Doctor of Philosophy in Microbiology and Immunology (PhD)

Overview

The Microbiology and Immunology programme includes the study of bacteria, fungi, viruses, parasites as well as the immune system. Students can investigate the ecology, evolution and environments of microorganisms, the diseases they cause, the microbiome and its influence on the immune system and our health, immunity and disease. We are seeking solutions to the problem of antibiotic resistance; using microbial engineering in industrial processing and environmental remediation; determining how our immune system can best protect us against infection and cancer; using this information to design new immunotherapies and treatments for inflammation and auto-immune diseases. Our research spans population and systems biology and ecology, organism behavior and function, as well as cell interactions and molecular mechanisms. Our graduates are extensively trained in analytical thinking, creative innovation, and effective communication. Degrees in our programme accelerate students in a wide variety of careers in industry, academia, not-for-profit organisations, and the business world.

For specific program requirements, please refer to the departmental program website

$40,292

Net funding per year^*

Average years to completion

What makes the program unique?

Microbiology has been an integral part of UBC since the university's inception in 1915. Our programme is a strong and collaborative community of microbiologists, immunologists, biochemists and cell biologists, based at UBC and affiliated hospitals. We promote fundamental and translational research and we enjoy strong connections to clinicians, engineers, and epidemiologists across Canada. Many of our students are located in the Life Sciences Institute, a world-class collection of scientists with core facilities for advanced flow cytometry, microscopy and imaging, and high-throughput biology together with the Facility for Infectious Disease and Epidemic Research. Other researchers are located in the Michael Smith Laboratories. We also work closely with a variety of local organizations such as adMare Bioinnovations and the Genome Sciences Centre, with opportunities for commercialisation and entrepreneurship.

[The program] has allowed me to combine sequencing-based bioinformatic strategies and experimental work, so I may design and execute my research from the discovery phase through to the applied analytical phase. Though often these aspects come together collaboratively in research, it is a rarity to be able to don both an experimental microbiologist and a bioinformatician hat in one project and so I am thankful that I may pursue both.

Virginia (Ginny) Pichler

Quick Facts

Faculty Faculty of Science

Academic Unit Department of Microbiology & Immunology

Specialization Microbiology and Immunology

Mode of delivery In person at UBC Vancouver

Program Components Dissertation

Tuition (First Year) Domestic: 5,738.52 | International: 10,081.65

Median Funding 50% of students receive $47,785 or more funding in each of the first four years, before tuition and fees

Tuition & Financial Support

Tuition

Fees	Canadian Citizen / Permanent Resident / Refugee / Diplomat	International
Application Fee	$118.50	$168.25
Tuition *
Installments per year	3	3
Tuition per installment	$1,912.84	$3,360.55
Tuition per year (plus annual increase, usually 2%-5%)	$5,738.52	$10,081.65
Int. Tuition Award (ITA) per year (for eligible individuals)		$3,200.00 (-)
Other Fees and Costs
Student Fees (yearly)	$1,169.35 (approx.)
Costs of living	Estimate 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, including merit-based (i.e. based on your academic performance) and need-based (i.e. based on your financial situation) opportunities.

Program Funding Packages

All full-time students in UBC-Vancouver PhD programs will be provided with a funding package of at least $40,000 for each of the first four years of their PhD from September 2026. The funding package may consist of any combination of internal or external awards, teaching-related work, research assistantships, and graduate academic assistantships. Please check with your prospective graduate program for specific details of the funding provided to its PhD students.

Funding Statistics

Please note that effective September 2026, UBC’s guaranteed funding for full-time PhD students in years 1-4 was raised significantly, to a minimum of $40,000 per year. These historical statistics do not account for this change, i.e., the funding landscape for incoming students is not necessarily comparable to the historical values.

Based on the criteria outlined below, 42 students within this program were included in this study because they received funding through UBC in the form of teaching, research, academic assistantships or internal or external awards with a mean of $48,760 and a median of $47,785.

This results in a net balance (any funding provided to the student minus tuition and fees) mean of $40,672 and median of $40,292.

