Students who are looking to study abroad can think of studying in Canada. The country is vast, with many beautiful cities with a rich historical background. The diverse population brings various cultures together making Canada an attractive place for international students to consider. Canada is home to some of the most reputable universities.
Whether you want to study engineering or a business program, there are top-notch universities that you can think of going into. One such college that has given us alumni like Justin Trudeau, Bjarni Tryggvason, Kim Campbell, and Evangeline Lily, etc. is the University of British Columbia (UBC). Currently, the University of British Columbia ranking is 34th among Best Global Universities.
Brief Introduction to University of British Columbia
The University of British Columbia is recognized as the most popular international university in North America. The slogan of the college says “It is yours”. This motto was used to encourage the students to come up with new concepts that can bring change to the world. The UBC is a public institution located in British Columbia, a province in Canada. The university consists of two main campuses –
#. The Vancouver campus is situated on 400 acres of land. It is the hub of popular centres and is covered with greenery.
#. The Okanagan campus is the hub of research and learning centres.
In recent years, there has been a slight increase in international students on both campuses. This shows the importance and relevance of UBC among international students. It also shows that the education system in Canada is remarkable. The university offers undergraduate and postgraduate degree programs, exchange programs, joint academic programs, and distance education programs.
A wide range of subjects is taught in these programs which help students to choose a specialization of their choice. The University of British Columbia courses like engineering and medical are costlier for international students, but commerce and arts are affordable. However, most international students apply to UBC for business and management courses.
All students are guided by professional teachers that provide theoretical and practical knowledge to students.
University of British Columbia Fee Structure
The University of British Columbia fees for Indian students are slightly more than domestic students. Regional students are subsidized because their families pay education taxes for generations. However, the families of international students have not contributed anything to the education system in Canada. Thus, they are required to pay the actual tuition fees which exclude the accommodation, transportation, food, and books cost. However, the annual tuition fee in Canada is still cheaper than other colleges in the USA.
The University of British Columbia fees structure is set by the University and not by the school. However, they can vary depending on programs as well as yearly academic results. In 2019, the tuition fee for the Master’s Degree program was approximately $4,995.79 for Canadian citizens and $23,460.00 for international students.
Fee Structure Determined by UBC
Canadian Permanent Residents/Students
You are eligible for domestic fee structure if –
#. You are a Canadian permanent resident. Or multiple citizenships, with Canada being one.
#. You are staying with a Refugee status in Canada.
#. Dependent on a diplomat allocated in Canada.
All these can be verified by providing IDs and documents listed in the application form. If your documents are authentic, you can be eligible for the Canadian or domestic fee structure.
International Students
If the student doesn’t fall in any of the above-mentioned criteria, then they are considered as international students. They are liable to pay the tuition fee which is set up for international students. As explained in the above paragraph, the fee structure is quite more than domestic students because an international student or their family doesn’t pay education taxes.
Eligibility Criteria for International Student
#. If they are connected to any indigenous nation of Canada, i.e. Inuit, First Nations, Metis.
#. If the origin is from the nation that extends across the Canada-US border.
#. The candidate is residing in Canada with a work permit. It can be a full-time, long-term, or short-term work permit.
#. The candidate is a dependent/spouse of a person who is working in Canada with a work permit.
Aspirants falling in any of the above-mentioned criteria will have to provide documents to support their eligibility criteria to the Students Service at UBC Okanagan. They can also provide documents to the Enrolment Service Advisor at UBC Vancouver.
The Necessity of English Test Results for Every International Aspirant
International applicants need to provide a good score for the English Language proficiency exam. This is because the English Language is not their primary language. Results should be obtained for the test taken within 24 months. TOEFL and IELTS help to prepare international students to communicate in all types of situations.
The University of British Columbia IELTS requirement is a 6.5 band score with a minimum score of 6.0.
The minimum TOEFL score required is 90 which includes –
# 90 for internet-based exams (22 for reading and listening, 21 for writing and speaking).
# 55 each for reading, writing and listening in the paper test with a minimum score of 4.0 at the TWE.
The international students can request for electronic submission of scores to the UBC. The test centre will directly send the results to them. There are alternate tests like the PTE, CAEL, MELAB, CAE, and CPE, which also have weightage in the English Language Test. The results for these tests can be sent to UBC through an official testing agency in an attested paper score report.
Living Costs in Canada
Domestic students are often at a benefit compared to international students. Regional students are residing and studying in the same city whereas international students are studying abroad. Their expense doesn’t only include the tuition fee structure, but it also includes the cost of surviving in a foreign country. Still, compared to other states in the US, studying in Canada is cheaper.
Housing
All universities offer on-campus residence for international students. But, getting accepted into an international university doesn’t mean that you’re eligible for the on-campus residence. Students are supposed to pay separately for housing, which costs extra money.
This is unfortunately not included in the academic fees. The cost differs for every university and whether you want just a room or a meal plan as well. This means, the cost for room stay and meal plan is separate and not included in the room package.
Many international candidates prefer staying outside the university by renting an apartment. They either stay alone or with a group of a few more students. Staying together helps in saving money. The average cost of a two-bedroom apartment in Canada is $1,577 per month. This can change depending on the city and neighbourhood. You also have utility bills, grocery bills, home phone, internet, and personal expenses.
Transportation
This completely depends on where you live. If you live near your college, then you can walk down the street and save money on transportation. If you stay at a distance because the housing cost was less in that particular area, then you can take public transport. Generally, students prefer taking public transports like subways, buses, trains, and ferries as they are cheaper.
Health Insurance
All international students should have health insurance in Canada. All medical coverage differs in every province. British Columbia will cover international students under their provincial health care plans. This is an extra expense that every international student will have to cater to.
Wrapping Up
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