Admissions

Your complete application must include the following documents:

• Application: Available online through the Faculty of Graduate Studies website
• Application Fee: A non-refundable application fee is required for each graduate program to which you apply. Application fees cannot be deferred and are valid for only one application year.Graduate Application Fees * (for September 2021 and later):
  • Canadians (and Permanent Residents, Refugees, Diplomats): (CDN) $108.00
  • International Applicants: (CDN) $168.25

  Application fees are based on your citizenship at the time of application. You may be required to provide proof of Canadian citizenship and must provide proof of Permanent Residency.

  Online via the application system

• Report on Applicant: A minimum of three references are required for application to graduate programs at UBC. References should be requested from individuals who are prepared to provide a report on your academic ability and qualifications ( available online) There are two possible formats for references: Electronic references: many graduate programs utilize an electronic reference ("e-ref") system. In the online application system, applicants are asked to provide an email address for each referee. (Please note, that we are unable to accept e-mails from Hotmail, Yahoo, Gmail, MSN or other free e-mail accounts for referees.) A unique link will be emailed to each referee, allowing them to log in to a secure site and submit an online reference or upload a reference document as an attachment. Paper letters of reference: your referee may wish to send a paper letter. Paper letters of reference should be on referee's official letterhead and must be mailed directly to the relevant program in a sealed and endorsed envelope. Paper reference forms: UBC provides an academic reference form and a professional reference form.
  • The academic reference form is used in situations where the referee is someone who you have interacted with in an academic setting (e.g. referee was the professor of a course in which you were enrolled).
  • The professional reference form is used in situations where the reference is someone who you have interacted with in a professional setting (e.g. referee was your supervisor at work).

  Your referee will fill out the applicable reference form and either upload into the application system, or mail it directly to the relevant program in a sealed and endorsed envelope.

• Transcripts: Calendar: http://www.calendar.ubc.ca/vancouver/index.cfm?tree=12,204,340,182
  • For your INITIAL APPLICATION we only require scanned copies of original documents.
  • If you receive an ADMISSION OFFER, you will have to provide hard copies (or secure electronic delivery) of academic documents as outlined below.
    To be considered official, academic records must either be received in official university envelopes, sealed and endorsed by the issuing institution, or be received via secure electronic delivery from the issuing institution. The issuing institution must send a link to a secure site to Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies (G+PS) at graduate.sas@ubc.ca  G+PS will download the transcript from the secure site. Important: an e-transcript is downloaded via a link to a secure site. It is NOT an email attachment of any kind, even if sent from an authority at the issuing institution.

  Each entry under the Academic History section of the application must include pdf copies of official, up-to-date, transcripts for all current and previous post-secondary study.

  Note: Grade sheets/records are not transcripts and will not be accepted in lieu of copies of official transcripts.

  For more details please visit: Transcripts & Academic Documents - Graduate School - University of British Columbia - Vancouver - Canada (ubc.ca)

• Document Translations: Where academic records are produced in a language other than English, the applicant must arrange for the submission of the official literal translations of all records along with the transcripts.
• Degree Certificates: In cases where the transcript does not clearly state that a degree has been conferred, a degree certificate is required to accompany the academic record.
• English Language Proficiency (TOEFL or IELTS): Applicants from a university outside Canada in which English is not the primary language of instruction must provide results of an English language proficiency examination as part of their application. Tests must have been taken within the last 24 months at the time of submission of your application.
  Review the English Language Proficiency section for details: English Language Test | Graduate School at The University of British Columbia (UBC)
  
  
• Field of Interest: Available online and to be submitted to the Faculty of Land and Food Systems. (Note, this is NOT required for MFS, MFRE or MLWS applicants)
• Statement of intent - required for MFS, MFRE and MLWS applicants
• CV/Resume - required for all applicants
• One page thesis/research proposal - required for research students only
• Writing sample - required for research-based applicants
• Finding a Supervisor – applicable to the research-based programs only.  A supervisor is a faculty member who mentors graduate students in their research. You may consider identifying a prospective supervisor prior to applying for admission.
  Contact the potential supervisor directly to check their availability/interest in accepting you. Effective January 1, 2016, all newly admitted graduate students in research-based MSc programs will be supported by a minimum funding package at $16,000/year, for 2 years, and PhD students by a minimum of $18,000 per year for 4 years provided they maintain good academic standing. The funding package may consist of internal and/or external award, scholarship, teaching and/or research assistantship, or any combination of the above.  Master’s students will be supported for a period of 2 years and PhD doctoral students will receive 4 years of support. Students are expected to be proactive in applying for awards and scholarships.
  Research Supervisors | Graduate School at The University of British Columbia (UBC)

All applicants should complete the online application form and application fee payment ** available from the Graduate Studies website. A copy of your online application form and notification of application fee payment will be provided to the Faculty you are applying to.

