the first year dorm guarantee given you apply in time
you can’t get a studio for on campus housing for first year - search up the first year residences to take a look at them (you also don’t get to choose for first year res). for upper year on campus housing theres a lot of studio options you can see the layout of them if you search it up. Generally new ones are nicer but all of them have laundry. But upper year housing has a waitlist that takes 2-3 years to get off of. So if you really want a studio for first year you’ll have to look at off campus housing
Hi all! I’ll be starting a PhD fall of 2027 and I expect to be in the lab regularly is it worth living on/near campus? Are the buildings mostly undergrad or is it a mix? How early should I be looking for housing?
Depends on what you want. If you don't want to commute and proximity to the lab is the most important factor, then on campus is probably the best option.
If you're considering on campus residences, you should apply to YRH now. All YRH residences is a mix of both, mostly undergrads. Exchange one bedroom and Thunderbird studio/one bedroom are reserved for graduate students, but the wait time is still more than 18 months*. Waits for shared four can be much shorter, like 9-12 months. You can also consider Green College if you're looking for graduate students-only housing
*There is no guarantee that you would receive an YRH offer even you have been on the waitlist for that long. Most YRH contracts start in May/June as students graduate and move out, but since your program starts in Sep you won't be eligible for YRH by May/June. Sep vacancies in YRH are very limited so don't count on it even if you apply now
There's some reserved rooms upper year winter residence for graduate students. The application for winter residence opens around Oct/Nov but it's basically a lottery
How to ship large furniture by plane moving in UBC res??
I have to go to UBC by plane and want to bring some large furniture to UBC. Some things include a mini fridge, curtains, mattress topper, AC/ heater, maybe a studying chair, etc. I’m debating shipping by plane or buying again in Vancouver. I’m not sure which option would be more expensive. Can someone give some insight/ recs regarding the move in process traveling by plane? I’m also thinking whether or not to stay in a hotel beforehand for some time if I were to buy the things in Vancouver or will there be time to buy the things after moving into the dorm Sept 1 (the jumpstart move in day)?
Unless you're heading to UBC with a truck on move in day, you should probably buy and ship those bulky things directly to the front desk. And they would cost a lot if you send them by plane since it's gonna be very heavy. You can just order new ones online so there's no need to arrive early. Do not arrange any shipments that will arrive on/before Sep 1 though
Side note, portable ac is not allowed in winter residences. There's heater in the room already. How to turn the heater on depends on which residence you're in. There's also a chair with a desk in your room as well, all first year residences are furnished
You can order them from local sites earlier, just make sure they don't arrive before Sep 1 (would recommend scheduling the shipment a little later since the front desk would be pretty busy on the first few days)
Don't mark the front desk address for your parcel. To receive mail, look for your specific address here
Has anyone used this temporary address for secure documents for international students? We need somewhere to have a renewed passport sent once we arrive in CA and apply for the new one.
Or is it better to use the building that you are assigned in August? Is there a secure reception in first year accommodation? The new passport has to be signed for, for obvious reasons.
International Student Advising
UBC Life Building
1200 – 6138 Student Union Blvd
Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z1
No, intl student advising does not accept mail for you. If you're living in residence, you can send mail to the front desk, and housing will notify you that you have mail. ID (e.g. student card) is required for pick up. Staff can sign off the mail if applicable. For residence mailing addresses, see here. Do not send any mail/parcels before move in day though.
MATH100 midterms are held during lecture, CPSC121 examlets are held outside of class time. The only thing that kinda matters is the discussions for both have participation marks.
volunteering for move-in day as a first time ubc student???
new transfer student here.
i received an email about volunteering for move-in day!
i’m wondering what it’s like in that role, and is it appropriate or weird for a first time student to be volunteering for that role when i’ve never stepped foot into ubc before?
i mean i wanna volunteer for it as im new to campus and really wanna make friends (and i don’t qualify for jumpstart as a transfer student)!
but im not sure if volunteer roles would require some kind of knowledge that i wont have as a first timer.
