University of British Columbia Faculty of Medicine

Mission Statement

UBC's MD Undergraduate Program aims to prepare physicians to provide culturally safe, high-quality healthcare throughout British Columbia, including Indigenous, rural, remote, and underserved communities. Its mission emphasizes collaboration with patients, equitable healthcare, and improvements to health outcomes in British Columbia and beyond.

Admissions Statistics and Eligibility

University of British Columbia Faculty of Medicine overall success rate:

UBC Faculty of Medicine Admissions Statistics (2024):

• Applicants: 2,915
• Accepted and enrolled: 328
• Published admission rate: 11.3%
• Average entering-student academic average (OGPA or AGPA): 89.65%
• Average entering-student MCAT score: 513.15

These figures are from UBC's published 2024 admissions statistics for the entering MED 2028 class. They describe historical admissions results, not the minimum requirements for 2027 entry. UBC gives preference to British Columbia residents, with up to 10% of available places allocated to out-of-province applicants.

Eligibility

To apply to UBC's MD programme, you must be a Canadian citizen, permanent resident, or eligible applicant with refugee status in Canada. Applicants with refugee status must obtain permanent residency before beginning the programme, subject to UBC's published conditions. UBC does not admit international applicants to its regular MD programme.

Applicants must complete at least 90 graded, university-transferable credits by April 30 of the year they enter medical school. They must also meet the applicable academic average, prerequisite coursework, and MCAT requirements. For 2027 entry, the deadline for completing the minimum credits and required courses is April 30, 2027.

Available Programs

UBC delivers a great variety of programs in the areas of health and life sciences. These programs are available at undergraduate, graduate, and postgraduate levels, as well as through continuing professional education and public education.

Audiology and Speech Sciences (MSc & PhD). The only program in British Columbia to educate audiologists and speech-language pathologists. Students gain theoretical and hands-on knowledge through academic courses and practical teaching.

Biomedical Engineering (BASc, MASc, MEng & PhD). These undergraduate and graduate programs emphasize the relationship between biomedical engineering and life science study with a focus on clinical and industrial applications.

Biomedical Research (MSc & PhD programs). UBC research-based programs provide opportunities for training in subjects ranging from the diversity of basic biomedical sciences to clinical and health services research.

Doctor of Medicine (MD). UBC operates a four-year MD programme across four distributed sites: the Vancouver-Fraser Medical Program (VFMP), Island Medical Program (IMP), Northern Medical Program (NMP), and Southern Medical Program (SMP). For the 2026–2027 admissions cycle, 328 places are available: 208 at Vancouver-Fraser and 40 each at the Island, Northern, and Southern programmes. Vancouver-Fraser is organized into three learning communities: Fraser (64 places), North (64 places), and South (80 places).

Combined MD-PhD. UBC's combined MD-PhD programme is designed for students pursuing careers as clinician-scientists. It integrates medical education with doctoral research and is generally designed for completion over approximately seven years. External applicants must have a bachelor's degree with first-class standing or equivalent, satisfy the requirements for admission to UBC's MD programme, and meet the relevant doctoral admission requirements. A Bachelor of Science is not specifically required. Eligible students already enrolled in UBC's MD programme may also apply through the applicable internal pathway.

Continuing Professional Development. These programs are designed to help current physicians improve their knowledge, professional performance, and technical skills.

Global Surgical Care (GCGSC, MGSC). This graduate certificate and master's program are designed for students and professionals interested in improving the global health burden of unmet surgical care. The Certificate program is comprised of four graduate-level online courses, while the master's degree is a two-year, 30 credit specialized program.

Genetic Counselling (MSc). UBC offers a two-year Master of Science in Genetic Counselling programme combining academic instruction, clinical training, and research. The programme currently accepts eight students each year, offering training and clinical experiences in areas such as prenatal genetics, pediatrics, oncology, cardiology, and neurology.

Medical Laboratory Science (BMLSc). In this four-year program, students learn theoretical acknowledge in a broad range of subjects as well as practical, hands-on experience in a variety of lab techniques. This is a perfect opportunity to acquire practical lab skills for those students interested in lab-based work in the future.

