Apply to UBC on exchange

Program update

In March 2020, UBC made the difficult decision to cancel all student international travel for university purposes due to COVID-19. After careful consideration, UBC has extended this cancellation until April 30, 2021. This includes international programs like exchange and study abroad, co-op, student research placements (both undergraduate and graduate), practicums and conference attendance.

This decision follows guidelines outlined in UBC’s Student Safety Abroad Policy and is in line with the current advice of British Columbia's Centre for Disease Control (BC CDC) and Global Affairs Canada. 

Go Global actively works one-on-one with students affected by program cancellations. UBC will continue to monitor the situation and government directives as they evolve, sharing any updates on student international travel.

For more information about upcoming programs, please review the FAQs.

Last updated on Oct 13, 2020 at 3:10 pm PDT

Getting started

To attend UBC as an exchange student, you must be enrolled at one of UBC's partner universities. Your home university's exchange office will determine your eligibility for an exchange program. Contact them for details on their application procedures.

Your application will also be reviewed by Go Global. Applications to study in Architecture, Landscape Architecture, Creative Writing, Education, Forestry, Graduate Studies, Kinesiology, Land and Food Systems, and Social Work will be reviewed by the faculty or department. Admission to these programs is limited.

Acceptance to UBC is confirmed once your home university's exchange office receives your acceptance letter. Go Global recommends that you do not purchase an airline ticket prior to receiving your official letter of acceptance.

Application instructions

  1. Ensure you meet UBC's English language requirements.
  2. Review program and course restrictions. Read this information carefully to understand which programs and courses are available to exchange students.
  3. Complete the online exchange application. Once your university has sent Go Global your name and email address, you will receive an email with further instructions, including the URL to the exchange online application. Please submit your application by the deadline indicated in the email. Once you have submitted the online application, you will receive a confirmation email indicating your UBC student number. Students wishing to attend MRNE (Marine Science) courses must submit a separate application to Bamfield Marine Sciences Centre (BMSC) after completing the exchange application. MRNE courses are taught at BMSC located on Vancouver Island. Additional fees will apply.
  4. Submit your application documents such as your application checklist, transcript, English language exam results (if needed), and proposed course list to your home exchange office. Make sure that your home exchange office provides all required documents to UBC by the deadline indicated in the instructions email.
  5. Apply for a Campus-Wide Login (CWL) account. This is required in order to complete UBC's online housing application, and you will need this login later to check your registration and pay your fees. If you experience difficulty setting up an account, please see the Creating a CWL tutorial or contact the help desk for technical support.
    1. Visit the CWL Sign Up page.
    2. Proceed and agree to the Terms of Use.
    3. Select "Student and Alumni" from the list of choices.
    4. Follow the instructions to complete the application. Your default Student Service Centre (SSC) password is set to your 6 digit date of birth in the order of yymmdd (e.g. 920111). 
  6. Complete the online housing application. Due to high demand, on-campus housing for Term 1 exchange is not guaranteed even though priority is given to regular exchange students.
    1. Coordinated International Experience (CIE) Term 1 exchange students do not qualify for Priority Access and Go Global recommends for CIE Term 1-only students to look for off-campus housing because of the low chance of getting into a UBC residence.
    2. Regular exchange students and CIE Full Year/Term 2 students, please apply as soon as you have created a CWL account to log in on the Student Services Centre. Do not wait until you have been admitted.

Housing application tips

  1. Go to the Housing and Conferences Online Service Centre and log in under “UBC New Applicants, Students, Staff with CWL ID”
  2. Log in with the CWL you created
  3. Select “Application,” and then “Apply”
  4. Select the application for the 2020/2021 Winter Session (20W)
  5. When asked for your faculty, enter “Exchange Program, year 1.”
  6. There is a $50 non-refundable application fee

Go Global will inform the housing office whether you are coming for one or two terms as there is no place for you to indicate this on their application. For off-campus housing resources, please check the housing information packet 2019/20 (pdf).

Application document checklist

It's your responsibility to ensure that your university exchange office provides Go Global with the following documents before the deadline indicated in the instructions email:

  • Go Global UBC Exchange Application Checklist (pdf)

  • Current official academic transcript (if you are applying for graduate studies please include both undergraduate and graduate transcript)

  • Official translation of academic transcript (if original transcript is not in English)

  • Test of English Proficiency if English is not your first language (check with the exchange office at your home university to see if this requirement has been waived for your university)

  • One passport-size photo (placed on the top right corner of the Document Checklist when scanning the documents)

  • Proposed Course List (pdf). Proposed courses will give Go Global an idea of what you plan to study at UBC. The form will be used for admission purposes but not for registration.

Additional documents required by Faculties or Departments at UBC

Architecture

  • Statement explaining your interest in the discipline of architecture and UBC's School of Architecture
  • Curriculum Vitae (resumé)
  • Two letters of reference (academic references)
  • Portfolio (a representative sample of undergraduate or graduate level architecture course work)
  • TOEFL score of 100 (Internet-based)

Landscape Architecture

You are required to submit a portfolio of your design work is required for admission

Education

If you want to participate in a teaching practicum, a criminal record check (from your local police authority) is mandatory. This requirement is the result of British Columbia legislation that requires a review of all candidates who will be working with children.

Music

You are required to submit an audition video. If you have any questions, please email music.advisor@ubc.ca.

Visual Arts

You are required to submit a portfolio of your work in the areas you would like to take courses (e.g., sculpture, painting).

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