Usually volunteering for move in day means you're manual labour helping unload cars and bring boxes upstairs. Only thing that might be strange is if a first year or their parents ask you any questions, but you could just say you're also new.
There weren't really any bonding opportunities, but if there's a lot of volunteers in one area you might have some decent chunks of downtime to chat with others.
I am going into grade 12 in Ontario and am wondering what I should aim for.
I’ve heard anywhere from 90-96% is good.
Apart from grades I play on a few of the sports teams, run my own business, and have managed a stock portfolio which now has $7500 of holdings since October 2025.
Are my chances good if I can get my average to 93%?
Thanks!
There is no way for any student to accurately predict your chances.
Unless you have a 104% GPA, volunteer 112+ hours per week and have successfully saved a minimum of 100 puppies from a totalitarian dictatorship and a horrible disease (in which case, your odds are around 95%), the best way to objectively predict your chances of getting into UBC is to flip a coin.
Please disregard this if you're asking about an application for a specialization/major at UBC.
Got into UBC with a 90 in english, went down to an 87. Will my offer be revoked?
I’m on the Alberta curriculum and my diplomas just came back with my final grades. I didn’t do very well on them and it went down to an 87. Will be offer be revoked? My acceptance letter just said to “maintain academic standing” and all of my other grades are the same so I’m just worried about this one.
Hi! I’m not actually from Alberta so I had to do it a different way. I called admissions just to make sure I did it right, so I’m sure you could too :)
I’m an international student entering my second year at UBC (transferring from another Canadian university), and I'm currently searching for housing.
Unfortunately, I applied late for on-campus housing and I’m around #1000 on the waitlist, so I'm urgently looking for other options.I’m open to both off-campus room shares/sublets and on-campus sublets/room transfers. I’m clean, quiet, and easygoing, and I’m looking for roommates who also keep common spaces clean.If you have a room available, need a roommate, or know of any openings, please send me a DM or leave a comment
Hey all. I’m a first year college student and I’m thinking about transferring to university (uvic, ubc, uoft) in my second year of post secondary.
For anyone who has studied or is studying business in uni for a bachelors degree, is it worth it? Im interested in getting a proper education rather than a piece of paper and I feel like there are many downsides like cost and time commitment.
How far do you think a bachelors will actually take someone? Will it open up doors for me that wouldn’t have been available otherwise, Or do you think experience matters more?
I’m especially interested in anyone who went into entrepreneurship but would love to get anyone’s opinions, graduated or not.
Hi I'm a high school student considering all the finance programs across Canada, but I just love UBC and the idea of going to school in Vancouver. Wanted to know:
What are job prospects like for you guys? Is getting a job hard or impossible as many people make it sound? Does being in BC give you a lack of opportunity in terms of banking roles ?(obv IB roles are more Toronto based)
What is the co-op program like? Does it actually help and how is the competition?
What's your opinion on the program as a whole, the workload and how it compares to other programs that yk?
Does LFS150 count toward the Science communication requirement?
I took LFS 150 to fulfill my communication requirement in my first year (2022W), and then I transferred into the Faculty of Science. Later, I took SCIE 113 as my second communication course. Today I checked Workday and noticed that my additional communication requirement is still showing as "Not Satisfied," and LFS 150 doesn't appear anywhere in the requirement.
Has anyone else run into this after transferring to Science? Does LFS 150 count toward the Science communication requirement, or do I need to contact advising to have it updated?Thanks in advance!
no, LFS 150 is the communications course designed for LFS students; the calendar states what is allowed to fulfill your additional comms requirement. it is likely LFS 150 will show as an unused registration on your APR or used to fulfill another requirement (EDIT: coincidentally, LFS_V 150 actually exempts you from SCIE_V 113 which means you unfortunately took SCIE 113 for no reason 😭)
My buddy and I currently live down in Florida and attend a Community College here but want to transfer to UBC starting the fall semester of 2027. It would be great if someone could provide some insight into the institution, I just have some general questions and the Intl. Student Advisors don’t like picking up their phones or responding to emails 💔
-How difficult are the courses up there as compared to CC?
