University of British Columbia

Fall Semester, Spring Semester, & Academic Year

The University of British Columbia allows students to gain a world-class education among a beautiful natural location and vibrant city, giving them a truly unforgettable exchange experience. The university is home to a large amount of international students, with over 13,000 coming from 155 different countries. in fact, 23% of UBC Vancouver’s student body is international, so exchange students will have the opportunity to meet, network, and create life-long friendships with a wide array of international students as well as Canada natives.

UBC’s Vancouver campus is set in a cosmopolitan and modern city, consistently rated as one of the best places to live in the world. Vancouver is surrounded by the majestic Coast Mountains and Pacific Ocean, with moderate temperatures in both summer and winter, making it an amazing climate to live in year-round. The city itself is host to a wide array of restaurants, museums, and lively entertainment for students. There are also beautiful beaches and hikes within a close proximity to the city. Everything is very accessible, especially for students, as the city has an excellent public transportation system and ample bike routes.

Students may also study at UBC’s Okanagan campus, located in the Okanagan Valley close to downtown Kelowna, a cultural hub and popular tourist destination. This town is perfect for lovers of the great outdoors. The city can get quite warm in the summer, and residents often enjoy their time at the area’s many lakes and sandy beaches for swimming, wake boarding, kite surfing, water skiing, boating, and wine tasting. In the winter, there are ample opportunities for skiing at Big White Ski Resort, Crystal Mountain, and Silver Star Mountain Resort. The city is also a short ways away from Vancouver, Calgary, and Seattle by plane.

(Source: University of British Columbia website)

Exchange students are able to study in a number of different faculties at the university, however a few faculties are prohibited to exchange students. They are as follows: School of Audiology and Speech Sciences, School of Journalism, Faculty of Medicine, School of Nursing, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Rehabilitation Sciences, and UBC Vantage College. However students still have a range of options to choose classes from across the university’s remaining 16 Faculties, 8 Schools, and 1 College.

A regular course load for students is 15 credits per semester, or 30 per academic year. Most classes are worth 3 credits, and exchange students will generally take 9-15 credits per semester (9 is the minimum to be considered a full time student).

(Source: University of British Columbia website)

Each of UBC’s campuses have their own accomodation options, and in both Vancouver and Okanagan there are a wide array of options to choose from. Students have lots of options and can choose housing based on how close they would like to be to campus and what type of accommodation they prefer. Residences offer rooms such as studios, six share apartments, and even townhouses. Many options include private bathrooms, kitchens, fully furnished living areas, and give students access to washers/dryers and a high-speed wifi connection.

(Source: University of British Columbia website)

• Partner University Website for Exchange Students
• Academic Calendar
• Course Search
• Housing Accommodations

• Fall Semester Budget
• Spring Semester Budget