UBC ranks 36th on THE’s University World Rankings of 2016 and ranks second in Canada. According to PAIR, UBC Vancouver receives approximately 34,000 undergraduate applications every year and only about 14,000 students get accepted. Out of 14,000 accepted students, only 8,000 students actually registered to the undergraduate programs. The 2016 acceptance rate for UBC is 50.6 per cent and the yield rate is 55 per cent. The number of applicants has kept increasing for the last five years.
Out of the overall registered students, 30 per cent went to arts, 18 per cent to science, 17 per cent to applied science, -- to Commerce, -- to LFS, -- percent to kinesiology, --- per cent to forestry and --- to land and food systems. Let’s see the general admission requirements for Canadian students and standardized international curriculum and the reason why these requirements exists.
FILL IN STATS
General UBC Requirements
Canadian curriculum
According to the UBC admission website, an average final grade of 70 per cent or higher in courses equivalent to English 11 or English 12, and all Grade 12 courses is required for Canadians in order to be accepted at UBC. However, since 2012 , UBC introduced a new section of undergraduate application called the “Broad Based Application” that allows for UBC admission staff to assess student’s non-academic achievement as a part of admission consideration.
International Baccalaureate
In order to get your application to be considered, IB students should have completed of the Diploma successfully with a minimum score of 24 points including at least three Higher Level courses and additional points for Extended Essay and Theory of Knowledge. If English is the primary language of instruction, Standard Level or Higher Level English A is required with a minimum score of 3.
AP or American Curriculum
Four years of English (not ESL) to the senior level. A minimum of three other full-year senior-level academic subjects. Three years of mathematics to the junior level. ACT + Writing or SAT I (in countries where the SAT and ACT are unavailable, exemptions may be granted.)
British-patterned curriculum
Standing in at least five academic subject areas, including English, with at least three UBC-approved academic A Levels (or six at the Advanced Subsidiary Level). A subject may not be counted at both the A Level and the GCSE Level (O Level). A Level and AS Level courses that are not sufficiently academic in content (as determined by UBC) cannot be used.
Faculty - specific requirements
Arts
Arts is the largest faculty in UBC with over 12,000 students in total. Every year, around 8,000 students were registered into the faculty of Arts. The faculty consisted of various disciplines related to social sciences, modern languages, and fine arts. In terms of prerequisites courses, UBC Admission needs any courses equivalent to English 12. However, if the students wish to graduate in time, they are recommended to take language other than English prior coming to UBC, as language requirement for obtaining B.A. could be waived. For Grade 11, student should have taken Math, English, Social Sciences. This provide an academically strong background in many of the arts disciplines.
Major declaration is based on per departmental application for popular majors like International Relations, Economics, Political Science, and English. The other programs could be declared through SSC once having all required courses and have second year standing. If students are intending to major in Economics (B.A.), it is highly recommended that students took Pre Calculus or Calculus in Grade 12 as the foundation of understanding mathematical component of the course.
Students with IB and American curriculum do not have any other specific course requirements other than the general requirements.
BFA, Music and Media Studies
For these program, the requirements were pretty much similar with Bachelor of Arts program as these programs also belong in the faculty of Arts. As a part of the Arts program, the prerequisite course requirement is courses equivalent to English 12. However, supplementary requirement such as audition (B.Mus), artwork portfolio (BFA in Visual Arts, Film and Theatre) and analytical response (B.M.S.) were also required to be submitted as a part of undergraduate application. For BMS program, students from some provinces (AB,SK, ON) were required to take one Social Sciences courses in their Grade 12.
For any international curriculum requirements, BFA and BMS applicants only needs to follows the general and english requirements, plus portfolio submission. For BMus program, students are required to have auditions, music theory entrance exams, portfolio (students in composition) and letter of references.
Science
For most provinces, in order to be considered by faculty of Sciences, prospective students needed to take English 12, English 11 and Math or Precalculus 12 prior to coming to UBC. These courses needed to be taken as most of science courses involves a lot of advanced math and analytical skills. For science courses pre-requisites, students were given options to take any two combination of sciences courses, which are Physics 12, Biology 12 or Chemistry 12. In some other provinces (AB, SK, MN), students are required to take courses equivalent to Physics and Chemistry 12. However, if they attained Biology 11 higher than 60 per cent, the requirement of one of courses is waived. For students in BC and ON, students are also required to take physics and chemistry during Grade 11.