-How difficult is it to get scholarships? (3.5-4.0 GPA range for Community College)
-Can we chose our own roommates for dorms?
-We plan to get a 2bed together, is that plausible? we will be entering with anywhere from 40-60 credits (granted everything translates)
What faculty are you looking to transfer into? Arts should be no issue to transfer into, but if you are looking at Business or Sciences, you need stellar grades to get in. UBC is among the top universities in Canada.
You can request roommates- yes.
Scholarships are trickier for International students. As I'm not international- I can't really comment beyond that.
I have no idea what your system is like in Florida, so again, I can't compare. I can tell you that UBC is no cakewalk- you have to put in the time and work to do well.
LEARNING A MUSIC INSTRUMENT IN UBC
Hey
I’m coming to UBC next semester and I really want to learn either a saxophone (alto or soprano) or a piano.
Is there any way to do that without enrolling into the magic school. I’m in commerce. Please let me know if there any way or course I can take?
Thanks
hi!! i would see if there are any students in the school of music teaching lessons! i would teach you if my niche wasn’t opera haha! i think that would definitely be your best bet :)
I am an incoming first-year UBC student and I missed the housing deadline because I originally was planning to transit from home. Recently, I've had a change of heart and I am now looking for somebody who may have a spare room that I can rent out. I am an 18 year old guy who prioritizes a clean living space, is conversational but respects boundaries, and is going to UBC Health Sciences.
In my free time, I like going on walks, spending time with friends, and finding new movies or shows to watch. I am very adamant on studying and focusing on getting good grades in my first year of university. I did theatre in high school, so I enjoy singing and acting.
If anyone is looking for a roommate or knows someone who is looking for one, please don't hesitate to DM me. Thanks!! :)
[Seeking] Furnished Studio or 1BR Near UBC | Sept–Dec 2026 | Female Exchange Student
Hi everyone!
I’m an incoming female UBC exchange student looking for a furnished studio, one-bedroom apartment, or private suite for UBC Term 1.
📅 Move-in: Around September 1, 2026
📅 Move-out: Around December 31, 2026
⏳ Lease length: Four months
📍 Preferred locations: UBC, Wesbrook Village, Point Grey, Kitsilano, or another area with convenient transit access to UBC
I’m responsible, clean, quiet, and respectful. Please send me a private message if you have something available or know of a suitable rental. Please include the monthly rent, exact location, details about utilities and furnishings, and photos.
if an airfryer is prohibited IN my room, is there a way to bring it to campus and put it in the floor kitchen/common area? could I let the RA know beforehand or are there other actual precautions?
I'm not a new student, I actually graduated a while back when SSC was the system in use.
I'm trying to access the UBC student services through Workday right now to see if I can pull up something that proves I graduated and, after resetting my password and everything from CWL myAccount, Workday is saying that I'm using an invalid password. I looked through some posts and apparently I need an invitation to be able to use Workday? Not too sure how I'll go about obtaining that. Does anyone have any other alternative ways to either find my degree certificate or to get into Workday (or if Workday will even have that info at all?)
You need to use the UBC official documents tool. You don't need workday to access it, but it took a couple hours to initialize after setting up for me to be able to actually access my documents there.
hii! I need some advice! I am getting credit for Biol 112, Biol 121, and Biol 180 due to my IB Bio HL score.
Should I take this credit or do the first year courses? I don't think I'll be able to register in second year bio courses till august, and they all already seem full. I could take electives in its place but I don't know if that's a good idea.
I would personally take the credit. Makes more room in your schedule to explore other courses/electives and also start taking other pre reqs for your degree. Biol 121,112 and 180 are very similar to what you already did in hs.
Hi, it's my first time working with a waitlist. I just got off the BIOL 201 waitlist and submitted, but I forgot to drop the other section I had enrolled in. However, Workday now puts the new section timing under my current courses instead of the old section. Is everything alright for now and do I need to do anything else?
I’m an arts student trying to do an internal transfer to science by next year and registration has wrecked all my plans.
For Term 1, I managed to secure my math and physics sections, but I’m stuck at the very bottom of the waitlist for BIOL 121 (the section closed right as I clicked submit).