Occupational Therapy (MOT). This UBC program prepares graduates to provide services to maintain, restore, or improve the ability of patients to perform in the areas of self-care, productivity, and leisure activities. You have a choice of Master of Occupational Therapy, MSc Research program, PhD Research Program, and online Masters (MRSc).

Midwifery (BMw). UBC's four-year Bachelor of Midwifery programme prepares students to provide primary care during pregnancy, childbirth, and the postpartum period. Classroom instruction is available through Vancouver, Victoria, and Surrey cohorts, while clinical placements take place across British Columbia. Students complete clinical placements during their second, third, and fourth years, including training in rural settings.

Master of Physical Therapy (MPT). UBC's 26-month Master of Physical Therapy programme prepares students for entry-level physical therapy practice through academic coursework and clinical education. The programme admits students across four sites in British Columbia and includes five clinical placements in a variety of healthcare environments.

Postgraduate Medical Training Programs (Residency). UBC offers 2 Family Medicine Programs and 73 specialty and sub-specialty programs. The duration of training varies from 2 years for Family Medicine to 4 to 7 years for other specialties and sub-specialties.

Population and Public Health. UBC offers a range of graduate-level academic programs that train researchers and practitioners in the field of public health. This includes the Master of Health Administration, Master of Health Science, Master of Public Health, and more.

Vancouver International Summer Program in Medicine. This program provides an opportunity for international students to learn about Canadian culture and medical practices through social activities and classes.

Academic Curriculum

Tuition and Funding Opportunities

For the 2026–2027 academic year, UBC's published annual tuition for domestic students in the Doctor of Medicine programme is CAD $21,219.27. This tuition rate applies to eligible Canadian students regardless of whether they come from British Columbia or another province. Students must also budget for university fees, books, equipment, living expenses, travel, and other programme-related costs, which vary by academic year and personal circumstances.

Funding Opportunities

UBC General Bursary Program

UBC's Bursary Program provides need-based financial assistance to eligible students who have unmet educational and living expenses after accounting for government student assistance and other available resources. Applicants generally must be receiving full-time Canadian government student loans, have confirmed enrolment, and satisfy the programme's eligibility criteria.

For the 2026–2027 winter session, bursary applications opened August 14, 2026, and closed September 15, 2026. UBC also provides a separate application period for students receiving loans for winter Term 2 only. Applicants should consult UBC's current bursary schedule because application periods and deadlines change annually.

Scholarships

UBC offers scholarships and other awards based on academic achievement, leadership, community involvement, financial need, and other eligibility criteria. Some awards are made through faculty recommendations, while others require separate applications. Medical students should review the university's current awards and scholarships information to determine which opportunities are available and whether an application is required.

Professional Student Line of Credit

Demanding medical school tuition cost and other additional expenditures often lead students to apply for lines of credit to finance their education. Unlike government student loans, lines of credit begin accumulating interest immediately when funds are advanced and minimum monthly payments are required. In most cases, the monthly interest payment required can be capitalized or paid through further advances on the lines of credit. It should be noted that this would add to the principal of the loan, increasing the overall debt load. It is recommended that you visit the websites of different banks for full details about professional student lines of credit. Many banks may negotiate rates and credit limits based on credit history, credit rating and individual credit requirements. Applicable fees and rates are subject to change. UBC medical school typically holds a Student Financial Services Evening in September with the attendance of all the major banks providing lines of credit. An email will be sent out to students notifying them of the time, date, and place.

Application Timeline

*Notice that medical school recommendation letters are required from selected students after they go through the interview process. Make sure you confirm with your writers ahead of time in case you are selected to submit the supplementary application.

Selection Factors

Let’s consider the selection factors and admissions requirements of the UBC medical school. UBC Faculty of Medicine application process has some unique elements. UBC is one of a few Canadian medical schools that do not require a CASPer test as part of your application. Letters of recommendation are not required of applicants unless they go through the interview process and are asked to submit the supplemental application. Here are the admission requirements that all students must submit.

Course Requirements

UBC requires applicants to complete at least 90 graded, university-transferable credits. The university is also introducing Indigenous Studies coursework into its MD prerequisites over several admissions cycles.

