UBC International Scholars Program 2027 in Canada | Need-Based Undergraduate Scholarships

University of British Columbia International Scholars Program 2027

The University of British Columbia (UBC) in Canada has opened applications for the International Scholars Program 2027, designed for academically exceptional international students who demonstrate outstanding leadership, meaningful contributions to their communities, and significant financial need.

The program provides eligible students with an opportunity to pursue an undergraduate degree at a globally recognized Canadian university, with financial assistance determined by each student's individual financial circumstances and available family resources.

Beyond financial support, recipients benefit from specialized academic, personal, leadership, and career-development opportunities.

Applications opened on October 5, 2026, and will close on November 15, 2026, for studies beginning in September 2027.

📋 Scholarship Overview

Important: Applicants must submit both their UBC admission application and their scholarship application by November 15, 2026. The general January 2027 undergraduate admissions deadline does not apply to applicants seeking International Scholars awards.

🎓 What Is the International Scholars Program?

The program attracts academically exceptional international students who have demonstrated leadership potential and a commitment to making a positive contribution to their communities.

Selection is not based on grades alone. UBC also considers:

• Academic achievements.
• Leadership and initiative.
• Community service and volunteering.
• Positive impact on others.
• Ability to overcome difficult circumstances.
• Demonstrated and documented financial need.

Successful recipients gain access to dedicated academic and career advising, skills-development workshops, and activities designed for members of the International Scholars community.

💰 Scholarship Funding and Benefits

Financial assistance is based on the student's assessed financial circumstances and available family resources.

Awards may help cover:

• University tuition fees.
• Living and accommodation expenses.
• Relevant educational costs.
• The gap between the total cost of attending UBC and the resources available to the student and family.

How Is the Scholarship Amount Determined?

UBC reviews each applicant's financial circumstances, including:

1. Annual family income.
2. Essential household expenses.
3. Family assets and financial holdings.
4. Financial dependents.
5. Educational expenses for other family members.
6. Additional funding and financial support.
7. Estimated tuition and living expenses at UBC.

The university then assesses the level of financial assistance required.

Important: There is no fixed scholarship amount for every recipient. Financial assistance may be substantial enough to cover tuition and living costs for students with very high need, but identical full funding is not guaranteed to every successful applicant.

Additional Benefits

Recipients may also benefit from:

• Dedicated academic and personal advising.
• Leadership and skills-development workshops.
• Career-planning support.
• An international community of scholars.
• Opportunities to participate in academic exchange and cooperative education programs, subject to eligibility.
• Activities supporting communication, collaboration, and professional development.

Access to exchange or co-op opportunities does not guarantee placement in those programs.

🏆 Available Scholarship Categories

The International Scholars Program includes four award categories.

Applicants do not choose a particular award. UBC automatically considers each applicant for the categories for which they meet the eligibility requirements.

1. Karen McKellin International Leader of Tomorrow Award

Recognizes exceptional international undergraduate applicants who demonstrate outstanding academic achievement, exemplary leadership, and meaningful contributions through school activities, community initiatives, or volunteering.

2. Donald A. Wehrung International Student Award

Recognizes exceptional international students from impoverished or war-torn regions who have excelled academically despite challenging circumstances and would be unable to attend university without significant financial assistance.

3. International Impact Award

Recognizes students who demonstrate leadership and commitment to areas such as:

• Sustainability and climate change.
• Natural resource conservation.
• Social justice.
• Equity and inclusion.
• Community health and well-being.

Priority is given to certain first-generation university applicants and students from diverse backgrounds and lived experiences.

4. Vantage One Excellence Award

Supports academically outstanding international students who have not yet met UBC's English Language Admission Standard for direct entry but are eligible for the university's Vantage One pathway.

Awards may reach the full cost of the academic program and living expenses, subject to the university's assessment.

🎓 Available Fields of Study

UBC offers a wide range of undergraduate programs across its Vancouver and Okanagan campuses.

Students may explore fields such as:

Engineering and Technology

• Civil Engineering.
• Mechanical Engineering.
• Electrical Engineering.
• Chemical Engineering.
• Computer Engineering.
• Environmental Engineering.
• Applied Engineering disciplines.

Computer Science and Mathematics

• Computer Science.
• Mathematics.
• Statistics.
• Data Science.
• Physics.
• Chemistry.

