Courses, Money & Enrolment

Visiting students

students in studying conversation

If you are a student at a recognized post-secondary institution, you are welcome to apply to UBC’s Okanagan campus as a visiting student, and to take courses at UBC that will transfer back to your home institution. All Visiting Student applications are processed by Undergraduate Admissions on the Vancouver campus, and all inquiries can be sent to non.degree@ubc.ca.

Is this the right option for me?

UBC’s Okanagan campus is a university like no other. Here you will enjoy a small, friendly campus with big-university resources and unparalleled access to innovative professors.
You must provide evidence that you are a student in good standing at a recognized post-secondary institution. Some programs also require that you satisfy course prerequisites in order to be admissible or to enrol in particular subjects.

Enrolment is limited in some programs, and admission as a visiting student does not guarantee entrance to the courses requested, nor does it guarantee subsequent admission to a degree program at UBC’s Okanagan campus.

English is the primary language of instruction at UBC. All prospective students are required to demonstrate a minimum level of proficiency in English before they’re admitted.

Cost

All students who are accepted as Visiting Students will be assessed an application fee and will be required to play an acceptance deposit upon successful admission.

Tuition fees for UBC students are assessed on a per-credit basis and depend on the level of the course and the faculty in which it is offered.

Most undergraduate courses are three or six credits in value, although there are exceptions. The course schedule will detail the credit value of a course. Students studying on campus at UBC are assessed student fees in addition to their tuition.

Most student fees are assessed on a per-credit basis, so depending on how many credits you are taking, the total amount of student fees owing will fluctuate.

Visit the Academic Calendar for the most up-to-date fees and policies.

Expect to pay about $100–$150 per course for course materials. Course materials are available through the UBC Bookstore.

Application

Course start dates Application deadlines
May (Summer Session Term 1 or 2) March 15
September (Winter Session 1) July 15
January (Winter Session 2) November 15

If you’re new to UBC

If you wish to take on-campus courses, apply to UBC’s Okanagan campus as a Visiting Student by following the steps below:

Step one:

Ensure that you meet the English Language Requirement.

Step two:

Visit the course schedule to view the courses offered, and choose the courses that you are interested in taking.

Step three:

Apply through Education Planner BC:

  • Create an Education Planner BC account online
  • Fill in your personal information, contact information, and academic history
  • Click “Start Applying” and select the University of British Columbia
  • In the UBC application, select the appropriate Admission Category based on your academic history
  • Select “UBC Okanagan” and “Visiting Studies” under First Program Choice.

Step four:

UBC Admissions will email you with a confirmation of your application and next steps.

Step five:

Email any additional and required documents to non.degree@ubc.ca.

If you’ve previously been admitted to AND REGISTERED IN COURSES at UBC

As a student record has already been established in the UBC system with your information, please email non.degree@ubc.ca with the following details to begin your admission process:

Under subject line, use Non-Degree Studies — Visiting student.

In your email, include the following:

  • Full name
  • UBC student number, if available
  • Date of birth
  • Your Non-Degree Category, which is “Visiting”
  • Intended start date
  • Campus preference (Vancouver or Okanagan)

Visiting students are admitted to UBC for one academic session (Winter or Summer) at a time. If you want to continue your UBC registration in subsequent sessions you will have to reapply using the above application request procedure.

Letters of Permission

Visiting students are required to provide a Letter of Permission issued by their home institution. All Letters of Permission should:

  • Be on official university letterhead or written on an appropriate university form
  • Include a list of all courses that you wish to take
  • Include the academic session you are applying to (e.g. 2021 Summer or 2021 Winter)
  • Indicate your current bachelor’s program and academic standing

The issuing office must email the Letter of Permission to non.degree@ubc.ca in PDF format. Your Letter of Permission is only valid for one session. You will need to submit a new letter for any subsequent sessions in which you register for courses.

What else do I need to know?

  • Note: Depending on the time of year, it may take several weeks for your documents to reach our office and be processed.
  • Admission as a Visiting student does not guarantee entrance to the courses requested or subsequent admission to a degree program at UBC.
  • Non-Degree students are not eligible for Credit/D/F grading. You may consider auditing courses.

Courses, Money & Enrolment