UBC International Major Entrance Scholarship and Outstanding International Student Award

Official overview

UBC’s international entrance awards include the International Major Entrance Scholarship and the Outstanding International Student Award . These are merit based entrance scholarships for new international students who are admitted to UBC and who demonstrate strong academic achievement, intellectual promise, and broad engagement beyond the classroom. The university automatically considers eligible applicants for these awards when they apply by the admissions deadline. For families comparing Canadian undergraduate awards, this is one of the strongest established entrance pathways in the country and is worth early planning with /tools/scholarship-finder and /articles .

Funding and benefits

UBC states that IMES values for the 2026/2027 academic year are $10,000 to $25,000 per year . The Outstanding International Student Award is a one time merit based scholarship valued at $10,000 to $25,000 for the 2025/2026 academic year. Students selected for these awards receive direct tuition support and, in some cases, multi year funding, depending on the award type and renewal rules. Because values are competitive and can shift, applicants should rely on the official page for the current cycle.

Eligibility

Confirmed eligibility for IMES includes being a new student entering UBC directly from secondary school, holding international student status on a Canadian study permit, showing exceptional academic achievement and intellectual promise, and not being nominated for a need and merit based International Scholars award. For the Outstanding International Student Award, UBC says applicants may be entering directly from secondary school or from post secondary study, but must still be international students on a study permit and show outstanding academic achievement plus strong extracurricular involvement.

Study levels and fields

This opportunity is for undergraduate study across UBC programs. The award is not restricted to one subject area in the official summary, so the practical field list is the full range of undergraduate disciplines at UBC, subject to admission.

Application process

UBC states that if you apply to the university by the admissions deadline, you are automatically considered for both the IMES and the Outstanding International Student Award. No separate scholarship application is required for these two merit awards. That said, you still need to complete the university admission file accurately and on time, and you should not treat the scholarship as automatic admission. Strong applicants should keep transcripts, activity summaries, and any program specific supplemental documents ready well ahead of the deadline.

Timeline

UBC’s official page says applicants must apply to UBC by the admissions deadline. The university also advises that required English language results and admission materials must be received in time for the review process. Because application windows differ by intake and faculty, the safest approach is to monitor the official admissions calendar closely.

Important conditions

International student status on a Canadian study permit is required.

Students must be new to UBC.

Only admission by the stated deadline triggers automatic consideration.

IMES and the Outstanding International Student Award are different from the UBC International Scholars Program.

Official resources

The official UBC scholarship page is the source of truth for current values, eligibility nuances, and any program updates. Before you submit, it is smart to review your chosen program’s admission standards, estimate your academic profile with /tools/cgpa-calculator , and map your course choices using /tools/course-finder .

How to judge whether this scholarship fits you

Begin by comparing every published condition with your own record, not with a friend's experience or an old social media post. For UBC International Major Entrance Scholarship and Outstanding International Student Award, pay particular attention to the stated nationality or residence group of Global, the Undergraduate study level, and the approved study destination of Canada. Check whether the rules refer to citizenship, current residence, permanent residence, or the country where your previous degree was completed, because these are not always interchangeable. You should also confirm minimum grades, graduation dates, age limits, work experience, language tests, admission requirements, and any return-home condition. If one condition is unclear, use the official contact channel before investing time or money in documents.

Building a competitive application

Eligibility only determines whether an application can be considered. Selection is usually comparative, so a strong submission should show why your preparation, proposed study, and future plans fit the purpose of UBC International Major Entrance Scholarship and Outstanding International Student Award. Read the provider's objectives and identify the outcomes it values, such as academic excellence, leadership, public service, research impact, professional development, or contribution to a community. Then choose evidence from your education, employment, volunteering, projects, or personal responsibilities that demonstrates those qualities. Use specific examples with a clear situation, action, and result. Avoid copying generic statements about passion or financial need. Reviewers should be able to see what you have already done, what the proposed programme will help you learn, and how you intend to use that learning after graduation.

Writing the personal statement or study plan

A persuasive statement connects your past experience to a realistic next step. Explain why your chosen field, currently recorded as All fields, matters to the problem you want to address. Show that you understand the course, institution, or research environment rather than praising it in general terms. If the scholarship asks several essay questions, answer each question directly and avoid repeating the same story. Keep claims factual and support them with evidence. A useful editing method is to ask whether every paragraph adds new information about your preparation, judgement, character, or proposed impact. Leave time for revision, and ask a trusted reader to check clarity without replacing your voice.

References and supporting evidence

Choose referees who know your recent academic or professional work and can discuss it with examples. A senior title is less valuable than direct knowledge of your abilities. Contact referees early, share the official criteria, explain your study plan, and give them the exact submission deadline. Confirm whether the referee must upload a letter, complete an online form, or send the reference from an institutional email address. Your curriculum vitae, essays, transcript, and references should tell a consistent story. Dates, job titles, grades, awards, and project descriptions must agree across documents. If a document is unavailable, translated, provisional, or issued under a different name, follow the provider's instructions instead of uploading an unexplained substitute.

Planning the funding and practical costs

The funding category recorded for this opportunity is Partial scholarship, but applicants should still create a complete budget. Check whether the award covers full tuition or a fixed contribution, and whether payments are made to the institution or to the scholar. Look for information about accommodation, living allowance, flights, visa charges, health insurance, research costs, dependants, and arrival expenses. Currency changes and local housing costs can affect the real value of an award. Do not assume that every cost described as eligible will be paid automatically. Where a programme offers partial support, identify a realistic source for the remaining amount before accepting an offer.

Application timeline and final checks

Work backwards from the recorded deadline of Rolling. Reserve the final days for technical problems rather than first drafts. A practical sequence is to confirm eligibility, shortlist courses, request transcripts, contact referees, draft essays, obtain language results, and complete the online form. Some scholarships require university admission before the funding application, while others use a combined process or require nomination by a university, ministry, employer, or national agency. Submit through the correct route for your country and programme. Before pressing submit, preview every page, open uploaded files, check that names and dates are accurate, and save a copy of the completed application and confirmation message.

After submission and possible interviews

Keep monitoring the email address and application portal you used. Scholarship providers may request corrections, additional evidence, an interview, or a response within a short period. Prepare for an interview by reviewing your application, the scholarship's mission, your proposed course, and the practical impact you described. Be ready to explain decisions, limitations, and alternative plans honestly. If you receive an offer, read all conditions before accepting, including academic performance requirements, reporting duties, travel dates, visa responsibilities, and obligations after study. If you are unsuccessful, retain your materials and seek specific feedback where available. A careful application can often be adapted for another suitable opportunity without being copied unchanged.

Related scholarships and planning resources

Use the Scholarship Finder to compare your profile with the current catalog. You can also explore programmes with the Course Finder , review your academic standing with the CGPA Calculator , and read current application advice in the NGScholars article library .

Compare related scholarships:

University of Waterloo International Student Entrance Scholarship

University of Manitoba International Undergraduate Student Scholarship

University of Alberta International Admission Scholarship