The University of British Columbia will open applications for its 2027 International Scholars Program in September 2026. The program is designed for academically outstanding international students who have demonstrated leadership and community impact but also have significant financial need.
The key deadline is November 15, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. Pacific Time. For the 2027 cycle, applicants need to complete the UBC admission process early enough to access the separate International Scholars application and organize school nomination, teacher reference and financial documentation.
Who the UBC International Scholars Program Is For
This is not a general merit scholarship for every high-performing international applicant. UBC requires a combination of academic excellence, leadership and meaningful financial need.
Applicants must be international students who will study in Canada on a study permit and must be applying for their first undergraduate degree.
2027 Educational Background Rules
UBC currently states that applicants for the 2027 Winter Session must:
- enter UBC directly from an accredited secondary school;
- have graduated from high school no earlier than June 2026;
- be applying for a first undergraduate degree; and
- meet UBC’s general and degree-specific admission requirements.
Applicants also need to satisfy UBC’s English Language Admission Standard, or meet the applicable Vantage College pathway where relevant.
Financial Need Is a Core Requirement
UBC conducts a financial assessment. The university can review family income, expenses, assets and the resources available to pay for the student’s education.
The program is intended for students who could not realistically pursue a UBC degree without substantial financial support. This makes it different from UBC’s merit-based international entrance awards.
UBC also states that applicants to the International Scholars Program will not be considered for its merit-based awards at the same time. Students should decide which award route better fits their circumstances.
Application Timeline for 2027
| Stage | Timing |
|---|---|
| International Scholars application opens | September 2026 |
| Choose first-choice program/campus | Mid-September |
| Discuss nomination with school | Late September |
| UBC undergraduate application opens | Early October 2026 |
| Start award application | Early October |
| Award application and UBC application deadline | November 15, 2026 |
Nomination Limits Make Early School Contact Important
Each applicant needs one nominator and one teacher referee, and they must be different people. The nominator can be a guidance counsellor, principal, administrator or another eligible representative who knows the student’s goals and character.
UBC also limits nominations. A high school or eligible registered non-profit can nominate up to two students for UBC Vancouver and one student for UBC Okanagan. Because a school may have several strong candidates, its internal selection deadline can be earlier than November 15.
The teacher referee should know the applicant and their work in the intended area of study. Both forms need to be completed before the student can finish the award application.
Your First-Choice Program Matters
UBC says International Scholars applicants are considered for their first-choice program when awards are assessed. Students can still select a second choice, but the scholarship process makes the first selection especially important.
Applicants should therefore choose a program because it genuinely fits their academic interests and qualifications rather than trying to guess which program may appear more competitive.
Not Every UBC Degree Is Eligible
The university excludes several degrees from International Scholars awards. Current examples include:
- Bachelor of Nursing at the Vancouver and Okanagan campuses;
- Bachelor of Dental Science in Dental Hygiene;
- Bachelor of Medical Laboratory Science;
- Bachelor + Master of Management;
- dual degrees; and
- certain joint degrees between campuses or institutions.
Students should verify the latest excluded-program list before submitting their UBC admission application.
Four Award Categories Are Considered Automatically
Applicants do not select one specific International Scholars award. UBC automatically considers eligible students for the award categories that fit their circumstances.
These include awards such as the Karen McKellin International Leader of Tomorrow Award and the Donald A. Wehrung International Student Award.
The program is need-and-merit based, so the level of support can depend on the student’s financial circumstances and UBC’s assessment.
Why Applicants Should Start Before October
The International Scholars application involves more moving parts than an ordinary admission application. Applicants need:
- program and campus choices;
- UBC admission application;
- school nomination;
- teacher reference;
- student essays;
- family financial details; and
- supporting financial documentation.
UBC specifically warns that applications started shortly before the deadline are less likely to be successful.
International Scholars Versus UBC Merit Awards
International Major Entrance Scholarships and other merit-based awards are designed around academic and extracurricular excellence, but they do not use the same significant-financial-need test as the International Scholars Program.
UBC says it devotes more than $35 million annually to awards and other support for international undergraduate students, so applicants should compare the available award routes before choosing one.
Canadanship’s Scholarships section can be used to track other Canadian funding opportunities.
How UBC Assesses Significant Financial Need
UBC does not rely only on a single household-income number. The financial assessment can consider gross income, family expenses, assets and other resources available to support the student’s education.
Applicants should therefore prepare complete and consistent financial records. If information in the scholarship form conflicts with submitted documents, the university may need clarification.
School Nomination Should Be Discussed Before the Portal Opens
Students do not need to wait for the final online form before speaking with their school. The nomination process can require coordination with a counsellor, principal or administrator, and each school may have its own internal selection process.
A school with several strong candidates may set an internal deadline earlier than UBC’s November 15 date.
How to Choose Between Need-Based and Merit-Based UBC Awards
A student with strong grades but without significant financial need may be a better fit for UBC’s merit-based international entrance awards. A student whose family cannot realistically fund a UBC education may be a stronger fit for the International Scholars Program.
Because UBC says applicants cannot be considered for both routes at the same time, students should read the criteria carefully before committing to the need-and-merit application.
What Makes the Financial-Need Requirement More Demanding
Because UBC can review income, expenses and assets, applicants should be prepared to explain unusual financial circumstances rather than relying on a short statement that university is unaffordable. The assessment is intended to determine the gap between the resources available to the family and the cost of studying at UBC.
This also means an applicant with excellent grades and leadership may still be a better fit for a merit-based UBC award if the family can fund a substantial share of the degree without major financial assistance.
The Application Asks for Detailed Financial Information
UBC says the award application asks for annual family income and expenses, family wealth and assets, dependants, annual school fees, other sources of support, and an estimate of the family’s contribution toward study costs.
This is why the program should not be approached like a standard merit scholarship. The financial assessment is designed to calculate how much meaningful support the applicant would need after all available family resources and outside funding are considered.
Students Complete Four Short Essays
The current 2027 process includes four essay questions of approximately 150–250 words each, along with extracurricular information and awards. Strong responses should connect academic goals, leadership and community impact without repeating the same story in every answer.
A Video Interview May Follow
Between January and March, selected applicants may be invited to complete a recorded video interview. UBC says candidates receive one week to submit their responses. The interview gives the university another way to understand the student’s educational and leadership experiences beyond the written application.
Results Are Released From February to April
UBC releases International Scholars decisions on a rolling basis, with applicants expected to know by early- to mid-April whether they have received an award. Required admission documents for International Scholars applicants are due by January 31.
One Award Category Can Reach Full Program and Living Costs
The Vantage One Excellence Award, one of the four International Scholars categories, can range up to the full cost of a student’s academic program and living expenses. It is intended for academically strong international students entering UBC Vantage College who do not yet meet the English Language Admission Standard for direct entry.
Other International Scholars awards are also need-and-merit based, but applicants should not assume every recipient automatically receives identical funding.
Primary UBC Sources
| Source | What it confirms |
|---|---|
| UBC – International Scholars | 2027 eligibility, financial-need requirement, nomination and referee process, excluded degrees and September opening. |
| UBC – Dates and deadlines | November 15, 2026 International Scholars deadline and 2027 admission timeline. |
Last verified August 31, 2026. UBC recommends beginning the award process as early as possible.