For the 2026–2027 and 2027–2028 application cycles, applicants may satisfy the prerequisite requirement with either six credits of approved English coursework or three credits of approved English and three credits of Indigenous Studies. Beginning with the 2028–2029 application cycle, applicants must complete three credits of English and three credits of Indigenous Studies.

The deadlines also differ by cycle. For 2027 entry, required courses must be completed by April 30, 2027. For the 2027–2028 application cycle, applicants must have completed their prerequisites before submitting their applications, by April 30, 2027.

UBC accepts specified literature and composition courses for the English requirement. Courses must meet the university's content and workload criteria, and applicants should consult UBC's official English Courses Chart before assuming that a course qualifies.

UBC strongly recommends coursework in biology, chemistry, and biochemistry, although these subjects are not formal prerequisites for admission. Applicants are expected to demonstrate proficiency in these areas through coursework and/or their MCAT results.

The university also recommends physics, statistics, humanities, and social sciences as useful preparation. Anatomy, physiology, and pharmacology may be helpful, although they are not mandatory prerequisites.

GPA

The average GPA of UBC matriculants:

UBC converts applicants' academic grades to percentages using its published conversion tables. The university calculates an overall academic average (OGPA) and, for eligible applicants, an adjusted academic average (AGPA), which may exclude up to 30 credits from the applicant's lowest-performing academic year.

Although UBC publishes an overall minimum academic standing of 70% for applying, BC applicants generally need an academic average of at least 75% to receive a full file review. Out-of-province applicants generally need at least 85%. Applicants below those full-review thresholds do not ordinarily proceed further in the selection process, subject to the university's published pathway provisions.

Academic competitiveness is considerably higher than these thresholds might suggest. In UBC's published 2024 admissions statistics, the average OGPA or AGPA of entering students was 89.65%. Your record must show improvement; even if you had lower grades in earlier years of undergrad, make sure that your transcripts show that you worked hard to improve your grades. Remember, UBC has course requirements and courses they recommend for their applicants – if you performed poorly in some of these courses, consider re-enrollment. This strategy will increase your GPA and demonstrate to the admissions committee your dedication to improvement. While you’re a student, make sure you take courses in disciplines you excel in. Ask your instructors and teaching assistants if you can do anything for extra credit. Study with a partner or find a tutor to help you with challenging courses. Go to see your TAs and instructors during their office hours to get help with completing your assignments. If you are still struggling to enhance your academic performance, check out our blog to find some ideas on how to get into medical school with a low GPA.

Be aware that advanced placement (AP), international baccalaureate (IB), and A Level courses do not count toward the 90-credit minimum requirement and are not considered in the calculation of your GPA. However, your AP, IB, or A Levels may be used to satisfy the English requirements.

GPA minimums for UBC Medical School applicants:

MCAT

UBC requires applicants to take the MCAT and submit their scores directly through the AAMC MCAT Score Reporting System. Because UBC does not participate in AMCAS, applicants must explicitly arrange to have their results released to UBC after its online application opens.

For the 2026–2027 application cycle, UBC accepts MCAT results from April 17, 2015, through September 12, 2026, provided they are received by October 15, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. Pacific Time. Applicants must have a total score of at least 496 on a single exam. UBC evaluates the highest eligible total score from one exam and does not combine section scores from different sittings.

The MCAT is not used to determine interview invitations once applicants meet the minimum score and date requirements. Scores are considered after interviews as part of the final admissions evaluation. UBC's published 2024 entering class had an average MCAT score of 513.15.

If you have not written the exam or plan to retake it, make sure you know what a good MCAT score is and when to start studying for the MCAT. MCAT preparation is a long and rigorous process, so make sure you take it seriously. First of all, take an MCAT diagnostic test to know your baseline. Note areas of knowledge you need to improve on and create a study plan that would address challenging concepts and ideas. Perhaps you need to review MCAT biology questions, MCAT chemistry questions, MCAT physics equations, or MCAT psychology questions. Incorporate a variety of passive and active study methods. These may include writing down summaries of concepts you just learned, explaining the material to your family and friends, and creating tables and charts that show the relationship between concepts. Make sure to review our MCAT CARS strategy and go over MCAT CARS practice passages to get ready. Take as many practice tests as you can and note if you are showing improvement. Rearrange your study plan to fit your needs. Keep taking the practice test until you consistently score in the 90th percentile. If you feel ready, schedule the exam. If you are still wondering “When should I take the MCAT?”, make sure to read our blog.

