How to Apply to Engineering at UBC: A Common Foundation Year, Then Placement into One of 14 Programs by Winter Session Average and Personal Statement, for Domestic and International (Including Chinese) Applicants and Transfer Students

Engineering at the University of British Columbia (UBC) is offered by the Faculty of Applied Science, and the degree is the Bachelor of Applied Science (BASc) in Engineering. UBC says degree names for engineering vary across Canada and that the BASc is equivalent to a Bachelor of Engineering or a Bachelor of Science in Engineering elsewhere. Based on UBC’s website, this guide covers September 2027 entry for domestic applicants (Canadian citizens and permanent residents), international applicants, applicants from China and transfer students. Computer Science (in the Faculty of Science) has its own guide on this site; Computer Engineering is part of Applied Science and is listed below. This guide focuses on the Vancouver campus; the Okanagan campus is covered briefly at the end.

1. Programs, accreditation and how admission works

• 14 programs (Vancouver): Biomedical, Chemical, Chemical and Biological, Civil, Computer, Electrical, Engineering Physics, Environmental, Geological, Integrated, Manufacturing, Materials, Mechanical and Mining Engineering; all lead to a BASc.
• Accreditation: the FAQ says UBC’s engineering programs are accredited in Canada to prepare students for careers as Professional Engineers, and recognized under the Washington Accord. The pages we read do not name the accrediting body (the Canadian Engineering Accreditation Board, CEAB) or give program-by-program terms; ask the Faculty if you need them.
• No specialization on the application: you choose the degree Applied Science (Engineering); the Faculty suggests listing it for both degree choices, with Vancouver or Okanagan as your first campus. You do not pick a specific program.
• Common first year (Foundation Year): every engineering student takes the same first year, 13 courses and 37 credits, with two engineering courses (APSC 100 and 101), math, chemistry, physics and communication, and weekly design studios. It introduces all disciplines to help you choose.
• Selectivity: UBC admits about 1,000 first-year engineering students a year and says it cannot offer places to everyone who applies. The entry average for direct-from-high-school applicants is not published on the pages we read (not publicly available; ask the Faculty). First-round offers rely mainly on Grade 11 marks and the personal profile; regular-round assessment uses grades available in February and March.

2. Program placement after first year

• Eligibility: by April 30, complete 27 of the 37 first-year credits and achieve at least 55% across all courses taken September to April. Students who do not qualify stay in first year and apply again.
• Timeline: the preference form opens March 15 and closes May 15; results come in late June, with registration in early July.
• How ranking works: your average across all winter session courses (September to April) plus a personal statement of about 500 words; Engineering Physics also considers 100-level math and physics grades and an interview. UBC advises ranking all 14 programs; eligible students are always placed in a program.
• No fixed cut-off: demand changes each year. The Faculty publishes a Historical Entrance Chart (data since 2020) as a guide, with no guarantee.
• Is a program guaranteed? No in general. But the Faculty may offer select top applicants Guaranteed Placement (except Engineering Physics): complete at least 30 credits in the first winter session (AP/IB advanced credit does not count), average 80% or higher, and meet placement eligibility. Offers arrive by email, typically January to April. Some major entrance award winners may also receive it.
• Programs with prerequisites: Mechanical Engineering requires MATH 100, MATH 101, MATH 152, PHYS 170, the physics sequence (PHYS 153 or 157/158/159) and WRDS 150 (or another first-year English course) with credit by August 1. Biomedical Engineering has a Pre-Biomedical Engineering (PBME) timetable with priority placement. Other programs have no extra placement requirement, but later courses have first-year prerequisites.
• Changing programs: after placement, an interdepartmental transfer depends on space and a competitive average, and will likely extend your degree.

3. Prerequisites and application materials

• UBC says the required high school courses are the same for every engineering program and depend on your province or country (see below). Direct-entry applicants must complete the required courses by June 30.
• Personal profile: required for high school applicants, with several short essay answers (about 50 to 500 words each) and two references UBC may contact.
• Standardized tests: the Engineering and admission-requirements pages we read do not ask for SAT or ACT; whether any other test requirement exists is not publicly stated, so confirm with Admissions.
• Application fee (non-refundable): CAD 78.50 for Canadian citizens and permanent residents; CAD 173.25 for international students needing a study permit.