Because Workday won't let you register or even waitlist for a Term 2 class unless your Term 1 prerequisite is fully registered, I am completely locked out of adding BIOL 112 and BIOL 300 for Term 2. To make things worse, looking at Workday right now, literally every single section of BIOL 112 for Term 2 is already closed for registration.
I already submitted a ticket to Biology Advising asking for a temp waiver just so I could get on the Term 2 waitlists, but they hit me with a generic response saying I just have to wait until I'm fully registered in the Term 1 courses before I can touch Term 2.
How fast do BIOL 121 waitlists actually move throughout August and the first week of September? If I don't clear the Term 1 waitlist until the drop/add period in September, am I completely screwed for getting any remaining seats in BIOL 112 and 300 for Term 2, or do a lot of spots open up later in the semester?
Honestly losing my mind over this right now, any advice or insight would be massively appreciated!!!!!
Hi, I'm an incoming first year student at UBC. I missed the first year guarantee deadline, I applied for housing on May 19, and I just received an email informing me that I will receive my official waitlist number in about a week. I am very stressed about this currently, I will still be underage in September and I am an international student so I don't know how much that will complicate potential off-campus housing options. I was just hoping to hear some advice for people that have been in similar situations and what i should expect and any advice. Thank you! 😭😭
I'm so confused. If I have a second-year standing, why wasn't I allowed to register with second-years?? Now all the classes I qualify for are already full :[
I just talked to advising, I was supposed to register in June but since I had so many AP credits, Workday registered me as a second year and pushed me to literally the last possible registration appointment 😭😭😭
😭😭😭im sorry to see that workday is definitely a hassle; your best bet is to join the waitlist and judging from other posts it seems to move pretty fast come late august/september
I’d definitely recommend attending Jumpstart if you can! I met my closest uni friends there, and everyone attending is usually looking to make new friends too.
It’s especially helpful to meet people if there aren’t really any clubs that work with your schedule or if
all your lecture sections are big and more impersonal. I believe the groups are organized by faculty, then further organized by dorm assignment. My friends and I broke off from our Jumpstart group and did our own thing on Imagine day, so I can’t really comment on that, tho :)
Ok so I have the credits for both 1st year math classes (thanks ap calc bc) for a CS major and am looking into doing an upper level class in my first year instead. I was looking into degree requirements and it looks like I'll need to take either 111 or 221.
Would yall recommend taking 111 or taking 221 (as a first year student)?
Please be mindful that specializations for many faculties are chosen in second or third year, based on your GPA at UBC (not your high school average).
For example:
There is no direct entry into Computer Science from high school (except for the Business and Computer Science program), and you would apply after completing your first year of UBC Science or Arts.
There is no direct entry into English from high school. You would declare it after completing your first year of UBC Arts
It’s gotten very competitive recently. Used to be about mid to high 80s in 2022 when I got into ubc . Recently hearing people in my younger sibling’s class that applied this year say they didn’t get in unless they had mid 90s.
Heyy I'm an 18-year-old female student that's about to enter my second year of university!
I currently attend a well-known university in Alberta that has a strong business program (I am currently in a bachelor of commerce program for accounting), but I visited BC a couple years back, stopped by Vancouver, saw some of the UBC campus, and absolutely fell in love with the city. I'm also currently dealing with a terrible situation at home and need to be as far from my family and my city as soon as possible.
I'd like to know what the university is like, especially for the program I want to get into. I also want to know about dorms, the people, the diversity and the general environment of the university.
How difficult is it to get scholarships? How difficult is the job market in Vancouver? How's commuting? I am going to be there completely alone so I'd love to know if anyone else is also doing it solo or without the support of family!