Transcripts

Applicants must submit official transcripts from all post-secondary institutions they have attended, including institutions attended through exchanges, visiting-student arrangements, or study abroad. Courses appearing on another institution's transcript do not necessarily eliminate the requirement to obtain a separate official transcript.

UBC accepts official paper transcripts in sealed, endorsed envelopes and official electronic transcripts sent directly by the issuing registrar or an approved transcript service. Electronic transcripts forwarded by applicants are not accepted.

Beginning with the 2026–2027 application cycle, current and former UBC students do not need to submit a separate UBC transcript, provided they supply their correct UBC student identification information. Transcripts from other institutions are still required. Applicants with certain non-North American academic records may also need a credential assessment from WES or ICES, depending on the circumstances of their study. All transcripts must be sent to:

MD Undergraduate Admissions

Faculty of Medicine, Office of Education

University of British Columbia

317 – 2194 Health Sciences Mall

Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z3

Online Application Components

UBC medical school uses its own online application system. For the 2026–2027 cycle, the non-refundable application fee is CAD $141.75 for BC residents and CAD $210.50 for out-of-province applicants. An additional CAD $39 fee applies to out-of-province transcripts, regardless of the number submitted. UBC charges CAD $50 when an applicant begins an application, which is credited toward the total application fee.

In addition to personal information and academic history, applicants must provide details about their research, employment, non-academic activities, and other relevant experiences.

Research Publications and Presentations. You are limited to 12 entries in this section. Make sure you include academic publications and presentations. Do not include research/lab experience, non-academic writing, and presentations – these can go into the Non-Academic activities section. If your publication or presentation is available online, provide a URL. You can also provide a link to the library catalog page that lists your paper publication. If neither is available, you can enter n/a.

Make sure you include publications you have authored or co-authored (1st or 2nd author). If you are a contributor do not include the publication here. Instead, integrate this entry and a short description when talking about your research or employment history. Similarly, include a presentation that you did, not presentations you helped with.

Non-Academic Activities. This section of the application will provide the admissions committee with non-academic information and background about you. Since UBC does not require its students to submit a personal statement, this is probably one of the best opportunities for the admissions committee to learn more about who you are outside of academics. You are encouraged to include activities, interests, hobbies, employment, and life experiences.

Along with typical premed activities like volunteering at the hospital or doing research, you can include your parenting experiences, overcoming challenges, paid employment, and any other non-academic talents, skills, and interests you may have. Most importantly, you need to demonstrate that you have dedicated meaningful time and effort to your activities. UBC considers the depth and duration of your commitments as well as the level of responsibility you have demonstrated. In your descriptions, paint a clear picture of the context, your duties, responsibilities, and the people or populations involved in the activity. Be clear and concise, and do not embellish your experiences.

Your experiences will be entered under four Experience Types: Paid Employment, Volunteer or Unpaid Experience, Life Experience, and Hobby or Interest. Each Experience Type has a limited number of entries. You will also select one of five Category Types for each experience: leadership, service ethic, capacity to work with others, diversity of experience, or high performance in an area of human endeavour. UBC's 2026–2027 application places limits on the number of experiences that can be entered in particular activity categories, including up to 10 paid-employment experiences and five volunteer or unpaid experiences. Applicants should consult the current Applicant Guide for the limits and instructions applicable to each category. UBC emphasizes the quality, depth, duration, and significance of experiences rather than simply the number of activities listed. Applicants are not expected to fill every available entry.

