International Relations Office

University-Wide Partner Universities

 

University of British Columbia
Canada

Website: http://www.ubc.edu/

 

Institution Profile
 

Established in 1908, The University of British Columbia (UBC) holds an international reputation for excellence in advanced research and learning. The spectacular UBC campus, located only 30 minutes from the heart of downtown Vancouver, is where snow-capped mountains meet the ocean, and breathtaking vistas greet you around every corner.

As one of the largest universities in Canada, the university is home to 3,900 international students and exchange students from over 120 countries.

 
Academics
Academic Calendar

Semester 1: Early September to late December
Semester 2: Early January to End April

Medium of Instruction for Classes

English
Faculties/Schools
  • Applied Science
  • Arts
  • Creative and Critical Studies
  • Dentistry
  • Education
  • Forestry
  • Health and Social Development
  • Land and Food Systems
  • Law
  • Management
  • Medicine
  • Pharmaceutical Sciences
  • Science
  • Sauder School of Business
  • School of Architecture and Landscape Architecture
  • School of Human Kinetics
  • School of Journalism
  • School of Music
  • School of Nursing
  • School of Rehabilitation Sciences
  • School of Social Work
  • School of Audiology and Speech Sciences
  • School of Community and Regional Planning
  • Continuing Studies
  • School of Environmental Health
  • Graduate Studies
  • College of Health Disciplines
  • College for Interdisciplinary Studies
  • School of Library, Archival and Information Studies
  • School of Population and Public Health
 
SEP Application
Restrictions for Exchange Students

Undergraduate restrictions

There are limited spaces for NUS exchange students in the faculties of applied science, architecture, business, creative writing, education, human kinetics, landscape architecture/environmental design, law and music.

Courses from the Sauder School of Business and the Faculty of Law are only available to NUS exchange students who are enrolled in the School of Business and Faculty of Law. Students are allowed a maximum of 4 commerce courses per semester.

Students may apply to either the main campus in Vancouver, or UBC’s campus in Kelowna, Okanagan Valley (Okanagan Campus). For more information about the Okanagan Campus please visit the website: www.ubc.ca/okanagan/students/global

Please refer to the Useful Links section for relevant links to course information. 

 
Accommodation
Housing Options

On-campus accommodation:

Housing at UBC is not guaranteed at UBC and students will have a better chance of getting on-campus housing in Semester 2. For those who receive on-campus housing, students choose to live in one of the furnished student residences. There are 5 residences to choose from: Totem Park, Place Vanier, Walter H. Gage Towers, Ritsumeikan-UBC House and Fairview Crescent. Totem Park and Place Vanier come with compulsory meal plans. You will be given priority for a room in selected on-campus residences provided that you complete the housing application and submit the $50 non-refundable application fee in Canadian funds by the exchange application deadline. If you are studying at UBC for two terms, it is not possible to live in residence for only one of those two terms.

Off-campus accommodation:

Vancouver has many neighborhoods that offer different advantages to students. The University maintains a website that has a comprehensive list of housing options. Alternatively, students may consult the City of Vancouver website before deciding which neighborhood to live in.

Please refer to the Other Links section for the relevant links to university accommodation.
 
Visa & Insurance
Consular/Visa Regulations

As a student who is not a Canadian citizen or permanent resident of Canada, you must obtain a study permit from Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) in order to live and study in Canada for more than six months. A study permit also allows you to work on the campus where you are registered in full-time studies.

However, exchange students studying in Canada for not more than 6 months do not need to apply for a Study Permit.

Health/Medical Insurance

UBC requires that all international students have basic and extended health insurance for the duration of their studies. iMED is the basic health insurance required for all new international exchange students. Enrolment is automatic upon registration for your courses. Please visit the website for further information (including coverage dates).

We recognize that many students come to UBC with health coverage from their home countries. However, because of the differing procedures in billing and reimbursement worldwide, we have found that exchange students do not always get the medical care they need in a timely fashion. Therefore, only students who already have MSP or another Canadian provincial health plan may opt out of iMED.

Please refer to the Other Links Section for the relevant links to the university’s insurance policies.

 
Cost of Living
Estimated Monthly Living Expenses
Breakdown of Costs CAN $
Accommodation
(Based on a shared room for on campus housing)		 973
Bills (Electricity, etc.) Comes under accommodation
Food variable
Transport 25
Telephone variable
Others (Entertainment, Clothes) 312
Monthly Estimate 1,310

Please refer to the Other Links Section for the relevant links to the estimated costs of living.

 
Additional Information
Useful Links
 
More Questions?
 

Module Mapping, Course Selections & Application

Please check with your SEP Administrator/Coordinator in the Dean's Office.

 

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