UBC Canada International Scholarship Program 2027: Easy Process of Application Revealed
Could you study engineering, science, business or the arts in Canada if the financial barrier were removed? UBC International Scholars Program applications are open for September 2027 entry, giving exceptional international school-leavers a route to substantial financial support for their first undergraduate degree.
Before you start, settle three questions: does your background qualify, can your school nominate you, and can you document why attending UBC would otherwise be unaffordable? This guide helps you make those decisions and complete the admission and scholarship applications in the right order.
Find your next step
Who can apply for UBC International Scholars 2027?
You need exceptional grades, leadership and significant financial need, alongside eligibility for direct entry from secondary school. For 2027, your school graduation must be June 2026 or later. You must be seeking your first undergraduate degree and studying on a Canadian study permit.
UBC expects all As or an equivalent academic standard. Treat eligibility as your first checkpoint: write down your graduation date, intended degree and relevant school subjects before asking anyone to support your application.
Which scholarship route fits your situation?
International Scholars is the route for applicants whose finances make UBC otherwise inaccessible. UBC evaluates family resources rather than awarding every applicant the same sum.
The program includes the Karen McKellin International Leader of Tomorrow Award, Donald A. Wehrung International Student Award, International Impact Award and Vantage One Excellence Award. UBC determines the appropriate category; you do not select an individual award.
Before choosing this route, understand the tradeoff: International Scholars applicants are excluded from consideration for the International Major Entrance Scholarship (IMES) and Outstanding International Student Award (OIS). Those merit awards do not cover the full cost of education. If your family can finance the remaining costs, consider whether the merit route better matches your circumstances.
For your financial case, start with a practical question: what could your family actually contribute, and what gap would remain? Keep the explanation consistent with the evidence you provide.
What can you study with this scholarship?
Choose an eligible undergraduate degree at UBC Vancouver or Okanagan; this opportunity is for bachelor’s study. UBC offers subjects across engineering, sciences, commerce, humanities, social sciences, agriculture and other fields.
Excluded degrees include Nursing at both campuses, Dental Hygiene, Medical Laboratory Science, Bachelor + Master of Management, dual degrees and joint degrees within or outside UBC.
Compare the course prerequisites before committing to a campus. Some degrees also require portfolios, auditions or supplementary applications. Funding eligibility and academic admission are separate checks: passing one does not complete the other.
Do you need IELTS to apply?
IELTS is optional if you satisfy UBC’s English Language Admission Standard through another accepted route. English is UBC’s primary teaching language. For IELTS Academic, the minimum is 6.5 overall with no component below 6.0.
Other routes include accepted language tests and qualifying school or curriculum backgrounds. An English-medium school certificate alone should not be assumed sufficient: match your education to the published conditions. Applicants for the 2027/2028 Winter Session must use test results dated 1 January 2025 onwards.
If direct-entry English requirements are beyond your current level, investigate eligibility for Vantage College. The Vantage One Excellence Award can cover the full academic program and living expenses, but that pathway still has its own English admission requirements.
What should you prepare before completing the forms?
Secure your nomination and organize your evidence before polishing your written answers. You need a nominator and a different teacher referee. Your application cannot be completed until their forms are submitted.
| Application item | How to prepare it |
|---|---|
| Nomination and teacher reference | Ask early, confirm both people’s email addresses and agree on a completion date before the deadline. |
| Financial evidence | Gather records of income, expenses, assets, dependents and available support; follow the portal’s exact document requests. |
| Academic and English evidence | Ask your school about record delivery and allow time for official language results to reach UBC. |
| Written application | Draft outside the portal. Use specific examples showing what you did, who benefited and what you learned. |
| Degree-specific materials, if required | Check your faculty’s instructions for portfolios, auditions, supplementary forms, fees and deadlines. |
A useful writing exercise: replace “I am a leader” with one verifiable example. Describe the problem, your contribution and the outcome. A modest project explained clearly can communicate more than a list of titles without evidence.
How do you apply for UBC International Scholars 2027?
Submit your UBC admission application first, then complete the separate International Scholars award application. An admission application alone does not enter you into this scholarship competition.
- Confirm your route and nomination. Use the official International Scholars guidance to check eligibility and nomination arrangements with your school.
- Apply for admission. Follow UBC’s undergraduate application instructions, choose your campus and degree options, complete the requested profile and pay the applicable admission fee. Check for additional faculty requirements.
- Start the award application. Open the 2027 International Scholars Program application. Set the portal time zone to Pacific Time, send the nomination and teacher-reference requests, and complete your application tasks.
- Review and submit. Check that the external forms are complete, your financial information agrees with your records and your written answers address the actual questions. Save your submission confirmation.
- Complete the admission follow-up. Monitor UBC’s messages and provide the required academic and English evidence. If invited to an interview, prepare concrete examples from your education and community work.
What are the deadlines and your next three moves?
The last date to apply for the UBC International Scholars Program offered by the University of British Columbia is 15 November 2026 at 11:59 p.m. PST, for September 2027 entry. Both your UBC admission application and award application are due by that date. The general admission deadline of 15 January 2027 is too late for this scholarship route.
Required admission documents and English evidence are due by 31 January 2027. The International Scholars instructions allow unavailable school transcripts or certificates to be submitted as soon as they become available; this should not be treated as a blanket extension.
Make three moves today: choose your eligible degree and funding route; ask your nominator and teacher referee to commit to an early completion date; and begin collecting financial records while drafting your strongest example of leadership. Your first goal is a complete, supportable application submitted with time to spare.