25 students received Teaching Assistantships. Median TA funding based on 25 students was $7,421.
36 students received Research Assistantships. Median RA funding based on 36 students was $16,860.
3 students received Academic Assistantships. Median AA funding based on 3 students was $3,710.
41 students received internal awards. Median internal award funding based on 41 students was $14,586.
19 students received external awards. Median external award funding based on 19 students was $27,000.

Study Period: Sep 2024 to Aug 2025 - funding for full-time PhD students enrolled in three terms per academic year in this program across years 1-4, the period covered by UBC's Minimum Funding Guarantee. Mean and median values might mask variability in sources and amounts of funding received by individual students. Beyond year 4, funding packages become even more individualized.
Review methodology

Scholarships & awards (merit-based funding)

All applicants are encouraged to review the awards listing to identify potential opportunities to fund their graduate education. The database lists merit-based scholarships and awards and allows for filtering by various criteria, such as domestic vs. international or degree level.

Graduate Research Assistantships (GRA)

Many professors are able to provide Research Assistantships (GRA) from their research grants to support full-time graduate students studying under their supervision. The duties constitute part of the student's graduate degree requirements. A Graduate Research Assistantship is considered a form of fellowship for a period of graduate study and is therefore not covered by a collective agreement. Stipends vary widely, and are dependent on the field of study and the type of research grant from which the assistantship is being funded.

Graduate Teaching Assistantships (GTA)

Graduate programs may have Teaching Assistantships available for registered full-time graduate students. Full teaching assistantships involve 12 hours work per week in preparation, lecturing, or laboratory instruction although many graduate programs offer partial TA appointments at less than 12 hours per week. Teaching assistantship rates are set by collective bargaining between the University and the Teaching Assistants' Union.

Graduate Academic Assistantships (GAA)

Academic Assistantships are employment opportunities to perform work that is relevant to the university or to an individual faculty member, but not to support the student’s graduate research and thesis. Wages are considered regular earnings and when paid monthly, include vacation pay.

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.

UBC has working agreements with MPower Financing - an organization providing international students with no-cosigner, no-collateral education loans to study in Canada - and Windmill Microlending - an organization providing loans to skilled immigrants.

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 24 hours a week during academic sessions.

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.

Enrolment, Duration & Other Stats

These statistics show data for the Doctor of Philosophy in Microbiology and Immunology (PhD). Data are separated for each degree program combination. You may view data for other degree options in the respective program profile.

ENROLMENT DATA

	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021
Applications	28	22	41	37	28
Offers	6	4	10	7	10
New Registrations	6	4	8	7	9
Total Enrolment	63	62	67	63	65

Completion Rates and Times

This program has a graduation rate of 95.3% based on 43 students admitted between 2012 - 2015. Based on 10 graduations between 2021 - 2024 the minimum time to completion is 6 years and the maximum time is 9 years with an average of 7.4 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.

Doctoral Citations

A doctoral citation summarizes the nature of the independent research, provides a high-level overview of the study, states the significance of the work and says who will benefit from the findings in clear, non-specialized language, so that members of a lay audience will understand it.

