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

Classification of Students

  1. Access Studies. Applicants may be enrolled as Access Studies students upon approval by a faculty (a) to allow them to take a limited number of courses in a specific area to upgrade or achieve a qualification, or (b) when they do not wish to pursue a specific program. Distance education students may be enrolled in this category. Students in this category may normally take up to 6 credits per academic term, up to a maximum of 24 credits in total while registered as Access Studies students. Students enrolled in a UBC degree program may not normally be concurrently registered as Access Studies students. Although documentation requirements vary by Faculty, Access Studies applicants are not normally required to submit transcripts or other academic documentation of prior study. Students with English as a second language, however, are required to satisfy the English Language Admission Standard in the same way as applicants to degree programs. Students who have been required to withdraw from any post-secondary institution must provide official transcripts. To be welcome as an Access Studies student, they must normally first complete a minimum of 15 credits of transferable coursework with a GPA of 2.0 on the 4-point scale since having been required to withdraw. Students who have been required to withdraw more than once from any post-secondary institution or program are not eligible for admission as Access Studies students. Continuation as an Access Studies student is normally contingent upon maintaining a passing grade on all courses attempted. Admission as an Access Studies student does not guarantee that a student will be able to register for any course offered. Admission as an Access Studies student does not imply future admission as a regular student. For more information, please contact the Non-Degree Studies Office, 604-822-9836.
  2. Exchange. A visiting student studying at UBC under a Senate-approved student exchange program and enrolled in studies for transfer to a degree program at another university.
  3. Vantage Program. A student enrolled in credit courses as part of the Vantage Program (VP). Admission to the Vantage Program generally limits enrolment to those courses that are part of the Program and registration under this status is limited to no more than 16 months and no more than 55 credits of study. Students registered as Vantage Program students may not be concurrently registered under another classification and may, with permission of the Program take up to six (6) credits of elective coursework at UBC outside of the Vantage Program.
  4. Mature Student. An individual whose formal education was interrupted and who did not meet the normal requirements for admission but who demonstrated an intellectual maturity that permitted acceptance to the university. Mature students are permitted to undertake degree or diploma studies on the same basis as a regular student. Admission criteria are outlined under Mature Applicants.
  5. Post-Degree Trainee. A post-graduate non-credit student pursuing further clinical or research training in their specialty.
  6. Qualifying. A student enrolled in make-up studies in preparation for registration as a regular student in a graduate or professional program. Qualifying status is granted only to those students who are recommended for such status by the departments concerned and the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies.
  7. Regular. A student enrolled for studies leading to a degree or a diploma, or credit certificate, whether on a full-time or a part-time basis.
  8. Resident. A dental resident registered in a postgraduate training program in the Faculty of Dentistry.
  9. Unclassified. A student enrolled for studies not intended to lead to a particular degree or diploma. Unclassified students should normally have a recognized degree. Admission as an unclassified student does not guarantee that a student will be able to register for any course offered. Admission as an unclassified student does not imply future admission as a regular student. Students with a failed year in a faculty will not be admitted as unclassified until they have discontinued their studies for at least one year. After a second failed year, admission as unclassified will be subject to the approval of the Senate Admissions Committee.

    1. Unclassified Students Applying to Second or Subsequent Undergraduate Degree Programs
      A faculty may limit the number of credits taken as an Unclassified student that may be counted for credit toward a second or subsequent undergraduate degree. See individual faculty listings and/or contact faculty advisors for details.
    2. Unclassified Students Applying to Graduate Programs
      Courses taken as an unclassified (or non-degree) student may be approved for transfer toward a graduate program on permission of the department and the Dean of the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies.

      Consistent with standard transfer credit regulations, students are limited to transferring a maximum of 12 credits or up to 40% of the program credit requirements, whichever is more, toward their master's program. No more than 6 credits of transfer credit may be at the undergraduate level (3**/4**). To be eligible for transfer, a minimum B standing must have been achieved and the course(s) must not have been counted toward the completion of another degree or program.

    Continuation as an Unclassified Student is normally contingent upon maintaining a sessional average above 50% per winter session.

  10. Visitor. A student enrolled in studies for transfer to a program of studies at another recognized post-secondary institution. See Fees for applicable fees. Students must be in good standing in a degree program or equivalent at the home institution and must submit official transcripts and a Letter of Permission with their application. Course registrations will be made on a space-available basis only. A Letter of Permission is valid for one session only. A Letter of Permission must be submitted for any subsequent sessions in which a student wishes to register for courses.
  11. Visiting International Research Student (VIRS). An international student who is enrolled in an undergraduate, graduate, or graduate-equivalent program at another university, or is a participant in a UBC-recognized (through Go Global) "bridging" program between undergraduate and graduate studies, who visits UBC for one month or longer to conduct research only.

    A VIRS must be supervised by a UBC faculty member throughout the visit, and must have written permission of their home institution or sponsoring program to visit UBC to conduct research. The department head for the unit or laboratory with which the visitor will be affiliated has final authority to approve a VIRS visit. Students whose home institution has a formal academic student exchange agreement with UBC will be registered as exchange students unless reciprocity quotas are filled; in which case additional students may come under the VIRS designation.

    A VIRS will normally come to UBC for a maximum of one year. At the end of the approved visit period, the student may request an extension for up to one year. A visit lasting more than one year will require renewal of their permissions, registration, and fees.

    See also Visiting International Research Student.

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