Visiting International Research Students

Notice: Winter Go Global Office Closure 

Our office will be closed from December 25 and will reopen on January 2. Applications will not be reviewed during the Winter Break. Please expect to hear back from the Go Global office about your VIRS application in the new year.

UBC is a hub for outstanding researchers from around the world and welcomes Visiting International Research Students (VIRS) to participate in our community of inquiry.

A Visiting International Research Student is an international student conducting research full-time at UBC, under the supervision of a UBC faculty member. The student is either enrolled in an undergraduate, graduate, or graduate-equivalent program at another university or is a participant in a UBC-recognized (through Go Global) “bridging” program*.

While registered as full-time UBC students, VIRS students cannot enroll in academic courses for credit or formally audit courses.

*The VIRS admission process is ongoing and there are no deadlines. The standard VIRS application submission timeframe is at least 12 weeks before the planned start date of your research. However, due to delays in Canadian immigration document processing times across the globe, we recommend giving yourself more time. Your intended research start date should factor in the time it takes for your immigration documents to be processed, as well as extra lead time for passport requests (if you are coming from a non visa-exempt country). Check processing times for Canadian visas and study permits here, based on your country of citizenship. Read more about eligibility requirements. 

*Examples of a “bridging” program: DAAD Rise Worldwide and Mitacs Globalink. Contact us with respect to other programs.