Language of instruction
Limited places available. Potentially available as a second of third preference.
The University of British Columbia is a global centre for research and teaching, consistently ranked among the top 20 public universities in the world. Since 1915, UBC’s West Coast spirit has embraced innovation and challenged the status quo.
The Okanagan campus is located in British Columbia’s “four-season playground”, where students can explore Okanagan Lake’s clear waters and sandy beaches, Skaha Bluffs – a world-famous rock climbing destination, and the many wineries of the Okanagan Valley.
The Vancouver campus is surrounded by forest on 3 sides and ocean on the 4th and is just a 30 minute bus ride to Vancouver’s downtown core.
Semester dates
| UQ Semester | Host Semester | Dates |
| Semester 1 | Winter Term 2 | January–April |
| Semester 2 | Winter Term 1 | September–December |
View UBC's academic calendar for the Vancouver campus and Okanagan campus.
Guides and additional information
UBC has online resources to help you get the most out of your exchange:
Campuses
You can choose to study at either of UBC's 2 campuses:
Exchange deadlines
Application for Exchange in UQ Semester 1:
Open: 24 April (for Semester 1 of the following year)
Close: 31 May (for Semester 1 of the following year)
Application for Exchange in UQ Semester 2:
Open: 24 September (for Semester 2 of the following year)
Close: 31 October (for Semester 2 of the following year)
Extended Deadline: 28 Nov 2024 (for exchange in Sem 2, 2025)
Student testimonials
- B ScienceSemester 1, 2024
If you get the chance to take part in an exchange absolutely go for it.
- B Journalism / ArtsSemester 2, 2023
I gained many friendships with people from all over the world and I was able to visit many of the local sights in and around BC as well as North America during my exchange.
- B Engineering (Honours)Semester 2, 2022
Semester-based exchange is a very unique experience allowing you to live, study and work in another country and this was something that I did not want to miss.
Full-time study load
Undergraduate: 15 credits at UBC is equivalent to 8 UQ units.
Postgraduate: 9 credits at UBC is equivalent to 8 UQ units.
Host university requirements
GPA
You will need a minimum cumulative GPA of 5.2 to study at UBC.
Law students will need a cumulative GPA of 5.2 based on their law courses only.
Study Options
You must choose one admission stream from the list below and take the majority of courses within the chosen stream. Further details are outlined in the Additional Academic Information section below.
Semester Restrictions
Due to study permit caps introduced by the Government of Canada, admission for a full-year exchange at UBC cannot be guaranteed. Please take this into consideration when deciding on the duration of your exchange.
Law: UBC only accepts exchange applications from Law students once per year. Therefore, Law students need to apply to UQ’s Semester-based Exchange by the following deadlines:
| UQ Application Deadline | Exchange Semester |
|---|---|
| 31 October 2022 | UQ’s Semester 2, 2023 |
| UQ’s Semester 1, 2024 | |
| 31 October 2023 | UQ’s Semester 2, 2024 |
| UQ’s Semester 1, 2025 | |
| 31 October 2024 | UQ’s Semester 2, 2025 |
| UQ’s Semester 1, 2026 | |
| 31 October 2025 | UQ’s Semester 2, 2026 |
| UQ’s Semester 1, 2027 |
Other Requirements:
Nationality: UBC's Allard Law School is not available to Canadian citizens.
Note: Host university eligibility criteria are at the discretion of the host and may change without notice.
Find courses
Search the UBC course catalogue .
Crosscheck the courses you found in the host course catalogue with the Credit Precedent Database to see if UQ credit has previously been granted. The database should be used as a general guide only. Few courses from each host will be in the database and many course precedents in the database may have expired. Note, the credit precedent database does not replace the host course catalogue. If a course is not listed in the CPD, you can still ask for it to be assessed on your study plan.
Study areas taught in English
Academic restrictions
Additional academic information
Exchange deadlines
Application for Exchange in UQ Semester 1:
Open: 24 April (for Semester 1 of the following year)
Close: 31 May (for Semester 1 of the following year)
Application for Exchange in UQ Semester 2:
Open: 24 September (for Semester 2 of the following year)
Close: 31 October (for Semester 2 of the following year)
Extended Deadline: 28 Nov 2024 (for exchange in Sem 2, 2025)
Accommodation
UBC has on-campus residential options available to exchange students at both campuses.
Vancouver Campus:
On-campus accommodation at UBC Vancouver is not guaranteed. On-campus accommodation is very competitive, especially during UBC's Winter Term 1 or for Full Year students.
Students admitted to CIE (Engineering), will not have access to on-campus accommodation in Winter Term 1.
As of November 2022, due to an increase in requests for campus accommodation, UBC Vancouver residence accommodation is not guaranteed.
Students wanting on-campus accommodation are encouraged to look at UBC's Okanagan Campus (see below).
Okanagan Campus:
All incoming exchange students are given priority access to housing at UBC Okanagan if they apply by the deadline (May 1st for September term and October 1st for January term).
Cost of living
UBC has provided a breakdown of key costs students can expect to encounter while studying at the university.
Financial support
A range of funding for student exchange including scholarships, grants and loans are available to UQ students.
Insurance
Students approved to participate in a Semester-based Exchange are automatically covered by UQ’s Travel Insurance for the country of their host university only.
For more information, read the Student Travel Insurance Policy Summary on UQ’s Travel Insurance web page (login required).
If you plan to travel outside of your host country, you should purchase additional insurance.
All UBC exchange students are required to purchase the mandatory health insurance, iMED.
Exchange deadlines
Application for Exchange in UQ Semester 1:
Open: 24 April (for Semester 1 of the following year)
Close: 31 May (for Semester 1 of the following year)
Application for Exchange in UQ Semester 2:
Open: 24 September (for Semester 2 of the following year)
Close: 31 October (for Semester 2 of the following year)
Extended Deadline: 28 Nov 2024 (for exchange in Sem 2, 2025)
Organise your visa
It is your responsibility to ensure you have the correct visa for the country where you will be studying. As the Global Experiences team is not a visa-issuing authority we cannot provide visa advice.
Contact the High Commission of Canada for visa information.
UBC provide information about various visa options while on exchange.
Travel risk levels
The University of Queensland cannot and does not allow students to travel to any country with a risk level of 3 (Reconsider your need to travel) or above, as assessed by the Australian Government.
If a country's risk level changes to 3 or above, experiences to that country are suspended until the risk level improves.
Find out the risk level and travel advice, and sign up to receive updates for your host country on the Smartraveller website.
Exchange deadlines
Application for Exchange in UQ Semester 1:
Open: 24 April (for Semester 1 of the following year)
Close: 31 May (for Semester 1 of the following year)
Application for Exchange in UQ Semester 2:
Open: 24 September (for Semester 2 of the following year)
Close: 31 October (for Semester 2 of the following year)
Extended Deadline: 28 Nov 2024 (for exchange in Sem 2, 2025)