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UBC Personal Profile: Examples, Question Samples & Prep Tips 2023/2024

If you’re looking for UBC Personal Profile questions, examples, and prep tips, then you’ve come to the right place. 

Before you dive in, it’s important to understand that UBC admissions committees receive thousands of applications every year. To help you stand out from the crowd , you need to demonstrate a clear sense of self , strong life experience , and exemplary communication skills .

Our ‘full student’ coaching process will help you improve in all these areas (and more!). 

If you’re not working with a coach, be sure to read the Self-Awareness , Goal-Setting , and Narrative Communication & Deductive Communication Skills Guides. All of these resources will empower you with the skills you need to show the admissions committee who you are , what you want to accomplish , and why you’d be a great fit for the University of British Columbia .

COACH’S TIP: You’ll also notice that all our Personal Profile templates use the Narrative/Deductive Approach (DON’T FORGET to access your FREE blank template) so you can see an effective general structure for your essays. We’ll provide a breakdown and example for each UBC Personal Profile question below. You can choose EITHER the Narrative OR the Deductive approach for your UBC Personal Profile essays. The Narrative Approach is usually for Arts/Business programs , or for personal questions where you want to tell a memorable story that creates an emotional connection with the reader. The Deductive Approach is typically used for STEM programs , where you have to provide an argument in a logical and structured way. 

DON’T feel like you have to stick to this model — it’s just a guideline so you can learn to communicate in a way that’s most familiar to you. Just choose the approach that you’re most comfortable with (and get in touch with us if you need some help deciding which is best for your application). 

REMEMBER : This guide offers GENERAL guidance for the Personal Profile and is NOT PROGRAM SPECIFIC — some questions might be added, removed, or different depending on which program you’re applying to. Make sure you do you research and complete the ENTIRE application for your program. 

If you’re serious about getting into your top-choice program at the University of British Columbia and reaching your fullest post-secondary potential, connect with a Youth Coach™ . It’s never too early to receive coaching.

Table of Contents

• UBC Personal Profile Overview : What is the Personal Profile?; Why do you need to write it?; How is it evaluated?; How to use this guide; and More.
• 2022/2023 UBC Personal Profile : Questions; Templates; Examples; Prep Tips; and More.

UBC Personal Profile Examples – Overview

In this section, we’ll go through all the must know information for your UBC Personal Profile.

What is the UBC Personal Profile?

The Personal Profile is mandatory for ALL high school students applying to any degree on UBC’s Okanagan or Vancouver campuses .  

If you are applying to Bachelor of Design in Architecture, Landscape Architecture, and/or Urbanism, you do not need to submit a Profile. 

The UBC Personal Profile is made up of up to 8 short written essays (depending on the program you’re applying to). Keep reading for a full list of the questions, as well as essay templates and examples for each question.

You can access and submit the Personal Profile on EducationPlannerBC . 

COACH’S TIP : Write your essay responses BEFORE you start your online application, so that you have time to rewrite, edit, and polish your answers. When you sign in to EducationPlannerBC, you will have to upload your answers immediately, so if you have them saved in a separate doc, you can simply copy and paste them.  

IMPORTANT: The application opens on EducationPlannerBC in early October 2022 and the deadline to submit your application (including the Personal Profile) is January 15, 2023 at 11:59pm PST for regular admission.

Why Do You Need to Submit the UBC Personal Profile?

The UBC Personal Profile allows the program(s) you’re applying to get a better sense of who you are beyond your grades . 

Without it, you’re just a name on a page, and it’s really hard to differentiate you from other applicants, especially when everyone is a competitive applicant. 

The UBC Personal Profile asks you to talk about things like your:

• Experiences
• Leadership Potential
• Achievements 
• Challenges you’ve overcome
• Extracurriculars (across multiple years)
• …and all the valuable lessons you’ve learned along the way!

The evaluators use all these details to see if you’d be a good fit for the program you’re applying to and UBC more generally. They will also use this information to see if you will receive an entrance scholarship.

Put simply, they want to figure out what makes you, you , as well as the experiences and lessons that have helped in this process.

The Profile can also help make your application more competitive (especially if your average is a bit lower) because you can emphasize the fact that you’re a well-rounded student who has the drive, skills, and passion to succeed in the program . 

Keep reading for explanations for each question, as well as templates and examples to help you write the best Personal Profile possible.

How is the UBC Personal Profile Evaluated?

The UBC Personal Profile is evaluated by readers who have been trained and are familiar with the area of study you’re applying to. 

While there are no right or wrong answers , the Profile evaluators don’t want you to simply list a bunch of activities you’ve done and things you have accomplished. 

Instead, they want to understand what you’ve learned from doing all these things and that you can articulate deep personal insight in all your answers. They also want you to use specific examples .

Strong essays will answer questions like these:

• What did this experience teach you about yourself?
• What did this experience teach you about others?
• How did this experience change your outlook of the world?
• How did it impact your goals and plans for the future?
• What skills did this experience help you improve? 
• Did this experience start/intensify your passion in your chosen field?
• What did the challenges that arose during this experience teach you?
• How has this experience changed you as a person and as a leader?

UBC Personal Profile Evaluation Rubric

Reviewers evaluate each essay in your Personal Profile according to 4 criteria : 

1. ENGGAGEMENT AND ACCOMPLISHMENT:

Using specific examples, your answers should outline the activities, initiatives, causes, accomplishments, etc. that you’re most proud of and care most about, and the accomplishments you’ve had in those areas. 

You should detail what you’ve learned because of these experiences, and how they’ve made you a better person both inside and outside the classroom. 

Here are some things to think about to help you get started:

• What you care most about
• The people who are most important in your life 
• How you manage your time and responsibilities
• Hobbies, volunteer work, or other interests you’re passionate about 
• Community involvement and specific accomplishments you’ve achieved 
• A goal or project you’ve set for yourself and achieved (and how you’ve done that) 
• How you develop your passions and interests in various areas of your life

Using specific examples, your answers should discuss experiences/accomplishments where you became a stronger leader and developed leadership skills , like responsibility, reliability, resourcefulness, time management, accountability, and initiative. 

2. LEADERSHIP: 

Leadership can come in many forms , so don’t feel intimidated if you haven’t had much experience with it. It can be something as simple as a group project where you took the lead, or an extracurricular activity where you stepped up and went above and beyond the call of duty. 

Leadership can also be individual, like managing your own time or setting a specific challenge/goal for yourself and making a plan to achieve it.

• A specific experience where you showed exceptional leadership (and how you managed it)
• What being a leader means to you
• How you handle responsibility and accountability
• How you use diverse opinions, experiences, and backgrounds to the advantage of the group you’re leading 
• Effective strategies you’ve learned that help address specific challenges you’ve faced while leading
• How your activities and accomplishments have benefited your peers or community
• How have your leadership experiences influenced how you interact with others 
• What are the lessons you’ve learned (including effective leadership strategies) that you will use in the future 

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3. SUBSTANCE: 

The evaluators want to see that EVERY example, detail, and learning outcome you write about in your answers has a purpose and is meaningful . 

They want to see that you’ve really thought about your answers and taken the time to prepare them.  

Uniqueness is a HUGE factor here — you don’t want your answers to be basic and the same as everyone else’s. They need to dig beyond the surface and give relevant and interesting insights that other students might not have thought of. 

The evaluators also want to see that you’ve built self-awareness and have asked yourself big questions like who you are , what you value , where you want to go , and how you’ll apply the lessons you’ve learned to get there . 

If you have filled out our Student Identity Blueprint then this pulling out substance and deep personal insight in your essays will be a lot easier (if you haven’t filled out your Blueprint yet, click here to get started or connect with a coach ). 

The evaluators want to see that you can communicate your ideas in an authentic and memorable way , using storytelling, emotional connection, and character development . 

They want to see your personality and voice jump off the page — NOT the same generic essay over and over.

This might seem obvious, but a lot of students don’t know how to articulate their ideas in a genuine way that showcases who they are and explains what makes them different . 

Once your Profile has been evaluated according to these criteria, it is compared with other students’ Personal Profiles . Then this score is applied to your overall admission average as well as other admission criteria (e.g. video interview), if applicable. 

How to Use this UBC Personal Profile App Prep Guide

In this guide, we will provide breakdowns, templates, and examples for all 6 Personal Profile Questions. 

IMPORTANT : The program you’re applying to might not ask you to answer all 6 questions (or some of the questions might be slightly different) or it might have some slight variations on the questions listed below. Make sure you read the ENTIRE application to make sure you aren’t missing anything for your program. For program-specific guidance, connect with a coach any time for support. 

As mentioned above, all our templates use our Narrative Communication & Deductive Communication Approaches, so you can see what an effective structure looks like for the answers. We will use both approaches throughout this guide. Choose whichever approach you’re most comfortable with (or connect with a coach for support ).

We will use UBC Personal Profile templates and examples from the UBC Sauder BCom Personal Profile to show you what essays using the Narrative Approach look like. We have adapted these essays into the Deductive Approach structure so that you can see examples for this communication style as well.  

Ace your UBC Personal Profile.

UBC Alumni & Youth Coach™

2022/2023 UBC Personal Profile Questions & Examples 

Here are the UBC Personal Profile questions , as well as answer examples. 

REMEMBER : The program(s) you’re applying to might include some or all of these questions (or some questions with slight variations). Make sure you read the entire application carefully to make sure you don’t miss anything! You can also connect with us for program-specific guidance .

UBC Personal Profile Answer Examples – Question 1

“Explain how you responded to a problem and/or an unfamiliar situation. What did you do, what was the outcome, and what did you learn from the experience? (Maximum 1,500 characters)”

UBC Personal Profile Question 1 – Breakdown

As the first question in your Personal Profile, this is where you have the opportunity to make a strong first impression .

This question prompts you to discuss a meaningful experience , where you were required to address a challenge or uncomfortable situation. The important thing here isn’t so much what the situation was, but how you handled adversity and what you learned from it . 

Maybe you learned a new strategy for being a leader, or you saw the benefits of getting outside of your comfort zone, or you learned something about yourself.

Go beyond the surface and try to think of a problem/unfamiliar situation that will allow you to provide deep insight and self-awareness. Be as unique as possible, drawing out a learning outcome that is unexpected and memorable. 

COACH’S TIP : Paint a vivid and detailed picture as much as possible, showing who you were before this problem and/or unfamiliar situation happened, and then what your initial reaction was, and how you resolved it. Let your personality shine through, while taking the reader on the journey with you. 

Choose only experiences where you have a clear learning outcome that has changed who you are and how you view the world . You want to make sure that your answer has substance. 

The reviewers want to see that you’ve really thought about why this learning outcome is important and how it can be applied to your life today (and in the future). If you can do this, we guarantee that your essay will stand out from other applicants.  Not sure how to communicate your personal growth and learning in essay questions like these? Our Narrative Communication Guide and Deductive Communication Guides are a great place to start, and you can also connect with a coach to take your essay response to the next level.

UBC Personal Profile Question 1 – Template

Our template doc has BOTH the Narrative Approach (starting on p.1) and Deductive Approach (starting on p.9) templates listed below.

REMEMBER : There is a 1,500 character limit for this answer. 

Here’s a template that follows our Narrative Communication Approach :

• Quickly capture the reader’s attention and set up the essay so they know what to expect.
• Set the scene with who you were before this problem/unfamiliar situation happened using the 5Ws (Why, What, When, Where, Why). If you can, focus on explaining who you were before this problem/situation occurred, like what you believed in, valued, etc.  
• Describe the problem/unfamiliar situation and exactly what happened. Paint the picture vividly with your words and try to give enough detail so the reader feels like they are there with you. Briefly describe your emotions when this problem/situation occurred. 
• Discuss how you responded to this problem and/or unfamiliar situation, how you solved it, and what the end result was (this is the ‘after’ scenario that you introduced in the Context section). 
• Provide deep insight into some specific learning outcomes that occurred during this experience. Focus on 1-2 themes, while providing specific examples of the impact this experience had on your life today. Finally, write 1-2 sentences about how this experience will help you as a UBC student. 

Here’s a template that follows our Deductive Communication Approach :

• State what the problem and/or unfamiliar situation was, and briefly how you responded to it initially. 
• Explain why you had the initial reaction you did, and how you solved the problem and/or address the unfamiliar situation. Paint the picture vividly with your words, and give enough detail so the reader feels like they are there with you. 
• Provide examples of what happened as you were working to resolve the issue, such as any roadblocks you faced, skills you used to make things easier, how you addressed them, and what the final outcome was.  
• Provide deep insight into some specific learning outcomes that occurred during this experience. Focus on 1-2 themes, while providing specific examples of the impact this experience had on your life today. Finally, write 1-2 sentences about how this experience will help you as a UBC student.

