Transition to Vancouver

LIVING IN VANCOUVER

Regardless of whether you are arriving in Vancouver for the first time or have been living here for years, settling in prior to your studies is an important step in your preparation for the program.

Indigenous Peoples and Vancouver + UBC

INDIGENOUS PEOPLES

Musqueam Welcome by sʔəyəɬəq (Larry Grant)

UBC is located on the traditional, ancestral and unceded territories of the Musqueam people. We acknowledge this fact often because it is an important aspect of UBC's history and present relations with Indigenous Peoples. Both UBC and Canada have a long and complicated history of colonialism and Indigenous relations. In preparation for your arrival at UBC, we encourage you to learn more about UBC and Canada's historical and present relationship with Indigenous peoples and communities, and to explore the many resources available online and on campus. Please follow the links below to learn more. During your Opening Week orientation there will be more opportunities to engage with this content: coming prepared with some pre-existing knowledge will help facilitate these discussions respectfully and profoundly.

Key words:

  • Traditional recognizes lands used and/or occupied by indigenous peoples across generations for cultural, social and economic activities.
  • Ancestral – recognizes land that was passed down from generation to generation.
  • Unceded – recognizes land that was never turned over to the Crown by a treaty or other formal agreement.
  • What is a land acknowledgement and why do we do them? Find out more:

Recommended Resources:

Learn more about the history of Indigenous Peoples in Canada and their connections to UBC and the city of Vancouver by visiting the resources below:

  1. First Peoples: A Guide for Newcomers (Downloadable pdf)
  2. Musqueam People Historic Timeline
  3. Indigenous Peoples Language Guide

Additional Reading:

For more in-depth information on current and historical Indigenous affairs:

  1. Information Resource
  2. Massive Open Online Course (MOOC):
  3. National
  4. At UBC:
  5. UBC Strategic Indigenous Plan
  6. At Sauder

Introduction to Housing

NOTE: The demand for on-campus housing greatly surpasses the supply so please be prepared for the possibility that you will need to look for off-campus housing.

All students are encouraged to arrive in Vancouver to find housing in the first week of August. Securing accommodation near the start of the program (at the end of August) can be difficult. Remember that you will be competing for housing with thousands of other students returning to Vancouver before the start of the academic year.

The options for housing can be placed into two categories:
On-Campus Housing
Off-Campus Housing

These two options are broken down further below.

On-Campus Housing

You can apply for UBC Housing through their website. As the MM program runs until June next year and is longer than one winter session at UBC (Sept-April) students are recommended to apply for year-round housing.

Notes:

  • You may find when you apply for residence on campus that you are placed on a wait list. If you are placed on a wait list, check with UBC Housing as to the likelihood of obtaining housing for September.
  • Wait lists can be long and you may wish to investigate off-campus housing prior to August to ensure you are settled before the start of the program.
  • If you arrive prior to the move-in date for your off-campus or on-campus housing, you may require short-term accommodation (see "Short-Term Accommodation" section).

Questions? Please reach out the UBC Housing directly as the RHL Office is not involved in the housing allocation process nor do we have access to your application.

UPPER LEVEL STUDENT HOUSING (year-round)

Please see the main UBC web page for on-campus accommodation for Graduate Students including year-round and family accommodation. This includes:

GRADUATE STUDENT COLLEGES (year-round)

UBC has two residential graduate colleges that offer accommodation dedicated to graduate students, visiting scholars, and postdocs:

SEPTEMBER - APRIL HOUSING (not advisable)

This type of housing is aimed at undergraduate students who typically study from September - April each year. As the contract length and the age of student living in this type of housing does not fit with the UBC MM Program schedule and student body.

ALTERNATIVE ON-CAMPUS OPTIONS

There are some alternative housing options located on campus, but not operated by UBC Student Housing and Hospitality Services.

Off Campus Housing

Living off campus is a great option for opening up to experiences outside of UBC. There are several communities in the area that have a number of housing options such as in-house suites, apartments, and shared accommodation. Transportation to and from the campus is easy if you find somewhere within a 1/2 hour commute.

Selecting your neighborhood: Neighborhood cultures, living costs and transit routes are important factors when looking for housing. Vancouver is in general a safe city to live in but, as in any big city, you need to be aware of your surroundings and select accommodations and a location you are comfortable with. It is strongly advised to research and visit any area you are not familiar with before committing to renting a place.

