University of British Columbia Undergraduate Scholarship 2026
The University of British Columbia ( UBC ) puts over $35 million a year behind attracting strong international undergraduates, spread across a genuinely layered system: two separate, fully automatic entrance awards at the main Vancouver campus, plus a distinct pair of guaranteed and merit-based awards specifically for students choosing the Okanagan campus instead.
Don’t Miss: Step-by-Step Guide to Securing Scholarships Abroad for Beginners
Worth clearing up early, since the source material got this wrong: the real deadline for 2026/27 entry was 15 January 2026, not March, and scholarship decisions were finalized by early May, so if you’re reading this now, this cycle is fully closed, results are in, and successful students have already confirmed their offers. This guide covers exactly how UBC’s two Vancouver-based merit awards differ, why applying for UBC’s separate, more prestigious International Scholars Program actually disqualifies you from these automatic awards, what’s guaranteed versus competitive at Okanagan specifically, and the real dates you need for the next intake.
Also, Check Out: Top Fully Funded Master’s Scholarships in Europe
What the UBC Undergraduate Scholarship System Involves
The University of British Columbia, established in 1908 and now home to over 60,000 students from more than 108 countries, runs its international scholarship system almost entirely through automatic consideration rather than separate applications. At the Vancouver campus, every international undergraduate applicant is automatically assessed for two distinct merit-based awards once they receive an admission offer.
At the Okanagan campus, the structure shifts: one award is genuinely guaranteed to every new international student, while a second, smaller award depends on making UBC Okanagan your first-choice application. Running alongside all of this is a separate, more competitive track, the International Scholars Program, which carries its own application and its own earlier deadline, but explicitly locks you out of the automatic merit awards if you choose to apply through it instead.
Also Read: How to Write a Personal Statement for Scholarship | Tips and Free Template
UBC Undergraduate Scholarship Summary
| Scholarship Name ⇒ | University of British Columbia Undergraduate |
| Host Country ⇒ | Canada |
| Study Level ⇒ | Undergraduate |
| Benefits ⇒ | Up to $25,000 per year and additional tuition awards |
| Funded by ⇒ | University of British Columbia |
| Eligible Countries ⇒ | All Countries |
| Application Deadline ⇒ | 15 January 2026 for the 2026/27 intake, now closed. Scholarship decisions were announced mid-March to early May 2026 |
What Makes You Eligible for the Vancouver Awards (IMES and OIS)
- You need to be new to UBC, entering directly from secondary school for IMES specifically; the OIS Award extends slightly further, also accepting students entering from post-secondary study
- You need to be an international student who will study at UBC on a Canadian study permit; importantly, any change to your citizenship status can affect your ongoing eligibility for these awards
- You need to demonstrate exceptional academic achievement and intellectual promise, alongside genuine extracurricular and community involvement
- You need to apply to UBC by the admission deadline
- You cannot be nominated for the separate, need-and-merit-based International Scholars award at the same time; choosing to apply through that programme removes you from consideration for IMES and OIS entirely
Don’t Miss: Top Fully Funded Scholarships for International Students
How IMES and OIS Actually Differ
Both awards are assessed automatically from the same admission application, but they function differently once awarded:
- International Major Entrance Scholarship (IMES): Worth $10,000 to $25,000 per year, awarded in your first year and renewable for up to three additional years, provided you maintain the required standing; this is genuinely the larger, longer-term award of the two
- Outstanding International Student (OIS) Award: Worth $10,000 to $25,000, but paid as a one-time award rather than renewable across your degree
The number and value of these awards varies each year, depending on available funding, which fluctuates with UBC’s budget and donor contributions — so treat the published range as an indication of scale rather than a guaranteed specific figure.
What’s Available Specifically at UBC Okanagan
- Global Elevation Award: $8,000 tuition credit, paid in two instalments of $4,000, renewable for up to four years or until degree completion — genuinely guaranteed to every new international undergraduate student enrolling at UBC Okanagan, with no competitive selection involved
- International Welcome Award: $5,000 toward first-year tuition, applied in two instalments, given specifically to international students who selected a UBC Okanagan degree as their first choice, and who are accepted and enrol in that programme
The distinction matters: the Global Elevation Award requires nothing beyond enrolling at Okanagan as an international student, while the Welcome Award specifically rewards students who named Okanagan as their genuine first preference, rather than treating it as a fallback option.
