Student Services & Resources

Need to talk to an advisor? Want to find study space? Find out about services and resources for MECH students.

Admissions

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. Students are admitted through a broad-based admission process. We want people who will be both academically successful and an active contributor of our community. Broad-based criteria are also assessed on a holistic basis to determine final placements. We consider your unique life experiences, non-academic background, hobbies, motivation and passion.

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.

First Year

Admission to engineering is competitive. Every year, UBC receives applications from more students than we can accommodate, which means we must restrict enrolment.

For more information on admission into First Year Engineering, visit https://engineering.ubc.ca/admissions/undergraduate.

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 May 15.

The GPA cut-off for admission changes from year to year. Students are admitted through a broad-based admission process. We want people who will be both academically successful and an active contributor of our community. Broad-based criteria are also assessed on a holistic basis to determine final placements. We consider your unique life experiences, non-academic background, hobbies, motivation and passion, but these students must still meet a minimum academic performance standard.

Students in the department can chose to focus their degree by specializing in an option, or they can chose to pursue the general option. The department offers Aerospace, Biomechanics & Medical Devices, Mechatronics, Energy & Environment, NAME and Thermofluids options. Admission information can be found here.

Bridging Program

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, please see the UBC Engineering website for specific qualifications and requirements to apply into 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 within one academic year and with a GPA of at least 3.1 are eligible for admission into second-year engineering at UBC. A list of those colleges follows.

Visiting/Exchange Students

Visiting International Research Students

Please refer to: http://students.ubc.ca/about/go-global/coming-ubc-exchange/visiting-international-research-student

Exchange Students

Visiting exchange students can study at UBC for one or two terms (semesters), and are allowed to take Mech electives, but not Mech 2 or lab-oriented classes. Course credit obtained by studying at UBC can be counted towards your degree from your home university. Studies start in either September or January, depending on the term you choose to register for first.
For more information please visit Go Global.