Top 50 UNIVERSITIES in the World – No.44 / The University of British Columbia (UBC)

The University of British Columbia (UBC)

Location: The University of British Columbia, 2329 West Mall, Vancouver, BC Canada V6T 1Z4

History

The University of British Columbia, established in 1908, educates a student population of 50,000 on major campuses in two cities and holds an international reputation for excellence in advanced research and learning.

The largest campus is 30 minutes from the heart of downtown Vancouver, a spectacular campus that is a 'must-see' for any visitor to the city -- where snow-capped mountains meet ocean, and breathtaking vistas greet you around every corner.

The second major campus is in the dynamic Southern Interior city of Kelowna in the Okanagan Valley. UBC Okanagan, open since 2005, provides an intimate learning community in the spectacular wine-growing region of British Columbia.

Courses offered

UBC offers a wide variety of undergraduate and postgraduate programmes to its students. The university also provides students with a wide range of online and correspondence courses through the Office of Learning Technology (OLT). UBC offers a variety of opportunities for lifelong learning including in-person and online courses, workshops, seminars, and certificate programmes. Collaborative, interdisciplinary research and teaching (including master's and doctoral programmes in such studies) are also on offer by the university.

Admission procedure/cycle (month/date)

For undergraduate admission, you have to first choose the programmes (you have to have a first choice and a second choice) that interest you. You then have to check if you meet all the requirements (English language requirements, general admission requirements as well as programme-specific requirements). Finally, you apply online. The online application for UBC's Vancouver and Okanagan campuses opens in September and closes on February 28. Admissions decisions for most programmes are made in April or early May.

Applying to Graduate Studies at UBC is a simple five-step process:

1. Explore the graduate programmes
2. Review the admission requirements
3. Prepare your application
4. Apply online
5. Send the documents to the grad programme office

Tentative cost of courses

Tuition fees for undergraduate programmes are reviewed annually by UBC's Board of Governors and are subject to change. International student fees are also assessed with a cost-of-living increase of approximately 2-3 per cent per year. All estimated costs are quoted in Canadian dollars.

International tuition is calculated at $703.93 per credit for most programmes.

• Average tuition costs for 30-36 first year credits (full-course load): $21,118 - 25,341
• Living cost, books and student fees: $12,500 - 14,500
• TOTAL (September to April): $33,618 - 39,841

For up-to-date information, including an online cost calculator, visit the UBC Vancouver or UBC Okanagan official website.

For most programmes, graduate tuition is assessed as an annual programme fee, which is divided into three equal instalments due at the beginning of academic terms starting in September, January and May. This fee is the same regardless of how many course credits the student is registered in.

Online programmes charge tuition on a per-credit basis.

Current tuition fees for all graduate programmes can be found in the UBC Calendar online.

Scholarships offered

UBC has dedicated $3 million CDN to financial aid and awards for international undergraduate students. Need-based and merit-based awards programmes are available to international students. The Government of Canada makes a number of scholarships and awards available to foreign students planning to study in Canada.

The University of British Columbia offers and administers many programmes that provide financial help to graduate students.

The Faculty of Graduate Studies is responsible for merit-based graduate awards at the Vancouver campus of the University of British Columbia. Graduate Awards manages a number of award competitions each year and administers payment of both internally-funded and externally-funded awards. Graduate students at UBC's Vancouver campus who have questions about need-based funding should visit the Student Financial Assistance and Awards website (link available at the official website).

Graduate students at UBC's Okanagan campus who have questions about merit-based or need-based funding should visit the UBC Okanagan website.

Presence in India: The Centre for India and South Asia Research (CISAR) is a research facility at The University of British Columbia (UBC). CISAR brings together faculty, research associates, and graduate and undergraduate students with an interest in the cultures, historical evolution and contemporary developmental challenges of the subcontinent.

CISAR's multi-faceted mandate includes:

• The development of inter-disciplinary research on South Asia
• The dissemination of research findings through seminars, lectures, conferences and publications
• The promotion of interaction between the university and members of the South Asian communities in Vancouver and British Columbia.

CISAR creates links between UBC specialists on India and South Asia and those situated elsewhere in Canada and abroad.