One of Math (HL/SL) and one of IB Physics, IB Chemistry or IB Biology. Chemistry and Physics at Grade 11 level.Senior-level Math (Pre-Calculus)Chemistry (junior/Grade 11 level)Physics (junior/Grade 11 level) (Physics may be waived with grades of A in senior-level Math [Grade 12] and senior-level Chemistry [Grade 12])
Applied Science
To be considered for UBC’s Applied Science program, for most Canadian provinces, Canadian students must have courses equivalent to BC English 12, calculus 12, chemistry 12, physics 12 and two other grade 12 courses. For grade 11 requirements, students are also required to have courses equivalent to Physics 11 and Chemistry 11.
For IB students, they should have one of IB Math (HL/SL), IB Physics (HL/SL) and IB Chemistry (HL/SL). Chemistry and Physics at Grade 11 level.Senior-level Math (Pre-Calculus)Senior-level Chemistry (two full years or AP Chemistry)Senior-level Physics (two full years or AP Physics) Academically strong applicants who are deficient in either Senior-level Chemistry or Senior-level Physics will be reviewed on a case by case basis
Land Food System (Food Nutrition and Health)To be considered for Food, Nutrition and Health program, Faculty of LFS requires students to have courses equivalent to Biology and Chemistry 12. Some provinces like Alberta, Manitoba, and Ontario needs any two of Grade 11 Science courses (preferably Biology, Chemistry or Physics). All other provinces other than BC needs student to have math courses equivalent to Calculus 12. Aside from these requirements,students are also required to have two other Grade 12 courses.
One of Math (HL/SL) and one of IB Physics, IB Chemistry or IB Biology. Two of Biology, Chemistry or Physics at Grade 11 level.
American Curriculum
Senior-level Math (Pre-Calculus), Two of Chemistry, Physics, or Biology (to the junior/Grade 11 level)
Forestry (Urban Forestry, Wood Processing, Forest Sciences, Natural Resources Conservation)
If you wanted to get into programs within the Faculty of Forestry, scientific and mathematical background is essentially required. Students should have taken English 12, Calculus 12, one of Physics 12, Chemistry 12 or Biology 12 and other four courses taken in Grade 12. It is also required for students to have any two of the science courses in Grade 11.
IB students should have one of Math (HL/SL) and one of IB Physics, IB Chemistry or IB Biology. Chemistry, Physics, and Biology at Grade 11 level.Senior-level Math (Pre-calculus)Two of Biology, Chemistry, or Physics (to the junior/Grade 11 level)BSc (Natural Resources Conservation)Senior-level Math (Pre-calculus)Chemistry (to the junior/Grade 11 level)One of Biology or Physics (to the junior/Grade 11 level)BSc (Wood Products Processing)Senior-level Math (Pre-calculus)Chemistry and Physics (to the junior/Grade 11 level)
Commerce (Sauder School of Business)In order to be considered in the Faculty of Commerce, students in grade 12 should have courses equivalent to BC Courses such as Calculus 12, and English. Prior to Grade 12, students also had to take courses equivalent to Social Studies 11. Four other courses in Grade 12 is also required as a part of B.Comm application.
In addition to the general requirement, IB students should have taken IB Math HL/SL.In addition to the general requirements, students with american curriculum should have taken Senior-level Math (Pre-Calculus).
International EconomicsFor the International Economics program, the high school course requirements were pretty much the same as for the Bachelor of Commerce. Due to the nature of abundance of mathematical concept in the course, it is highly required that students should take courses equivalent to Calculus and English courses in Grade 12. Four other courses taken in Grade 12 are also accounted for the admission consideration for BIE program.
In addition to the general requirement, IB students should have taken IB Math HL/SL.In addition to the general requirements, students with american curriculum should have taken Senior-level Math (Pre-Calculus).
Dental HygieneIn order to be considered in UBC’s Dental Hygiene, high school students needs to take courses equivalent to BC English 12, Biology 12 and Chemistry 12. Three other approved courses are also required during their Grade 12.
In addition to the general requirements, IB students needs to take IB Biology and IB Chemistry throughout their IB Diploma studies.
KinesiologyIn order for the application to be considered, Kinesiology applicants were required to take courses equivalent to BC English 12 and one of the sciences (Biology 12, Physics 12 or Chemistry 12). Four other grade 12 courses are also required and will be considered as a part of the application.
In addition to the general requirements, IB students needs to have one of Math (HL/SL) and one of IB Physics, IB Chemistry or IB Biology.
American curriculum applicants should have one of Senior-level Math (Precalculus), or one full year of Chemistry, Physics, or Biology
For some of you, getting into UBC is not that easy. Aside from meeting the minimum grade requirement and taking all required high school pre-requisites courses, you should be able to get more than 80 per cent in average. Regardless of that, don’t worry to not getting in as UBC do not solely assess your application based on academic achievements. UBC also considers your application from your non-academic achievement as UBC demands well-rounded students.