UBC Undergraduate Scholarships

UBC provides scholarships and other forms of financial support for international undergraduate students, stating it devotes more than $35 million annually to awards, scholarships, and other financial support. On this page, UBC lists merit-based entrance awards (International Major Entrance Scholarship and Outstanding International Student Award) and UBC Okanagan awards (Global Elevation Award and International Welcome Award), each with stated tuition-credit or scholarship values.

For the merit-based awards, UBC considers international undergraduate applicants after they receive an offer of admission to UBC. Eligibility is tied to entering directly to UBC (new to UBC) from secondary school (IMES) or from secondary school or post-secondary (OIS), holding a Canadian study permit, and demonstrating academic achievement and extracurricular/community involvement. UBC Okanagan awards apply to new international undergraduate students who enroll at UBC Okanagan, and to international students who list a UBC Okanagan degree as their first choice and are accepted and enrolled into their first-choice program.

UBC states that merit-based awards are evaluated based on an applicant’s academic and personal profile and that consideration for OIS and IMES is highly competitive. UBC also states that admissions decisions and award evaluations are two separate processes, and that merit-based scholarship decisions are made between mid-February to the end of April. Only successful recipients receive notification of an award offer.

UBC describes renewal for IMES and the structure of tuition credits for UBC Okanagan awards. IMES is renewable for up to three additional years of study, while the UBC Okanagan Global Elevation Award is renewable for an additional three years or up to degree completion, whichever is sooner, and is applied as tuition credit in two equal instalments paid in Winter Term 1 and Winter Term 2. UBC Okanagan Global Elevation Award and International Welcome Award are applied as credits toward tuition fees, and UBC states that its OIS and IMES do not cover the full cost of education.

• International Major Entrance Scholarship (IMES): Be new to UBC, entering directly from secondary school.
• International Major Entrance Scholarship (IMES): Be an international student who will be studying at UBC on a Canadian study permit (student visa); changes to citizenship status affect IMES eligibility.
• International Major Entrance Scholarship (IMES): Demonstrate exceptional academic achievement and intellectual promise, as well as impressive extracurricular and community involvement.
• International Major Entrance Scholarship (IMES): Not be nominated for a need-and-merit-based International Scholars award.
• International Major Entrance Scholarship (IMES): Apply to UBC by the admissions deadline.
• Outstanding International Student (OIS) Award: Be new to UBC, entering directly from secondary school or post-secondary (university or college).
• Outstanding International Student (OIS) Award: Be an international student studying at UBC on a Canadian study permit (student visa); changes to citizenship status affect scholarship eligibility.
• Outstanding International Student (OIS) Award: Demonstrate outstanding academic achievement and strong extracurricular involvement.
• Outstanding International Student (OIS) Award: Not be nominated for a need-and-merit-based International Scholars award.
• Outstanding International Student (OIS) Award: Apply to UBC by the admissions deadline.
• UBC Okanagan Global Elevation Award: Be a new international student who enrolls at UBC Okanagan.
• UBC Okanagan International Welcome Award: Apply to UBC with a UBC Okanagan degree listed as their first choice, be accepted and enrol into their UBC Okanagan first-choice program.

• International Major Entrance Scholarship (IMES): $10,000 – $25,000/year.
• International Major Entrance Scholarship (IMES): Students receive IMES when they enter their first year at UBC; scholarships are renewable for up to three additional years of study.
• Outstanding International Student (OIS) Award: One-time award valued at $10,000 – $25,000.
• UBC Okanagan Global Elevation Award: $8,000 award applied to international students’ tuition at UBC Okanagan (applied as a credit toward tuition fees).
• UBC Okanagan Global Elevation Award: Renewable for an additional 3 years (up to 4 years or degree completion, whichever is sooner).
• UBC Okanagan Global Elevation Award: Credit paid in two equal instalments of $4,000 in Winter Term 1 and Winter Term 2.
• UBC Okanagan International Welcome Award: $5,000 award applied to international students’ first-year tuition at UBC Okanagan (credit toward tuition fees for your first year of tuition fees).

1. Apply to UBC by the admissions deadline to be automatically considered for the International Major Entrance Scholarship and the Outstanding International Student Award.
2. For UBC Okanagan Global Elevation Award: if you are accepted to and enroll at UBC Okanagan, UBC states the award will automatically be applied as a credit on your student account after you have accepted UBC’s offer of admission.
3. For UBC Okanagan International Welcome Award: apply to UBC with a UBC Okanagan degree listed as your first choice, and if you are accepted and enrol into your first-choice program, UBC states you will receive the award.