Resources:

BEWARE OF SCAMS

As you may know, Vancouver has a very competitive housing market. While our students are typically able to find appropriate accommodations on- or off-campus and have rarely come across scams, it is important to be aware that they do exist.

Some warning signs of rental scams according to the Financial Consumer Agency of Canada, include:

  • The monthly rent is much less than the current market rate
  • You're asked to leave a deposit without any formal rental agreement or lease in place
  • You're asked to send a security deposit to a landlord outside the country
  • You're offered a unit but no one does a background check on you
  • When you ask about the apartment, you get an email that sends you to a website asking for personal or financial information
  • Ads that show pictures of the outside of the property only, or pictures that don't match the actual property
 COMMERCIAL RENTAL SERVICES

For a fee, these services will provide you with a list of vacancies that meet your criteria. These are often advertised in the rental listings section of newspapers. They can be helpful if you need to save time, but there is a charge for the service.

NOTE:

  • These sites/groups are provided as a resource to students. UBC does not endorse these sites or their rental listings.
  • The RHL Graduate School does not recommend any specific commercial enterprises, but provides these lists of local services for information only.
RENTAL LISTING WEBSITES

Self-Isolation & Short Term Accommodation

SELF-ISOLATION

Depending on the status of COVID rules and regulations at the time of your arrival, you may have to self-isolate for a number of days.

UBC has developed a website packed with self-isolation accommodation and food options, as well as resources and tips, all designed to ensure your experience is as positive as possible. Make yourself a plan that includes staying connected, eating healthfully, exercising regularly, following routines, getting plenty of rest, and reaching out for help if you need it.

ON CAMPUS SHORT-TERM ACCOMMODATION

On-campus short-term accommodation is difficult to find if you are not scheduled to move into one of the on-campus residences at the beginning of the school year. There are only a few options available:

Please note that RHL does not recommend any commercial enterprises, but provides these lists of local services for information only.

OFF-CAMPUS SHORT TERM ACCOMMODATION

Options for staying off-campus include youth hostels, YMCA/YWCA, bed and breakfasts (B&B’s), or hotels. In any case, you should check what area of Vancouver they are located in for ease of travel.

You may also find short-term accommodation listed on some of these rental listing websites:

Medical Insurance & Health Care

NOTE: All UBC students are required to have both basic and extended health insurance.

Find out what kind of Health Insurance you need and how to enrol.

BC MEDICAL SERVICES PLAN (MSP)

Everyone living in British Columbia for more than six months is required to enroll in the BC Medical Services Plan (MSP), (except students with existing coverage from another Canadian province or territory).

  • You must apply for MSP as soon as you arrive in British Columbia.
  • There is a 3 month waiting period before MSP coverage will start so you must ensure you have basic health insurance for those first 3 months in British Columbia.
    • Canadian citizens or permanent residents are advised to join the Global Campus Health Plan during that three-month MSP waiting period.
    • International students: Are automatically covered by iMed. Read the information in the International Students section of Canvas.

NOTES:

  • Students with existing coverage from another Canadian province or territory do not need to apply for MSP.
  • MSP premiums are NOT included in your tuition and fees.
EXTENDED MEDICAL PLAN

All students (both international and domestic) are automatically enrolled in and pay for the AMS/GSS extended medical plan. For more details on the AMS/GSS Health & Dental Plan, including the claim forms, visit studentcare.ca or the Health & Dental Plan Office (Room 3500, third floor of the Student NEST, 6133 University Blvd).

Opting Out: Students with equivalent health and dental coverage through a private plan (parent, spouse or employee plan) can opt out of the AMS/GSS Health & Dental Plan.

If you’re an international student with questions about MSP or your equivalent private insurance, please contact International Student Development for more information at 604-822-5021 or isa@students.ubc.ca.

Parking & Transportation

Whatever your method of transportation, taking the bus, biking, walking or driving, there are resources available to help you navigate to, from, and around campus.

TRANSPORTATION OPTIONS
Transit (bus, Skytrain, Seabus etc.)

NOTE: all UBC students are charged for the Compass Card transit pass which is automatically included in student-levied fees, regardless of whether they choose to use the bus system or not.

Cycling
Driving

Banking

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

 

Explore Vancouver + UBC

Vancouver is located in an area of noted natural beauty and has an abundance of activities and events throughout the year. Explore the links below to find out more about your new home!

Explore Vancouver:

Explore UBC: