ubc admission requirements

Take the right courses.

The courses you take in high school have a big impact on your competitiveness for university admission. Your choices can affect the type of program you qualify for and the number of credits you need to complete. Many programs require specific courses, so it’s important to choose wisely.

Your high school may not offer all of the courses that are required for admission, or required for your chosen program. If this is the case, talk to your counsellor about how to register in another school’s course (distance education) or an equivalent course offered at a local university or college.

English 12 or BC English Literature 12 (or equivalent)

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Connect with us.

As you continue researching your post-secondary options, we encourage you to connect with us. You can find us on Facebook and Instagram or subscribe to our email updates and receive program news, important application dates and reminders. You can also visit the campus for a tour or learn about our programs by connecting with an advisor.

Send your documents and transcripts.

To complete your application, you’ll need to submit:

• One personal letter of reference from an individual who can attest to your leadership skills and community involvement.
• Official transcripts from all post-secondary work completed.
• An official report of test scores for any AP, IB, or other external tests you’ve completed in English language or literature.
• A curriculum vitae (resume) outlining any extracurricular involvement (clubs/associations, employment/volunteering, academic achievements).

Enter your registration number to be ready for application season.

Your registration number can be found on the front of your Student Aid BC Application Summary page. Enter your registration number to view your application summary page.

General Admission Requirements.

To be considered for admission to UBC, you must present the following:

• High school graduation. Most applicants will apply to UBC during their final year of secondary school. Either way, you’re considered a high school graduate if you meet any of these requirements:

a. You’ve graduated from Grade 12;

b. You’ve been out of high school for at least one year with courses taken outside of high school during that time that are equivalent to English 12 and three other approved academic Grade 12 courses (for example, at a college or adult education centre);

c. You’ve obtained a General Educational Development (GED) certificate; or

d. Your home country has no grade system and is not listed as having an acceptable national examination in the secondary level entrance qualification section below.

• The equivalent of English 12 with a minimum grade of 70%. If your first language is not English and you have studied in a non-English education system, visit Language Requirements for more information on how to satisfy this requirement through your studies or test scores .
• The specific course requirements for your program(s). For example, if you want to study Engineering, we require Principles of Math 12 (or equivalent) and Chemistry 11 or 12 (or equivalents). Please use our Program Explorer tool to find out which courses are required by each program, including any program-specific admission assessment requirements

Admission averages.

Notice that the admission average is different for some programs. This is because the demand and difficulty of certain areas of study will affect how cutthroat competition can be.

Admission averages are based on your top three years of academic record (unless otherwise indicated). The calculation is based on all grade 12 courses and, where available, all grade 11 courses taken in the same academic year (September to August). Any courses not taken in these years are not used to determine your admission average. Courses from a summer session with an August completion date will be included in calculating your admission average if you have at least two other eligible grades from the previous academic year or from subsequent summer sessions. More information about which course grades we use is available here: [https://you.ubc.ca/applying-ubc/preparing-your-application/getting-ready/coursework/#what_are_eligible_grades](https://you.ubc.ca/applying-ubc/preparing-your-application/getting-ready/coursework/#what_are_eligible_grades)

Specific Program requirements.

When applying to a program, you will need to submit documentation, such as your high school transcripts and letters of recommendation. You can either upload these documents directly to your application or mail them in. If you require an extension for some reason, contact the admissions office directly.

If you are applying for programs with special requirements (e.g. creative writing, music), you will also need to complete a supplementary form and take a test given by UBC at the beginning of November each year. If possible, try to have this form completed before October 15 so that it is submitted on time (if not before!).

Some students may also need to meet program-specific subject prerequisites or portfolio requirements not listed here.

In addition to the general admission requirements, there are some degree programs that also require a portfolio or specific prerequisites. Please see below for a list of programs with additional requirements.

• Architecture: You will have to submit a portfolio for review by mid-February for the program starting in September.
• Creative Writing: Portfolio required.
• Dietetics: Personal interview, resume and statement of interest required.
• Engineering Physics: Students must complete at least two physics courses (6 credits) by the end of grade 12, including one from PHYS 101, 102 and 103; plus MATH 100 and one course from STAT 251 and 252.