Now that you have received an admissions offer from UBC this could become your new backyard. We are truly looking forward to welcoming you to UBC in Vancouver.
Congratulations on being accepted to UBC! The community of scholars that you are joining is one of the world’s finest, committed to discovering and sharing knowledge, and to tackling the challenges that face our world. We are fortunate to enjoy this exceptional scholarly environment in one of the most beautiful and livable cities anywhere.
Graduate students are a critical part of this community. They bring the fresh ideas, experience, and vitality that are essential to our mission as a university. We are incredibly proud of them as they help tackle the grand challenges of our world, from climate change to pandemics, to justice to decolonization; and the questions that have puzzled humans for centuries. And we are delighted to see the myriad of ways in which they contribute to society after they leave.
I encourage you to fully engage with the university community - be inspired and learn from the amazing people here, including those outside your area of expertise, and get involved in the many activities UBC has to offer. You have access to a variety of supports and opportunities for your personal and professional growth - visit the Professional Development section of this website for tools and resources to help you make the most of your time as a UBC graduate student.
On behalf of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies and the more than 2,000 outstanding faculty and 12,000 graduate students at UBC I would like to extend my best wishes for a truly fulfilling graduate education experience.
Dr. Susan Porter, Dean and Vice-Provost
Use the comprehensive interactive checklist in the graduate student community!
The following steps should be reviewed and completed (if applicable) ideally as soon as possible after receiving an offer and before course registration opens.
You will be asked to accept your offer of admission online through the "My Applications" portal. Some programs will provide an offer expiry on the letter. Please ensure that you accept your offer before the expiry deadline. Offer acceptance is a condition that has to be met before you are able to register at UBC.
If your plans have changed and graduate school at UBC may not fit into your plans any longer, please make sure to decline your offer in "My Applications" portal at your earliest opportunity. This will ensure you do not receive auto-emails designed for newly admitted UBC students.
You can download your official letter of admission from the “My Applications” portal in the UBC Graduate Application system.
If you are an international student and have not done so already, you should apply for a Study Permit from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada as quickly as possible. Detailed information about the process is provided by UBC's International Student Advising office.
An admission letter, even if it includes conditions, can be used to apply for a study permit. Applicants are advised to include an explanation letter which addresses how they plan to meet admission conditions. In most cases it is recommended to apply right away, even with a conditional offer letter.
If you believe that you will not receive the Study Permit in time for your stated program start date, please contact your graduate program to discuss the possibility of changing your start date.
The UBC Student Housing and Hospitality Services' application process is entirely separate from Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies admissions process. The number of applicants for all housing properties exceeds the number of vacancies available for new applicants so it is important to apply as early as possible if you wish to live in residence on campus.
A limited number of rooms in winter session residence will be set aside for newly admitted graduate students from outside the city who are also new to UBC. In order to have the best chance of securing on-campus housing, these students should select BOTH Winter Session and Year-Round Housing on their housing application. You will pay only one application fee ($50) if you select both at the same time.
You may also consider the two Graduate Residential Colleges: St. John's College and Green College.
Your offer letter may specify conditions to submit official documents. Please check your “My Applications” portal for a list of specific documents you are required to submit to our office, Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies. Eligibility to register will be granted once your official transcripts (including those currently in progress) have been reviewed and approved. Any subsequent documents detailing outstanding completions or degree conferral must be received at G+PS no later than 16 weeks after the start of your first term.
Below are examples of the statuses you might see in your checklist in the portal:
The issuing institution must send a link to a secure site to Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies (G+PS) at graduate.sas@ubc.ca. G+PS will download the transcript from the secure site. Important: an e-transcript is downloaded via a link to a secure site. It is NOT an email attachment of any kind, even if sent from an authority at the issuing institution.
When ordering via a third party service such as Parchment please specify graduate.sas@ubc.ca as the intended recipient.
UBC offers online webinars on topics including finding a place to live, life in Vancouver, budgeting and tuition assessment, and specific sessions for international students on immigration and health insurance requirements. As well, join our chat sessions with current UBC graduate student ambassadors for tips on preparing for your arrival at UBC, settling in, and life as a graduate student at UBC. You can view upcoming sessions on the Orientation website.
Registration is a critical step in order to become a UBC student. All students, including students in research programs, need to register in courses. Without registering you cannot complete many of the other steps in this checklist.
To be eligible to register for courses, you must have accepted the offer of admission and met the official documentation requirements (if applicable).
It is important that you register as soon as possible to open up your eligibility to apply for your student ID card (UBCcard) and transit pass (UPass), pay tuition fees, and access your funding when available. Please remember that you must register for every term throughout the duration of your graduate degree program.
Registration for those starting their program in September typically opens up in mid-June, and for those starting their program in January, you will be eligible to register once you have accepted your offer and your official documentation requirements have been processed.
Before you register, please wait for information from your graduate program directly and consult with your supervisor or graduate advisor on course choice. Contact information for programs can be found in the Graduate Degree Program listing.
Review course offerings and outlines, and register online via the Student Service Centre.
There are many additional steps for newly admitted students to take after you have registered. To make it easy for newly admitted students, we encourage you to log into the online graduate community to use our interactive checklist.