Year	Citation
2025	Dr. Fettig investigated the role of the intestinal environment in autoimmune neuroinflammation. She investigated how changes in the diet, the gut microbiome, and infection each influenced the immune system and development of multiple sclerosis-like disease. Her research identified new therapeutic strategies to reduce inflammation in the brain.
2025	Dr. Donald explored the role of the antibody IgA, a key component of breastmilk, in guiding infant immune development, demonstrating that IgA controls potentially harmful microbes in the developing gut and protects the infant against allergic disease. This work enhances our understanding of the health-promoting properties of breastmilk.
2025	Dr. Lee used a genetic approach to study the fungal pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans, identifying a novel pathway for antifungal drug development. He also highlighted a new class of synthetic proteins with therapeutic potential against Cryptococcus. This research enhances our knowledge of cryptococcal disease and supports a new treatment strategy.
2025	Dr. Pichler investigated Mycobacterium abscessus lung infections in cystic fibrosis patients. She redefined clinical understanding by revealing phenotypic diversity in isolates and developing an infection model that predicts disease progression, laying the groundwork for personalised, outcome-driven care for chronic respiratory infections.
2025	Dr. Black established novel mechanistic insights into how stress response and metabolic adaptation enable the proliferation and virulence of a globally important human pathogenic fungus. His work, along with the suite of molecular tools he developed, informs host-pathogen interactions and the development of antifungal therapeutics.
2025	Dr. Damoo examined the role of effectors on the virulence of the corn smut fungus. Her work identified a novel mechanism by which fungal pathogen manipulate their host to favour their proliferation. Additionally, she worked on repurposing commercialized herbicides, evaluating their efficacy in managing fungal pathogens and improving crop protection
2025	Dr. Dexter studied how bacteria break down acetovanillone, a compound in industrial lignin streams. She discovered a new pathway in Rhodococcus rhodochrous that converts acetovanillone into vanillate. Her work expands our understanding of lignin degradation and identifies new enzymes that could be used for biocatalytic applications.
2024	Dr. Pepin’s research explored a group of gut bacteria vanishing in industrialized human societies. She uncovered why these bacteria are lost during malabsorption and highlighted their role in promoting gut health, offering insights for new microbiota-based therapies.
2024	Dr. Beskrovnaya investigated the cell envelope transformations occurring across the sporulation cycle in the bacterium Acetonema longum. Her study provides the first characterization of the molecular mechanisms involved in endospore formation in Gram-negative species, contributing insight into the evolutionary timeline of bacteria.
2024	Dr. Metcalfe-Roach identified a connection between specific dietary patterns and the onset of Parkinson's disease, and showed that this connection may be partially due to the influence of diet on bacterial populations present in the intestinal tract. This work may lead to new interventions to reduce the burden of Parkinson's disease pre- and post-diagnosis.

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Apply for May 2027

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May 2027 Intake

Application Open Date30 May 2026

Canadian Applicant Deadline30 November 2026

International Applicant Deadline30 November 2026

September 2027 Intake

Application Open Date30 September 2026

Canadian Applicant Deadline15 February 2027

International Applicant Deadline15 February 2027

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Doctor of Philosophy in Microbiology and Immunology (PhD)

Overview

What makes the program unique?

Quick Facts

Admission Information & Requirements

1) Check Eligibility

Minimum Academic Requirements

English Language Test

TOEFL: Test of English as a Foreign Language - internet-based

IELTS: International English Language Testing System

Other Test Scores

Prior degree, course and other requirements

2) Meet Deadlines

May 2027 Intake

Canadian Applicants

International Applicants

September 2027 Intake

Canadian Applicants

International Applicants

Deadline Explanations

3) Prepare Application

Transcripts

Letters of reference

Statement of Interest

Supervision

Instructions regarding thesis supervisor contact for this program

Citizenship Verification

4) Apply Online

Tuition & Financial Support

Tuition

Financial Support

Program Funding Packages

Funding Statistics

Scholarships & awards (merit-based funding)

Graduate Research Assistantships (GRA)

Graduate Teaching Assistantships (GTA)

Graduate Academic Assistantships (GAA)

Financial aid (need-based funding)

Foreign government scholarships

Working while studying

Tax credits and RRSP withdrawals

Cost Estimator

Career Outcomes

Sample Employers in Higher Education

Sample Employers Outside Higher Education

Sample Job Titles Outside Higher Education

PhD Career Outcome Survey

Disclaimer

Career Options

Enrolment, Duration & Other Stats

ENROLMENT DATA

Completion Rates and Times

Disclaimer

Research Supervisors

Supervision

Instructions regarding thesis supervisor contact for this program

Advice and insights from UBC Faculty on reaching out to supervisors

Sample Thesis Submissions

Doctoral Citations

Related Programs

Same specialization

Further Information

Specialization

UBC Calendar

Program Website

Faculty

Academic Unit

Program Identifier

Classification

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May 2027 Intake

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