Why the International Scholars Program Is a Separate Path, Not an Add-On
If you’re aiming for UBC’s most prestigious funding track, the International Scholars Program, understand clearly that this isn’t something you apply for in addition to IMES and OIS — it’s an alternative path that excludes you from both.
This programme runs on an earlier, separate timeline: for the 2027 intake, the scholarship application deadline was set for 15 November 2026, with the corresponding admission application due by 1 December 2026, both considerably earlier than the general 15 January admission deadline. If you’re weighing whether to pursue this route, decide early, since the earlier deadlines mean less time to prepare a strong application than the standard automatic-award timeline allows.
What Documents You Need to Prepare
- A completed UBC admission application
- Secondary school transcripts
- Any additional supporting admission documents your specific programme requires
Since both major Vancouver-based scholarships are triggered automatically through your admission application, there’s no separate scholarship-specific document set to prepare — the documents that matter are simply the ones that make your admission application itself as strong as possible.
What the Application Process Requires
- Apply for admission to UBC through the official application portal, choosing your preferred campus: Vancouver or Okanagan
- If you’re applying to Okanagan specifically, indicate it clearly as your genuine first choice if you want to be considered for the International Welcome Award in addition to the guaranteed Global Elevation Award
- Submit your complete application, including transcripts and supporting documents, by the admission deadline
- Wait for your admission decision; scholarship evaluation happens as a separate process after your admission offer, not simultaneously with it
- If awarded a scholarship, you’ll typically have until your admission offer deadline, often around 1 May, to confirm and accept both your offer and your award
Application Timeline
- Admission application deadline: 15 January 2026, for the Winter Session (September 2026–April 2027) and Summer Session (May–August 2026) — now closed
- Scholarship decisions: Announced mid-March through early May 2026
- Confirmation deadline: Before 1 May 2026, successful recipients needed to confirm their admission offer to secure their award
- Next expected cycle (2027 intake): The application portal is expected to open in early October 2026. The International Scholars Program’s scholarship application deadline is set for 15 November 2026, with its admission application due 1 December 2026. For all other international undergraduate applicants, the final admission deadline for 2027 entry is 15 January 2027
What to Do Before the Next Cycle Opens
- Mark 15 January as the date that actually matters for the standard automatic scholarship track, rather than relying on secondhand dates that sometimes circulate incorrectly
- Decide early whether you’re pursuing the standard automatic awards or the separate International Scholars Program, since the latter’s deadlines fall roughly six weeks earlier and require a distinct, additional application
- If you’re applying to UBC Okanagan, make it genuinely your first choice on your application if you want to be considered for the International Welcome Award, since the Global Elevation Award alone doesn’t require this
- Build a strong, well-rounded application that shows both academic excellence and genuine extracurricular or community involvement, since both matter for merit-based evaluation
- Watch UBC’s official admissions and scholarships pages directly from October onward, since portal opening dates and specific deadlines can shift slightly year to year
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the deadline for UBC’s international scholarships really 31 March?
No. For the 2026/27 intake, the actual admission deadline that triggered scholarship consideration was 15 January 2026. The 31 March date in some listings appears to be inaccurate.
Can I apply for both the International Scholars Program and IMES/OIS?
No. Applying for the International Scholars Program specifically excludes you from consideration for the automatic IMES and OIS awards.
Is the UBC Okanagan Global Elevation Award competitive?
No. It’s automatically given to every new international undergraduate student enrolling at UBC Okanagan, with no separate competition involved.
Do I need to submit a separate scholarship application for IMES or OIS?
No. Both are triggered automatically once you apply for admission and receive an offer; there’s no additional scholarship-specific form.
What happens if my citizenship status changes after I’m awarded IMES?
Your eligibility can be affected. UBC explicitly notes that changes to your citizenship status affect ongoing IMES eligibility, so this is worth understanding before any change in your immigration status.
Disclaimer: All scholarship details and figures in this post are verified from official UBC sources as of July 2026. Information is subject to change without notice. Always confirm the latest details directly on the official UBC scholarships and awards page for international students. ScholarWaka is not affiliated with the University of British Columbia.
Official Application Portal
Join ScholarWaka Community
Get the latest scholarship updates and study abroad opportunities before anyone else.