Extracurriculars for medical school can be a good starting point in considering what kind of experiences you might want to include. Remember, along with some typical experiences, try to include activities that provide a fuller picture of who you are. For example, you can include being a head cheerleader as an example of your leadership capacities, but you can also include your role as a parent, a guardian, or a military commander. Paid work can also be valuable, including employment that has nothing to do with medicine or healthcare. You might not always consider your own experiences as unique or interesting, but reflect on your life and experiences and try to be objective. Be selective with your choices and emphasize experiences that demonstrate substantial commitment, responsibility, and involvement.

When describing paid employment and volunteer or unpaid experiences, focus primarily on the objective details of what you did, including your tasks, responsibilities, and the people or populations you worked with. UBC does not require you to explain how these experiences relate to CanMEDS roles or other medical competency frameworks, and your descriptions should not focus primarily on what you learned or the skills you developed. For Life Experiences, however, you should explain both the experience itself and how it affected your life. For hobbies and interests, describe the activity, how frequently you participate, and who, if anyone, you participate with.

Northern and Rural Training. If you are genuinely interested in rural, remote, or northern medicine, consider applying to Northern and Rural Training. This application component is evaluated separately from the rest of your application, so ensure that you include any relevant non-academic and employment history in this section that you may list in other sections within your application. You are encouraged to apply to this program if you have experience in rural, remote, northern, or Indigenous settings. The Northern and Rural Pathway assessment helps UBC evaluate applicants for the Northern Medical Program and designated positions in the Southern Medical Program, Island Medical Program, and Vancouver-Fraser Medical Program's Fraser Learning Community. Applicants should provide accurate information about their experiences and connections to northern, rural, remote, and Indigenous communities.

If you choose to apply to this program, you will need to write a Rural Interest Statement in a provided text box. Your statement will need to outline your suitability, experiences, and future intentions for rural and northern training. You will also need to fill out lived experiences in Canada section, which demonstrates where and for how long you lived in Canada. This will give adcoms an idea of your exposure to rural and remote areas.

Verifiers. For the Non-Academic, Employment History, and Northern and Rural Training sections you will need to provide contact information of a person who can confirm the dates, hours, description, and other details that you list in your application. Activities that do not have verifiers will be disregarded by the admissions committee. Try not to use the same verifier for multiple entries. Make sure to choose verifiers who worked with you in some sort of supervisory capacity and never use family members or close friends as verifiers. Beware, discrepancies between the details in your application and those confirmed by your verifier will be noted and may negatively impact your application.

Additional Information. This application section provides space for you to include any other important information about your candidacy. You can note any exceptional circumstances that have had an impact on your application, clarify something about your application, and answer some optional questions, like parental education and occupation, whether you are the first in the immediate family to attend university, and provide information about your current loan debts.

UBC Medical School Online Application Components:

Interview Format

UBC uses the Multiple Mini-Interview (MMI) format to assess selected MD applicants. For the 2026–2027 admissions cycle, interviews will be conducted in person at UBC's Point Grey campus in Vancouver. Candidates will rotate through 10 interview stations, responding to scenarios designed to assess their communication, judgment, interpersonal skills, and other relevant qualities.

The scheduled MMI dates for 2027 are January 30–31 and February 6–7. Applicants applying through designated pathways, including Indigenous, Black Student, Northern and Rural, and MD-PhD pathways, may also be invited to a separate panel interview.

Acceptance Information and Waitlist

UBC medical school typically sends out acceptance offers in mid-May. You will be notified of your acceptance via email. The acceptance package information contains important details and specific instructions including the payment of the non-refundable $1,000 deposit, which will be applied to tuition, and return of the Response to Offer form which confirms acceptance of the offer to a specific site in the program. If you do not receive an offer to your site of choice, you may be waitlisted for the preferred site. A small number of applicants will also be placed on a waitlist. Offers can potentially be made up until the first day of classes in late August.

Contact Information

Admissions Website 

Admissions Email: [email protected]

Check out our video for a recap:

FAQs

To your success,

Your friends at BeMo

BeMo Academic Consulting

Disclaimer: BeMo does not endorse or affiliate with any universities, colleges, or official test administrators. The content has been developed based on the most recent publicly available data provided from the official university website. However, you should always check the statistics/requirements with the official school website for the most up to date information. You are responsible for your own results. 

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