UBC International Scholars Program 2026-2027 for Bachelor

Eligibility Criteria

You must meet all of these requirements to be eligible for the program. There are no exceptions to the eligibility criteria.

As part of our evaluation process, we do a financial assessment. This includes reviewing documents outlining your family’s gross income, expenses, family assets, etc.

If you apply to the International Scholars Program, you will not be considered for  merit-based awards.

Educational background

• You are an international student who will be studying in Canada on a Canadian study permit.
• You are entering UBC from an accredited secondary school, or transferring from your first year at a post-secondary college or other university.
• Applicants for 2026 Winter session must have graduated from high school no earlier than November 2024.
• You are applying for your first undergraduate degree.

Significant financial need

• You can prove a significant level of financial need. It would be impossible for you to pursue a UBC degree without meaningful financial help.
• Your family is not able to afford a significant level of your educational costs and does not have access to external funding.

Admission requirements

• You meet UBC’s  admission requirements, including general and degree-specific requirements.
• You demonstrate superior academic achievement (achieve all As or equivalent standard).
• You meet UBC’s  English Language Admission Standard. If you do not satisfy this requirement for direct entry, you may be eligible for  Vantage College and the Vantage One Excellence Award.
• The following degrees are not eligible for UBC International Scholars Program awards: Bachelor of Nursing degree (Okanagan and Vancouver), Bachelor of Dental Science in Dental Hygiene, Bachelor of Medical Laboratory Science, Bachelor + Master of Management degree, dual degrees, joint degrees between UBC Okanagan and UBC Vancouver, and joint degrees with other post-secondary institutions.

Offered Benefits

Funding covers full tuition, living costs and much more!

Application Process

1. Mid- September: Decide on your academic program/campus
   • Decide on the  academic program you want to study, and which  campus you want to choose. For the awards, you will be considered for your first choice program. You should still select a second choice program.
2. Late September: Decide on a nominator/referee
   • You’ll need 1 nominator (guidance counsellor, principal, administrator, etc.) and 1 teacher referee. The nominator and teacher referee must be different people. Your teacher referee should be someone who is familiar with you and your work in your chosen area of study. Your nominator should be able to speak to your educational goals and your character.
   • A high school, college, or university may nominate up to two students for UBC Vancouver (including Vantage College), and one student for UBC Okanagan. If the applicant is nominated by a non-profit the nomination will count towards the total nominations permitted from a student’s school.
3. Early October: Discuss your nomination and create an account
   • Let your nominator and teacher referee know the following:
   • You will send them an email asking for them to provide their recommendation (you’ll need their contact information)
   • Your campus of choice
   • There is a limit of nominations for each campus (see eligibility for details)
   • The nominator and teacher recommendations need to be completed and submitted a few days before November 15 
   • After,  create your application account and invite your nominator and referee to complete their forms. Follow up with them to make sure they’ve received the invitation. Please note, you cannot complete your award application until both the nominator and teacher referee form have been completed and submitted.
4. Early October: Start your UBC admissions application
   • Start your  UBC Admissions application. This is required for your International Scholars Program application.
5. Mid-October: Gather relevant information for application and complete your sections of the award application
   • You’ll be asked for information like:
   • Annual income and expenses
   • Family wealth and assets
   • Dependents and annual school fees
   • Sources of financial support
   • Calculate your family contributions and financial need using the  cost estimator
   • Extra curricular information
   • Awards
   • 4 essay questions (approximately 150-250 words)
   • This will be a very in-depth process, so make sure you give yourself time to gather your financial information and time to fill out the application itself.
6. By November 15: Submit your completed application
   • The International Scholars Program application is due November 15. It’s recommended to submit well in advance of November 15 in case of technical difficulties.
7. By December 1: Apply to UBC
   • You must have submitted your  online application for admission to UBC.
8. By January 31: Submit required documents
   • Several weeks after you apply to UBC, you will receive an email with the subject line “Your UBC Application – Next Steps” from the UBC Undergraduate Admissions Office. Follow the instructions in that message to submit any documents required to evaluate your application. As a UBC International Scholars Program applicant, your document deadline is January 31 and not the date listed in the “Your UBC Application – Next Steps” email. If your required transcripts/ high school academic certificates are not available by January 31, submit them as soon as they are available.
9. Mid- April: Check your email to learn if you have received an award
   • In mid-April, we will let you know if you have received an award. Be sure to check your email to find out. If you plan to apply for UBC Housing, please wait until our award decisions are released before applying for residence. The deadline to apply for housing is May 1.

For more details, visit UBC Scholarship webpage