Getting Started
Once you have been accepted to the graduate program in the School of Engineering, there are some things that all students should do. This is written as if you do not live in Kelowna. If you live in Kelowna then skip to the Once You Arrive section.
Before you leave home
1. Take your paperwork to the Canadian Visa Office and begin the process to obtain your study permit.
A student Visa is required to study in Canada.
2. Find a place to stay.
UBC on-campus housing is convenient for students and linked to the greater Kelowna area by many transit bus routes. A summary of links to find off-campus housing in the greater Kelowna compiled by the College of Graduate studies can help locate off-campus housing. Students often find reasonable housing in the Glenmore and Rutland areas.
3. Obtain 3-4 set of original transcripts in sealed envelopes from your previous University(ies).
Many scholarship applications require you to submit transcripts. In many cases they are difficult to obtain once you leave your home country. Therefore, you should ask for three or four copies of your transcripts to be put in individual sealed envelopes that you can bring with you to use with scholarship applications. If your University will not give them to you, you can have them sent to the following address:
School of Engineering Graduate Office
EME Building
3231-1137 Alumni Avenue
Kelowna, BC Canada V1V 1V7
4. Ensure you have funds for up to 2 months living expenses.
The process of payroll initiation for new students takes 2-3 weeks and so even funded students should ensure they have enough funds so they can buy their books, eat, etc. until the first pay allotment can be deposited in their account.
5. Arrive in time to attend new graduate student orientations.
Students will be notified the exact dates each year in time to make travel plans. There are two orientation sessions covering different topics.
1. The graduate studies orientation is typically two days, just prior to the beginning of classes. Valuable information is given.
2. The School of Engineering orientation.
We begin your arrival process with a mandatory orientation. You receive valuable information and forms to initiate your payroll, IT Services and office allocations. All student must attend (even those that are not funded).
6. Stay in contact with your supervisor; determine your courses for the upcoming term.
Student registration instructions are given in the School of Engineering orientation session. All students must register for the appropriate thesis course (ENGR 599 for MASc, ENGR 699 for PhD) and for the graduate seminar (ENGR 596a).
Let your supervisor and the School of Engineering Graduate Admissions Assistant know when you expect to arrive in Kelowna.
Once you arrive in Kelowna
1. Open a Canadian bank account.
Our payroll/reimbursement system does not create cheques. All fund transfers are through automatic deposits to a bank account.
2. Attend the two orientation sessions.
As mentioned above the session provided by the College of Graduate Studies and the School of Engineering provide valuable information for all incoming students. You will have been sent the schedules by the College of Graduate Studies and the School of Engineering.
At the School of Engineering orientation sessions you will be given the paperwork to sart all of the processes that will enable you to receive funding, get in to your office and have access to the IT services on campus.
3. Complete tuition deduction from payroll form in a timely manner.
Funded students (TA/RA) may complete the form to have their tuition deducted form their pay rather than paying it at the beginning of hte term. This must be done as soon as your position has been set up.
4. Be patient.
The arrival process that is started in the orientation session takes time. All new graduate students arrive on campus at about the same time and the finance and IT offices need time to set up the large amount of new students. The following are approximate timelines:
Payroll initiation - 2-3 weeks from when the paperwork is turned in.
Key card access to offices and labs - 1 week
IT accounts and Access - 2-3 weeks
Last reviewed 
8/27/2011 8:36:35 AM
