Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies Graduate School

Why did other students choose UBC?

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Adeerya Johnson

"It’s funny to think back when I was applying, I thought I had no chance of getting into UBC because of its rigorous programs. I guess I didn’t believe I had what it takes to be at such a prestigious university all the way in British Columbia. However, I decided to…"

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Rena Del Pieve Gobbi

"As a person with a mental health disability it was important for me to stay in Vancouver where I have an excellent relationship with my health care professionals. Also I had been out of school for some time and was easily able to meet with professors and take a…"

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Nance Cunningham

"UBC-based researchers’ role in controlling the HIV epidemic and the history of harm reduction is the main reason why I chose UBC. Many of the same principles, like treatment as prevention, apply to eliminating hepatitis C. I also appreciate the strong support for…"

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Verena Rossa-Roccor

"I have traveled, studied, worked, and lived in almost 30 countries but I decided to remain at UBC for my doctoral research because it provides me with an unparalleled opportunity to conduct my action-oriented research program. UBC was recently ranked as the world’…"

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Jason Winikoff

"I decided to study at UBC for a few reasons. Firstly, it felt hypocritical to conduct research revolving around cultural understanding in Trump’s USA. Leaving my home and pursuing knowledge elsewhere were small forms of protest. Secondly, the UBC School of Music (…"

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Natalie Payer

"Energy justice is a burgeoning field in Canada and the United States, with much of the established literature having from the UK. The field is interdisciplinary in nature, requiring a school and supervisor that value this type of work. Furthermore, I firmly…"

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Michael Schwan

"UBC is the only university that has an active research lab which focusses on Gitksan and it was the natural choice. I had an amazing undergrad experience at UBC working with the lab within the Department of Linguistics and after completing my Master’s Degree at…"

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Maya Daurio

"There is some overlap between my reasons for pursuing a graduate degree and why I decided to study at UBC. I had been following the work of Dr. Mark Turin, who is now my supervisor, for a number of years, beginning with an article of his which was the inspiration…"

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Jelena Todorovic

"I wanted to be trained at a North American university as they seemed to offer a different approach to the classics than the one I experienced in my European upbringing. I chose UBC in particular because of my department’s strong commitment to interdisciplinarity…"

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Anne Bertrand

"I chose the department of linguistics at UBC because it is recognized for its work on Indigenous languages and its specialization in fieldwork. The department is also known for involving students of all levels in research and for its commitment to providing…"

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Shota Iwasaki

"One of the reasons I decided to study at UBC is the research environment and the people I can work with. I am very glad and honored to purse my PhD degree with the people whose work impressed me and made me decide to come here. Of course, that UBC/the department…"

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Jennifer Murray

"The Public Scholars Initiative is one of the reasons I wanted to do a PhD at UBC. I am pursuing a PhD to offer a meaningful and long-lasting contribution to public health in British Columbia and Canada. Given that my research is tied to British Columbia and…"

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Lara Sarlak

"The PhD program in Sociocultural Anthropology at UBC has been an excellent match to carry out my research project. Home to the second oldest anthropology program in Canada, the department has an outstanding faculty with leading scholars in the fields of urban…"

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Sarah-Nelle Jackson

"The Venn diagram of medievalists and gaming enthusiasts at UBC is closer to a circle than you might imagine. (Or, well, maybe it’s exactly what you might imagine.) Having done my undergraduate degree at UBC, I already knew what great mentors were available here in…"

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Ariel Ko

"UBC provides abundant personal and professional development opportunities, along with capable mentors to create a supportive environment where research and leadership abilities can be effectively cultivated and utilized. It is through the many research assistant…"

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Christine Yu

"I had a wonderful experience during the Master’s program at UBC and felt a sense of community, with excellent support from my supervisor. Once I was ready to pursue a doctoral degree, I wanted to re-engage in that type of supportive environment while stretching…"

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Bita Zareian

"I decided to pursue my graduate degree at UBC primarily because of my interest in working with Dr. Frances Chen and Dr. Joelle LeMoilt, both of whom are prominent researchers in their respective fields of research. Furthermore, UBC has one of the best psychology…"

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Sophie Ma Zhu

"I had a very positive experience in my master’s program at UBC. As for the reason I applied to UBC back then, it was because I was interested in the research method developed by Dr. Richard Young, who became my supervisor in my master's program. So once again, the…"

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Jonathan Doucette

"As someone who was born and raised in Vancouver, UBC was always on my mind as a potential university which I would like to study at. I was sold on UBC during high school when I attended an Engineering Physics open house session, and the rest is history."

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Mikayla Pachkowski

"I decided to study at UBC so that I could work with my supervisor, Dr. E. David Klonsky. Dr. Klonsky is a leading expert in suicidology and an outstanding mentor. I feel very lucky to be completing my PhD under his supervision."

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Jasper Heaton

"I applied because I wanted to work with a specific member of faculty here. I also love to ski, and had heard that Vancouver has a pretty cool queer community."

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Sandeep Gill

"I decided to study at UBC because of its strong reputation in Canada. I loved visiting Vancouver, it is close to home, and allows me to still be situated in BC. When looking for potential supervisors, I found my current supervisor was located at UBC and their…"

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Megan Zeni

"My family have been settlers in Vancouver for generations. I attended UBC as an undergraduate student, and am honoured to be able to attend UBC again as a mature graduate student."

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Jens Johnson

"I had previously completed my MSc degree at UBC, and during that time I really benefitted from UBC’s resources, community, and atmosphere, and had also become settled in Vancouver. With the opportunity to move to a PhD program working with an advisor whose…"

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Danielle Hanke

"UBC has the top Pharmaceutical Sciences program in Canada, which was a major draw for me to choose UBC. Also, the campus is beautiful and Vancouver is a great city!"