UBC Personal Profile Question 1 – Example

Here are some examples of how to answer this question, using BOTH of our communication approaches.

REMEMBER : This is an EXAMPLE ONLY and is NOT meant for you to copy. Why? First and foremost, this is plagiarism and is a serious offense . Plagiarizing these essays will result in immediate disqualification from the admissions process . This can be easily detected using technology and application reviewers are usually trained and/or able to spot when an application isn’t original and does not align with an applicant’s background, personality, values, etc.

Example 1: From UBC Sauder Personal Profile Prep Guide, following the Narrative Communication Approach :

Example 2: Here’s an example of the same essay, but following the Deductive Communication Approach :

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UBC Personal Profile Answer Examples – Question 2

“Give us an example of how the pandemic has changed your involvement in the community or group most important to you. What have you learned from this experience? (Maximum 1500 characters)”

COACH’S TIP : Last year, the second question in the UBC Personal Profile was: “Give us an example of how the pandemic has changed your involvement in the community or group most important to you. What have you learned from this experience? (Maximum 1500 characters)”. If you come across this question and need some help with it, check out our breakdown, template, and example in our UBC Sauder App Prep Guide here .

UBC Personal Profile Question 2 – Breakdown

Our society is by no means uniform — and that’s what makes it so amazing. 

Whether you’re walking around downtown Toronto or taking a day trip to your favourite neighborhood in Vancouver, you’ll see people from all different backgrounds, cultures, religions, sexual orientations, economic standings, etc. 

This is exactly what a ‘diverse society’, as outlined in this question, means. A diverse society is a society that’s made up of all types of people with different ethnicities, races, genders, languages, religions, etc., as well as in thought processes, opinions and ideas, life experiences, values, and more. 

Diversity also extends far beyond your community or city . 

When you scroll through Instagram or Tik Tok, you’ll see posts and videos of people from all around the world showcasing their unique culture, experiences, and interests. In this way, social media has created a ‘global society’ that connects us all. More than ever before, we have access to other ways of life, and this can help us learn, grow, and contribute to this connected society.

A key part of diversity is also inclusion , or accepting everyone’s differences and making an effort to ensure that each person is valued and respected for who they are . 

Now that you have a good understanding of what this question means by a global and diverse society, try to think about some ways that you’ve seen diversity (and inclusion) in action.  

During your extracurricular involvement in your community, you’ve undoubtedly come across all types of people with difference backgrounds, perspectives, experiences, culture, ideas, language, sexual orientations, etc. And you’ve probably had the chance to share yours as well. 

When writing this essay, we recommend choosing one extracurricular experience you had in your community within the last couple of years, when you worked or interacted with a diverse group of people. Maybe it was a fundraiser where you had to work as part of a team or an initiative you joined to help a part of your community that was in need. 

You also want to choose one that was particularly meaningful — it should be one that initiated personal growth and changed your view of the world and the people living in it. 

Maybe you realized that diverse perspectives actually make a team stronger because they open up various avenues of interpretation when dealing with setbacks and conflict. Or, perhaps you were part of a community project that initiated meaningful dialogue about an important issue or equipped you with the tools you needed to become a responsible global citizen. 

Pick an experience where you challenged your views of yourself , and one that taught you something about the world you live in. 

The key here is to think about how your community involvement has opened your eyes to new perspectives and will inform your views on diversity going forward. Focus on 1-2 key takeaways (or themes) that you can use as tools in the future to help you become a better person, global citizen, and leader. 

Need some help figuring out which community involvement experience to choose? Connect with a coach for support.

UBC Personal Profile Question 2 – Template

REMEMBER : There is a 1,500 character limit for this answer. Here’s a template that follows our Narrative Communication Approach :

• Quickly capture the reader’s attention and set up the essay so the reader knows what to expect.
• Describe how you are active in your community, and how this involvement has allowed you to work with a diverse group of people. Use the 5Ws (who, what, when, where, why) to provide the reader with enough information that they get a good sense of this activity and your involvement. 
• Talk about a situation, conflict, or experience where diversity played a significant role, and discuss exactly what that role was. Be as specific as possible and describe your emotions as much as possible here to create a memorable connection with the reader. 
• Discuss how the situation you described in the Catalyst section turned out. Describe how you (and/or your team) used diversity to your advantage to generate a positive outcome. Use qualitative data (e.g. money raised, hours volunteered, people helped, etc.) as proof for the big impact your efforts had.
• Talk about 2-3 ways that your community involvement and the experience you discussed above have influenced you and changed your outlook on the world and your place in it. Describe how these learning outcomes have impacted you going forward and will help you navigate this complex world in the future and as a student at UBC Commerce.
• Briefly discuss ways that you (and/or your team) used diversity to your advantage to generate a positive outcome. Refer to specific qualitative data (i.e. exactly what you did, hours volunteered, money raised, etc.) to communicate the impact of your efforts.   
• Give 2-3 examples of how taking part in this activity has prepared you for the future in this complex world, and how your view of diversity and a global society has changed as a result of you taking part in this activity. 
• Talk about 1-2 ways that your community involvement and the experience you discussed above have influenced you and changed your outlook on the world and your place in it. Describe how these learning outcomes have impacted you going forward and will help you navigate this complex world in the future and as a student at UBC.

UBC Personal Profile Question 2 – Example

Here are some examples of how to answer this question, using both of our communication approaches.

REMEMBER : Please note that all of the examples in this guide are EXAMPLES ONLY and are NOT meant for you to copy.  

Example 1: From UBC Sauder Ap p Prep Guide, following the Narrative Communication Approach :

Need some help choosing an extracurricular experience to focus on in this essay? Connect with a coach for support.

UBC Personal Profile Answer Examples – Question 3

Tell us about who you are. How would your family, friends, and/or members of your community describe you? If possible, please include something about yourself that you are most proud of and why. (Maximum 1500 characters)

UBC Personal Profile Question 3 – Breakdown

This question is asking A LOT, in a REALLY limited space. 

With so many topics to address, things can get pretty disjointed and chaotic if you aren’t careful. 

To help you make an organized and articulate answer , we recommend tackling this question in the following way. 

First, identify 1-2 themes that will unify the entire essay . This can be anything from a hobby or research interest, to a skill/value , extracurricular activity, or an audacious goal you’ve set/achieved. 

Next, answer each of these 3 components , highlighting your theme(s) wherever possible:

• Introduce Yourself : Think of this component as your pitch to convince the evaluators why you’re a standout applicant who is the PERFECT fit for UBC. 🙂 Limit yourself to 1-2 memorable and unique facts that can be used to differentiate you from other applicants. You can talk about things like notable achievements and/or hobbies, unique experiences, things you value, skills you’ve worked on, etc.  
• How People Describe You : Provide 1-2 adjectives that best describe you, providing direct quotes, feedback you’ve received, etc. wherever possible. This can be from friends, family, role models, a teacher, a coach — anyone whose opinion you value.
• Something You’re Proud of and Why : State a unique accomplishment that highlights the facts/adjectives you mentioned above in action, as well as the skills it took to get you there. Then, answer why you’re so proud of it and what you learned because of it.

Remember that your theme(s) is the focus of the entire essay , while the details in the 3 components listed above (e.g. facts about you, your experiences, personal anecdotes and insight, and lessons you’ve learned) give more details about how the themes relate to you and why they’re an inseparable part of who you are.  

For example, say the overall theme of your essay is perseverance/determination, as well as your interest in entrepreneurship and software development. 

You would start with the first component (i.e. introduce yourself) and talk about how you are a resourceful and independent person, who does whatever it takes to reach a goal once it has been set. You could say that this determination comes from your parents, who immigrated to Canada when you were 2 years old, and always taught you the value of working hard and going after what you want. After being inspired by their success as small business owners, you decided to pursue your interest in entrepreneurship. 

Then, in the second component (i.e. how people describe you), you might say that your friends and family describe you as being very sure of yourself and confident in your abilities, which they saw when you started your own cyber security entrepreneurial venture. After seeing the struggles you went through, as well as all the late nights and trial and error, they realized how determined you were to go after your dreams. 

Finally, for the third component (i.e. something you accomplished), you could say that the thing you’re most proud of is taking your small business from nothing to having over 20 clients and generating over $10,000 in sales in just a few months. You learned that a big part of perseverance/determination is learning to receive constructive criticism, while maintaining authority as a leader, and being open to evolve. 

Here, you can see that the student provides a ton of details about himself (e.g. his family, immigrating to Canada, his interest in business, his organizational and leadership skills, etc.), while answering every component of the question. The theme of perseverance and entrepreneurship unifies and creates a focus for the entire essay, so that all the details are clear and organized. 

We know that such a complex question might seem a bit intimidating at first, but if you break it down into smaller sections it’s much more manageable. We also recommend that you connect with a coach to help you choose unique and authentic themes, and help you articulate your interests, skills, experiences, and goals in a memorable way. 

UBC Personal Profile Question 3 – Template

Here’s a template that follows our Narrative Communication Approach : 

THEME(S): 

• Capture the reader’s attention and give a quick preview of what’s to come.
• Briefly answer the question “Tell us who you are”, listing 1-2 notable facts that are an inseparable part of who you are (remember to use your theme as a focus). Provide 1-2 short sentences for each fact, giving enough detail that the reader can get a clear sense of who you are and your personality. You can start the essay with a statement like “I am…”, “I enjoy”, “I am passionate about”, “I value”, etc. 
• Discuss how your friends and family would describe you, using 1-2 adjectives (which also relate back to your main theme). Use direct quotes or feedback you’ve received from people here as evidence. 
• Describe an experience or two as evidence for why people would feel this way about you (e.g. volunteer work, social initiatives, extracurriculars, etc.), and make it an accomplishment you’re particularly proud of. Describe the outcome of the experience you noted above, using quantifiable facts (e.g. money raised, hours volunteered, people helped, etc.), as well as the skills it took to get you there. If you don’t have a specific experience in mind, mention another achievement or accomplishment or are particularly proud of, as long as it relates to the theme of your essay.
• Discuss what you have learned about yourself (and others) as you’ve explored your personal and academic interests and taken part in the activities you mentioned above. What have your experiences taught you about yourself? How have you evolved as a person? Finally, conclude your essay with a brief statement about how you will use the details you mentioned above to make you successful at UBC.
• Briefly answer the question “Tell us who you are”, listing 1-2 notable facts that are an inseparable part of who you are, while introducing the theme as the focus of your essay. Provide enough detail about your memorable facts that the reader gets a clear sense of who you are and your personality. You can start the essay with a statement like “I am…”, “I enjoy”, “I am passionate about”, “I value”, etc. 
• Discuss how your friends and family would describe you, using 1-2 adjectives (which also relate back to your main theme). Describe an experience or two as evidence for why people would feel this way about you (e.g. volunteer work, social initiatives, extracurriculars, etc.). Use direct quotes or feedback you’ve received from people here as evidence. 
• Describe the outcome of the experience you noted above, using quantifiable facts (e.g. money raised, hours volunteered, people helped, etc.), as well as the skills it took to get you there. If you don’t have a specific experience in mind, mention another achievement or accomplishment or are particularly proud of, as long as it relates to the theme of your essay.

UBC Personal Profile Question 3 – Example 

Example 1: Here’s an example of this essay question, following the Narrative Communication Approach :

Need some help tackling tough UBC Personal Profile questions like this one? Remember — you aren’t alone! 

Our Youth Coaches have helped hundreds of students create unique and authentic essay responses that showcase their skills, experiences, and strengths. Connect with a coach for all the support you need!

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UBC Personal Profile Answer Examples – Question 4

What is important to you? And why? (Maximum 1500 characters)

UBC Personal Profile Question 4 – Breakdown

Unlike Question 3, this question seems pretty straightforward. But don’t be fooled — it’s still asking a lot.

By finding out what is most important to you (and how it became important), the evaluators get a lot of insight into what makes you, you (and whether you’d be a good fit for UBC).

