Canadian Immigration Updates

Review details about the recently announced changes to study and work permits that apply to master’s and doctoral degree students. Read more

The Master of Engineering is not administered by the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies. Please check the UBC Engineering website for admission requirements, deadlines and application procedure.
 

Overview

The Master of Engineering is a course-based program designed for engineers wishing to upgrade their training. During this 12-16 month program students take a prescribed set of courses.

 

Program Structure

The program requires completion of at least 30 credits. In some program areas, minimum requirements may be higher than 30 credits:

  • At least 24 credits must be at the 500-level.
  • A minimum of 18 of the 24 credits must be in the program area at the 500-level, including a project, if required, up to a maximum 6 credits.
  • A maximum of 6 credits may be taken at the 300-/400-level.
  • A maximum of 6 credits of 500-level directed studies courses may be counted toward the program requirements.
 

Apply Now

If you don't have a UBC Campus-Wide Login (CWL) please create an account first.
 

Program Enquiries

If you have reviewed the information on this program page and understand the requirements for this program, you may send an enquiry

Tuition & Financial Support

Tuition

FeesCanadian Citizen / Permanent Resident / Refugee / DiplomatInternational
Application Fee$116.25$168.25
Tuition *
Installments per year33
Tuition per installment$2,234.71$8,369.77
Tuition per year
(plus annual increase, usually 2%-5%)
$6,704.13$25,109.31
Int. Tuition Award (ITA) per year (if eligible) Not applicable
Other Fees and Costs
Student Fees (yearly)$1,116.60 (approx.)
Costs of livingEstimate your costs of living with our interactive tool in order to start developing a financial plan for your graduate studies.
* Regular, full-time tuition. For on-leave, extension, continuing or part time (if applicable) fees see UBC Calendar.
All fees for the year are subject to adjustment and UBC reserves the right to change any fees without notice at any time, including tuition and student fees. Tuition fees are reviewed annually by the UBC Board of Governors. In recent years, tuition increases have been 2% for continuing domestic students and between 2% and 5% for continuing international students. New students may see higher increases in tuition. Admitted students who defer their admission are subject to the potentially higher tuition fees for incoming students effective at the later program start date. In case of a discrepancy between this webpage and the UBC Calendar, the UBC Calendar entry will be held to be correct.

Financial Support

Applicants to UBC have access to a variety of funding options.

Employer support

Organizations may provide their employees with tuition benefits as part of an employment package to support lifelong learning of their workforce.

Scholarships & awards (merit-based funding)

Professional / course-based programs usually do not provide merit-based funding. Some programs may offer bursaries.

Financial aid (need-based funding)

Canadian and US applicants may qualify for governmental loans to finance their studies. Please review eligibility and types of loans.

All students may be able to access private sector or bank loans.

Foreign government scholarships

Many foreign governments provide support to their citizens in pursuing education abroad. International applicants should check the various governmental resources in their home country, such as the Department of Education, for available scholarships.

Working while studying

The possibility to pursue work to supplement income may depend on the demands the program has on students. It should be carefully weighed if work leads to prolonged program durations or whether work placements can be meaningfully embedded into a program.

International students enrolled as full-time students with a valid study permit can work on campus for unlimited hours and work off-campus for no more than 20 hours a week.

A good starting point to explore student jobs is the UBC Work Learn program or a Co-Op placement.

Tax credits and RRSP withdrawals

Students with taxable income in Canada may be able to claim federal or provincial tax credits.

Canadian residents with RRSP accounts may be able to use the Lifelong Learning Plan (LLP) which allows students to withdraw amounts from their registered retirement savings plan (RRSPs) to finance full-time training or education for themselves or their partner.

Please review Filing taxes in Canada on the student services website for more information.

Cost Estimator

Applicants have access to the cost estimator to develop a financial plan that takes into account various income sources and expenses.

Career Options

Chemical & Biological Engineers have a strong understanding of how the physical, chemical and biological sciences intersect, complemented with mathematics.  Chemical & Biological Engineers are also trained in safety, the environment, economics and management.

Graduates in Chemical & Biological Engineering have critical roles as leaders in:

  • Biological Systems Engineering
  • Sustainable Production of Healthy Food
  • Zero Carbon Emission Fuels and Energy
  • Biotechnology-based Production of Green Products, Materials and Renewable Fuels
  • Smart and Biodegradable Materials
  • Carbon Capture Technology to Reduce GHGs
  • Better, More Affordable Healthcare
  • Sustainable Management of Natural Resources
  • Sustainable Forest-based Products
  • Clean Drinking Water and Wastewater Treatment

Enrolment, Duration & Other Stats

These statistics show data for the Master of Engineering in Chemical and Biological Engineering (MEng). Data are separated for each degree program combination. You may view data for other degree options in the respective program profile.

ENROLMENT DATA

 20232022202120202019
Applications108122163146116
Offers2034443137
New Registrations21116819
Total Enrolment1525231826

Completion Rates & Times

This program has a graduation rate of 95% based on 43 students admitted between 2015 - 2018. Based on 44 graduations between 2020 - 2023 the minimum time to completion is 0.33 years and the maximum time is 2.39 years with an average of 1.45 years of study. All calculations exclude leave times.
Disclaimer
Admissions data refer to all UBC Vancouver applications, offers, new registrants for each registration year, May to April, e.g. data for 2022 refers to programs starting in 2022 Summer and 2022 Winter session, i.e. May 1, 2022 to April 30, 2023. Data on total enrolment reflects enrolment in Winter Session Term 1 and are based on snapshots taken on November 1 of each registration year. Program completion data are only provided for datasets comprised of more than 4 individuals. Graduation rates exclude students who transfer out of their programs. Rates and times of completion depend on a number of variables (e.g. curriculum requirements, student funding), some of which may have changed in recent years for some programs.

Further Information

Chemical and Biological Engineering provides innovative and sustainable solutions to pressing local and global challenges to industry and society, with faculty being engaged in the following broad areas:

  • Biotechnology,
  • Chemical Process Engineering,
  • Energy and Materials,
  • Environmental Engineering.

Faculty Overview

Program Identifier

VGMMEN-D2

Classification

 

Apply Now

If you don't have a UBC Campus-Wide Login (CWL) please create an account first.
 

September 2025 Intake

Application Open Date
01 October 2024
Canadian Applicant Deadline
01 May 2025
International Applicant Deadline
01 April 2025
Program Enquiries
If you have reviewed the information on this program page and understand the requirements for this program, you may send an enquiry
 
 

Departments/Programs may update graduate degree program details through the Faculty & Staff portal. To update contact details for application inquiries, please use this form.

Considering UBC for your graduate studies?

Here, you can choose from more than 300 graduate degree program options and 2000+ research supervisors. You can even design your own program.