THE BIG PICTURE
A feel for UBC.
UBC’s Vancouver campus sits at Point Grey, surrounded by forest trails and the Pacific coastline, with a large residential and commuter community. The university also has an Okanagan campus in Kelowna; the programme and lifestyle details here focus on Vancouver. Broad first-year entry in Science and Engineering leads into later specialisations.
Student population reported to THE World University Rankings 2026; institution-wide reporting can differ from current headcount and the population of one campus. International share covers this same population.
THE 2026 student statistics ↗ · checked 2026-09-18ONE LENS ON YOUR DECISION
The rankings, in context.
2026 edition
QS 2026 result reported in the university’s Wikipedia entry ↗ · checked 2026-09-182026 edition
THE World University Rankings 2026 ↗ · checked 2026-09-18QS and Times Higher Education use different methods. Editions are shown separately; “=” means a tied position. These are university-wide rankings, not scores for your course. How to read the data ↗
WHAT WILL YOU MAKE OF IT?
Find your course.
Explore a selection of degrees, open the details, and bring a course into your budget.
3 featured courses · A curated selection of pathways
Computer Science · UndergraduateComputer Science — Vancouver
BSc4 years; longer with co-opEnglishCAD 53,082annual tuition · 2026–27
Computer Science — Vancouver
BSc4 years; longer with co-opEnglishEngineering · UndergraduateMechanical Engineering — Vancouver
BASc4 years; longer with co-opEnglishFee depends on status2026–27
Mechanical Engineering — Vancouver
BASc4 years; longer with co-opEnglishBusiness & Management · UndergraduateCommerce — Vancouver
BCom4 years; longer with co-opEnglishCAD 66,678.3annual tuition · 2026–27
Commerce — Vancouver
BCom4 years; longer with co-opEnglishLIFE AFTER THE LECTURE
Find your own circle on a large campus
UBC’s clubs range from aviation and brewing to performance, social action and academic associations. Programme societies add field trips and study sessions, while the Vancouver setting places forest and coastal walks close to residences.
Academic associations
Course unions connect study sessions, field trips and public projects.
Pre-Law Association
An example of an interest-based community open to students exploring law.
Arts and special-interest clubs
Performance, comic books, brewing and many other interests are represented.
Coastal and forest walks
Pacific Spirit Park, gardens and the ocean are within reach of the Vancouver residences.
YOUR EVERYDAY LIFE
A place to live. A budget to match.
The university’s guide gives roughly CAD 12,000–14,500 for eight months, divided by eight and rounded here. Add books, health insurance, transit fees, phone and personal spending. Confirm current residence rates; this is not a complete living budget.
Official student cost guidance ↗ · checked 2026-09-18Where could you stay?
Many first-year students qualify for guaranteed winter-session housing if they meet all eligibility rules and deadlines. Typical first-year residences include Orchard Commons, Place Vanier and Totem Park, which require an All Access Dining Plan. Housing is not guaranteed after first year.
University housing information ↗ · checked 2026-09-18Build my living + tuition budgetPACK FOR THE WHOLE YEAR
The seasons in Vancouver, British Columbia.
Mild, rainy winters and generally drier summers. Snow can occur, but frequent wet weather is the main academic-year consideration; waterproof outerwear helps with campus walks.
Warmest monthJul · 16.5°C
Coolest monthDec · -1.1°C
Climate averages, 2001–2020, from NASA POWER / MERRA-2 ↗. Temperatures are monthly means, not daily highs. Rainfall converts mean mm/day to calendar-month totals. Regional model estimates; this is not a live forecast.
A WINDOW INTO THE EXPERIENCE
Student perspectives.
Summaries of published student stories and community resources. Read them alongside your own conversations with current students.
Making a large campus feel smaller
Francine describes clubs as the way she found community on a campus where it can initially be easy to feel lost. She connects those groups with close friendships, confidence and being able to combine academic work with enjoyment.
University-published student perspective ↗ · checked 2026-09-18A shared interest becomes lasting friendships
John describes joining the Pre-Law Association and meeting people with similar goals; for him, the club became a source of friendships as well as activities.
University-published student perspective ↗ · checked 2026-09-18These are attributed summaries, not reviews submitted to Uni Listing. University-published stories are selected by the university and may not reflect every student’s experience.
Behind the details.
Facts are linked to their source and edition. Costs depend on your programme, fee status and intake.
View 7 research sources
Campus photo credits
Aerial view of the Vancouver Campus — ImagePerson. CC BY 4.0. Resized and cropped for display.
UBC Rose Garden — keepitsurreal. CC BY-SA 2.0. Resized and cropped for display.