Why did other students choose UBC?

Alex Lukey

"I grew up in the interior of BC, so I suppose I've been spoiled to live in BC most of my life. When I began thinking about a PhD, the fact that UBC is a world-class institution in medicine and health sciences made it an easy choice. I was also...

Haley Hrymak

"Many of the academics I admire and look up to are at UBC. UBC is the ideal place for my work given my focus on BC, my supervisors’ skillsets, and my connection to the legal community and anti-violence sector across BC. I am also very thankful...

Katrina Bergmann

"Vancouver and the UBC campus are absolutely beautiful places to live and work. I've always wanted to move to the west coast to be closer to the mountains, and so far Vancouver does not disappoint. UBC is also one of the top universities in the...

Alan Knee

"UBC engages in a very wide range of research and is home to several incredible facilities and world-renowned researchers, so I knew I'd find something that interested me. "

Naomi Potter

"UBC's wide-array of research programs and laboratories meant that I was able to find one well-suited to my research area of interest. As one of the top institutions in Canada, the various funding opportunities available to support my graduate...

Matthew Hickey

"Honestly, why not? UBC is a top-tier research university in engineering and medicine. I am extremely privileged to be surrounded by leaders in engineering, medical research, and education. The excellent recreational facilities mixed with ocean...

Elise Ng-Cordell

"I decided to apply to UBC for a number of reasons. UBC's Psychology department has a strong research focus, and I knew that I wanted to develop as a scientist and a clinician. I also really wanted to work with and learn from my supervisor, Dr....

Zitao Chen

"UBC is a vibrant research community and provides numerous support to ensure the students can succeed in their pursuit of knowledge. At UBC, I also have the opportunity to work with a group of excellent researchers and gain tremendous mentorship...

Rachel Ramsden

"I grew up locally in Richmond, BC and had the opportunity to attend UBC for my undergraduate degree and Masters degree. As an undergraduate student, I was a member of the UBC women’s varsity soccer team and I was grateful to experience a...

Erik Post

"The UBC Department of Geography has great faculty that pursue and support exciting, engaged, and critical research. I also cherish the opportunity to work under the supervision of Professor Le Billon, whose work has long been an influence on...

Younus Mushtaq Ahmed

"My primary reason for choosing UBC's Anthropology graduate studies program was my adviser, Vinay Kamat, whose research expertise and background in my research topic were phenomenal. He also responded positively to my initial inquiry and...

Keisha Maloney

"It has been an incredible first two years at UBC, learning with the guidance of my supervisor and incredible mentors in my department. Beyond the beauty and connection to nature found in Vancouver, I also was keen to see the “City of...

Jo Fitzgibbons

"It’s no secret that grad school can be a stressful experience and, although I loved my community in Toronto, I found myself increasingly agitated in the concrete jungle. Between personal challenges and the general emotional rollercoaster of...

Khadija Anjum

"I chose UBC because of the wide diversity of Schools and Departments at the UBC was highly attractive for a student of community and regional planning like myself, since planning is essentially a multi-disciplinary field benefiting greatly from...

Tanzoom Ahmed

"UBC’s Asian Studies Department is one of the largest and most diverse Asian studies programs in the entire world. The diversity of languages, courses and topics offered at the department can provide one of the strongest academic foundations in...

Parboti Roy

"While researching for the graduate studies program in Canada, I found out UBC is one of the top universities that supports research innovation, and the Asian Studies program is one of the leading programs in the world. So, I changed my academic...

Annie Lalande

"I initially came to UBC for my general surgery training, drawn to a program that values surgical excellence, and supports diverse types of research and transformation projects. When I decided to undertake graduate studies, the Institute for...

Alysha Deslippe

"My initial decision to study at UBC started back in my undergraduate. I chose UBC largely for its access to numerous outdoor activities year-round. I am an avid runner, hiker, skier and beach volleyball player. Being in Vancouver means I can...

Aram Bajakian

"I had been discussing my research over the years with my current advisor, ethnomusicology professor Dr. Nathan Hesselink. His attentiveness and interest was of course, an important factor. In addition the Armenian community in greater Vancouver...

Sammy Iammarino

"I chose UBC because of its reputation for high quality education and proximity to harm reduction environments that allow me to stay connected to my nursing practice. Studying at UBC has made it possible for me to be a PhD student, nursing...

Tetiana Povshedna

"UBC is uniquely positioned to offer incoming students not only world-class education opportunities but also, quite possibly, the best views in the world. This rare chance to experience high-quality academic and lifestyle environments made it...

Olivia Dreisinger

"I grew up an hour outside of Vancouver and completed my undergraduate degree at UBC. It was a wonderful experience and I am thankful to return to this university and to remain close to my family. The English faculty is also one of the few...

Anna Santo

"I decided to study at UBC for several professional and personal reasons. The Institute for Resources, Environment, and Sustainability at UBC is a highly interdisciplinary environment with a commitment to applied and problem-oriented research,...

Sydney Lines

"I had been to Vancouver once before and loved the weather (I'm allergic to the sun). I was impressed by the UBC Arts PhD Co-op Program. My department often ranks among the top 20 in the world. But the truth is I did not believe I’d get into UBC...

Ace Chan

"The West Coast has always been my home and I was not ready to part with it quite yet. The choice to pursue my doctoral studies at UBC was simple as UBC is a high-ranking university both in Canada and internationally. I wanted to earn a degree...

