Students registered in graduate degree programs at international universities may apply to come to UBC through one of these mechanisms:

Go Global Student Exchange Program

UBC has a large international student exchange program, known as "Go Global".  Graduate students at any of our Go Global exchange partner universities can apply to come to UBC as an exchange student.  Visit the Go Global website for more information.

Other international visiting students

If your home institution is not a Go Global exchange partner, you may still apply to come to UBC as a regular visiting graduate student to take courses or conduct research.  To apply, follow these steps:

• Contact the graduate program in which you would like to be a visiting student.  It is likely you will need to find a faculty member in the program to agree to be your host supervisor.
• If the program agrees to host you, submit the Graduate Studies online application and application fee (choose "Visiting Student" in the "degree" field)
• Send two sets of official transcripts in sealed and endorsed envelopes issued by the Registrar of your home institution directly to the UBC graduate program to which you are applying.
• Send evidence of English proficiency, where applicable, in the form of an official TOEFL, IELTS, or MELAB score.
• Send a letter of permission from your home university’s Registrar or department head confirming that the coursework and/or research undertaken at UBC while a visiting student is for the purpose of completing the graduate degree requirements at the home university. (Send directly to the graduate program to which you are applying.)

If successful in your application, you will be sent an admission letter which you can use to obtain a study permit.

Visiting graduate students who wish to take credit courses must register for those courses and will be assessed tuition fees at the prevailing graduate per credit rate, plus authorized student fees.

Visiting graduate students who are engaged in research activity only (no courses) must register for the non-credit activity 'Visiting Graduate Student' (VGRD500). The fee for each registration in this activity, which covers either Winter Session Term 1 or Term 2, or Summer Session, is equal to the tuition fee for one credit of coursework plus authorized student fees.

Funding for Visiting Graduate Students

UBC faculty who host a Visiting Graduate Student at UBC (from outside of Canada or the U.S.) for a research abroad opportunity are eligible to apply for a Graduate Student International Research Mobility Award from the office of the Vice President Research & International. Up to $1500 can be awarded per student and priority is given to PhD students. Visiting Graduate Students should contact their UBC host faculty member once their visit has been approved and request that they apply for this award on their behalf.