You are reading the 2024/25 Academic Calendar. The 2023/24 version remains in effect until August 31, 2024 and is available here.

Master's Degrees

An applicant may apply for admission to the degree program by reviewing application requirements on the websites of the graduate program and the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies, and completing the online application available on the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies website.

Students are admitted to study only in fields that are authorized by Senate to offer master's-level programs. All applications must be accompanied by an application fee at the time of submission. Consult the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies for more information. The number of students that can be accommodated is limited, and graduate programs with limited facilities will accept the best-qualified students as vacancies occur.

Most students begin their program of study in September, but limitations on the number of students that can be accommodated require that applicants be selected well before this date. Students are encouraged to submit applications for admission as early as possible.

Students with a Bachelor's Degree from a Canadian or American Institution

Normally, applicants for a master's degree program must hold the academic equivalent of a four-year bachelor's degree from UBC with one of the following:

  • A minimum overall average in the B+ range (76% at UBC) in third- and fourth-year level courses.
  • Academic standing with at least 12 credits of third- or fourth-year level courses in the A grade range (80% or higher at UBC) in the field of study.
  • Alternatively, applicants who do not meet the requirements stated above, but who have had significant formal training and relevant professional experience, and/or otherwise possess demonstrable knowledge or expertise that would prepare them adequately for successful study in a specific graduate program, may be granted admission on the recommendation of the appropriate graduate program and approval of the Dean of the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies.

Individuals of Indigenous ancestry are encouraged to apply. Additional information for Indigenous applicants to graduate programs can be found on the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies website.

These are the minimum requirements for admission to the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies. Individual graduate programs may have additional admission requirements. Consult the graduate program listings in the Calendar to confirm the admission requirements for specific degree programs.

Students with a Bachelor's Degree from an International Institution

Applications for admission to the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies are welcomed and encouraged from students who hold a credential deemed academically equivalent to a four-year bachelor's degree from UBC and who demonstrate superior academic standing. Specific minimum admission requirements established by the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies for graduates of different countries may be found at Graduate Studies Admissions. These are minimum requirements; individual graduate programs may have additional admission requirements.

English Language Proficiency Requirement

See English Language Proficiency Standards and GRE Requirements.

Conditional Admission Program

The Faculty of Graduate Studies may extend a conditional offer of admission to a highly-qualified graduate applicant who does not quite meet the minimum English language proficiency requirement set by the graduate program to which the student has applied.

A conditional admission allows a student to obtain a study permit (if necessary) and begin their studies in the UBC English Language Institute (ELI) or an equivalent institution approved by the Provost. Upon successful completion of the prescribed terms of study in the ELI Intensive Academic English Program (or pre-approved, equivalent alternative), the student will proceed directly into the graduate degree program.

To be eligible for the Condition Admission Program (CAP), the applicant must:

  • possess a "first-class average" (or established equivalent) in a degree deemed as an eligible basis for admission, OR have academic qualifications that would have ranked them in the top 33% of students admitted to the graduate program to which they are applying, for the year prior to the date of their application;
  • have English language proficiency, demonstrated via an accepted test, that can reasonably be expected to be brought up to the standard required by the graduate program to which the student has applied by completing ELI (or accepted equivalent) training in no more than a year; and
  • be recommended for the CAP by a UBC graduate program.

In recommending conditional admission, graduate programs guarantee a student admission at the date specified in the admission letter, assuming the student's successful completion of the terms of the ELI program (or approved equivalent). Students admitted via the CAP are not allowed to make academic progress toward their graduate degree before they successfully complete the English language training program and are admitted without condition to the graduate program.

Required Documentation

The following information is required for the application and admission process for the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies:

  • Graduate Studies Application (online system).
  • Application fee.
  • At least two confidential reference reports. Normally these are from academic or professional referees, and speak to the applicant’s appropriateness for the graduate program. Reports must be uploaded by the referees directly to the online application system, or sent by post (must contain original signature and be received in sealed envelopes endorsed by referees).
  • Transcripts/Academic Records. Upon initial application, applicants must provide copies of their academic records for all postsecondary institutions they have attended. These required records (and translations if necessary) may initially be provided as electronic copies of official documents which are uploaded by the applicant to the online application system. Some graduate programs may also require official paper documents to be submitted as part of the initial application process. Conditional admission offers may be made based on unofficial documents. However, admission offers will not be finalized and applicants will not be allowed to register in a graduate program until all required official academic records are received and validated by the University. To finalize an admission offer and allow registration, official transcripts must be received by the University for every postsecondary institution an applicant has attended, unless otherwise indicated to an individual applicant by the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies. To be considered official, academic records must be either received in official university envelopes, sealed and endorsed by the issuing institution, or be sent via secure electronic delivery by the issuing institution. If transcripts are not issued in English, official academic records in original language and certified English translation are required (if originals cannot be obtained by applicant, then attested, certified copies of originals are acceptable). If the official transcript does not indicate the degree name and the degree conferral date, an official copy of the degree certificate is required.
  • Evidence of adequate English proficiency where applicable (TOEFL, IELTS, or MELAB are all acceptable).
  • Supplementary information as may be required by admitting graduate program (e.g., GRE, statement of intent, research proposal, etc.).

Types of Admission Offers

Admission to the master's program will be in one of the following categories:

  1. Unconditional admission. Granted when the applicant meets all admission requirements and all final official documentation has been received. Applicants who have a bachelor's degree, or its academic equivalent, which does not meet the requirements stated above, but who have significant formal training and relevant professional experience to offset such deficiencies, may be granted admission on the recommendation of the appropriate graduate program or faculty and approval of the Dean of the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies.
  2. Conditional admission. Contains condition(s) that must be met before an offer can be considered final. Such conditions may include the provision of official transcripts or other academic records, final documentation showing degree conferred, or completion of the terms of the Conditional Admission Program. Admission offers will not be finalized and an applicant will not be allowed to register in a graduate program until the University receives and validates required official documentation which substantiates scanned documents previously submitted in the online system. The Letter of Admission stipulates deadlines as to when the conditions must be met. Failure to meet an admission condition by stated deadlines will normally result in an admission offer being revoked, or a student being required to withdraw from the program.

On the recommendation of the graduate program, a student with a bachelor's degree who lacks prerequisites for a chosen field of graduate study may be allowed to register as a "qualifying" student for a period of no more than one year. Satisfactory completion of a qualifying term or year does not guarantee admission to a graduate program. Qualifying status is granted to students only at the recommendation of the graduate program. Qualifying students are not considered graduate students.

International Students

Students who are not Canadian citizens or permanent residents must apply for a study permit (student visa) to enter Canada. Applications can be made at any Canadian Consulate or High Commission.

 


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