How to Apply

Applications open: December 1, 2020

Application deadline: January 15, 2021

  1. Explore Your Options

  2. Review the Requirements

  3. Prepare Your Documents

  4. Apply online

  5. Check your application status

1. Explore Your Options

2. Review the Requirements

Applications for the PhD program will open December 1 and will close January 15. All required documents must be submitted by the January 15 deadline.

3. Prepare Your Documents

Applicants should submit supporting documents electronically through the online application system. We recommend that you prepare your documents in advance.

Official Transcripts All applicants must upload scans of official transcripts from all post-secondary institutions attended, including front and back pages. If the official transcript does not indicate the degree name and the degree conferral date, official copies of the degree certificate must be uploaded as well. If the official transcript is in a language other than English, certified translations are required. We prefer that uploaded copies be in PDF format. Please note there are different requirements for Canadian & US transcripts and international transcripts. Copies of transcripts from UBC are not required, they will be added to your application when it is received. Paper transcripts are not required at this stage of the application, they are only required if offered admission.
Curriculum Vitae (CV)  Review the CV requirements here. Please upload your CV in PDF format.
Letter of Intent (LOI) Review the LOI requirements here. Please upload your LOI in PDF format.
Reference Letters

We encourage applicants to communicate with potential references early, and recommend sharing your CV and LOI with them. We require applicants to enter the contact information, including an email address, for each of their references in the online application. Referees can submit a reference form, reference letter, or both.

We accept two basic types of references:

  1. Electronic references submitted via the online application system. References will be asked to either fill out a reference form in the online system, or upload their document (letter or previously completed form). In order to use the online system, referees must have an institutional email account (university, organization, professional business, etc). Referees cannot use the system if they have a have a personal email account (Hotmail, Yahoo, Gmail, MSN, etc). The online system automatically verifies all email addresses. We prefer electronic references.
  2. Paper letters of reference or paper reference forms mailed directly to the MSc program office. Paper reference letters should be on the referee’s official letterhead and must be mailed directly to the office in a sealed and endorsed envelope.

Instructions will be provided to referees once the online application has been submitted. Please note that referees will only be notified about submitting references once the application has been submitted. We encourage you to submit your application early to allow plenty of time for your references to submit their documents.

Your referees will receive automatic reminders 10 days prior to the earliest referee deadline. You will also receive automatically generated emails about the status of your references, (e.g. when the reference is submitted, a referee declines, or the referee address has failed). You also have the option to change a referee in your online application after you’ve submitted your application and before the deadline. We cannot accept reference letters emailed directly to the program.

Supervisor Support Form Supervisor support is mandatory. Please ask the faculty member supporting your application to fill out the PhD Supervisor Support Form and email it directly to the program office: spph.graduate-programs@ubc.ca.
GRE Scores
(if required)		 GRE scores (or equivalent test) must be submitted electronically through the testing agency. The UBC institution code is 0965. We must receive the score by the application deadline. We encourage applicants to book a date early if you need to take the GRE.
TOFEL or IELTS
(if required)

TOEFL or IELTS test scores must be submitted electronically through the testing agency. The UBC institution code is 0965. We must receive the scores by the application deadline. We encourage applicants to book a date early if you need to take the TOEFL or IELTS.

Please note that the online application asks you to self-report your TOEFL or IELTS scores, and allows you to upload a copy of your test report form. We encourage you to self-report scores, but we are not able to accept either of these as official scores. We require that the scores be submitted directly to UBC via the testing agency.

Permanent Resident Card
(if required)		 Permanent residents of Canada must submit a photocopy of both sides of their PR Card.

4. Apply online

Complete the online application. It takes about 45-60 minutes to complete the online application and a credit card is required. The application fee for Canadian Citizens and Permanent Residents is $104.00 CAD and the fee for international applicants is $168.25 CAD. The application is a mix of text entry questions and document uploads. If you experience any technical issues with your online application, please email graduate.apply@ubc.ca. You may save your progress and return to your application later up until the application deadline.

5. Check your application status

Applicants can check their application status through the online application system by logging into My Applications and reviewing their Submitted Applications. Before the application deadline, the online application system will allow you to upload updated documents, change a reference, and/or see if your reference has submitted their document.

Our Admissions Committee meets after the application deadline has been reached and all applications have been received. The committee reviews all applications which have met the application and admission requirements. They make their decisions based on the strength of your total application package. All applicants will be notified of decisions by email in February or March.

6. If you are offered admission

If you are a successful applicant, you will receive an offer letter notification by email. You must accept the offer before the deadline noted on the offer letter. Accept your offer through the online application system. Further instructions will also be listed in the offer letter. Send official copies (paper copies) of your transcript(s) and any other requested documentation to Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies at:

170-6371 Crescent Road
Vancouver, BC
Canada V6T 1Z2