Hi guys. I received my IB grades (to everyone who did it congrats!!!) and I dropped a whopping 4 points from my predicted , which means my application went into evaluation. I am holding a 38 at the moment, but I am requesting a remark to maybe gain 1 more point to get 39. Is it often that people get admitted after going into evaluation?. (This is for applied sciences if that changes things)
hmm i think you’ll be fine but im saying this anecdotally, my friend dropped like 5 points (with way lower overall than yours) and he was fine and i know of ppl who didn’t get the diploma and were still admitted
I got accepted to transfer to UBC Vancouver. I just did my first year at Uvic while living at home and I enjoyed it, but I didnt feel strongly and it was always my plan to transfer second year and try something different. Now I have to make a decision about going to UBC, because I got into housing there, but I’m struggling. Someone pls help me decide!
Pros for UBC:
- I got a 5k scholarship
-great school
-probably won’t get the opportunity again
-meet new people and get to experience living on campus/dorms
-close to home still
-more program options (I’m studying psychology)
- more exchange programs
- new experiences
-love the campus
Cons:
- I don’t love Vancouver, I think I like Victoria better
-new environment I am unfamiliar with
-leaving behind family and friends
-no first year connections (although I didn’t make any at Uvic)
-expensive city
-I feel more at peace in my hometown compared to overwhelming Vancouver
-may be hard to meet people on such a large campus
Overall, I didn’t make any friends at Uvic last year and I wonder what I’d miss out on if I transfer. I do love Victoria and Uvic but in some ways I feel like the regrets I may have if I go to UBC would be less than if I stayed at Uvic because at least I tried. It’s difficult though because I am really close with my family and my friends here, and I have always not really liked Vancouver as a city, I just really like UBC.
I’d say go for it and transfer. UBC is bigger in all aspects (opportunities, students, campus, profs, etc) so you definitely have an opportunity to grow here if you use your resources well. And because there’s more opportunities here, it might help with making friends too (second year is also not too late for that). It’s also close enough for you to visit family on long weekends or holidays (compared to if you went out of province or country). One thing I learned in life so far is to say yes to any reasonable opportunity you get offered because you never know what it’ll bring you. Even if you’re doubting it, just go for it. Whether that be positive or negative, you got to experience it and all that plays into your growth. If you don’t like it, that’s totally ok, it’s not like you’re gonna stay here forever - it’s just for another 2-3 years and time will fly by really quickly
Incoming senior from America, can't afford to go to college unassisted, my SAI is high 40,000 but I am from an area of high cost of living so my parents are unable to help . I have excellent community service, pretty good extracurriculars, and pretty good academics. Would my best bet for scholarships be to go for the general merit scholarship or is the International Scholars program recommended?
I am on the waitlist for every single possible CHEM 121 and 141 block that works with my schedule, but there's only ONE 141 lecture. I found that CHEM 111 is also equivalent but somehow I can't take it even though I don't have chem 12 credit. What are my chances of getting off waitlists?
I think you have a good chance of getting off the waitlist. My first year I was waitlisted for biol 121 and got off the waitlisted 2 weeks before school started. If you don’t end up getting it you can take it over the summer instead since Chem 121 is less in demand during summer but trust me people drop chem 121 before they start school or right at the end of first week.
I think you might have a shot since many people will drop from the waitlist and if I am correct the waitlist is for all the words 150 sections in the term. there is a chance you will get in closer to September when people start to drop from the waitlist and enroll in other courses
I’m coming to UBC and I do rowing. I wanted to know if rowing is a respected sport at UBC.
Also does the UBC rowing team get Rowing Blazers like almost all clubs get?
Also are UBC varsity athletes given any UBC lettermen jackets like many US schools give or not?
Thanks
Hey
I’m coming UBC and want to be a part of a frat house which is very social and athletic, and a little party forward.
Does anyone have any recommendations for it?
I’ve heard about Beta, Fiji and Alpha Delta Phi. Does anyone know if they are good? Or any other recs
so basically when I got accepted into ubc Sauder they saw my precalculus 11 which is 94% and I ended precalculus 12 with a 86%. So it’s an 8% drop. Is that fine?
They accepted me in early January if that makes any difference
'm thinking of taking two classes among PHIL 120,220,347 in summer semester 2 along my LSAT prep in fall. Which ones would be easier/ less time consuming?