This question is left intentionally broad so you can discuss a wide range of topics like:

• Hobbies and interests
• Extracurriculars 
• Competitions 
• Community activities
• Social causes 
• Role models 
• Influential things/people in your life
• Transformational experiences 
• Concepts and ideas (e.g. leadership, work/life balance)

When thinking about what you want to discuss, reflect on something that you’re genuinely excited and motivated about , and articulate this passion in your answer. The goal here is to make the evaluators as excited about it as you are. 

Perhaps more important than the actual thing you discuss is WHY it’s so important (and how you communicate that). 

Think about where you’d be if you hadn’t discovered it, and what life would look like without it. 

Take the reader on a journey of how you have pursued this interest over time, the formative experiences you’ve had while doing so, and the positive things that have resulted from it. 

Remember that an important part of the UBC Personal Profile evaluation rubric is focusing on learning outcomes, so you should always list around 2-3 life-changing things you’ve discovered about yourself along the way. 

Finally, think about how this interest will ultimately make you a better student, and how you will continue to explore this interest at UBC. Do some research about specific clubs, programs, courses, etc. that will allow you to continually explore this interest and contribute to the UBC community as a whole.

Need some help deciding which topic to discuss for this essay question? We can help!

UBC Personal Profile Question 4 – Template

• State what is important to you. Answering the 4Ws (who, what, when, where) as much as possible so you provide enough information that the reader knows exactly what you are talking about. Discuss how it became so important to you (i.e. was there a specific event, time, or person where your interest started?).
• Describe what happened as a result of you pursuing it, such as skills you built, people you met, a career path you discovered, a goal you achieved, etc. Focus on 1-2 ways that it has impacted your life, and think about what your life would look like if you hadn’t discovered it. Briefly discuss any plans you have in the future to continue to pursue this area of interest. 
• Talk about 1-2 learning outcomes that have occurred because of this interest. Answer questions like: How have I changed over time? How has it influenced my life? How has it changed my worldview and values? Conclude by briefly stating how this interest (and your learning outcomes) will help you succeed as a student at UBC.
• State what is important to you. Answering the 4Ws (who, what, when, where) as much as possible so you provide enough information that the reader knows exactly what you are talking about.
• Describe what happened as a result of you pursuing this interest, such as skills you built, people you met, a career path you discovered, a goal you achieved, etc. Focus on 1-2 ways that it has impacted your life, and think about what your life would look like if you hadn’t discovered it. Finally, draw on your experiences cultivating this interest and how your interest has grown or changed over time. Briefly discuss any plans you have in the future to continue to pursue this area of interest. 

UBC Personal Profile Question 4 – Example 

Example 2: Here’s an example of this essay question, following the Deductive Communication Approach :

UBC Personal Profile Answer Examples – Question 5

List up to five activities or accomplishments in one or more of the following areas:

• Creative and performing arts
• Family and community
• Service to others
• Volunteering 
• Work or employment
• Other 

UBC Personal Profile Question 5 – Breakdown

UBC wants to see a broad range of activities in your Personal Profile, both inside and outside of school.

Choose extracurricular activities (like volunteer work or being a President of your school’s debate club), hobbies (like learning a new language), interests (like competitive swimming at your local community center), and/or general activities you enjoy doing with your family, friends, or members of your community (like playing tennis). 

COACH’S TIP : As mentioned above, the evaluators DON’T want you to simply list a bunch of activities you have done. Instead, they want you to talk about activities and experiences that have created learning outcomes that have profoundly shaped who you are as a person, while communicating these lessons in a unique, authentic, and memorable way (this will be especially important for the next question, which we will discuss more below). 

Choose up to 5 activities that will show the depth and breadth of your experiences. We call this the T Model (learn more about it here ).

Here, you have 1-2 big activities that you’ve put a lot of time and effort into (this is the depth, or the vertical part of the ‘T’). For example, this could be a non-profit you started in your community, a fundraising event you organized to help address homelessness in your community, or giving a TEDx talk on an issue you are passionate about. These are BIG accomplishments that you’re super proud of. These should be the first ones in your Personal Profile, so you can wow the committee from the beginning. 🙂 

Next, you’ll have 2-3 activities that take less time and effort, but are still super important for helping shape who you are (this is the breadth, or the horizontal part of the ‘T’). For example, these could be an online course you took that ignited your interest in finance management or a summer internship you did that helped you develop your communication and leadership skills. 

Structuring your activities in this way will show the evaluators that you have well-rounded experience in many areas.

We know that identifying (and participating in) activities like this can be difficult, especially if you don’t know where to start. But don’t worry, we’ve got your back. Our unique approach will help you and your coach identify and execute audacious and authentic goals (we call these AYA goals) that are perfectly aligned with your interests and passions , so you can accomplish what you want (and have amazing experiences to talk about on your application). Connect with a coach to get started and check out our Goal-Setting Guide now.

UBC Personal Profile Question 5 – Template

REMEMBER : There is a maximum of 300 characters per activity .

For this question, you will be asked for the following information: 

• Activity Type : State what this activity is, using the list above. If your activity isn’t mentioned in that list, write a 1-2 word description.
• Start Date : State when you began this activity (month/day/year) 
• End Date (optional): State when you completed this activity (month/day/year). If you are still doing it, leave this blank.
• Ongoing (optional): If this is an ongoing activity, check this box.
• Frequency: Select from the dropdown menu how often you participate in this activity (for example ‘Regular Weekly Activity (5-10 hours per week).
• Short Description (max 300 characters): Briefly describe your role in this activity and what it was for (e.g. President of your school’s economics club). Then, describe what you did, as well as what quantifiable outcomes (i.e. money earned, hours dedicated, etc.) and what you learned as a result of taking part in this activity (if you have space).

COACH’S TIP : On the EducationPlannerBC site, you will have to add each activity individually to your profile. Our template will ensure that you have all the correct information beforehand so you can have everything prepared and proofread.👍

UBC Sauder Personal Profile Question 5 – Example

Here’s an example of a list of activities for this question : 

Find the mentor you’ve been looking for.

UBC Personal Profile Answer Examples – Question 6 

Tell us more about ONE or TWO activities listed above that are most important to you. Please explain the role you played and what you learned in the process. You will be asked for a reference who can speak to your response. (Maximum 2100 characters)

UBC Personal Profile Question 6 – Breakdown

This question gives you the chance to discuss further insight into the impact your experiences have had on you and how the lessons they taught helped shape who you are .

We recommend choosing 1 activity to write your essay on so that you can provide enough detail and create a memorable and unique story. 

However, if you have two activities that both helped you discover a similar learning outcome , then you can write about 2. 

For example, if you volunteered to help organize a fundraising event for Alzeheimer’s research and awareness, you could talk about why you took on this role, and then the leadership skills, time management, team work, and problem solving skills you developed along the way. Talking about this one activity using the template below is perfectly fine. However, let’s say you with the help of your Youth Coach you took your goals to the next level and started your own non-profit to continue the journey to fund research for this disease. This would be a great opportunity to discuss two activities because it shows your dedication and your evolving leadership and interest in entrepreneurship and business.

It’s also important to choose an activity that you genuinely care about , so that you can convey your passion to the evaluators, along with what you learned. Your experiences make up what you value and what you care about. If you completed your Student Identity Blueprint™ , it will be really easy to choose activities that align to your Nurtured Values and communicate these values in your Personal Profile. If you haven’t filled out your Blueprint, connect with a coach to get started.

COACH’S TIP : Make sure you give your reference a heads up that UBC might contact them. Discuss the activity you were involved in, as well as your role, responsibilities, and what you learned as a result of that experience. You can even email some talking points for them to use if they’ve contacted. You don’t want your essay to give one learning outcome and then your reference to give another, so take the time to make sure the messaging is aligned.

Finally, when discussing what you learned in the process, make sure you really focus on the qualities that UBC looks for in its students , like leadership, community involvement, team work, and a passion for the field you’re applying to. 

If you need help deciding which activity from Question 5 to choose, connect with a coach for support. They can help you write an authentic and memorable response that will help you stand out from other applicants and increase your chances of admission success.

UBC Personal Profile Examples Question 6 – Template

REMEMBER : There is a 2,100 character limit for this answer. 

• State the activity that you are discussing from the list you gave in Question 5. Describe what you did in that activity (i.e. your role, responsibilities, etc.). Try to answer the 5Ws (who, what, when, where, and why). 
• Describe who you were before you started this activity and how your interests, values, etc. evolved while you were doing it. This can be a specific event that occurred while you took part in this activity or change over time. State some quantifiable outcomes that occurred as a result of your participation in the activity (e.g. money raised, hours devoted, etc.).
• Describe how this experience allowed you to learn and grow as a leader and student (this is the ‘after’ picture that you started in the Catalyst section). Provide deep insight and a unique learning outcome. Focus on 1-2 themes, while providing specific examples of the impact this activity had on your life today. Finally, briefly state how you will use this learning at UBC.
• State 1-2 activities that you listed in Question 5. Describe what you did in that activity (i.e. your role, responsibilities, etc.). Try to answer the 5Ws (who, what, when, where, and why). 
• Describe how this experience allowed you to learn and grow as a leader and student (this is the ‘after’ picture that you started in the Main Reasons section). Provide deep insight and a unique learning outcome. Focus on 1-2 themes, while providing specific examples of the impact this activity had on your life today. Finally, briefly state how you will use this learning at UBC.

UBC Sauder Personal Profile Question 6 – Example

Example 1: From UBC Sauder Personal Profile Prep Guide, following the Narrative Communication Approach . This example is from the list of activities in Question 5, from a student who was the President of their school’s economics club.

Need some help writing essays that describe your extracurriculars and what you learned? Connect with a coach for support.

UBC Personal Profile Answer Examples – Question 7

Additional Information (Optional): You may wish to use the space below to provide UBC with more information on your academic history to date and/or your future academic plans. For example: How did you choose your courses in secondary school? Are there life circumstances that have affected your academic decisions to date? What have you done to prepare yourself specifically for your intended area of study at UBC? (maximum 600 characters)

UBC Personal Profile Question 7 – Breakdown

So far in your Personal Profile, you’ve given the admissions committee some insight into your experiences and achievements inside and outside of the classroom with volunteer opportunities, extracurriculars, and various other activities.

All of these questions show how you undertake responsibilities , deal with setbacks when they arise, and have grown as a person along the way. Think of this as the development of your interests and passions through the activities you are involved in.

Question 7, on the other hand, focuses less on extracurriculars and other activities, and looks inside the classroom . Here, the reviewers want to know how your academic journey has developed your interest in business and led to you applying to UBC. 

This question is very open-ended so that you can focus on basically any area that has impacted your academic choices and performance. 

If you aren’t sure what to write here (if anything at all), have a look at your Student Identity Blueprint™ to help you identify why your interest in your chosen field began, your achievements thus far, and the skills/values that helped shape this interest (and who you are more generally). If you haven’t already completed your Blueprint, connect with a coach to get started on one.

The most important things to focus on for this question is how your courses in high school helped you develop your interest in your chosen field (and how you’ll continue to explore this at UBC).

You can discuss a gradual development over time or a specific event that changed academic choices/plans, and what you learned about yourself as a result.  

Focus on courses that are applicable to the program you’re applying to as much as you can here. 

Think about such questions as:

• What made you want to take this course?
• What challenges did you face when you did?
• How did this evolve your interest in your chosen field more generally?
• What skills, like leadership, communication, team work, and problem solving, did you develop along the way, and how? 
• How will these skills and experiences you developed help you at UBC, and how?

COACH’S TIP : Use specific details and talk about the emotions you experienced as much as you can. This will help create a unique connection with the reader and transport them into exactly what you felt during the situation/experience you are talking about. 

If you are unsure how to approach this question, connect with a coach to find an authentic angle that will emotionally connect with the reviewers while communicating your journey. 

UBC Personal Profile Question 7 – Template

REMEMBER : There is a 600 character limit for this answer. 

• Provide a brief description of your academic experience, including details like courses you’ve taken, skills you’ve built, and your experiences in high school. Briefly mention how these contribute to your interests and plans for the future (e.g. future studies, career, etc.). 
• Describe any experiences, challenges, or setbacks (academic or personal) and discuss how these affected your academic decisions in high school and while applying to university. Emphasize the uniqueness of your experiences and the emotions you felt so that you can be as authentic as possible. 
• Talk about what you learned as a result of this experience. How did it help you evolve as a person and student? Provide specific examples that show how what you’ve learned will help you excel at UBC. 
• Provide a brief description of your academic history to date and/or your future academic plans. 
• Provide some details and examples, like courses you’ve taken, skills you’ve developed, and your experiences in high school. Briefly mention how these contribute to your interests and plans for the future (e.g. future studies, career, etc.). 
• Talk about what you learned as a result of your experiences, and how they’ve helped you evolve as a person and student. Provide specific examples that show how what you’ve learned will help you excel at UBC. 