Natural and Environmental Sciences

• Biology.
• Earth Sciences.
• Environmental Sciences.
• Sustainability.
• Natural Resources.
• Forestry.

Economics and Business

• Economics.
• Commerce.
• Business and Management.
• International Economics.
• Finance and Accounting pathways where available.

Humanities and Social Sciences

• Psychology.
• Political Science.
• International Relations.
• Sociology.
• History.
• Geography.
• Languages and Literature.

Arts and Media

• Fine Arts.
• Music.
• Media Studies.
• Design within eligible programs.

Note: These are academic fields available at UBC, not confirmation that every specific degree or pathway is eligible for International Scholars funding. Applicants must verify the program, campus, and admission criteria.

Degrees Not Eligible for the Scholarship

International Scholars awards do not apply to:

• Bachelor of Nursing at either campus.
• Bachelor of Dental Science in Dental Hygiene.
• Bachelor of Medical Laboratory Science.
• Combined Bachelor + Master of Management programs.
• Dual degree programs.
• Joint degrees between UBC Vancouver and UBC Okanagan.
• Joint degrees with other post-secondary institutions.

✅ Eligibility Requirements

Applicants must meet all of the following requirements:

1. Be an international student intending to study in Canada on a Canadian study permit.
2. Enter UBC directly from an accredited secondary school.
3. For the September 2027 intake, have graduated from high school no earlier than June 2026.
4. Apply for a first undergraduate degree.
5. Demonstrate exceptional academic achievement, equivalent to achieving all A grades or a comparable standard.
6. Meet UBC's general admission and degree-specific requirements.
7. Meet the English Language Admission Standard or the relevant pathway requirement where eligible.
8. Demonstrate significant financial need, making attendance at UBC impossible without meaningful assistance.
9. Provide accurate financial information supported by official documentation.
10. Obtain the required institutional nomination and teacher recommendation.

Important: UBC states that no exceptions are made to the program's eligibility criteria.

Is There a Maximum Age Limit?

The scholarship page does not establish a general maximum age. However, the direct-entry secondary-school requirement and graduation date determine the eligible applicant population.

Can Students Who Graduated in 2025 Apply?

No. They do not meet the published 2027 requirement to have graduated in June 2026 or later.

Is There a Minimum GPA?

UBC does not state a single numerical GPA threshold for this scholarship. It requires outstanding academic achievement equivalent to an all-A academic standard.

🗣️ English-Language Requirements

UBC requires students to satisfy its English Language Admission Standard.

For direct admission to the Vancouver campus, accepted tests include:

UBC also recognizes other methods of demonstrating English proficiency, including certain international school qualifications and previous English-medium education under specific conditions.

For the 2027/2028 Winter Session, accepted English-language test results must be dated January 1, 2025 or later.

Can Applicants Apply Without IELTS?

Yes, provided they meet an alternative English-language qualification recognized by UBC.

Some applicants who do not meet the direct-entry English requirement may be eligible for the Vantage One pathway and the associated Excellence Award.

When Must English Proficiency Be Demonstrated?

International Scholars Program applicants must meet their applicable English requirement and submit the necessary evidence by:

January 31, 2027.

Applicants must check the requirements of their selected campus and admission pathway, as Vantage One requirements differ from direct entry.

🏫 Institutional Nomination and Teacher Recommendation

The program requires two different individuals.

First: Institutional Nominator

The nominator may be:

• A school principal.
• A guidance counsellor.
• An eligible school administrator.

The nominator should be familiar with the student's educational goals and character.

Certain registered non-profit organizations may also nominate applicants if they function as an educational institution or provide qualifying educational, leadership, and mentorship programs for disadvantaged students.

This route may be particularly relevant for applicants from war-affected or disadvantaged communities, but it does not override the program's other eligibility criteria.

Second: Teacher Referee

The teacher referee must be familiar with the student's academic work, particularly in the intended area of study.

The teacher referee and institutional nominator must be two different people.

Maximum Number of Nominations

An eligible school or organization may nominate:

• Up to two students for UBC Vancouver, including Vantage College.
• One student for UBC Okanagan.

Both forms are completed electronically and must be submitted several days before the final scholarship deadline.

The student cannot complete the scholarship application until both forms have been submitted.

📄 Required Documents and Information

University Admission Documents

• Identity and passport information or another accepted identity document.
• Official high-school academic transcripts.
• Graduation certificate, if available.
• Degree-specific academic requirements.
• English-language proficiency evidence.
• Personal profile required for undergraduate admission.
• Additional documents requested by the university.