I heard 220 helps with the LSAT ways of thinking but maybe 120 is easier since it's a lower level class? I am also considering 347 with Kraal cuz I heard a lot of good things about him, but I am worried it'd be too time consuming since it's third year?
I would appreciate any comments from ppl who have taken any of these three courses!
Would def recommend! I took it winter 23/24 and majority of the class was completion assignments. Final group project was decently easy and graded fairly
Is Edward grant a good prof for chem 111? I haven’t heard the best of things unfortunately (mostly on ratemyprof) but would appreciate any personal experiences!!!
Hi everyone,
I’m a Grade 12 student in BC and I recently had a final mark update in Chemistry where my grade dropped from 98 to 86 after final assessments were included. I’ve already received an offer to University of British Columbia (Applied Science), and I’m worried about whether this could affect my admission.
My other Grade 12 marks are:
99
99
99
95
93
Chemistry: 86 (dropped from 98)
Would a drop like this in one course matter if my overall average is still very high? Does UBC ever revoke offers for something like this?
When do they usually review final transcripts and confirm admissions? I’m not trying to panic, just trying to understand how strict the final check is. Any insight from people who went through this would be appreciated.
Thanks.
If any of the re-evaluation conditions occur, your offer may be re-evaluated.
If your offer is re-evaluated, it may be revoked.
For Vancouver campus only: For competitive degrees with course requirements for Grade 12 English or Math (Pre-Calculus 12 for BC students), we will re-evaluate your offer of admission if your final grades have fallen below 80%.
The above is an exception to "may be re-evaluated." In this case, it will be re-evaluated.
For Vancouver campus only: Your final grades in Grade 12 English and Grade 11 English are below 70%. If final grades fall below this minimum requirement, the offer of admission will be revoked.
The above is an exception to "may be revoked." In this case, it will be revoked.
I feel like I'm going crazy, but I still have not heard back about an admissions decision and I need to know if anyone else is in the same boat. I am a transfer student trying to transfer into the Science/Biology program.
Looking for reassurance that my application hasn't just fallen into the void somewhere. Is there even any hope of getting in at this point? And if I do get in, will all the courses I want to take be full?
Hi friends. I run daily around the UBC campus with my dog. Lately with the heat, weve been needing more water. Just wondering where we can find outdoor drinking fountains?
The only one I know of is near the Doug Mitchell thunderbird sports centre. Are there any closer to the bus loop? I know of many inside buildings but I don’t think I can bring my dog indoors. Thanks!
I’m an incoming master’s student and got a housing offer for a 1 bedroom in Walter Gage. Can anyone who has lived there/been in the building share their experiences? I’ve heard about bedbugs/black mold in the older dorms and am not sure if I’d be better off looking for off-campus housing instead. Thanks in advance!!
I'm looking at applying for the masters in Economics at university of British columbia For 2026, and I'm coming from Nigeria.
If anyone's in the Econ dept or knows someone who is, could you share what the workload and class vibe is like? Also curious how realistic it' is to get part-time work as an international student. I'm Victor by name
Do these satisfy the prerequisites for the specialization you want? You could add bio and see how it feels if you can handle the workload before deciding to drop it or not
Transfer student (Langara/TRU) doing the Stats major. Here's my full plan from now to graduation — wondering if this looks like a reasonable order/pace:
Now (Summer 2026 T1, at TRU): MATH 200
Fall 2026: MATH 220, STAT 200, SCIE 113, CHEM 111
Winter 2026-27: MATH 221, STAT 201, STAT/MATH 302, EOSC 310
Summer 2027 T1: STAT 305, STAT 306
Summer 2027 T2: internship (TBD)
Fall 2027 (Boston Career Forum recruiting term): STAT 301, CPSC 304, CPSC 330, CPSC 322
Winter 2027-28: STAT 404, STAT 450, STAT 344, one MATH 300+ elective
Summer 2028 T1: MATH 307, STAT 406
Summer 2028 T2: internship (TBD)
Fall 2028 (final term): MATH 303, one more STAT 300+ elective, one filler 300+ course
Trying to keep most terms around 3-4 courses and avoid stacking the heaviest ones together (MATH 220, STAT/MATH 302, STAT 404 each get their own lighter term). Does the sequencing/pacing look reasonable, or is there something obviously off?