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Best business schools in canada 2024 (undergraduate programs).

You’re investing a TON of time, money, and energy towards your future.  You’ve gotten the grades, done a bunch of…  Read more

UBC Personal Profile Question 7 – Example

UBC Personal Profile Answer Examples – Question 8

Please submit the names of two referees who know you well and can comment on your preparedness for study at UBC. Examples of referees include an employer, a community member, a coach, a teacher/instructor, or anyone who knows you well. One of the referees you select MUST be able to speak to one of the activities / experiences described in one of your long-answer responses above. For applicants who are currently attending a high school, one of your referees MUST be a school official (e.g. grade 12 or senior year counsellor, teacher, or IB Coordinator). Neither referee should be a friend, family member, or paid agent.

The purpose of this question is so that UBC can verify the activities, experiences, and learning outcomes you discussed in the previous questions. 

Before listing the names and contact information for your references, make sure that you ask your references for permission first , so that if they get a call or email from UBC then they’re not surprised. 

UBC Personal Profile Question 8 – Template

You will need the following information:

• Relationship
• Email Address
• Phone Number

UBC Personal Profile Question 8 – Example

Here an example of the information for this section:

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Personal Profile Overview

• What is the Profile?
• Why submit the Profile?
• Evaluation Rubric
• How to use this guide

Personal Profile Q1 & Q2

Personal Profile Q3 & Q4

Personal Profile Q5 & Q6

Personal Profile Q7 & Q8

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How to Master Your Application: UBC Personal Profile Examples

Do you dream of walking the halls of the Irving K. Barber Learning Centre? Or late-night study sessions in the Koerner Library? What about meeting up with your friends at the Piper Fountain? 

When applying to UBC , your Personal Profile is a chance for UBC to find out more about your hobbies, interests, values and life beyond grade percentages and academics. Keep in mind that, though your grades are beneficial to your application, your work experience and how you portray it is integral to applying to UBC. This guide has been updated for 2024 & 2025, so let's kick off these applications strong!

UBC is ranked as one of the top schools in the country in 2024. So it’s no wonder you’re considering one of its world-class education programs for yourself or your child. But if you know about UBC’s scenic campuses and tight-knit student communities, you probably also know that over 40,000 students apply to UBC each year and only 52% get in. 

It’s a daunting number that leaves many students feeling uncertain about their odds of getting accepted. Fortunately, however, UBC’s admissions process is not based on dumb luck. There’s a lot you can do to increase your likelihood of getting accepted and even secure the funding you need to go.

Let’s put the ‘U’ in UBC  

Alright, that was pretty bad. But we mean it. When it comes to getting into your dream school, sometimes what matters most is you! Not your grades or academic resume. We’re talking about your Personal Profile. Like many universities, UBC collects a Personal Profile from students in order to discover more about your hobbies, interests, values and life beyond grade percentages and academics. It tells them a bit about who you are so they can determine if U would be a good fit for UBC.

Okay, last one, I promise.

UBC Personal Profile

UBC conducts their Personal Profile in a Q&A format with an expectation that students will provide essay style answers. Many students treat it as a meaningless exercise, but the ones who take it seriously will set themselves apart in the admissions process. It can take a lot of work to be properly prepared, but getting your Personal Profile right can be a gamechanger in whether or not you get accepted. Working with a GrantMe education consultant has helped thousands of students ace their Personal Profile, leading to outcomes such as early acceptance and scholarships to fund their education. 

The purpose of this article is to walk you through a well-constructed UBC Personal Profile, using professionally-crafted content that you can use as a model for your own Personal Profile. Throughout the examples offered, we’ll offer the kinds of tips a GrantMe education consultant would give you, so you can understand how a well-prepared student who’s looking to set themselves apart thinks about this crucial portion of the application process.

Here are our best tips to answer your personal profile questions, along with some UBC personal profile examples:

Preparing for the UBC Personal Profile:

The best practice is to practice! We recommend students spend plenty of time preparing their Personal Profile responses before they start their online application. You’ve done your program assessment , so you should have some great insights into your strong suits and what sets you apart. However, putting those insights on paper is a different story. Here are some tips that will help you turn those gold nuggets into a gold star submission:

• Take time to reflect. Instead of simply listing your accomplishments and experiences, tell the UBC committee what you’ve learned from them.
• Be specific. Use details to provide context and elaborate on your answers.
• Be true to who you are. Don’t focus on what you think UBC wants to hear. Be authentic and use your unique voice to tell them what you want to say.
• Utilize the full word count (or as close as possible without going over) to create an effective essay and have the best impact on the UBC committee.

Writing your Personal Profile:

You’ll be seeing the word STAR a lot throughout this guide! STAR is an effective way to structure your experiences within your essays. Before reading on, check out our video below for a complete guide on how to use the STAR structure!

Depending on which degree(s) you apply to, you’ll be asked to answer some or all of the following questions in your UBC Personal Profile. Let’s take a look at each prompt question, a description on how to structure your answers, and an example for each essay.

UBC Personal Profile Examples

1. Explain how you responded to a problem and/or an unfamiliar situation. What did you do, what was the outcome, and what did you learn from the experience?

• You’ll want to start with a Hook (1-2 sentences) that grabs the reader's attention & introduces an unfamiliar situation.
• Then, talk about your experience that describes the situation using STAR to demonstrate how you overcame it. (3-5 sentences)
• Last, add your reflection (1-2 sentences)- reflect on the experience and what you learned from it and how you will use that lesson in the future.

I was terrified at the news of immigrating to Canada from India when I was 15 years old. With English as my second language, I struggled to acclimate to my new environment, and felt very alone within my new school. Typically a shy person, I knew I had to step outside of my comfort zone to meet new people, so I joined the Multicultural Club. Throughout my time with the Multicultural Club, I organized many events including the Potluck Lunch and Book Drive, but I am most proud of initiating the Welcome Wagon, a club that helps new students feel welcome and accepted on their first day. As the spearhead, I recruited members from the Multicultural Club and created and placed posters on the school walls for any students who wanted to participate. I collaborated with the administration who let me know when new students would be starting their first day throughout the school year, and planned a bottle drive to raise funds for new student gift bags. So far we have welcomed eight new students who immediately felt safe and accepted, who have all planned to continue the Welcome Wagon once I have graduated. Through this experience, I have learned that taking small steps can lead to impactful moments and have strengthened my communication and organizational skills. I plan to use these newfound skills to initiate an inclusive club within UBC.

2. Tell us about who you are. How would your family, friends, and/or members of your community describe you? If possible, please include something about yourself that you are most proud of and why.

• This is a great opportunity to boast about yourself! Choose one or two qualities that your friends and family would describe you as, and use that as a launching pad to talk about what you’re most proud of! This should be an impressive role in your community that emulates the quality that you are discussing.

Compassionate, driven and goofy are the adjectives my family and friends would use when describing my character. Throughout my life, I have been praised for the attentive and dedicated passion that I give to everything I do, including my corny knock-knock jokes. My unrelenting hard work has led me to academic excellence - maintaining a two year average of 93%, excelling in challenging courses like Biology and Calculus. As an ambitious leader, I welcome challenges, which is exemplified in my contributions as President of the Student Council during the Covid-19 pandemic. I led a team through virtual events including the senior graduation ceremony, and became a support system for students during remote learning. Our online events continue to provide educational resources for students, mental health support, and promote antiracism within my school. Through creating multiple spreadsheets and organizing weekly online planning sessions, tasks were easily delegated to make each event safe and successful. I made sure to start each meeting with a fun ice-breaker to keep the meetings interesting and most often ended with a “hilarious” joke. As an empathetic leader, I continue to address issues in my school’s community, and create an inclusive environment focused on student well-being and success. My ability to understand the unique needs of each individual, empathize with their challenges, and support them intently makes me the leader that I am proud to be.

3. What is important to you? And why?

• This question is short and simple. And that is exactly how you should answer it! If animals are important to you, discuss how you volunteered at a vet clinic. If anti-racism is important to you, discuss your advocacy work! Connect your interests to the work you’ve done. You can also connect these qualities to any awards you may have won in or outside of school. This is a great place to use STAR! Check out our YouTube video on using STAR to structure your essays! If you’re struggling to connect your volunteer experiences to an important value, check out the UN Sustainable Goals chart . If you can relate your volunteer work to tackling one of these causes, then you are on the right track!

For as long as I can remember, animals have been my passion. By choice, I became a vegan when I was nine because I could not fathom the idea of eating something I cherished so much. From a young age, I knew I was meant to work with animals, and growing up, I started learning more about the importance of animal welfare. Learning that thousands of animals around the world suffer from being used for entertainment, food, medicine, fashion, scientific advancement, or as exotic pets, I decided to start an annual fundraiser to support the Animal Welfare Foundation of Canada (AWFC). Collaborating with a local gas station, I organized the Animal Welfare Bottle Drive-Car Wash where drivers could donate bottles and cans in exchange to have their car cleaned. I recruited volunteers through social media posts and advertised the event through the local radio station and newspaper. We also made large posters to hang up on the day of the event for easy visibility and directions. I reached out to the local hardware store for donations of sponges and safe soap for automobiles, and the local coffee shop donated 50 donuts and bottled water for the customer snack table. And just in case patrons wanted to donate cash, we placed a donation can right next to the donuts, along with informational flyers to help educate about animal welfare. The volunteers and I decided to rotate through the tasks throughout the six hour day, including collecting and sorting bottles, spraying down and sponge washing the vehicles, along with towel drying them. Overall, we collected $430 worth of bottles and cans, along with $250 in cash donations to contribute to the AWFC, which will help improve the lives of over 50 animals throughout Canada. As all of the flyers were distributed, multiple people are now more educated about the importance of this cause, and my team has developed a strong sense of community through this event. My communication and organizational skills will benefit the UBC Pre-Veterinary and Animal Welfare Club, as I plan to initiate more fundraisers within the group, along with returning to Nanaimo each summer for the annual AWFC Bottle Drive-Car Wash.  I believe animals should be respected as citizens of this earth, and as a future vet, I plan to work towards educating others and being a changemaker in every patient I treat.

4. Describe up to five activities that you have pursued or accomplishments achieved in one or more of the following areas. Please outline the nature of your responsibilities within these activities: (Club, Family/community responsibilities, creative or performing arts, work/employment, Athletics, Volunteer, Service to others, Other(s)

• Be diverse in your activities and throughout your application. Try to aim for experiences in multiple areas (academic achievement + community service + athletics). If applicable, you can include creative or employment initiatives.
• The prompt asks for “up to” 5 activities, but don’t let that fool you! They want five!
• 1 sentence - Describe the achievement and your main goal why you wanted to accomplish this.
• 1 sentence - Describe the steps/strategies/set of plans you took to meet your goal.
• 1 sentence - Describe the result or the positive impact of your efforts.

Last year, I joined the X program to invent a tool that delivers safe drinking water in the province of Y. Through my efforts of using Z technology, our team was able to provide potable water to 300 families in Y.

5. Tell us more about one or two activities listed above that are most important to you. Please explain the role you played and what you learned in the process. You will be asked for a reference who can speak to your response.

• Aim to start with a 1-2 sentence Hook to catch the reader's attention.
• Afterwards, describe the experience(s) using STAR structure! For this example, we’ll break down the STAR structure for you!

(Hook) Extinction is a natural phenomenon, claiming about five species per year. But some experts suggest we’re in the midst of the sixth mass extinction — one that is caused mostly by human activity. (S) As a dedicated environmental advocate, I decided to join The Eco-Warrior Club, a student club that promotes sustainability and environmental preservation, in 2023. (T) As this year's club president, I aim to extend the influence of our club to the community to develop more environmental leaders in our community. (A)   With this, I led the planning and organization of activities such as the No Plastic Week Challenge, Zero Waste Online Campaign, and Sustainability Workshop Series. I created project timelines to ensure preparations were completed on time and delegated assignments to my team members to ensure tasks were distributed evenly. (R) As a result, we inspired the youth in our community to participate in sustainability practices through fun and engaging activities. I am delighted whenever I hear our youth participants engage in stimulating conversations on sustainability and environmentalism. The heightened interest in these topics has also motivated me to start the Eco-Warrior Youth Organization to widen our reach and develop more youth leaders to fight against the climate crisis.

