UBC International Scholars Program 2027
The UBC International Scholars Program is for international students who have demonstrated leadership qualities, exceptional contributions to their communities, have outstanding academic performance, and require meaningful financial support to attend UBC. By bringing together Scholars from diverse countries and cultures, the program fosters a vibrant and globally connected learning community.
As a UBC International Scholar, you will
- Earn a globally recognized degree at a top university
- Study with the brightest students in the world
- Get access to unique learning opportunities
- Get dedicated advising and support
As a Scholar, you’ll get to participate in skill building workshops and retreats and have the option to participate in exchange and co-op. While you work on your degree, you’ll have additional support from dedicated International Scholars Program advisors who will encourage your academic, personal and career development.
Eligibility for the Program
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 directly from an accredited secondary school.
- Applicants for 2027 Winter session must have graduated from high school no earlier than June 2026.
- 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. You will be required to submit official documents that demonstrate your financial need.
- Your family is not able to afford a significant level of your educational costs and does not have access to external funding.
- Financial need may be different for each applicant. The financial need estimation is the amount that represents how much financial support you would require to live and study at UBC after all your resources have been accounted for. Review UBC’s merit and entrance-based award options first to determine which award program is right for you. Applicants may only be considered for either our merit-based or financial need-based award program.
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.
How to apply for the International Scholars Program
Applications for the September 2027 intake will open on October 5, 2026. We recommend starting the application process as early as possible.
Applicants are required to first apply for admission to UBC, speak with their high school about the nomination, gather family and financial information, and complete their student essays. Applicants may also be invited to complete a video interview.
Applications started shortly before the deadline are less likely to be successful, so beginning early will help ensure you have enough time to complete each step carefully.
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.
You’ll need one nominator (guidance counsellor, principal, administrator, etc.) and one teacher referee. The nominator and teacher referee must be different people.
Nominator: Your nominator should be able to speak to your educational goals and your character. A high school or registered non-profit organization may nominate up to two students for UBC Vancouver (including Vantage College), and one student for UBC Okanagan. A student may be nominated by a non-profit organization if the non-profit acts as an educational institution in place of a high school, or where it offers an educational, leadership development, and mentorship program to high school graduates from less fortunate backgrounds. This option is typically reserved for applicants applying from war-torn, politically unstable, or economically disadvantaged areas of the world where no other option for education exists.
Teacher referee: Your referee should be someone who is familiar with you and your work in your chosen area of study.
Confirm that your high school is able to nominate you and you meet the eligibility requirements for the International Scholars Program before proceeding with the next steps.
Submit your UBC Admissions application. This is required for your International Scholars Program application. You must have completed your admissions application to UBC before starting your award application. The award application will request confirmation of UBC application submission. Apply to UBC early so you can then access the award application.
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 first choice campus and program
- There is a limit of nominations for each campus (see step 2 for nomination details)
- The nominator and teacher recommendations need to be completed and submitted a few days before November 15
After, start your award application by creating an account. 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.
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.
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.
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.
You must also meet UBC’s English Language Admission Standard by January 31. If you are required to take an English language test, make sure you complete the test early enough for UBC Admissions to receive your official test results by January 31. We cannot proceed with your International Scholars Program application if documents or other requirements needed for admission to UBC are missing.
Applicants may be invited to complete a video interview. You will have one week to complete this step and record your video responses using the online application platform. The video interview stage will provide you with the opportunity to share more about who you are as a student and reflect on past educational and leadership experiences beyond the information provided in your written application.
Check your spam filters and ensure all UBC email addresses are marked as safe. You may receive emails from several platforms throughout the application process including the UBC Admissions online system, the ISP application system, or emails directly from staff at UBC.
Results will be released on a rolling basis throughout the months of February – April. By early- to 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.