Admission into Mechanical Engineering at UBC is highly competitive. It is a second-year entry program, and you apply for admission upon completion of a general first year engineering program which is common to all engineering departments at UBC. You can take first year at UBC or you can take a special Engineering Transfer Program offered at many of the colleges in BC, which allows you to complete the same first year curriculum offered here at a college in your community.
Students who are interested in entering Mechanical Engineering are reminded that entry from first year into Mechanical Engineering is very competitive. Most students are admitted through the general second year placement process, based on academic performance in first year. There are also a limited number of seats reserved for broad-based admission, which considers personal experiences, achievements, and interests, but these students must still meet a minimum academic performance standard. Broad-based admission applications are accepted ONLY by invitation, and happen after the results for academic placement are known.
We encourage interested students to get involved in the department while they are in first year. An excellent way of doing this (and of demonstrating your interest in a broad-based application) is joining one of the student teams. It’s a great way to get to know other students and the department. We also encourage students to pursue engineering-related work during the summer between their first and second years.
Admission to First Year
Admission to engineering is competitive. Every year, we receive applications from more students than we can accommodate, which means we must restrict enrolment.
Admission is based on the average of your Grade 12 marks in mathematics, physics, chemistry and English. (Please note that entrance requirements change yearly.)
For detailed information about admissions for High School students please visit the appropriate sections on the UBC Engineering website:
Transfer Programs
Several community colleges in B.C. offer transfer programs corresponding to UBC’s first-year engineering program. Students who have completed one or more years of study in a science program at UBC or another college or university may apply to transfer to engineering with advanced standing. Students who already hold a Technology Diploma may consider applying to UBC through the Camosun College Bridging Program which may allow them to enter directly into third year, depending on courses completed.
Deadlines & Cost
The deadline for applying for Winter Session is February 28, and the documentation deadline is June 30. You must ensure that all supporting documents, including your official transcripts, are received by Enrollment Services by the end of June. You should confirm these dates with Engineering Student Services or UBC Enrollment Services before you apply.
For future deadline dates, see the UBC Student website Application deadline page.
To get an idea of the complete cost of your first year at UBC, check out the cost and budget calculator.
For more information on admission and cost estimates for engineering at UBC, including application dates and current entrance requirements, visit: https://you.ubc.ca/vancouver
Admissions to Second Year
At the end of first year, engineering students are asked to submit an online Program Preference Form indicating the departments they are most interested in. Placement into programs is very competitive and based on academic performance. The online form must be completed by June 15.
The GPA cut-off for admission changes from year to year. For more information regarding admission into MECH 2, refer to this page. Mechanical Engineering recognizes that academic marks do not fully demonstrate a person’s ability so we also offer broad-based admission for students who do not meet the regular academic admission requirements. Broad-based admission is designed for students who fall below the GPA cut-off but are able to demonstrate a strong potential to succeed in Mechanical Engineering. Applicants are evaluated based on all-around ability, achievements, and interest in mechanical engineering. There are also a limited number of seats reserved for broad-based admission, which considers personal experiences, achievements, and interests, but these students must still meet a minimum academic performance standard. Broad-based admission applications are accepted ONLY by invitation, and happen after the results for academic placement are known. You do not need to apply for broad-based admission in advance. You will be invited by e-mail (in June or July) should your GPA place you as a candidate for broad-based admission; unsolicited broad-based admissions applications are not accepted. Be sure to keep your UBC e-mail listing on the SSC up to date!
Bridging Programs
Camosun Bridge
People having graduated with a diploma in mechanical engineering technology may enter third year of UBC’s Mechanical Engineering program through a special bridging program at Camosun College.
Alternately, graduates of a technology diploma program may apply for admission directly to UBC. However, few courses that are part of a technology diploma program are transferable to UBC and there is a limit of no more than 30 transfer credits to UBC from a technology diploma program.
Transfer Credits
Transferring from another faculty or university
The Faculty of Applied Science accepts students transferring from another Faculty at UBC and from other institutions. In either case, students must apply for admission to the Faculty of Applied Science through UBC’s Admissions Office. Whether a student is admitted depends on the average of the last 60 credits of university-transferable courses he or she has taken and on the average of the mathematics, chemistry and physics courses taken. The minimum admission average also depends on whether the student would be admitted into first or second year engineering.
A student will be admitted into second year engineering if that student had successfully completed or had transfer credits for at least 27 credits of our first year program. Students not meeting this criterion would be admitted into our first year program.
A very limited number of students may be admitted directly into third year engineering if they were transferring from the engineering program at another university. Students in that position must remember that at least half of the credits of the degree program must be completed while enrolled at UBC.
Engineering Transfer Program
Eight colleges around British Columbia offer the same program as the first year engineering program at UBC. Students who successfully complete one of these programs are guaranteed admission to second year engineering at UBC if a GPA of at least 2.5 is attained. A list of those colleges follows.
- Capilano University
- College of New Caledonia
- Kwantlen Polytechnic University
- Langara College
- Vancouver Island University (Formerly Malaspina University College)
- Selkirk College
- Thompson Rivers University
- University of the Fraser Valley