6. Briefly describe the culture of your school community and your involvement within it. What impact has the school culture had on you? How would you enhance or change it?

• Again, you’ll want to start with a hook to catch the reader’s attention, and this would be a great place to share your school’s culture!
• Last, add your reflection (1-2 sentences)- reflect on the experience and what you learned from it.

Through the culture of student leadership, opportunity and inclusivity, St. Williams High’s Code of Conduct states that “All students have the right to learn in a safe environment without

discrimination of any kind”.  I often witnessed certain social groups within my school not following these values through racial comments and lack of inclusivity within their events. As a member of the Social Justice Club, I decided to organize a campaign to spread awareness about the effects of bullying and racism. We tied white ribbons on the classroom door handles which symbolize International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (IDERD) around the world. I brainstormed with my team to come up with quick inspiring announcements that we can make on the PA each morning for a week. We created posters and banners to hand throughout the school, and I manned an information booth at lunch for the week, creating a safe space for students to come talk.  The campaign was also publicized in a local newspaper, spreading awareness beyond our area to the entire Nanaimo community. Due to our campaign, multiple local businesses hung white ribbons, and students of Williams High became more aware of how their actions can affect others. As the IDERD campaign was a success, my principle has made it an annual event, and has placed a support (suggestion) box near the office for students experiencing social challenges. Through this experience, I have learned that taking action through leadership can impact more people than who you planned to target. I gained valuable leadership and organization skills and plan to continue utilizing these to abolish discrimination and foster inclusivity.

7. Additional Information: You may wish to use the space below to provide UBC with more information on your academic history to date and/or your future academic plans. For example: How did you choose your courses in secondary school? Are there life circumstances that have affected your academic decisions to date? What have you done to prepare yourself specifically for your intended area of study at UBC? (maximum 100 words)

• If you have any extenuating circumstances , adversity , or financial challenges, then focus on them! This section also can be used to emphasize your potential for growth (academic or personal). Although it is optional, please answer this section, as simply filling it out demonstrates a genuine interest in the school.
• When describing your financial need, think of your financial situation over the last four years. How does your family make their income? What does it go towards? Describe any challenges or adversity you and/or your family have faced. Consider what financial adversity may have prevented you from doing. What has it held you back from?*

Consider also describing some of the below points if they apply to your situation:

• If you are living in a rental home
• If you have limited financial support from parents
• If your degree is longer than a Bachelor's degree
• If you are subsidizing your education costs through employment
• If your family considers themself "low income"
• If you have more than one sibling that needs their education paid for
• If you are only supported by one family income
• If there are any medical expenses or family member’s medical expenses.

When my parents first immigrated to Canada in 2007, their Foreign Educational Credentials were not valid according to Canadian standards. For years, I watched my parents work extra jobs and take online classes in order to earn extra income for our family and retain their financial degrees. After over ten years of hard work, the sum of our family’s income finally surpasses the basic needs of my family including rent, groceries and bills. Unfortunately, they were not able to save any funds for my two siblings’ and my post-secondary education. Fostering their commitment and hard work, I have worked part-time for a popular food chain in order to support myself and my family, and have saved over $2500.00. Achieving this has come with many handy budgeting and saving techniques and ultimately missing out on multiple social functions due to the costs. Witnessing my parents’ selflessness has ingrained in me the need to help others, so I have volunteered with the local food bank, spent two summers as a camp counselor, and supported multiple students as a tutor. I have gained beneficial skills and values through these experiences, including compassion, integrity, organization and critical thinking, which I hope to use throughout my studies and extracurricular activities at UBC. As my four-year degree will cost approximately $ 32,000, I have been applying for scholarships and saving 75% of my paycheck. My parents have been my inspiration and, although they could not give us all the material things my peers had, they gave me core values and work ethic, which will benefit me more in the long run.

This year, UBC included an extra question about the pandemic!:

2. Give us an example of how the pandemic has changed your involvement in the community or group most important to you. What have you learned from this experience?

• For this question, make sure to talk about a volunteer experience or an extracurricular activity that you were involved in before the pandemic - – did they transition remotely? Were they cancelled? How did you deal with that? What new skills did you use to cope with this drastic change? This is a good opportunity to discuss your flexibility with BIG changes! (It’s best not to make this essay about how the pandemic affected your academics).

Covid-19 devastated the world within a matter of weeks. Lockdowns were put in place as many lost family members and friends. When my soccer coach announced that our training would be put on hold, I felt somewhat defeated as I had just been named team captain just days before. Acknowledging the heartbreak too many experienced, I could not allow myself to be disappointed. I decided to start a team Instagram account posting daily inspirational quotes, and asked each player to send me their favorite personal photo to post. I collaborated with my coach to start online weekly Zoom meetings to go over different plays and drills for the team to practice individually at home. During our meetings, I encouraged input from each player and provided empathetic support for those who felt discouraged. Once Covid protocols allowed in-person training, our team was stronger than ever and we went on to win our only three games of the season. I have realized that perseverance through difficult times takes effort as a leader, but is worth it. With the collaboration and organizational skills I gained, I plan to lead my team to the Nationals next season.

What does UBC look for?

Now that you have some UBC Personal Profile examples to help you structure your application, let’s take a look at the 4 main things UBC looks for in their Personal Profiles:

Engagement and Accomplishment

Think about how you pursue your interests while also managing your responsibilities. With your free time, are you supporting your community? What accomplishments are you most proud of? Do some self-reflection on these accomplishments. How have they impacted your community, yourself, and the world around you in a positive way? A GrantMe education consultant can help you organize your student resume and learn how to let it shine in your Personal Profile answers.

When the topic of leadership arises, you should be thinking of your responsibilities. How did you manage your responsibilities? Everyone has a leadership style and our education consultants are experienced in helping you discover and communicate yours when crafting your Personal Profile.

When writing out your work experience, make sure that it sounds compelling. To be compelling, you must be authentic in your experiences. Choose relevant experiences that you’re passionate about. If you’re wondering how GrantMe students have done it, check out Mattie – a GrantMe student that won over $200,000 and the coveted Schulich Award. She gives some advice to students:

“Make sure you’re picking out activities that you’re actually passionate about and you actually enjoy doing. A lot of students pick out activities that they think scholarship committees want to hear about. Stick to what you value.”

– Mattie, Schulich Leader Scholarship Winner

Your voice is your authentic self. To portray your most authentic self, write a personal profile that is genuine to who you are. Your identity is a big factor that influences your biases and unique experiences. So, don’t hesitate to discuss your identity!

The results of a well-constructed Personal Profile speak for themselves. Just look at Paige Ingram , a UBC student who aced her applications thanks to GrantMe’s premium offerings.

She ended up earning a UBC Presidential Scholar’s Major Entrance Award of $80,000 as well as other smaller scholarships. Now, she’s a GrantMe mentor focused on helping students just like her. Learn if you’re eligible for GrantMe’s premium education consulting programs by taking our program assessment quiz today.

Get Started Securing Your Future At UBC

A well-crafted Personal Profile is only one piece of the admissions puzzle. You already know getting accepted into UBC is no small task, but with a thoughtful approach and the right support, you might find it to be a smoother process than you thought.

Don’t waste any more time feeling overwhelmed or unsure about what to do next. You can get started today by completing the program assessment quiz and discovering how you measure up against top students in the country. This is a great way to find out if you could benefit from working with a GrantMe education consultant and whether or not you qualify for our comprehensive offering of programs. I

t’s time to take your next step towards getting accepted to your dream school and even securing the funding to pay for it. Your future as a Thunderbird just might depend on it!

Join The GrantMe Program

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How to tackle essay-based exams

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Regardless of whether they exhilarate you or exhaust you, essay-based exams are the backbone of testing in some faculties.

I used to think that just flipping through my notes was enough to study for essay-based exams—I would just write about what I remembered from the class, right?

Not so much. This type of exam does give you some flexibility in what you choose to write about, but it also requires careful studying beforehand and adjustments to how you approach essay-writing during the exam—not to mention a healthy dose of stamina to get you through.

Essay-based exams are challenging, and, as an undergrad, I often came out of them feeling like somebody had rearranged my brain with an electric mixer. However, having to prepare for and write one usually helped me understand the big picture of the course better.

You don’t have to learn to love them, but figuring out how to approach these kinds of exams can make them more manageable.

Strategically prepare with case studies and theory

Studying for an essay-based exam isn’t quite like studying for a multiple choice test . While both have their challenges, writing essays when you have a limited amount of time requires you to do a lot of active preparation beforehand. 

1. Use the review sheets to study efficiently

Most courses I’ve taken with essay-based exams have also provided a review sheet with topics and information about the exam beforehand.

This means that you often don’t have to review the entire course in depth to do well. If the professor gives you a list of say, 15 topics, and you know that there’s going to be 5 essay questions on the test, and you only need to write 3 essays in total, you can do a bit of math to figure out how many topics you’ll need to study to be prepared. 

Each essay question will probably require knowledge of more than just one topic in the course, but strategically focusing your studying can make you better prepared for the questions you’ll actually answer on the exam. 

2. Focus on flexible case studies

In courses like political science and history, I liked to spend a good portion of my prep time reviewing case studies that can be adapted for a number of essay topics. Prepare at least 3 or 4 case studies for each essay, with some backup. 

You can use these in different combinations depending on the essay question—you won’t have time to go extremely in-depth in the essay, but make sure you know the main points and how the case study relates to the theory of the course.  

3. Find links between examples and theory

Don’t neglect studying the theory—what have your course readings been arguing? Do you agree or disagree with them? It’s okay to have opinions that differ from the readings, but make sure you can back your arguments up with evidence. 

Consider what the overall themes of the course have been—how do all the topics link together? How can you link case studies together with course themes and theory?

Additionally, check out these tips if you're preparing for an English exam specifically!

Maintain a good pace while writing the exam

Once your preparation is done and you’re writing the exam itself, make sure you keep track of the time. If you have 2 hours to write 3 short essays, don’t spend 90 minutes perfecting your first essay only to realize you have half an hour to write both the second and third. 

Give yourself a few minutes at the beginning to read through the questions and plan your essays. Space out the essays so you have some time at the end as well—this gives you a bit of breathing room if you end up spending longer on a section or want to do some minor edits at the end. 

Commit to your thesis 

Whenever I wrote essays for assignments, I inevitably ended up readjusting my entire paper after I got further in my research and figured out what I actually wanted to focus on. While that freedom is nice when the due date is a week or two away, you won’t have the flexibility to change your thesis after a bit of writing in an exam scenario.

If you get halfway through your essay and feel you should've picked a different argument, you likely won’t have time to go back and restart. Whatever you end up writing, commit to it and be confident in your arguments—you’ve studied hard, so sell what you know!

Adjust your writing

The TA or professor marking your exam isn’t expecting a hyper-polished, publishable result here—they want to see that you can craft a solid argument and that you have a perspective on the course material. 

Of course, syntax, grammar, and  punctuation are still important, but keep your writing simple and to the point. Getting the information across is more important than showcasing your most eloquent writing. Focus on writing clear, straightforward sentences that reflect your understanding of the course, and save straining for colourful synonyms for your papers.

Lastly, don’t sweat the introduction and conclusion. All you need are a few sentences—the marks are in the discussion.

Writing essay-based exams takes practice, but with the right preparation you’ll find they’re a great way to cap off your understanding of the course!

Header photo credit: Paul Joseph / UBC Brand & Marketing

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The University of British Columbia (UBC) is pleased to be partnering with The Mastercard Foundation to foster the next generation of African leaders. After supporting over 171 Mastercard Foundation Scholars in its first phase, The Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at UBC will provide 351 academically talented young people from Sub-Saharan Africa with access to quality and relevant university education at UBC. After graduating, the Mastercard Foundation Scholars will then utilize their learning and experiences to contribute to the economic growth and social transformation of their communities in Africa.

