UBC holds mobility agreements for graduate student exchange with over 150 universities and research institutes around the world. Many research abroad programs emerge from current or emerging research collaborations between UBC faculty and international colleagues.
The VP Research & International Office does not assist in placing students, although we can recommend programs or research institutes to contact.
The information on this page is intended for non-exchange graduate students coming to UBC to conduct short-term research placements. International students on exchange to UBC pay tuition to their home institutions and are only required to pay minimal fees at UBC. In contrast, visiting graduate students are required to register as UBC students and generally incur tuition and other fees.
If you are coming to UBC as an exchange student, contact Go Global, UBC's hub for international exchange students. The Go Global site includes information on applicaton instructions for exchange students, housing , pre-arrival check-lists, and mandatory fees.
If you wish to apply for an exchange program at UBC, contact your home university's exchange office to determine your eligibility for an exchange program.
If you are an interested in attending UBC to participate in academic programs, contact the Faculty of Graduate Studies. If you are interested in attending UBC's Okanagan campus, the International Programs and Services office provides advising, transition services and programs for international students.
Arranging a Research Abroad program
If you are an international graduate student and would like to conduct research at UBC, you must arrange the details of the research abroad program directly with the UBC faculty or institute with whom you would like to do a placement, and in consultation with your home research supervisor (view a list of institutes and centres and a list of departments that accept graduate students). A research abroad program may emerge from a current or planned research collaboration between UBC faculty and international colleagues.
A typical research abroad program is 1-3 months, although they may be longer. Research abroad placements for graduate students are flexible and are often based on the needs of specific research programs. For visiting graduate students to UBC, placements during standard UBC term sessions (below) are recommended, as additional tuition credits may apply if your stay crosses over two terms:
Winter Term 1: September – December
Winter Term 2: January – April
Summer Term: May – August
Costs, Planning & Logistics
UBC's hub for study, work and international service learning programs is the Go Global program, which provides financial awards for exchange students; develops and manages student mobility agrements with partner institutions; supports outbound exchange students on study, research or co-op placements; provides safety briefings; and faciltiates international service learning initiatives.
Incoming students are responsible for all costs related to research abroad programs (e.g. tuition, passport and visa fees, travel, room & board, books, health insurance, personal expenses, etc.). In addition to travel, accommodations and meals, incoming exchange students are required to pay mandatory fees, including Health Insurance ($120 CDN for 3 months) and a student pass for public transportation ($95 CDN for 3 months).
In addition to the expenses listed above for exchange students, visiting international graduate students coming to UBC for a research placement are required to pay the UBC application fee ($150 CAD), tuition fee (1 credit $645 CAD) and other student fees. There may also be additional costs for language tests (see below), transcripts and translation of transcripts. Please contact our office for more information about research placements only. If you have general questions about international study fees or admissions policies, contact the Faculty of Graduate Studies.
The Go Global website contains information on housing for exchange students; visiting international students should visit UBC Housing and Conferences for details on student residences. Graduate students can apply to Green College, a graduate residence on the Vancouver campus. Awardess of UBC's Graduate Student International Research Mobility Award may be accomodated for for short-term stays during winter or summer terms.
Requirements for a student visa vary according to your country of origin. The Council of Ministers of Education, Canada maintains a website which will help to identify your entry requirements as an international student based on certain criteria. Winning a UBC award does not guarantee you a visa to enter Canada; you must apply through offical channels to the Department of Citizenship and Immigration Canada.
Students must demonstrate language proficiency in the destination research environment. Requirements for formal testing are based on the policies of the host institution. Recipients of the UBC Graduate Student International Research Mobility Award may have this language requirement waived.
Most universities require transcripts even for short-term research abroad programs. Incoming international students should contact their exchange program for assistance. Visiting international students to UBC will be required to provide two official transcripts.
If you study in Canada for less than 6 months without a study permit, you cannot work on campus unless you have a work holiday visa, which you can obtain from a Canadian visa office in your home country before you arrive. Exchange students are only allowed to work on campus.
Students who receive an academic award paid by Canadian institutions or a foreign institution that is granted strictly on the basis of academic excellence may be eligible for a work permit under exemption code C44. The candidate must be the direct recieipient of the award.
International Student Handbook
UBC publishes student handbooks that provide international students with helpful guidance to assist students with the challenges of living in a new environment and socializing in a new culture. The handbook includes information on health insurance, transportion, and information on recreational and social opportunities on campus.
Vancouver: online International Student Handbook
Okanagan: online International Student Handbook
Health Insurance
iMED Health Insurance is a basic insurance plan required as a condition of registering as a new international student. Medical benefits cover emergency hospitalization and medical services (including out-patient treatment at a doctor's clinic) for an unexpected sickness or injury. UBC's student calendar provides information on fees. iMED covers the three-month waiting period before students become eligible for BC's Medical Services Plan (MSP) (with the exception of one-term exchange students, who are covered by iMED for the duration of their exchange). For details on arrival dates and advance coverage, please visit the website. For research abroad programs longer than 3 months, students need to apply for MSP in advance. Application forms are available at the International House or at the MSP website.
