International Students

Find everything you need to know about life as an international student at UBC’s Vancouver campus.

Study Permits

You must have a valid study permit in order to attend classes at UBC. It is not possible to attend classes on a visitor’s visa.

Apply for your Study Permit as early as possible, and as soon as you receive and accept your admission offer. Every year we have students who don’t don’t get their visas in time and cannot attend the program. Please follow the steps below to begin your study permit application.

1. Review the Study Permit information to guide you through the application.

2.  Reach out to our own UBC International Student Advisor if you require additional assistance. The RHL Graduate School has a dedicated Registered Canadian Immigration Consultant to help with details of your case and application. Please see his contact information below:

David works with the International Student Advising Team but is dedicated to helping RHL students so please reach out to him directly for the quickest response.You can set up a call with David after making initial contact through email. In your initial ask, please make sure to include:

  • Your student number in the subject line
  • Your name
  • Your program (Master of Management - MM)
  • Your citizenship(s)
  • All permit and visa expiration dates (if applicable)
  • Currently in Canada (YES or NO)
  • If you request specific assistance, please provide detailed information including applicable documents, such as a rejection letter

3. Other notes about your application:

  • Only apply once. If you have already applied manually, it is critical that you do not reapply online as this will only slow the process down.
  • The RHL Office does not have the expertise to advise on your study permit application. If you have questions, please follow the steps above to contact David at International Student Advising.
  • The processing times only show the time it took to approve or refuse 80 percent of applications during some time in the past. Processing times in the future may be differ and it is only meant to give a general idea of how long a process takes.
  • You must have a valid study permit in order to attend classes at UBC. It is not possible to attend classes on a visitor’s visa.

Before arrival, check your immigration documents to make sure that they are accurate and valid. Please note when they need to be renewed. More information on these topics can be found at:

4. Useful links for initial study permit application:

5. COVID-19 Updates for International Students:

Arriving in Vancouver & Self-Isolation

Because of possible travel restrictions due to COVID-19, we urge all international students arriving from outside of Canada to thoroughly research what is required before and upon your arrival in Vancouver. UBC has several web sites that will be of use in doing part of this research:

NOTE: Rules and regulations will change throughout the pandemic - please check these pages frequently for updates.

Healthcare for International Students

UBC requires that all international students have basic and extended health care for the duration of their studies. The costs of hospital and doctor care in Canada are very high if you are not insured. Without insurance, you could pay thousands of dollars per day for a hospital stay or even be refused certain services.

Accompanying family members are also strongly recommended to have basic and extended health insurance.

There are two levels of insurance in Canada: basic and extended. Both types are required for UBC international students. Basic insurance plans cover costs such as doctor’s visits and some hospitalization. Extended health care usually covers a portion of dental, prescription drugs and vision care (such as eye exams), among other things. If you have questions before you arrive in Canada, contact our International Student Advisor at intlubc@students.ubc.ca.

PLEASE PARTICULARLY NOTE:

    • All international students must apply for the BC Medical Systems Plan (MSP) as soon as they arrive in Vancouver as there is a 3 month waiting period for BC MSP to take effect. NOTE: The MSP premiums are not included in your tuition and fees.
    • Until they are covered by MSP, international students are automatically enrolled in UBC's iMED plan. iMED is a temporary basic health insurance plan required for new international students, and will provide you with health insurance coverage during the three month waiting period for BC's Medical Services Plan (MSP)

Resources

INTERNATIONAL STUDENT GUIDE

Find everything you need to know about life as an international student at UBC's Vancouver campus in the UBC International Student Guide

UBC INTERNATIONAL STUDENT DEVELOPMENT
International Student Advising

International Student Advisors are all Regulated Citizenship and Immigration Consultants (RCICs) or Regulated International Student Immigration Advisors (RISIAs) and can help with your questions about life as an international student.

They can provide comprehensive information and resources on all aspects of coming to study in Canada as well as employment, medical insurance and personal & cultural transitions. If you are not sure where to go to get answers to your questions, ISAs can act as a starting point and guide you to the proper resources or services.

ENGLISH LANGUAGE RESOURCES

While at UBC, there is English language support to help you with both spoken and written English. Even if you feel confident in your English skills, you may want to take advantage of the presentation coaching sessions or business writing textbooks that will support you in mastering your coursework.

OTHER RESOURCES

Adjusting to Life in Canada

Canada represents a mosaic of people linked to various social, ethnic, and linguistic groups from across the country and, increasingly, the world. Despite their differences, many people in Canada are united through some shared values and experiences. If you came to UBC from another country, the link below will provide you with some resources to help you settle into your new life in Canada.

Safety: Vancouver is a safe city. Violent crime is not common and very unlikely to happen to a resident or student. As in any other big city, however, thefts, pick-pocketing, and small crimes do happen. The Vancouver police department has a web site with tips on safely navigating your way around and avoiding scams.

Banking

Find out what you need to set up a bank account and how to go about transferring funds if you have come to UBC from another country.