Admissions Requirements

Students in our graduate programs come from a wide range of academic backgrounds.

Common disciplines our students come to us from include but are not limited to pharmaceutical sciences, medicine, biotechnology, basic and biomedical sciences (e.g., chemistry, biology, biochemistry, microbiology, genetics, pharmacology), engineering (e.g., biomedical, chemical), economics, statistics, and epidemiology. 
 

Master of Science (MSc) Minimum Admission Requirements

Applicants with credentials from institutions in Canada or the US:

To be eligible for our MSc program, you must hold a degree academically equivalent to a UBC four-year bachelor’s degree, including one of the following:

• A minimum overall average in the B+ range (76% at UBC) in third- and fourth-year level courses.
• Academic standing with at least 12 credits of third- or fourth-year level courses in the A grade range (80% or higher at UBC) in the field of study.

Full details about the minimum admission requirements can be found here.

Applicants with credentials from other countries:

Applicants who have completed their undergraduate studies outside North America, please refer to the country-specific requirements established by UBC Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies.

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Minimum Admission Requirements

Applicants with credentials from institutions in Canada or the US:

To be eligible for our PhD program, you must have completed one of the following requirements prior to admission:

• A master’s degree (or equivalent) from an approved institution with clear evidence of research ability or potential and a minimum overall average of B+ standing (76% at UBC) in all graduate courses.
• In exceptional cases, applicants who hold a bachelor’s degree with an overall average in the A grade range and who demonstrate advanced research ability may be granted direct admission. Students entering directly from a bachelor’s degree must, during the first two years of study, complete a total of 12 credits with a first class average, of which at least 9 credits must be at the 500-level or above and at least 9 credits must be of first class standing, to maintain registration as a doctoral student.
• Students enrolled in the UBC Pharm Sci MSc program who demonstrate outstanding research ability may apply for transfer to the PhD program upon meeting the program transfer requirements set by UBC Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies.

Full details about the minimum admission requirements can be found here.

Applicants with credentials from other countries:

Applicants who have completed their undergraduate studies outside North America, please refer to the country-specific requirements established by UBC Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies.

English Proficiency Requirements for International Applicants

Applicants who have completed or will complete a degree in one of the following English-speaking countries will be exempt from the English language proficiency test requirement. 

All other applicants, including those who have earned or will earn a degree from an institution where English is the language of instruction (but not from one of the Exempted Countries), must meet the minimum English language proficiency requirements set by the Pharmaceutical Sciences MSc and PhD programs. See below for the minimum scores required on the accepted English language tests.

Accepted English language tests and minimum scores

Note: The English language proficiency requirements for admission to the Pharmaceutical Sciences MSc and PhD programs are higher than the minimum requirements set by UBC Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies.

The TOEFL/IELTS test must have been taken within the last 24 months at the time of the submission of your application. Minimum scores must be achieved in a single sitting of the test (i.e., scores across multiple instances of a test may not be used to satisfy minimum component requirements). 

Please follow the instructions here on how to submit your TOEFL or IELTS test score to UBC. 

Resources for Indigenous Applicants

UBC is home to a thriving and growing Indigenous student community. There are many Indigenous-focused programs and services on campus to support Indigenous graduate student success. Visit the page here to learn about the resources and services for Indigenous students.