Online Application and Fee - A non-refundable application fee is required for each graduate program to which you apply. Application fees cannot be deferred and are valid for only one application year.

Graduate Application Fees * (for September 2021 and later):

• Canadians (and Permanent Residents, Refugees, Diplomats): (CDN) $108.00
• International Applicants: (CDN) $168.25

Application fees are based on your citizenship at the time of application. You may be required to provide proof of Canadian citizenship and must provide proof of Permanent Residency.

APPLICATION FEE WAIVERS

The application fee is waived only in the following circumstances:

• For international applicants whose citizenship and correspondence address is located in one of the world's 50 least developed countries, as declared by the United Nations. These countries include but are not limited to Bangladesh, Ethiopia, Nepal, and Uganda. Complete list of eligible countries.
• Students applying to graduate programs in the Department of Chemistry at UBC Vancouver. The fee is paid for by the department.
• Seniors: BC residents who are Canadian citizens or permanent residents aged 65 years or over at the time of application.

If you are eligible for an application fee waiver under the above conditions, you do not need to apply for it. You will not be asked for a fee when you complete the online application.

Online Application and Fee - Graduate School - University of British Columbia - Vancouver - Canada (ubc.ca)

For further details on the application fee, including payment options and eligibility for waiver, please see the
Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies website

Applicants to UBC Graduate programs should have academic backgrounds within the minimum academic requirements listed by the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies.

https://www.grad.ubc.ca/prospective-students/application-admission

For details concerning international admission requirements, international Graduate applicants should visit Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies Admissions for a detailed listing of general requirements by country.

Please note that international students requiring Student Authorization to enter Canada should submit their applications at least six months before the proposed date of admission to avoid delays in visa processing.

Students are encouraged to apply early as most positions for new Graduate students are filled before the advertised Faculty deadlines.

Faculty of Land and Food Systems Application Deadlines: MSc/PhD

For the Master of Food Science (MFS), Master of Food and Resource Economics (MFRE) and Master of Land and Water Systems (MLWS) degrees, intake of students is September only. The application deadline for September intake is January 10  of the same calendar year.

For the MasterCard applicants, the application will open on August 30, 2024 and will close on October 31, 2024.
No more applications/supporting documents are accepted after the deadline. Please apply with the MasterCard first and if recommended by their office, apply to either of the professional programs: MFRE, MFS or MLWS.

Students are responsible for ensuring that the Graduate Programs Coordination office receives their application and supporting documents well before the application deadlines, as considerable time may be required to complete the evaluation process.

Where academic records are produced in a language other than English, the applicant must arrange for the submission of official literal translations of all records.

In cases where the transcript does not clearly state that a degree has been conferred, an official degree certificate is required to accompany the academic record.

Applicants from a university outside Canada in which English is not the primary language of instruction
must provide results of an English language proficiency examination as part of their application. Tests must have been taken within the last 24 months at the time of submission of your application. In LFS, the only English Language tests accepted are IELTS and/or TOEFL.

a) TOEFL: UBC requires an official score to be sent to us electronically directly from the test centre/ETS.

On the TOEFL score request form you will be asked to specify the receiving institutions where you would like the results being sent to. To ensure UBC receives your results correctly, you have to use the following details:

• In the electronic score request form in your ETS manager, use institution code 0965 and pick "Graduate Organization" in Vancouver, BC, Canada.
• If you use a paper request form, use institution code 0965 and institution name "University of British Columbia".
• Both electronic and paper form ask for a department name/code. Either pick the value of an appropriate fit to your study area or 99 for other.
• If you are asked to give a reason for taking the TOEFL test then select/enter: "to enter a college or university as a graduate student"

b) IELTS - A minimum overall band score of 6.5 is required with a minimum score of 6.0 in each component of the academic (NOT general) IELTS test.*

Important:

• IELTS Online is accepted for Applications to UBC-Vancouver
• IELTS Indicator is not accepted for Applications to UBC-Vancouver.

SCORE SUBMISSION

UBC requires an official score to be sent to us electronically from the test centre.

On the IELTS application form you will be asked to specify institutions where you would like the results being sent to. To ensure UBC receives your results correctly, you have to use the following details on the application:

• Name and address of college / institution / university: University of British Columbia - Graduate School Admissions
• Address: 170-6371 Crescent Road, Vancouver BC V6T 1Z2, Canada