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Angella Asabaawebwa – Championing Social Justice and Belonging We are thrilled to spotlight Angella Asabaawebwa, a dedicated Mastercard Foundation Scholar from Uganda. Angella joined the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program in 2018 and is currently pursuing an undergraduate degree in Social Justice at the University of British Columbia (UBC). Journey at UBC Angella’s journey at UBC has been marked by academic excellence and a […]

Spotlight on Ifeoluwa Olalere: From Mastercard Foundation Scholar to Strategic Planning Analyst Spotlight on Ifeoluwa Olalere: From Mastercard Foundation Scholar to Strategic Planning Analyst  We are delighted to spotlight Ifeoluwa (Ife) Olalere, a distinguished Mastercard Foundation Scholar Alum. Ife graduated in 2022 with a Master of Food and Resource Economics from the University of British Columbia’s Faculty of Land and Food Systems. Currently, he serves as a […]

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Websites & Videos

Articles & websites.

UBC Library: Evaluating and Citing Resources (Webpage, UBC Library)

UBC Library: Academic Integrity and Plagiarism (Webpage, UBC Library)

Purdue Online Writing Lab: Creating an Essay Outline (Webpage, Purdue University)

University of Ottawa Writing Centre (Webpage, University of Ottawa)

Assignment Calculators (Webpage, UBC Library)

Do You Actually Need to Read Your Textbooks (YouTube, College Info Geek)

This informational video covers the importance of reading assignments, how to balance readings from multiple courses, and how to evaluate reading sources.

How to Read an Academic Paper (YouTube, UBC iSchool)

The UBC iSchool describes the difference in reading an academic paper compared to a textbook and the best strategy to absorb the most information from a paper in this video.

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Taking Notes

Notes are another inescapable part of getting a university education. We might not be able to make them fun, but we can offer tips on how to make them useful.

Managing Your Time

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Thinking Critically

You can’t get the most out of university without learning to think critically. It isn’t easy, but with our handy guide, we’ll have you thinking up a storm in no time!

Try reading your textbook out loud, reading standing up or reading after doing exercise.

Did you find any or all of these methods effective for improving your attention?

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Application Components

Statement of interest, a statement of interest is a crucial part of most graduate school applications..

It may also be called a "statement of intent", "description of research interests" or something similar. Basically it is your opportunity to tell the graduate program:

• Your specific area of academic interest (research topic you want to work on)
• How your past education and other experiences have prepared you to be successful in the graduate program
• What you hope to achieve in the graduate program
• Why this particular program at UBC is the best place for you to pursue your interests

The statement is generally in the form of a short essay. Be sure to carefully read the specific instructions given by the graduate program and ensure you provide them with what they are asking for. Please contact the program you are applying to if you have any questions on the content of your Statement of Interest.

Other tips for a strong Statement of Interest:

• State any work you have done in this area already (mention specific skills/techniques you have picked up).
• Connect your area of interest to work being done in the program (mention specific faculty members and projects).
• Refer to academic publications that have informed your interest (use correct citation as footnote).
• Mention any publications, presentations or conferences you have been a part of.

Remember: You are building a case that you are focused, skilled, enthusiastic, and a great match for the program.

In these videos you'll hear faculty members talk about what they consider to be a strong statement of interest. They also provide some useful tips on making your statement as strong as possible. 

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Admission Requirements

The UBC Faculty of Medicine considers applicants from a variety of backgrounds and gives no preference to any particular degree program or institution. We are committed to creating a diverse community of people and we want our future students and doctors to be as diverse as the communities they will end up serving.

There are a number of steps in our admissions process along with specific criteria that must be met for your application to be considered. Please note that admissions requirements may change from time to time, which may affect current or future applications. We encourage you to carefully review the requirements and if you have any concerns to reach out to our Admissions Team .

Minimum Academic Standing

Please note that due to limited enrolment, meeting the minimum academic standing does not guarantee admission to the program, or even consideration for an interview. We encourage you to do a realistic review of the admissions statistics for the averages of successful applicants before submitting an application.

BC applicants with an overall academic average of less than 75% and out-of-province applicants with an overall academic average of less than 85% (based on the adjusted academic average, if applicable) will not receive full file reviews and thus will not proceed further through the application process. 1  A full file review consists of a full academic evaluation, a non-academic evaluation and where appropriate, a rural/remote suitability evaluation.

It is recommended that self-identified Indigenous applicants achieve a competitive grade point average. Their academic scores will be reviewed at the discretion of the Indigenous Admissions Sub-Committee.

You must report all post-secondary level courses, programs, and grades. If you have withdrawn from another medical school for academic reasons you are not eligible to apply. If you are enrolled or will be enrolling in another medical school during the application cycle, you must inform the program using either the online application form and/or email. Failure to include relevant information may result in disqualification of your application.

For information on GPA calculation, please refer to the Academic Criteria section on the Evaluation Criteria page.

_______________

1 These averages must be attained although the published minimum academic requirement for applying to the MD Undergraduate Program is an overall GPA ("OGPA") of 70% based on all university-level courses attempted (see Minimum Credit Requirement).

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, grades, even if listed on the transcript, from Winter 2020 Term 2 are not included in the calculation of the overall or adjusted GPA. Applicants must achieve the minimum academic standing without the incorporation of these grades.

Minimum Credit Requirement

Our minimum requirement of 90 credits must be 90 university-transferable credits with grades taken at a post-secondary institution. AP, IB and A Level credits do not count towards the 90 minimum credits. The 90 credits must be completed by April 30 of the year of entry into medical school.

Applicants are not required to take a full-time course load, which is considered to be 10 courses/30 credits taken over the fall and spring semesters. However, applicants should demonstrate an ability to handle the rigorous, full-time curriculum of medical school, and are asked to provide more information about any part-time terms on the application.

* Pass/fail courses taken during Winter 2019-2020 Term 2 (or the equivalent term) do not count toward the 90-credit minimum requirement. Credits with grades taken in Winter 2019-2020 Term 2 count toward the 90-credit minimum requirement, but are excluded from the overall GPA and adjusted GPA calculations.

Transcript Requirements

All applicants must submit one set of official transcripts issued by the Registrar(s) of the home institution(s), from ALL post-secondary institutions attended, to the MD Undergraduate Admissions Office by the application deadline. Please see the application timelines for further information.  UBC students must submit hard-copy or electronic UBC transcripts and AP/IB transcripts. 

Applicants must submit transcripts from all post-secondary institutions attended, including but not limited to colleges and universities, institutions attended on exchange, study abroad institutions, institutions attended on a letter of permission or as a visiting student, etc. It is not sufficient for our purposes for the courses/grades to appear on your home institution's transcript. Hard-copy transcripts can be sent directly from the institution or sent by the applicant to us, as long as the transcripts arrive in their official, sealed, endorsed envelopes.

Physical transcripts can be sent to this address:

MD Undergraduate Program Admissions Office Faculty of Medicine University of British Columbia 317 – 2194 Health Sciences Mall Vancouver BC V6T 1Z3

Electronic transcripts must be sent directly by the Registrar. If your institution issues official electronic transcripts, we accept e-transcripts sent in the following manner:

• Sent directly by your Registrar’s office to [email protected]
• Sent through a transcript ordering service (e.g. Parchment). On Parchment, we are listed as “The University of British Columbia – MD Undergraduate Admissions”; On MyCreds, we are listed as "UBC - Faculty of Medicine | MD Undergraduate admissions."

E-transcripts forwarded by applicants are not accepted .

If your home university does not mail original academic records directly, then stamped, attested true photocopies of academic records in sealed envelopes and endorsed by the Registrar at your home university will be accepted as official.

Note: Please see deadline below for international exchange/study-abroad transcript(s).

International Transcripts

Applicants who attended post-secondary institutions (including on exchange or study abroad) outside of North America must have their foreign transcripts assessed by either ICES , the International Credential Evaluation Service or WES , World Education Services. All foreign transcripts must be evaluated by WES or ICES unless the foreign institution was attended for only one term, or 6 credits or fewer were taken in an academic year. Applicants must arrange to have official transcripts from their foreign institution   and the WES or ICES reports received by our office by October 15, 2024.

Deadlines for the 2024/2025 Application Cycle

• All non-North American transcripts must be submitted by the foreign institution and received by UBC MD Admissions by October 15, 2024.
• A WES or ICES evaluation, if required, must be received by our office by October 15, 2024.

ICES Requirements

From ICES, we require the Comprehensive report . The Supplemental report is recommended only for applicants who are hoping to use their foreign coursework to satisfy the English requirement and/or to demonstrate proficiency in biology, chemistry and biochemistry (if the Supplemental report is not submitted in this case, detailed course outlines must be provided instead).

WES Requirements

From WES, we require the Course-by-Course report . Basic and ICAP formats are both accepted.

Please note that the verified transcript submitted as part of the WES ICAP package is not sufficient for our purposes and an original, official transcript from the foreign institution must be submitted as well. 

The WES or ICES report is required to augment academic evaluation of an applicant's file. However, the Admissions Office reserves the right to apply its own evaluation. In some cases, the Admissions Office may request applicants with international credentials to submit both a Comprehensive and Supplemental report from ICES to assist in the academic evaluation of their application.

As mentioned above, if an applicant attended an international institution on exchange for only one term, or 6 credits or fewer were taken in an academic year, for the 2024/2025 application cycle, UBC MD Admissions must receive the original transcript from the international institution by October 15, 2024.

Prerequisites

English requirement.

All applicants must complete 6 credits (two semesters) of English coursework by April 30 of the year of entry into medical school (April 30, 2025 for the 2024/2025 application cycle). English courses can be from any undergraduate or graduate year-level, but should be offered through an English department. The requirement can be filled by either 6 credits of literature coursework or 3 credits of literature and 3 credits of composition coursework.

“Literature” in this context refers to courses that are primarily focused on traditional forms of literature like fiction, poetry, drama, and/or some literary non-fiction genres, whereas “composition” refers to courses dedicated to instruction in academic essay writing.

English courses should have a workload equivalent to similar courses at UBC, including at least one research paper of 1200 words or more (five pages double spaced), an additional essay assignment, and a final exam.

Courses Not Accepted

Courses on the following topics are not accepted toward the English requirement, even if offered through an English department:

• Social science
• Health and public health
• Science writing and other discipline-specific writing courses
• Creative writing
• Communication
• Comics or graphic novels
• Cultural studies, disability studies, gender studies, and sexuality studies
• Environmental studies
• Linguistics
• Professional writing and professional communication
• Technical writing
• Foreign language
• English as an Additional Language
• Media studies and journalism
• Digital media, digital fiction and electronic literature
• Film and film studies
• Theses in any subject area

Courses with titles like Reading Popular Culture are accepted on a case-by-case basis only if there is a clearly identifiable and significant literary component. As long as the workload is sufficient, traditional literature courses focusing on a particular time period, location, or group of writers are generally accepted, as are genre courses such as Children’s Literature and Science Fiction .

To confirm that your courses fulfill the requirement, please see the English Courses Chart , which lists some acceptable English courses from most Canadian universities and BC colleges. If a course is not listed, but you believe both the content and workload satisfy our criteria for acceptable English courses, please email the course syllabus to the Admissions team for review .

Final authority regarding course equivalency rests with Academic Evaluators in the MD Admissions Office of the Faculty of Medicine and is only available after your application has been submitted and fully evaluated.

Recommended Courses

Courses in biology, chemistry and biochemistry are strongly recommended, but are not required for application. All applicants are expected to demonstrate proficiency in these areas through coursework and/or MCAT scores. Courses in physics, statistics, humanities, and the social sciences are also recommended as general preparation for the MCAT and for medical school.

For applicants wishing to take our recommended science courses, the Science Courses Chart provides a list of courses previously accepted as science prerequisites. To assess course equivalency, refer to UBC course descriptions to ensure that the topics covered in the courses and the credit weightings are similar. Please follow the department links in the Science Courses Chart or consult the UBC calendar .

Note: As applicants are required to demonstrate their academic ability to determine their suitability for the rigorous MD curriculum, taking the Credit/D/Fail option for required and strongly recommended courses may not be a helpful indicator in the selection process and could potentially jeopardize your application to the program.

English and/or Recommended Courses Taken at International Institutions

Please see "International Transcripts" under the Transcript Requirements section for more information on foreign transcript requirements. English courses must be taken in a country that satisfies UBC's English Language Admissions Standard to be considered for the prerequisite requirement.

AP, IB, and Other Exam Results

Some exam results can be used to fully satisfy the 6-credit English requirement. These exam results do not count toward the 90-credit minimum requirement and are not included in GPA calculations.

The following minimum grades must be achieved to satisfy the English requirement:

All applicants, including UBC students , seeking credit for the English requirement must send one set of official AP, IB, A Level, Cambridge Pre-U, or CAPE transcripts directly to the Admissions Office by the application deadline.

