Introduction

Applicants who have followed an academic program leading to university entrance will be considered for admission. Graduation from a recognized secondary school is required. Academic criteria are the primary basis for determining admissibility to UBC; however, many programs consider non-academic information as well. See Personal Profile for further information on non-academic admission criteria.

The following information should be considered in conjunction with the program-specific admission requirements listed in Program Requirements for Canadian Secondary School Applicants.

Academic assessments for the purpose of admission to UBC are primarily based on Grade 12 final or in-progress course grades; however, an applicant's full academic history may be considered, particularly where sufficient Grade 12 grade information is not yet available. Certain programs may require a competitive minimum grade in individual prerequisite courses used in the academic assessment.

Applicants must arrange for their high school grades to be submitted to Undergraduate Admissions before the stated document deadline. The grade record must include all final grades to date and a list of courses in progress with interim grades where possible. All offers of admission are subject to satisfactory completion of secondary school graduation requirements, completion of all required courses, and maintenance of minimum university admission standards. Offers of admission may be withdrawn from students who do not satisfy these requirements.

The following provincial requirements apply:

Alberta, NWT and Nunavut:

Equivalencies with BC

• English Language Arts 30-1 is the Alberta, NWT and Nunavut equivalent of BC English Studies 12. English Language Arts 30-2 cannot be used as a substitute for English Language Arts 30-1.
• Mathematics 30-1 or Pure Math 30 are the Alberta, NWT and Nunavut equivalents of BC Pre-Calculus 12.
• Math 30-2, Applied Math 30, and Math 30-3 cannot be used as a substitute for Mathematics 30-1 or Pure Math 30.
• Math 31 is the Alberta, NWT and Nunavut equivalent of BC Calculus 12.
• Alberta 20-level sciences are equivalent to BC Grade 11 sciences in the same subject area.

Other relevant Alberta courses

• UBC will consider Alberta, NWT and Nunavut courses numbered 30-2 toward an assessment of the applicant’s breadth of coursework. However, the grades for these classes will not factor into the admission decision (Math 30-2 is the one exception; grades in Math 30-2 will be used in the academic assessment, but Math 30-2 cannot be used as a substitute for Math 30-1).
• 35-level courses and associated grades can be used in the academic assessments.
• UBC will consider Alberta, NWT and Nunavut 3-credit or 1-credit classes that are relevant to an applicant’s intended area of study toward an assessment of the applicant’s breadth of coursework. The grades may be used in the admissions assessment on a case-by-case basis.

Saskatchewan

Equivalencies with BC

• English A30 and B30 together are the Saskatchewan equivalent of BC English Studies 12; one of these two English courses can be replaced with the following Français A30, Français B30 or Français Immersion.
• English Additional Language A20 or B20 cannot be used as substitutes for English A30 and B30.
• Pre-Calculus 30 is the Saskatchewan equivalent to BC Pre-Calculus 12.
• The Saskatchewan curriculum does not offer equivalents to BC Life Sciences 11, Chemistry 11 or Physics 11 but rather groups science 11 courses as Physical Science 20 or Health Science 20.
• Saskatchewan 30-level sciences are equivalent to BC Grade 12 sciences in the same subject area.

Manitoba

Equivalencies with BC

• The following English Language Arts 40S variants are the Manitoba equivalent to BC English Studies 12:
  • Comprehensive Focus
  • Literary Focus
  • Transactional Focus
  • Language and Literary Forms
  • Language and Transactional Forms
  Manitoba Anglais 40S and Français 40S can also be used to satisfy the BC English Studies 12 requirement.

• English Language Arts 40S Language and Technical Communication and English as an Additional Language for Academic Success cannot be used as equivalents to BC English Studies 12.
• Pre-Calculus Mathematics 40S is the Manitoba equivalent of BC Pre-Calculus 12.
• Manitoba 30S sciences are equivalent to BC grade 11 sciences in the same subject area.

Other relevant Manitoba Courses

• Calculus 45A combined with Topics in Math 45A are together considered the Manitoba equivalent to BC Calculus 12.

Ontario

Equivalencies with BC

• ENG4U is the Ontario equivalent of BC English Studies 12. ETS4U (Studies in Literature) and EWC4U (Writers’ Craft) are Ontario equivalents to BC Literary Studies 12.
• MHF4U (Advanced Functions) is the Ontario equivalent of BC Pre-Calculus 12. MCV4U (Calculus and Vectors) is the Ontario equivalent of BC Calculus 12. MDM4U (Mathematics of Data Management) is the equivalent of BC Foundations of Math 12 and cannot be used to satisfy BC Pre-Calculus 12.
• Ontario 3U sciences are equivalent to BC grade 11 sciences in the same subject area.

Quebec

Applicants graduating from the 11-year école secondaire system are not considered for direct admission to UBC. Such students are considered only after one year in a pre-university diploma program at a CEGEP. For more information, see Applicants from a CEGEP.

Nova Scotia

Equivalencies with BC

• Course numberings in Nova Scotia are closely aligned with those in BC. English 12 is the Nova Scotia equivalent of BC English Studies 12.
• Pre-Calculus 12 is the Nova Scotia equivalent of BC Pre-Calculus 12.
• Nova Scotia grade 11 sciences are equivalent to BC grade 11 sciences in the same subject area.
• Calculus 12 is the Nova Scotia equivalent of BC Calculus 12.

New Brunswick

Equivalencies with BC

• English 121 or English 122 are the New Brunswick equivalents of BC English Studies 12.
• Pre-Calculus A 120 and Pre-Calculus B 120 (both completed) are the New Brunswick equivalent to BC Pre-Calculus 12.
• Biology 111 or 112 are the New Brunswick equivalents to BC Life Sciences 11, Physics 111 or 112 are the equivalents to BC Physics 11, and Chemistry 111 or 112 are the equivalents to BC Chemistry 11.
• Biology 121 or 122 are the New Brunswick equivalents to BC Anatomy and Physiology 12, Physics 121 or 122 are the New Brunswick equivalent to BC Physics 12, and Chemistry 121 or 122 are the New Brunswick equivalent to BC Chemistry 12.

Other relevant New Brunswick courses

• Calculus 120 is the New Brunswick equivalent of BC Calculus 12.

Prince Edward Island (PEI)

Equivalencies with BC

• ENG 621A is the PEI equivalent of BC English Studies 12.
• MAT 611B, or MAT 621B are PEI equivalents of BC Pre-Calculus 12.
• BIO 621A is the PEI equivalent of BC Anatomy and Physiology 12, CHE 621A is the PEI equivalent of BC Chemistry 12, and PHY 621A is the PEI equivalent of BC Physics 12.

Newfoundland and Labrador

Equivalencies with BC

• English 3201 is the Newfoundland/Labrador equivalent of BC English Studies 12.
• Math 3200 or Math 3208 are the Newfoundland/Labrador equivalents of BC Pre-Calculus 12. Math 3103 and Math 3206 cannot be used as equivalents of BC Pre-Calculus 12.
• Biology 3201 is the Newfoundland/Labrador equivalent of BC Anatomy and Physiology 12, Chemistry 3202 is the Newfoundland/Labrador equivalent of BC Chemistry 12, and Physics 3204 is the Newfoundland/Labrador equivalent of BC Physics 12.