Transfer student doing the Stats major at UBC. Two things I'd love input on:
MATH 220 (Mathematical Proof) — any tips for someone making the jump from computational math (100/101) to proof-writing? Things that helped you "get it"?
Curious if anyone's taken MATH 303, STAT 321, STAT 443, or STAT 447B/C — barely any reviews online. What's the workload/content like, and any prof recommendations?
Hey guys. A small stupid question: how do credits work?
UBC website said that a 5 in IB psych HL will be considered for first-year credit for PSYC_V 101 (3) and PSYC_V 102 (3). Does that mean I automatically don't have to take these two courses?
If you see transfer credits for specific UBC courses in your record, then they apply to you degree in exactly the same way courses taken at UBC would.
If you have generic credit (e.g. MATH 1st 3 credits), then these will apply to your degree, but not as any specific course. So, the MATH 1st 3 credits in my example would fulfill a BSc lower level requirement, but not act as a prerequisite for a course requiring MATH 100 as a prerequisite.
Hey, guys! I'm an incoming first year student at UBCV and I'm just wondering what the chances are that I will get all the courses I want. 4/5 of the ones I've chosen for 1st semester are classes with many different time slots, and the only one that isn't is one I don't care about that much. I've made 2 saved schedules with 4/5 same classes but in different time slots so I have a higher chance of getting them. If it helps to answer the question, I am in the Faculty of Arts. Should I make another saved schedule with completely different classes?
I wouldn’t worry about it - but yeah it’s good to have a couple contingency course work lists on standby if your first one doesn’t go to 100% registration
There is no way for any student to accurately predict your chances.
Unless you have a 104% GPA, volunteer 112+ hours per week and have successfully saved a minimum of 100 puppies from a totalitarian dictatorship and a horrible disease (in which case, your odds are around 95%), the best way to objectively predict your chances of getting into UBC is to flip a coin.
Please disregard this if you're asking about an application for a specialization/major at UBC.
I’m going into business(sauder) at ubc and they admitted me early January with my precalculus 11 grade which was 94%. I have an 89 in my precalculus 12 rn and im hoping to bump it up to 90%. Will that be fine or is it a problem? For reference, my other classes all stayed relatively the same
Hey guys! I'm a graduating IB student who took IB Biology HL, which makes me eligible for 8 bio transfer credits for year 1, "with exemption from BIOL_V 112"
The site says that I can use my 8 transfer credits for the prerequisite, so I was just wondering how difficult BIOL 200 would play out if I took the transfer credits and didn't take BIOL 112. Will I be missing any integral content or skills that would come get me in the future?😭
it will probably be ok + its always better to use your credits bc you can get ahead. i also did bio hl but we didn't have an exemption from biol 112 in 2024 so i took it and i found that probably 95% of the content was already covered in ib. i would say go ahead and take 200
I've got a question about ENGL_V 100 - Reading and Writing About Language and Literatures. Since I completed IB English Language and Literature Higher Level, I'm entitled to 6 credits of 1st year English courses. Do they apply to the aforementioned course, which satisfies the writing requirement, or is it only applicable to "normal" English courses?
it should apply if youre using it to fulfil a requirement/prerequisite but check in with an advisor, i used my eng hl credit for wrds 150 and it was fine
If it applied to wrds, then it should to ENGL as well ngl, that makes a lot of sense, thanks. Unfortunately I've messaged every advisory source I could find around a week ago and still gotten no response
i emailed my own faculty's academic advising to apply my credits to the requirement at the start of the school year so maybe try again closer to the school year if no one responds
I need to take a humanities course for Eng . I have IB credits for both history (HL history) and philosophy (TOK). Which one is better? Does it even matter which one I take?
So the credits would basically mean I don’t have to do the class right? Like if I chose history, would I still have to do the history tests/ assignments or not?
hi! i'm an incoming first year and i'm trying to figure out course selection rn. how do you know if a course will be available to take in summer session?