Laura Brass

"I decided to study at UBC because of its locally and internationally top rankings in terms of its contribution to teaching, learning, and research. Significantly, the scholarships, fellowships, research opportunities, and wide range of courses...

Neha Suvindran

"I was drawn to the unique Engineers in Scrubs (EiS) Program offered at UBC. It is a one-of-a-kind program in which graduate students get to work alongside clinicians and stakeholders to solve real-world healthcare problems. Moreover, my...

Steven Bristow

"I had a few ideal criteria when trying to decide where to do my PhD and UBC met all of them. I wanted to try working with new types of crops/styles of production, work in a new climate, and I had hoped to be able to do a PhD outside the United...

Fabiola Bazo

"I decided to study at UBC because it provides the exact combination of knowledge and expertise that I need for my dissertation research: from gender, to music, to Latin American studies. And I am lucky enough to live in this beautiful campus...

Romina Tantalean-Castaneda

"I came to UBC as a master's student and am now a doctoral student because I consider the Social Justice Institute's (Gender, Race, Sexuality, and Social Justice) interdisciplinary doctoral program the most suitable environment for re-imagining...

Lisa Ritland

"It was a clear choice for me to apply to UBC. The School of Population and Public Health and the Human Early Learning Partnership at UBC offer an ideal training environment for me to pursue population health research in collaboration with local...

Cheyanne Connell

"My research project lends to UBC's core values of and commitment to Indigenous reconciliation. Indigenous folks in Canada and elsewhere are looking for more expansive representation and greater inclusion in school and public, and UBC feels like...

Winy Vasquez

"When I was in elementary school, my family relocated to Vancouver so that my dad could pursue his own doctoral degree and so I grew up in and around the UBC campus. Throughout my elementary and secondary education in Vancouver, I was able to...

Leilani Forby

"Before I decided to pursue a graduate degree, I worked in the film industry and was required to do a lot of international travel. The business trips to Canada were always my favorite --- I fell in love with the cities and the people. When I...

Dana Johnson

"While applying to PhD programs, I sought to conduct research that incorporates multiple values into urban decision-making. I found a perfect fit with Dr. Kai Chan and his lab group (the CHANS lab) at the University of British Columbia’s...

Daniel Lipshutz Forrest

"I saw that, while both of my advisors, Drs. Kai Chan and Matthew Mitchell, are trained ecologists, they have training beyond ecology, experience working in interdisciplinary teams, and a demonstrated commitment to innovative and impactful...

Pardis Kazemian

"During my undergraduate courses at UBC, I often stumbled upon concepts that were discovered, or technologies that were developed by scientists and geneticists at UBC. During my last undergraduate year, I met my current supervisor in a Medical...

Khair Mufti

"UBC is one of the top universities for research and teaching in Canada and around world. As I wanted to unite my background in pharmacology with my research passion and experience in Genetics to pursue my doctoral research in Pharmacogenomics,...

Megan Thomas

"UBC is one of Canada’s leading research universities, consistently ranking in the top 40 universities in the world. In addition to it's stellar reputation, it also has one of the most beautiful campuses in the country. The ocean and mountain...

Ritwik Bhattacharjee

"As I was interested in studying settler colonialism, I wanted to study in Canada. I decided to study at UBC due to three reasons: 1. the Interdisciplinary Studies Graduate Program; 2. to be able to work with my supervisor, Glen Coulthard; and 3...

Salima Kerai-Sayani

"UBC’s doctoral program in Population and Public Health, and its unique divisions such as ‘Health in Populations’ that seeks to answer scientific questions that address determinants of population health throughout the life course from birth to...

Sepideh Soukhtehzari

"UBC is a hub for scientists from different aspects of life science research, is highly rated for cutting edge scientific achievements and provides such a rich environment for trainees in their professional life. In addition, UBC offers a...

Leah Rettenbacher

"I decided to study at UBC because I wanted to combine my interests in the outdoors and forests with my interest in biology which led me to UBC Forestry's Forest Sciences program for my undergraduate and now graduate degrees. "

Nick Middeldorp

"UBC has become the perfect place for me to develop professionally. My background is in Anthropology and Development Studies, but UBC’s Geography program, which has a very interdisciplinary focus, has offered me entirely novel perspectives on...

Daniel Korchinski

"While the research environment was a good fit, and the quantum matter institute at which I study is excellent, the deciding factor was rather small: the students here seemed happier. My successes have happened when I’m curious and joy motivated...

Baraa Orabi

"I think three factors had a differentiating effect on this decision: UBC's unique multidisciplinary environment which is key to my research as a computer scientist and bioinformatician. UBC being on the West Coast generally and...

Debbie Pierce

"UBC is well known internationally for its Faculty of Forestry, and I was lucky enough to find a great fit in my adviser, Terry Sunderland. To me, it was also important to have a collaborative research environment, both professionally and...

Tseday Zewdu Tegegn

"My decision to join UBC was mainly because I found a wonderful supervisor and research center in the area of my interest. UBC is home to many brilliant minds that are at the forefront of cutting-edge research. "

Natasha Klasios

"UBC is one of the top-rated research universities in the world. This really interested me, because I knew it would open up many doors during my degree and upon my graduation. After connecting with my supervisor, I knew UBC and her lab would not...

Manpreet Thandi

"I have always lived in Vancouver but had never seen or explored the campus of UBC prior to beginning my graduate education. I was blown away with not only the physical beauty of the campus, but also the tremendous support of the faculty at the...