Scholarship Application Requirements

• Confirmation of UBC admission application submission.
• Institutional nomination form.
• Teacher recommendation form.
• Family financial information.
• Official supporting documents for income, expenses, and assets.
• Financial dependent information.
• Sources of available funding and support.
• Extracurricular and community activity details.
• Academic awards and achievements.
• Four written essay responses, generally approximately 150–250 words each.

UBC does not state that every applicant must submit a separate motivation letter or standalone CV for this scholarship. Applicants should follow the specific fields and document instructions shown in the admission and scholarship portals.

📝 How to Apply

Applications are completed in two stages.

Stage One: Apply for Admission to UBC

1. Visit the official undergraduate admissions portal.
2. Create a new account.
3. Choose the Vancouver or Okanagan campus.
4. Select a first-choice academic program.
5. Select a second-choice program.
6. Complete personal and academic information.
7. Complete the undergraduate admission personal profile.
8. Pay the applicable university admission application fee.
9. Submit the admission application.

This stage must be completed before starting the scholarship application.

Stage Two: Apply for the Scholarship

1. Visit the International Scholars application platform.
2. Create an account with accurate information.
3. Begin the scholarship application.
4. Enter the institutional nominator's details.
5. Send the electronic nomination invitation.
6. Enter the teacher referee's details.
7. Send the electronic recommendation invitation.
8. Complete family and financial information.
9. Provide extracurricular activities and achievements.
10. Complete the four written essay responses.
11. Confirm that both nomination and recommendation forms have been received.
12. Review all application information.
13. Submit before the deadline.

Deadline for both the university admission application and scholarship application: November 15, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. Pacific Standard Time.

Applicants should set the scholarship-platform time zone to Pacific Time to avoid deadline confusion.

📅 Important Dates

Important: The general undergraduate application deadline of January 15, 2027 does not apply to International Scholars applicants, who must apply by November 15, 2026.

🎤 Video Interview

Some shortlisted applicants may be invited to complete an online video interview.

Invited applicants are generally given one week to record and submit their responses through the application platform.

The interview may explore:

• Personal and academic background.
• Leadership experiences.
• Community activities.
• Challenges the applicant has faced.
• Lessons learned from previous experiences.
• Motivation and future aspirations.

Not receiving an early interview invitation does not necessarily indicate a final rejection.

🎯 Scholarship Selection Criteria

UBC considers several factors, including:

• Exceptional academic performance.
• Strength of the personal profile.
• Leadership and initiative.
• Positive community impact.
• Quality of written application responses.
• Institutional nomination and teacher recommendation.
• Family financial circumstances.
• Demonstrated level of financial need.
• Admission eligibility for the chosen degree.
• Interview performance where applicable.

Important: Applicants to the International Scholars Program are not simultaneously considered for the university's alternative merit-based entrance award pathway. UBC requires applicants to be considered under the relevant award route rather than both.

🔗 Official Links

International Scholars Program and Eligibility:

https://you.ubc.ca/financial-planning/scholarships-awards-international-students/international-scholars

2027 Scholarship Application Portal:

https://undergraduatescholarships.ubc.ca/prog/2027_international_scholars_program_application/

University Admissions:

https://you.ubc.ca/apply/

Official Application Deadlines:

https://you.ubc.ca/applying-ubc/dates-deadlines/

English-Language Requirements:

https://you.ubc.ca/applying-ubc/requirements/english-language-competency/

Undergraduate Programs:

https://you.ubc.ca/programs/

Scholarship Enquiries:

international.awards@ubc.ca

💡 Need Help Applying?

If you are currently completing secondary school or have recently graduated and are interested in studying in Canada through the UBC International Scholars Program 2027, the Fursaty team can assist with:

• Academic and financial eligibility assessment.
• Selecting suitable degrees and campuses.
• Reviewing admission and scholarship requirements.
• Organizing academic documents.
• Structuring information for the financial needs assessment.
• Guidance on preparing leadership and personal essay responses.
• Understanding institutional nomination and teacher recommendation procedures.
• Reviewing the final application before submission.

Fursaty is an independent application-support service and is not affiliated with UBC. Admission and scholarship funding cannot be guaranteed, and the service does not replace the required nomination by an eligible institution.

📲 Contact Fursaty via WhatsApp to request an initial assessment of your application profile.