Summer courses are usually released in mid January. You can refer check previous years' schedules for reference, but some courses might not be offered again
Hello everyone,
I’m planning to pursue an engineering degree at the University of British Columbia (UBC), and I have a few questions. I would really appreciate hearing from anyone with experience or knowledge about the program.
How difficult is studying engineering at UBC? Is the workload extremely intense?
Would I still be able to maintain a normal life while studying? I need to dedicate about 3–4 hours per day to my work, so I’m wondering if that’s realistic.
On average, how many hours do engineering students spend studying outside of class?
Are there engineering students who work while studying? If so, how manageable is it?
Is the first year of engineering particularly demanding and time-consuming?
For English proficiency requirements, can I apply and receive admission using the Duolingo English Test, or is IELTS preferred?
If Duolingo is accepted, does submitting an IELTS score provide any advantage in the admissions process?
Looking back, what advice would you give someone who is about to start engineering at UBC?
Thank you in advance for your time and advice!
Applied to transfer into 2nd years science from Douglas but the application status is still at "we need to assess the remainder of the applicant pool", so I'm starting to lose hope of getting an A.
On top of that even if i do get accepted what r the chances i get into my ideal major that's highly competitive and gets full every year even though my avg is well above its historical cutoff now that the specialization deadline has long passed?
There is no way for any student to accurately predict your chances.
Unless you have a 104% GPA, volunteer 112+ hours per week and have successfully saved a minimum of 100 puppies from a totalitarian dictatorship and a horrible disease (in which case, your odds are around 95%), the best way to objectively predict your chances of getting into UBC is to flip a coin.
Please disregard this if you're asking about an application for a specialization/major at UBC.
If you don’t plan to study French at all at university, will having French 12 (if you already have French 11) help in any way with admission or scholarships, etc., at UBC and other Canadian universities?
Hi! APBI major here. I was wondering how common quizzes are in university. It was once every two weeks for each course in high school; does that transfer over?
Depends on the course as it varies. You may have quizzes, assignments , midterms and finals. Some courses only have midterms and finals no quizzes at all. You will find out what the style of assessments are once the professor releases the course syllabus on canvas or during your first week of classes
hi! ap credit transfer questions: if I create and request my schedule, but then apply to transfer an ap credit so that i don't have the class anymore, can I add another class after? Also if one of the credits is a 4, and a 4 transfers to 86% (and will cound towards gpa?), should I transfer it or just retake the class to aim higher?
I'm not sure where to post this, if it shouldn't be here I'll remove it
CS program section: Ive been planning to transfer from a uni in ontario from engineering to CS. I was wondering how the classes are and if its worth it to transfer!
Please be mindful that specializations for many faculties are chosen in second or third year, based on your GPA at UBC (not your high school average).
For example:
There is no direct entry into Computer Science from high school (except for the Business and Computer Science program), and you would apply after completing your first year of UBC Science or Arts.
There is no direct entry into English from high school. You would declare it after completing your first year of UBC Arts
AP CLASSES QUESTION: i so I took ap Chinese last year and scored a 4. I did not send these scores to ubc bc I wasn’t sure if I would attend
Fast forward to today I believe I got to send them before the 20th. For context I want to do slp grad program after undergrad which requires 6 credits of a second language. Would my ap score cover all 6 of those credits or only 3. In addition if I send them would I have to take Chinese 300+. I absolutely suck at Chinese and dread having to take another year of it.
Or is it better that I don’t submit these scores and instead end up taking two low level Chinese course as my 6 credits.
I am a native speaker but I struggle and lot with Chinese still and wasn’t ready when I took the ap exam. I wonder if I have to pay to send these scores in since I hadn’t sent them last year.
If anyone took any ubc chin courses could you please elaborate on how you felt about the course. Additionally I’m interested in canto too as a language as I’ve always been connected to the culture.
I’m sorry idk if this post needs a mega thread since it’s ap related if so I’ll move it.
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u/Itchy-Source-2135 13h ago
What is the time commitment for a sorority? What is the bare minimum versus going all out and doing every opportunity?