Step 1: Check if you're eligible
Step 3: Prepare your quarantine (self-isolation) plan
Step 5: After you arrive
When you arrive in Canada, there are steps you need to take before you start your studies.
When you first arrive, check-in within 48 hours through the ArriveCAN online form or call 1.833.641.0343 and complete a daily self-assessment of your symptoms during your 14 day quarantine..
If your contact information or quarantine location has changed, email your updated information to phac.quarantine.covid19.quarantaine.aspc@canada.ca.
If the officer has determined that you are fully vaccinated and confirmed you do not need to quarantine, you may get daily notifications from the ArriveCAN app about quarantine and Day-8 testing however you can ignore these notifications.
You will stay in your pre-booked government approved hotel while you wait for your COVID-19 test results, unless exempt. Learn about what to expect.
If you test negative, you will proceed to your place of quarantine and may leave sooner than the 3 nights if your test results are available earlier.
If you test positive, you will be directed to another facility and will be given instructions. It can be unsettling to be taken to an undisclosed location, but you can be confident these government-mandated facilities are safe.
If you arrive by air on or after August 9, 2021, you do not need to book or stay in a 3-night hotel.
As of February 22, 2021, you will be given a COVID-19 test kit on arrival in Canada to complete on day 8 of your quarantine, unless exempt. Complete the COVID-19 test following the instructions you were provided.
You will need to continue to quarantine until you get a negative test result. If you test positive, you will need to start the 14 day quarantine cycle again.
Starting July 5, 2021, fully vaccinated travellers are exempt from this test.
See Day-8 COVID-19 testing for details.
Be sure to follow BC public health guidelines and learn how to get vaccinated.
If you don’t have a mailing address, you can use International Student Advising as your temporary mailing address when you first arrive in Canada.
International Student Advising
UBC Life Building
1200 - 6138 Student Union Blvd.
Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z1
Because the International Student Advising office is temporarily closed, you will need to pick up your mail at UBC Campus Mail.
When the office reopens, mail will be publicly accessible in the office, so there is no way to ensure that your mail will be secure. International Student Advising does not accept packages on behalf of students as there is no secure storage space.
You can also rent a Post Office Box from Canada Post.
After you've moved into your place of residence, remember to change all of your mailing addresses.
If you’re facing financial hardship or have questions around your finances during the COVID-19 outbreak, speak to an Enrolment Services (ES) Advisor. As trusted advisors, they can help you understand your options and find solutions that work for you.
If you are required to quarantine upon entry to Canada to begin or continue your studies, you may be eligible for the UBC Quarantine Bursary.
Find everything you need to know about life as an international student at UBC's Vancouver campus.
Learn more about the impact of COVID-19 on immigration and health insurance for international students.
This information is accurate as of July 26, 2021, and is subject to change. Follow the latest updates on travel restrictions due to COVID-19 and the IRCC international students COVID-19 page.