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Ran Xiang

"I have started Chanoyu class with Urasenke Vancouver Branch, which is the only official Urasenke School in Canada, before I got admitted into the PhD program. I have also found potential supervisor and committee members who are interested in working with me, so to…"

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Kaili Vesik

"I grew up in the suburbs of Vancouver and absolutely love it here. As much as I was a little apprehensive about completing yet another degree at UBC (this one will be my third), the academic excellence and beautiful setting associated with UBC are difficult to…"

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Steve Commichau

"I want to incorporate both a German and a non-German gaze on the field of Germanic studies in my research. My supervisor recommended UBC, having studied here herself, and I felt very supported and welcome by the department during my application process."

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Hiroshan Gunawardane

"I completed my M.A.Sc. degree in mechanical engineering at UBC. I have decided to stay for my Ph.D. at UBC based on the experience I had during my master’s studies. UBC always offers unique opportunities to their graduate students to expand their horizons to…"

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Katie McCloskey

"I decided to study at UBC because the Counselling Psychology program prepares its students to be excellent researchers as well as clinicians. I know that when I graduate I will be able to avail myself of career opportunities in research or practice and that I will…"

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Gordon Tao

"UBC is an ideal base for me to pursue my doctoral degree, as it offers a superb combination of academic resources, clinical and community involvement, and industry connections. I have enjoyed opportunities to connect with multiple research disciplines related to…"

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Ben Nadeau

"UBC is an internationally recognized institution and British Columbia is a beautiful province. The campus is also amazing and has all the facilities needed for me to conduct my research."

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Mike Wilkinson

"I completed an honours degree at UBC and was grateful to receive rigorous training in literary theory as well as establish meaningful and formative connections with staff and faculty. Additionally, I have lived most of life in the Lower Mainland and appreciate the…"

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Robyn Peers

"I chose to study at UBC because of the incredible diversity and strength of its researchers and teachers. While my focus at the time of applying was on the excellence of the English department, since then I have discovered fascinating opportunities beyond my…"

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Joseph Liang

"UBC is a world-class research institution that accommodates many world-class scientists. You may not know it, but some of the professors are big-name researchers in their field of research! I am lucky to have started working with one such professor later in my…"

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Shoshana Schwebel

"Aside from being full of academic superstars, the department was very inviting to me when I applied. When I accepted, I was told by one professor that, now, I was family."

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Dora Alejandra Gaviria Serna

"I decided to pursue my doctoral studies at UBC because The Social Justice Institute is an ideal place for the advancement of my research, as it provides me with a stimulating interdisciplinary academic environment and with the theoretical and methodological…"

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Rohit Singla

"My supervisors, Prof. Robert Rohling and Dr. Christopher Nguan, are a dynamic duo. Prof. Rohling is a world-renowned ultrasound expert with several patented inventions and a startup. Dr. Nguan is one of BC's only renal transplant surgeons, and is responsible for…"

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Sara Hosseinirad

"Being one of the most prestigious universities in Canada and the world and having a vibrant research environment convinced me twice to choose UBC for my graduate studies. UBC also has a great system of support for graduate students, which assists students in every…"

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Katrina Besler

"I very much wanted to stay in BC, to be close to family, mountains, and the ocean, so I am thankful that UBC had everything I needed for my training: cutting-edge research in my field of interest, opportunities for mentorship and collaboration, an excellent…"

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Jeffrey Morgan

"I call Vancouver home, and I found supervisors at UBC whose research aligns with my interests and could support me through my graduate studies. Relationships are very important to me, and I wanted to build on my existing networks and connections for my PhD…"

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Katlyn Richardson

"What initially drew me to UBC was the ability to pursue a graduate degree in skin-related research as well as establishing roots in Vancouver. UBC’s commitment to skin research initiatives presents a great opportunity to further the limited understanding of this…"

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Jennifer Lavalley

"I decided to study at the University of British Columbia for a number of reasons. Not only is it among the most prestigious research institutes on Turtle Island (Canada), it is home to some of the world's leading Indigenous researchers."

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Lara Aysal

"UBC offers a non-traditional environment that welcomes interdisciplinary approaches to research. I think the progressive atmosphere at UBC made me think that I would be welcome to explore my interests. When I started to live in Vancouver, I could trace UBC's…"

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Uuganbadrakh Oyunkhishig

"I applied to master’s programs at several universities in Canada, the US, and the EU. The reason why I chose UBC among them was that UBC is one of the best universities in the world to study a master’s degree in mining engineering, with a focus on environmental…"

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Dwayne Tucker

"UBC was the only university in Canada that checked all the points on my list of school requirements. It is highly ranked worldwide, well-renowned for its impactful research in medicine, and located in Vancouver which is absolutely breath-taking."

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Sherry Kiafar

"A few universities in Canada accepted me in their programs. I chose UBC over all of them because of its high global rank and Vancouver's lifestyle and great weather. Studying at UBC made me realize it was the right decision."

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Roland Nadler

"I already knew firsthand what living and studying at UBC would be like, thanks to my experience as a Master's student in the Interdisciplinary Studies Graduate Program and a resident at Green College between 2010 and 2012. Between the university's institutional…"

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Leah Shipton

"I decided to study at UBC for a number of reasons, but the main reason was because the faculty both within the Department of Political Science as well as in other departments have expertise in my research areas of interest. This made me reassured that it would be…"

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Veronica Letawsky

"Not only is it situated in one of the most beautiful areas in Canada, UBC is a global research centre with state of the art infrastructure and unparalleled expertise. As a result, I consider it to be an ideal institution through which to engage in doctoral…"

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