International Graduate Students
The School of Engineering encourages applications from international students who hold a credential comparable to an approved Canadian four-year undergraduate degree and who demonstrate superior academic standing. Students can determine if they meet the UBC admission requirements by selecting their country from the UBC International Student Evaluation Manual. International students are eligible for the International Partial Tuition Scholarship (IPTS) which covers the international part of tuition so that students only pay the domestic portion of tuition. No application is required.
If your University education was not in English you will have to prove your competency to study and write in English. The most common tests are the TOEFL and IELTS. The School of Engineering requires the following scores: TOEFL score of 580 (PBT) or 92 (IBT), or an IELTS minimum overall band of 6.5 (with nothing less than 6.0 per individual test). The choice of tests is up to the student. Both tests require students to speak, listen, read and write in English. The IELTS was developed for international British English and the TOEFL was developed for North America. In the listening sections the IELTS speakers will have British accents and the TOEFL speakers will have American accents. In the writing section the IELTS will expect British spelling and the TOEFL will expect American spelling. Another big difference is that in the IELTS your spoken portion will be to a person in an interview and in the TOEFL it will be to a microphone and tape recorder for later listening. Students should determine their strengths and take the test that better demonstrates their strengths.
The International Student Services Office website can answer many questions about immigration, employment, medical insurance, and the transition to UBC Okanagan.
All international students will require a study permit. Once admissions decisions are made you will receive paperwork that you can take to the Canadian Visa Office in your country of origin. If you are bringing family to Canada you will need to make sure you purchase health insurance for your family members. This is important as even one visit to an emergency room for a slip or fall will cost more than a typical graduate student can afford without the insurance.
Last reviewed 
9/14/2011 1:10:30 PM