We cannot access AP, IB, A Level, Cambridge Pre-U, or CAPE transcripts sent to UBC’s Enrolment Services.

Our office can accept:

• Electronic IB transcripts
• Hard-copy IB transcripts (required for IB exams taken in May 2004 or earlier)
• Electronic AP scores
• Hard-copy AP transcripts (if your AP scores have been archived; see the College Board website for more information)

Note: If 6 credits (the equivalent of two semesters) of approved English have been completed at a university (during any years), it is unnecessary to submit AP, IB, or other exam results. If only 3 credits were taken, AP, IB, or other exam results must be submitted.

How to Request an AP Transcript

Please consult the  AP Score Reporting Services  page for instructions. Our AP code is #3939. We encourage applicants to request AP transcripts early, as the College Board often has significant delays of weeks to months in processing and sending AP transcripts.

How to Request an IB Transcript

Information about requesting an IB transcript can be found on the IB website . Our institution name is "University of British Columbia - Medicine." Please note that we do not receive notifications for electronic IB transcripts for up to 72 hours after the applicant receives confirmation from IB.

Transcripts for Other Exams

A Levels : Please visit GOV.UK for instructions on requesting a certified statement of results.

Cambridge Pre-U : Please consult the Cambridge Assessment  website  for certifying statement of results request procedures.

CAPE: Please see the Caribbean Examinations Council website for information on ordering transcripts.

Please note that administering organizations may have processing times of several weeks or more, and the document may take a long time to arrive. Request your results as early as you can.

All applicants must take the Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT) and request that their results be sent electronically to UBC via the MCAT Score Reporting System after the online application opens.

Only the new version of the MCAT (MCAT 2015) is accepted. The sections on this exam version are BBFL, CPBS, PSBB and CARS.

MCAT Results Validity

Due to the impact of COVID-19, for the 2020/2021 cycle, 2021/2022 cycle, 2022/2023, 2023/2024 and 2024/2025 application cycle, we will accept all MCAT test results from April 2015 to present provided the results are received by the UBC MD Admissions office by October 15, 2024. In accordance with AAMC regulations, applicants must release all scores. It is the applicant’s responsibility to ensure that all results are sent to UBC and received by the Admissions Office.

Applicants must achieve a minimum score of 124 in each of the four sections on a single exam. Applications that do not have at least one exam with 124 or above in each section will be deemed ineligible.

Acceptable Exam Dates and Scores

Valid test dates are from April 17, 2015 - September 14, 2024 . The MCAT deadline is October 15, 2024 at 11:59 p.m. Pacific. Please note that the MCAT score release date for the September 14th exam is also on October 15th, so please submit this before the deadline at 11:59 p.m. Pacific.

*The VR, PS, BS (no WS) exam offered in early 2015 is no longer accepted.

Please review the Faculty of Medicine MD Undergraduate Admissions Statistics  summary for an indication of competitive scores. It is recommended that self-identified Indigenous applicants achieve competitive MCAT scores. These scores will be reviewed at the discretion of the Indigenous Admissions Sub-Committee.

More Information About the MCAT

Information on the MCAT and online registration can be found on the  AAMC website .

For the 2024/2025 application cycle, MCAT scores must be received by October 15, 2024 at 11:59 p.m. Pacific Time.

The latest accepted MCAT test date for the 2024/2025 application cycle is the latest test date that allows us to receive your MCAT scores by the October 15 deadline (September 14, 2024 in Canada).

Please note:

UBC is not a part of the American Medical College Application Service (AMCAS). You must therefore specify that you want your test results released to UBC. This can only be done after your results have been sent to you. Please use the MCAT Score Reporting System to send your scores to UBC; refer to the Help Questions within the Score Reporting System for specific instructions. Applicants are strongly encouraged to review the "Scores Sent to Institutions" option to confirm that results have been successfully sent to UBC.

To avoid submitting an application that may become ineligible as soon as the MCAT score is received, applicants are encouraged to write the MCAT early so that they may confirm their scores meet our minimum requirements before applying. Applicants are also encouraged to write the MCAT early in order to have time to reschedule their exam should confirmed testing difficulties arise during the exam. Unfortunately, the Admissions Office cannot accommodate rescheduled exams with score release dates that fall after our deadline. Applicants who experience technical difficulties during their MCAT should receive official confirmation from AAMC and email the documentation to the Admissions Office.

How we use MCAT results

For more information, please see the MCAT section under Evaluation Criteria .

Citizenship and BC Residency

The Faculty of Medicine welcomes applications from qualified individuals who:

• Are permanent residents of Canada at the time of application, either as Canadian citizens or permanent residents, and
• Meet the eligibility criteria, and
• Believe they would be competitive on the selection criteria.

International Applicants

We regret that we are unable to admit international students.

Applicants with Refugee Status

The Faculty of Medicine welcomes applications from persons with refugee status in Canada. Admission will be contingent on attaining permanent residency in Canada and providing proof of this status to the MD Admissions Office two weeks prior to the start of classes. A one-year deferral can be requested if a refugee status applicant is unable to provide proof of permanent residency within the above stated time frame. All deferrals are made at the discretion of the MD Admissions Office.

On interview day, all applicants are required to submit official proof (original government-issued documentation) of one of the following: citizenship, permanent residency, or refugee status.

BC Residency Requirements

Preference for admission to the MD Undergraduate program is given to residents of British Columbia; however, a small number of out-of-province applicants are accepted each year.

For MD Undergraduate Admissions purposes, applicants are considered BC residents if they hold a currently valid BC Services Card by the application deadline.* Possession of a BC Services Card is intended to signify residency in British Columbia.

It is expected that applicants claiming BC residency are residents of BC and meet all MSP eligibility guidelines . BC residents who study outside of BC or are temporarily outside of BC for another reason must be eligible to maintain their coverage according to MSP guidelines for temporary absences outside of BC .

By the application deadline, applicants must upload a high quality copy of both the front and back of their BC Services Card to their application. This card must be valid throughout the entire application cycle. Should your BC Services Card expire during the current application cycle, it is your responsibility to renew this card in a timely fashion and upload copies of your renewed card. BC Services Cards will be checked at the time of interview and when offers are made to confirm their continued validity.

Yukon, Northwest Territories and Nunavut residents are treated as BC residents and will be required to provide equivalent documentation to the BC residency requirement.

As part of our mandate to address the need for clinician scientists, applicants with a PhD completed by the application deadline** will have their BC residency requirement waived, as will supported Indigenous applicants, supported Black applicants, and supported MD/PhD applicants.

The Admissions Office reserves the right to ask for additional information or documentation about an applicant’s BC residency at any time during the application cycle.

Note: Any attempt to claim BC residency status without meeting all residency requirements may negatively affect your application to the MD Undergraduate Program.

More Information

Information on the BC Services Card can be found at BC Ministry of Health .

*Please note that BC CareCards, Confirmation of Continued Coverage Letters, Interim Services Cards and Mobile Service Cards are not accepted as proof of BC residency.

**If the PhD is not conferred on the transcript submitted to the Admissions Office, by the application deadline applicants must submit an official letter from the Faculty of Graduate Studies confirming program completion. The letter must be sent directly from the Faculty of Graduate Studies.

Applicants with Disabilities

The UBC Faculty of Medicine is an inclusive, diverse community and we welcome students with disabilities to apply to the MD Undergraduate degree program. We encourage students considering our program to review our  Essential Skills and Abilities (Technical Standards)  before applying and ensure they meet the program's requirements for their own safety and the safety of the patients they encounter during their medical training.

Special Consideration

If there are unique considerations for admissions requirements or for the application process, you may be eligible for special consideration in the calculation of your grades, though you must still meet the competitive average.

To apply for Disability-Related Considerations, please review and submit the following documents to the Centre for Accessibility by September 13, 2024:

• Documentation of disability (find guidelines for documentation on the Centre for Accessibility website)
• A concise letter outlining the rationale for requesting disability-related consideration. Please address precisely what considerations are being requested, including relevant dates.
• A transcript highlighting the difference in grades when your disability-related access needs were being addressed (if applying for GPA considerations).

You must also submit:

• This form which is also linked in the Other Information section of the online application.

If you receive a request for an interview and need accommodations during the interview process, please submit your request to the  Centre for Accessibility by January 4th, 2025, including:

• A request for a 30-minute appointment to discuss medical program admissions interview accommodations, and
• Documentation of disability (find guidelines for documentation on the Centre for Accessibility website ).

Accommodations are always unique to individuals' needs and will vary from person to person. We encourage you to advocate for accommodations and work with the Centre for Accessibility to provide the necessary documentation to ensure the supports you need are in place. The Centre for Accessibility will then adjudicate requests and provide recommendations to our MD Admissions Office.

Admitted students with disabilities will be accommodated in accordance with  UBC's policy on Academic Accommodation for Students with Disabilities . As stated in the policy, the provision of academic accommodations does not eliminate the need for evaluation or the need to meet essential learning outcomes.

• Review FAQs or contact the Centre for Accessibility
• For any questions regarding the technical standards, please contact Student Affairs at [email protected] .

Graduate Student Applicants

Graduate students wishing to enter the UBC Faculty of Medicine Undergraduate Program must complete the program in which they are registered and provide official proof of completion by July 31, prior to admission. If an applicant enrolls in or starts a graduate program after submitting an application, they must immediately notify the Admissions Office and provide proof of completion by the July 31 deadline. Failure of notification or withdrawing from a graduate program any time after application submission will result in ineligibility. There are no exceptions to this policy.

All degree requirements, including successful defense and submission of approved thesis in final form and acceptance by the Faculty of Graduate Studies, must be completed by this deadline. Graduate students in non-thesis based programs must complete all required courses, projects, exams, practica, etc. and have all grades submitted on an official transcript by July 31.

As part of the supplemental application, graduate students who are invited for an interview will be required to complete an electronic form stating that they are on track to fulfill the above requirements. The thesis supervisor, or program/department head, will receive an electronic copy of the completed form. If the applicant is unable to confirm that they will finish by this date or if a response is not received by the stated deadline on the Graduate Student Report form , the interview offer will be rescinded. Please be advised that the thesis supervisor can contact the Admissions Office at any time after receiving a copy of the electronic form, if they believe the applicant has provided incorrect information.

Proof of Completion by the Deadline (July 31)

The Admissions Office will accept ONE of the following proofs of graduate program completion (required by July 31 at 12:00 p.m. (noon) PDT):

• Official transcripts showing date of degree conferral
• Official letter from the Faculty of Graduate Studies confirming program completion* (this letter can be sent directly by mail or e-mailed by the Faculty of Graduate Studies; faxed copies are not acceptable)

The transcripts and/or official letter must reflect a graduate completion date of July 31 of the commencing year or earlier. Be aware that submission of the thesis in final form around or after June 30 may result in an official completion date of later than July 31, depending on the Graduate Studies requirement and timeline. In this case, the graduate student’s application will be made ineligible by the Admissions Office.

Exception (MD/PhD applicants)

One exception to this rule is for UBC students enrolled in an MSc program or in their 1 st year of PhD studies who are concurrently applying to the combined MD/PhD Program. If such applicants are successful in securing admission to both the MD and the combined MD/PhD Programs, continuing their graduate studies under the auspices of MD/PhD, they can enter the MD Undergraduate Program prior to completing all graduate degree requirements.

Applicants should be aware that if they secure admission to the MD Undergraduate Program but not to the combined MD/PhD Program, their offer to enter the MD program would be withdrawn and the student would have to reapply for entry in a year when all graduate requirements would be completed by July 31.

Important Notes

We will not accept letters from thesis supervisors or professors to confirm degree completion.

*All applicants are required to submit final transcripts showing degree conferral as soon as they are available.

Please contact the Admissions Office if the above options are not available to you.

An applicant’s failure to disclose their status as a current graduate student during the admission cycle in which they are applying will result in disqualification. This also applies to applicants who begin their graduate programs at any point during the application cycle of the year in which they are applying, as they will not be able to meet the July 31 completion deadline.

International Students

We regret that we are unable to admit international students. Our mission is training the next generations of medical doctors who will serve the population of British Columbia.

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Taught by world-renowned, prize-winning scholars, UBC English courses cover an amazing variety of topics.

From Old English to Canadian English, from medieval ecology to Indigenous science fiction, from the history of dictionaries to the influence of texting, from Shakespeare in film to transsexuality in television; from ancient rhetorical theory to cognitive approaches to language today.

