Address: 2329 West Mall, V6T 1Z4 Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Forestry, Computer Science, Medicine
Established in 1908, UBC is a global centre for research and teaching, consistently ranked among the top 20 public universities worldwide. It has two major campuses: Vancouver and Okanagan.
UBC is one of the largest research universities in Canada, with about 70,500 students and 17,200 staff, and nearly one student in three comes from abroad. It has two main campuses: Vancouver, on the Point Grey peninsula on the traditional territory of the Musqueam people, and Okanagan, in Kelowna. The Vancouver campus is a small town in itself, with forest on three sides and the Pacific beyond.
The university was created in 1908 as a college affiliated with McGill and became independent in 1915. Forestry has been a signature subject from the beginning, and the Faculty of Applied Science now covers civil, electrical, mechanical, chemical and computer engineering. Computer science is one of the top departments in Canada, with strong work in machine learning and graphics. The Nobel laureate Michael Smith, who developed site-directed mutagenesis, worked at UBC, and so did the physicist Carl Wieman during his science education initiative.
Research strengths include sustainability, brain health, digital innovation and clean energy. The particle accelerator centre TRIUMF operates on the edge of the Vancouver campus and is run by a consortium of Canadian universities, while the Stuart Blusson Quantum Matter Institute brings together physicists and materials scientists. UBC belongs to the U15 group of research universities and to the Association of Pacific Rim Universities.
Teaching is in English. International undergraduate fees are several times the domestic rate, and engineering applicants should check admission averages early, since competition is high. The co-op programme places students in paid positions with employers in technology, resource and public sector organisations, and it is used by a large share of engineering students.
Vancouver is among the most expensive cities in Canada, so on-campus residence in the first year is a popular choice. Mild winters, mountains and sea are close, and about 375,000 people have graduated from UBC, many of them working in the technology and film industries of the Pacific coast.
Domains taught:
AI and Machine Learning, Data Analytics, Ecology and Sustainability, Engineering, Life Sciences, Marine Science, Software Engineering
Diplomas*:
Bachelor, Certificate, Diploma, Doctor, Master, MBA
Status:
Public
Partnerships:
Member of U15 Group of Canadian Research Universities and Association of Pacific Rim Universities. Partnerships with industry (e.g., tech, forestry, mining) and international institutions (e.g., Max Planck Institute). TRIUMF, Canada’s particle accelerator centre, is located on campus.
Research:
A leading research university with strengths in sustainability, brain health, digital innovation, clean energy, quantum matter, and materials science. Over $770 million in annual research funding.
Famous Alumnis:
Justin Trudeau (attended briefly, B.Ed.), Kim Campbell, Evangeline Lilly, William Gibson, David Suzuki, Rick Hansen
International recognition**:
Number of staff***:
17200
Current students***:
70500
Foreign students***:
30%
Cumulative former students***:
375000
Pros
Beautiful campuses in stunning natural settings, strong research focus across many disciplines, commitment to sustainability and Indigenous reconciliation, diverse and international community.
Cons
Large class sizes in first year for some programs, high cost of living in Vancouver, can be very competitive for admission.
Best For
Students seeking a top-ranked research university with a strong focus on sustainability, innovation, and internationalism, located in a scenic and multicultural environment.
In terms of fields, McGill University is the nearest neighbour, with ecology and sustainability, life sciences and data analytics again at the core; it is smaller, enrolling about 39,500 students against roughly 70,500 here, and is also a public institution.
For students who like the life sciences, data analytics and AI and machine learning focus of this university but want another option nearby, University of Toronto fits well: it also offers graduate certificate and graduate diploma programmes and covers chemistry and physics as well.
In terms of fields, University of Calgary is the nearest neighbour, with ecology and sustainability, life sciences and data analytics again at the core; it covers geotechnics as well, and is smaller, enrolling about 35,000 students against roughly 70,500 here.
On content, Dalhousie University and this university are close, as both teach marine science, ecology and sustainability and life sciences; it teaches at the same levels, namely bachelor's, master's, doctoral, certificate, diploma and mba, and is far smaller, with about 21,000 students against roughly 70,500 here.
Both schools build their programmes around marine science, ecology and sustainability and life sciences, and University of Victoria is the one to compare first within the country, since it is far smaller, with about 22,000 students against roughly 70,500 here, and is also a public institution.
Most Similar Schools Abroad
In the United States, University of Washington teaches much the same core subjects, marine science, life sciences and data analytics, and it is also a public institution and does not run the certificate and diploma programmes found here.
For a study option in the United States with a comparable spread of marine science, life sciences and data analytics, University of California, San Diego is the reference point: it covers bioengineering as well, and is smaller, enrolling about 43,200 students against roughly 70,500 here.
If this university is on your list for ecology and sustainability, life sciences and data analytics, Western Sydney University in Australia deserves a comparison, because it does not run the certificate and diploma programmes found here and covers civil engineering and statistics as well.
For marine science, ecology and sustainability and life sciences outside the home country, University of the Highlands and Islands in the United Kingdom is a natural reference; it also offers associate degree programmes, and is far smaller, with about 10,000 students against roughly 70,500 here.
A foreign alternative with a similar emphasis on ecology and sustainability, life sciences and data analytics is The Open University in the United Kingdom, and it covers mathematics as well, and is larger, enrolling about 205,000 students against roughly 70,500 here.
*our own picks (our criteria: a mix between domains, diploma delivered, reputation and size), but obviously too many criteria for an apple-to-apple ranking.
FAQ
Where is UBC?
The main Vancouver campus is at 2329 West Mall, on the Point Grey peninsula. UBC also has an Okanagan campus in Kelowna.
How large is UBC?
About 70,500 students and 17,200 staff, with around 30 percent of students from abroad.
When was UBC founded?
It was established in 1908 as a college affiliated with McGill and became an independent university in 1915.
What is UBC known for?
Forestry, computer science, medicine, sustainability, brain health and clean energy research.
What is TRIUMF?
TRIUMF is Canada's particle accelerator centre. It sits on the edge of the Vancouver campus and is run by a consortium of Canadian universities.
What language is used for teaching?
English.
How much does it cost?
International undergraduate fees are several times the domestic rate. Check the current fee schedule and scholarship options.
Does UBC offer co-op?
Yes. The co-op programme places students in paid positions with employers, and many engineering students take part.
Which networks does UBC belong to?
The U15 Group of Canadian Research Universities and the Association of Pacific Rim Universities.
Is Vancouver expensive for students?
Yes, rents are among the highest in Canada, so many first-year students choose campus residence.
*: without any judgment of the quality, readers are strongly encouraged to check the official status of the exact diploma envisioned as many universities have a mix of recognized diplomas, not recognized, “co-delivered,” “equivalent to”, “some pathways” (…), can change over time, and can be named differently from one country to another.
**: international reputation: is based on some criteria that do not mean much in some domains or specialties (number of researchers, of scientific publications, on budget ….). Our approximate 1-4 scale:
known locally
known locally and internationally
is listed in some of the world university’s classifications
is listed among the 20 firsts in some of world university’s classifications
***: estimated numbers, based on online sources and/or feedbacks. The numbers can vary greatly depending on school organisation (ex.: school is part of a group, it employs internal staff or external consultants or has public staff without employing them …). Refer to all the links provided to have accurate and updated numbers.
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