4. Timeline for September 2027 entry

• Early October 2026: online application opens.
• November 15, 2026: international applicants wanting International Scholars Program awards must apply to UBC and submit the award application.
• December 1, 2026: Canadian citizens and permanent residents wanting the Presidential Scholars Awards, Centennial Scholars Entrance Awards or Beyond Tomorrow Scholars Award must apply by this date; UBC advises applying by December 1 for many scholarships.
• January 15, 2027: application deadline. Decisions are made on a continuing basis from November to June.
• February 15, 2027: English Language Admission Standard (ELAS) documents due.
• March 15, 2027: documents due for high school applicants from outside Canada.
• June 30, 2027: Canadian high school applicants complete required courses.
• Most offers are conditional on keeping your grades, completing required courses and submitting final documents.

5. Domestic applicants (Canadian citizens and permanent residents)

• Application route: UBC says you use the EducationPlannerBC website to apply to UBC and most other BC public institutions (not accessed for this guide); Ontario applicants can enter an OUAC reference number on the application.
• British Columbia: Grade 12 English Studies 12 (or English First Peoples 12), Pre-Calculus 12, Chemistry 12 and Physics 12; Grade 11 Chemistry 11 and Physics 11. Outstanding applicants missing Chemistry 12 or Physics 12 are encouraged to apply and are reviewed case by case. At least 70% in Grade 11 or 12 English; six Grade 12 courses are recommended but not required.
• Ontario: ENG4U, MHF4U (Advanced Functions), SCH4U, SPH4U; Grade 11 SCH3U and SPH3U; case-by-case review for those missing SCH4U or SPH4U. The page lists MHF4U only and does not separately list MCV4U.
• Alberta: English Language Arts 30-1, Math 30-1 or Math 31 (5 credits), Chemistry 30, Physics 30; Chemistry 20 and Physics 20.
• Requirements for other provinces are in the program page’s province selector and are not listed here. UBC considers all academic Grade 11 and 12 courses, especially those related to engineering; non-academic courses (career education, physical education and similar) are not counted.
• Tuition and scholarships: UBC’s cost estimator lists Vancouver Applied Science tuition of CAD 7,648 for Canadian students, plus about CAD 1,513.25 in student fees and CAD 800 for books (the estimator does not state the year). Engineering-specific awards include the Dean Henry Gunning Award (CAD 2,600 total, domestic students), the Christopher Spencer Memorial Scholarship (CAD 7,300 total), the Elizabeth and Leslie Gould Entrance Scholarship (up to five at CAD 2,500, renewable, automatic consideration), the Engineering Scholarship for Innovation (CAD 5,000, requires national or international science and engineering competition success, automatic consideration) and Women in Engineering entrance awards (up to CAD 10,000, domestic women, BC residents preferred). University-wide awards such as the Presidential Scholars Awards need an application by December 1.

6. International applicants

• Academic background: course requirements depend on your country (the program page has a country selector). IB: the full Diploma with at least three Higher Level courses; math must be Analysis and Approaches (SL or HL) or Applications and Interpretations HL (Applications and Interpretations SL and Math Studies are not accepted); plus IB Chemistry and Physics, with academically strong candidates missing one assessed case by case. AP and IB Certificate courses can be assessed together with another high school curriculum.
• English: nine ways to meet the standard, including four or more consecutive years of full-time education in English in an English-speaking country other than Canada, or at an English-medium international school. Test minimums in a single sitting: IELTS Academic 6.5 with no part under 6.0; TOEFL iBT 90 (22 reading and listening, 21 writing and speaking); Duolingo 125 (115 reading and listening, 120 writing and speaking); PTE 65 overall and 60 in each part; Cambridge B2 First, C1 Advanced or C2 Proficiency at 180. For 2027/28 entry, scores must be dated January 1, 2025 or later, and documents are due February 15. If you do not meet the standard, the Faculty suggests considering Vantage One Engineering.
• Costs: UBC’s cost estimator lists Vancouver Applied Science tuition of CAD 66,200 for international students, plus about CAD 1,513.25 in student fees and CAD 800 for books; the estimator does not state the year.
• Scholarships: the International Scholars Program requires a Canadian study permit, direct entry from secondary school, a first undergraduate degree, graduation no earlier than June 2026, all-A level results and significant financial need (with family financial documents and school nomination); you cannot be considered for merit awards at the same time; deadline November 15, 2026. International applicants who apply by January 15 are automatically considered for the International Major Entrance Scholarship or Outstanding International Student Award. The engineering-specific Gould scholarship (Canadian study permit required) and Engineering Scholarship for Innovation are also open to international students.
• Co-op: Applied Science Co-op is optional, available in all engineering disciplines on both campuses, and students of any citizenship can participate; apply in second or third year; academic terms alternate with paid work terms. The page we read does not explain work permits (not publicly stated; ask the Co-op office). The Faculty also notes that options such as co-op may extend a degree to five years.

7. Applicants from China

• Graduation and exams: graduation from a university-preparatory senior secondary program, the Upper Middle School Report of Grades, Huikao or academic proficiency test results via CSSD, and Gaokao results via CSSD. UBC expects at least the provincial Tier 1 university cut-off score. If you are not writing the Gaokao, submit three or more AP exam results in distinct subjects with competitive results.
• Engineering prerequisites: three years of senior secondary math (Pre-Calculus), two years of chemistry and three years of physics; academically strong candidates missing senior chemistry or physics may be assessed case by case.
• Other: no minimum average is published on the page we read (not publicly stated); the page includes a grading-scale section for China. English requirements and scholarships are the same as for other international applicants; IB applicants follow the IB requirements above. The pages do not mention an interview or an accrediting agency.

8. Transfer students

• Engineering Transfer Program (ETP): take UBC’s first-year curriculum at a partner institution in BC (Capilano University, Douglas College, Kwantlen Polytechnic University, Langara College, Selkirk College, Thompson Rivers University, University of the Fraser Valley, Vancouver Island University, plus a Common First-Year Engineering Curriculum at Coast Mountain College, College of the Rockies, North Island College, Okanagan College and Vancouver Community College). Complete it within one academic year with a GPA of at least 3.1 for 2027W entry (3.3 from 2028W) for guaranteed entry to second year at Vancouver (2.8 for Okanagan). You still go through competitive program placement. Capilano and Douglas also offer two-year versions.
• Post-secondary transfer (other institutions or other UBC faculties): assessed on your most recent 30 transferable credits, plus an average of at least 70% in each of calculus, chemistry and physics courses that transfer into first-year engineering; requirements must be completed by April 30 and admission is competitive. Second-year entry needs 27 transferable first-year credits; otherwise you enter first year with a modified curriculum. Second-year entrants also complete program placement, based on admission average and personal statement. New applicants apply through EducationPlannerBC; current UBC students use the internal change-of-degree application.
• Credit: use the BC Transfer Guide; assessment happens after you accept your offer. Summer courses are not used for admission but can earn transfer credit.
• Okanagan to Vancouver: very limited, with up to 15 seats for first-year Okanagan BASc students who completed 27 to 36 credits.
• Camosun College’s Engineering Bridge Program admits civil, mechanical and mining engineering technology diploma graduates to third year.

9. Okanagan campus

• The Engineering site says the Okanagan campus offers five engineering programs (the FAQ elsewhere says four, so the pages disagree; check the latest). It says Okanagan programs have no seat caps, so students continuing to second year there are guaranteed their program. Requirements are the same as Vancouver’s, with campus-specific details in the program page selector.

Checklist

Domestic applicants:

• Take the English, math, chemistry and physics courses for your province (in BC: Pre-Calculus 12, Chemistry 12, Physics 12, plus Chemistry 11 and Physics 11)
• Apply to Applied Science (Engineering) through EducationPlannerBC by January 15 (December 1 for many scholarships); write the personal profile
• In first year, complete 27+ credits with a strong average, then rank all 14 programs between March 15 and May 15

International applicants (including China):

• China: Gaokao at the Tier 1 cut-off, or three or more APs; three years of math, three of physics, two of chemistry; IB students need the right math course
• IELTS 6.5 (6.0 each), TOEFL 90 or Duolingo 125 by February 15; International Scholars applications by November 15
• After entry, plan for placement; Mechanical Engineering has specific first-year course requirements

Transfer students:

• In BC, consider the Engineering Transfer Program (GPA 3.1); other transfers need 70% in calculus, chemistry and physics
• For second-year entry, complete 27 transferable first-year credits by April 30

Sources: UBC, Mechanical Engineering program page and requirements (provinces and China); Engineering: how to apply; Engineering: high school; Engineering: foundation year; Engineering Academic Services: program placement; Engineering FAQ; Engineering: transfers; Engineering Transfer Program; Post-secondary transfer; Tuition and engineering scholarships; Co-op and work experience; Dates and deadlines; English language competency; Application and fee; Personal profile; First-year cost; International Scholars. Information is for September 2027 entry (2027/28 Winter Session); the cost estimator does not state its academic year. Check UBC for the latest details.