Program Requirements

Language course groups

• Structure of English: ENGL 330, 331, 321
• History of English: ENGL 318, 319, 342, 343, 344, 346
• Approaches to contemporary English: ENGL 323, 324, 328
• Discourse and meaning: ENGL 312, 322, 327
• Rhetoric: ENGL 307-311

Note: topics covered in any of the above groups may also focus on ENGL 326 (which has no permanent title) and ENGL 489 (majors Seminar-Language, where the instructor decides on the topic offered in any given year). Each course will be classed into one of the groups A-E in any given year, depending on the topic covered. Please see an advisor if you want ENGL 326 or ENGL 489 to count as satisfying group A-E requirements.

Literature course groups

A. Medieval and Renaissance literatures: ENGL 343 to ENGL 350

B. 18th- and 19th-century literatures: ENGL 351 to ENGL 364

C. Modern, contemporary, transnational, and Indigenous literatures: ENGL 365 to ENGL 379

D. Media, theory, genre, and special topic: ENGL 332 to ENGL 339; ENGL 380 to ENGL 397

Program overview

You can declare the combined major once you have obtained second-year standing and have completed the first-year requirements: prospective English majors are encouraged to take ENGL 100. Students beginning the program take 3 credits of ENGL 200, our brand-new, seminar-based introduction to literary studies, team-taught by departmental faculty. As well, students in the combined emphases take 3 credits of ENGL 229.

In third- and fourth-year, you take a range of courses from both language and literature. Specifically, you take 15 credits from the language area, including the Structure of Modern English (ENGL 330 or 331), plus a range of courses on the history of English, English structure and usage, discourse, and meaning. You also need 12 credits from our Literature course groups in historical and contemporary areas, plus theory, media studies, or genre.

You will complete the program with a seminar in either literature (ENGL 490) or language (ENGL 489) study, working in a small course with a specialist instructor in a particular field or topic. To graduate with an English major, students must complete 30 upper-level credits from ENGL senior courses (numbered 304 and above).

100-level requirements

6 credits of one of the following options:

• 100-level English;
• ENGL 140/LING 140 and 3 credits of 100-level English (this option is recommended, but not required);
• 6 credits of ASTU 100;
• 3 credits of ASTU 100 or 101 and 3 credits of 100-level English;
• WRDS 150 or 350 and 3 credits of 100-level English

200-level requirements

• 3 credits of ENGL 200
• 3 credits of ENGL 229

300-level requirements

15 credits in language:

• 3 credits of either ENGL 330 or ENGL 331
• 9 credits comprising one course from each of three of five Language Course Groups (A-E)
• 3 additional credits from any of five language course groups (A-E)

12 credits in literature

• 3 credits selected from ENGL 343-364 (literature course groups A or B)
• 3 credits selected from ENGL 365-378 (literature course group C)
• 6 additional credits selected from courses in literature course groups A-D. A course in Canadian literature is recommended

400-level seminar requirements

3 credits of a majors seminar: either ENGL 489, the language seminar or ENGL 490, the literature majors seminar.

Declaring a Major

Double majors.

A major in English can complement any major or honours program in Arts or Science. Current English majors also study economics, political science, psychology, biology, environmental studies, history, geography, anthropology, and visual art.

Course Planning

Frequently asked questions.

The honours program has admission criteria and requires more credits (48 rather than 30). It also allows students to take more than one seminar (all students take one seminar as a requirement for the major) and has an independent research component – the honours graduating essay.

Master's Essay

The MSc essay is a comprehensive critical survey of the literature in some area of computer science; it may identify feasible and significant open problems, but it is not expected to contribute to their solution.

Program Requirements under This Option

The student must:

• Complete all of the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies requirements for the MSc degree.
• Complete the breadth component of the PhD Comprehensive Course Requirement.
• Complete a 3 credits MSc essay (CPSC 589).  The essay has to be approved by the supervisor(s).  It does not require an external reader.
• at least 21 credits must be computer science courses OR the student must obtain approval for the program from their supervisor or advisor; and
• a maximum of 6 credits at the undergraduate level in courses numbered 300 to 499 may be counted toward the requirements of a MSc degree.
• There is no need to submit the essay to the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies. The essay must be approved by a committee of at least two (the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies highly recommends three) faculty including the supervisor(s).  An external reader  (i.e., someone outside of the supervisory committee who was not involved with the student’s thesis) is not required. Once the essay is approved by the supervisory committee, the supervisor should send a message to the Graduate Program Administrator stating that the essay has been approved and the percentage grade for the essay.
• Thesis/Essay Presentation: The student is required to present the thesis at a departmental seminar. This is not necessary if material related to the thesis has  been presented at conference or other public research meeting (workshop, symposium etc.). If the thesis is presented at a department seminar, the student must send the information (date, time, location, supervisor's name, title of the thesis, and abstract) to [email protected] at least 7 days  in advance, so that  an announcement can be sent to the department. 

Forms:  Supervisory Form and Comprehensive Course Requirement

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UBC Theses and Dissertations

Open collections, limit this search.

The UBC Theses and Dissertations collection promotes open and comprehensive access to a significant body of unique knowledge created by graduate students to support further research and for private study. The authors retain copyright ownership and moral rights to their theses. The content of theses and dissertations may not be re-purposed or exploited for commercial gain without the explicit permission of the authors. 

See Theses and Dissertations at cIRcle: Discovery and Use to learn more about finding and using openly available theses and dissertations in Open Collections. 

UBC graduate students began submitting their theses online via cIRcle, UBC’s digital repository, in fall 2007, a practice that both simplified the submission process and also ensured the availability of this research to a global audience in a timely manner. As of March 2012, UBC Library has digitized and made openly accessible the full-text of more than 32,000 theses submitted by graduate students between 1919 and 2007. In addition to providing information about specific fields of study these theses also reveal important information about changes in pedagogy at the University and within academic disciplines. Authors concerned about having their pre-2007 theses included as part of this collection can notify [email protected] to have their thesis removed. Similarly, if copyrighted material appears in a thesis the copyright owner can request that material be removed.

Browse Theses & Dissertations

• {[{degree.key}]} ({[{degree.doc_count}]})

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Writing Consultations Resume September 9

The Centre for Writing and Scholarly Communication (CWSC) provides evidence-based writing consultations, workshops, seminars, and resources for UBC Vancouver community members. We welcome those with varying levels of English language proficiency, including multilingual speakers new to academic and professional English at a research university. The CWSC models best practices that support and promote linguistic diversity, expression, and identity in accord with UBC’s decolonizing, anti-racist, and inclusive Pathway to excellence.

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Academic Integrity is a core element of how we as scholars and professionals do our work (and live our professional lives) at UBC and beyond. Investigate “Introduction to Academic Integrity” designed for undergraduate students.

These evidence-based resources describe some of the typical practices that occur in high-stakes writing situations, with a focus on academic genres: abstracts, lay summaries, literature reviews, research article introductions, etc.

“Interrobang” is the CWSC’s in-house podcast, dedicated to engaging with writing across campus in all its diverse forms.

Explore UBC resources specific to the writing situations within the sciences.

Watch these videos to introduce yourself to the fundamentals of academic writing and research. Content includes perspectives from both senior academics at UBC and undergraduate and graduate students.

One of the best ways to learn about the conventions and practices of scholarly speaking is by watching other people do it.

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The CWSC offers a wide variety of evidence-based workshops and retreats to support writing across the disciplines and professions.

View all events

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Subscribe to the monthly newsletter to stay informed about writing consultations, workshops, retreats, and resources offered at the CWSC.

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• Get your Guide

Now that you’re ready to complete your UBC application, we’ll guide you through each step and provide indispensable tips along the way. Once you finish, you’ll be a giant leap closer to studying at one of the world’s top 40 universities.

On this page:

Choose your degree and campus

Review the requirements, start the online application, application tips, submit your application and pay the fee, stay in touch.

Watch: Submitting your application

To apply to UBC and most other BC post-secondary institutions, you’ll use the EducationPlannerBC website. Watch this video to learn how the site works and what information you’ll need to prepare.

Each UBC campus has a distinct range of degree programs . When you complete your application, you’ll have the opportunity to select a first and second choice of degree. The degrees you choose can be in different faculties and on different campuses. Think carefully about your choices and make sure you have all the prerequisite courses.

In the online application, you’ll enter those degree choices in the Program Selection tab. Enter your first-choice degree in the “First Program Choice” field and enter your second-choice degree in the “Second Program Choice” field.

You must meet UBC’s admission requirements – the University’s general admission requirements, and the specific requirements for your chosen degree – and demonstrate English language competency .

UBC’s online application opens in early October for Summer Session (May to August) and Winter Session (September to April).

BC and Yukon students: Please submit your Personal Education Number (PEN) with your application and order a transcript for UBC. Be sure to select “send my transcript now and allow this Post-Secondary Institution to request transcript updates” and choose the default date (one year from the date of your order) so that we can receive your interim and final grades continuously.

Ontario students: Please submit your Ontario Universities’ Application Centre (OUAC) reference number with your application, so that UBC can receive your grades electronically.

If you’re applying to any of the following degrees, a supplemental application or additional materials may be required:

As you complete the online application, keep the following tips in mind:

• Start early and take your time. Once you begin the application, you will be able to save it and return to it later – but only up until the deadline. Once you have submitted your application to UBC, you will not be able to edit it. Since the online application can sometimes time out if left open for too long, we recommend working on your personal profile questions outside of the application (where you can run them through a spell-checker) then copy and paste them into your application.
• Let the online application guide you. You’ll be asked to provide only the information we need based on your degree choice(s), your previous education, and other factors.
• Tell us your full academic history . It’s important to include all of the high schools, colleges, and/or universities you have attended. Don’t leave anything out!
• Be accurate . UBC has a number of methods in place to authenticate information provided in the application. These methods include, but are not limited to, contacting references, verifying academic records, and requesting additional documentation to verify your personal profile. If an application is found to contain untrue or incomplete information, UBC may, at its discretion: withdraw an offer of admission; require you to withdraw from UBC; subject you to academic discipline; or share the information provided with other post-secondary institutions, law enforcement agencies, or other third parties.
• Use an email address you check frequently. Once you have submitted your application, UBC will communicate with you primarily by email.
• Note your UBC student number. Write down your UBC student number somewhere safe. You’ll need it in future correspondence with UBC.

Watch: UBC application tips

Your application is where you demonstrate that you’ve got what it takes to be a UBC student. Check out our five tips to keep the process stress-free.

Finalize and submit your application, and pay the non-refundable fee. Be sure to consult your faculty website to see if additional deadlines and fees apply for your degree. All figures are in Canadian dollars.

• Canadian citizens and permanent residents: $74.25
• International students who require a study permit: $170

Apply by December 1 if:

• You are a Canadian citizen or permanent resident and you wish to be considered for the Presidential Scholars Award or the UBC Centennial Scholars Entrance Award .
• You are a direct-entry high school applicant who follows a Canadian curriculum and wishes to be considered for a first-round offer of admission.
• You are a Canadian post-secondary applicant who wishes to be considered for admission based on your interim transcripts.
• You are an international student and you are applying for an International Scholars Program award. Note: to be considered for the International Scholars Program awards, a separate application is due by November 15.

Otherwise, the deadline to apply is Ja nuary 15 . Applications will remain open beyond January 15 for visiting, unclassified, and Access Studies applicants .

UBC will share important dates and deadlines with you via email, so be sure to check your inbox regularly. After you submit your application, you’ll receive an email outlining which required documents you still need to provide.

We’ll also communicate with you via the Applicant Service Centre , post updates to the UBC Admissions Blog , and give you a peek at UBC life on Facebook , Twitter , Instagram , and Snapchat .

More on how to apply:

You’ll find these pages helpful.

Uncovering your best self: How leading others led to profound personal discovery for this Arts student

Admissions blog

Apply early to be considered for a UBC entrance scholarship

The University of British Columbia

Back to School

Welcome to the new academic year

Attend ‘Come Toward the Fire’

Apply for the 2024/25 CUES fund

Connect with ubc, explore ubc.

Study shows same-sex couples now live in 99.5 per cent of US counties

UBC welcomes its 37 youngest students at new Heron’s Landing child care centre

New student residence adds another 282 beds

What to do if your study permit doesn’t arrive in time

Fire-breathing research: Clearing the air of wildfire dangers

Engineering students’ robots cook up a storm at annual competition

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