UBC Engineering Frequently Asked Questions

UBC Engineering has various online resources available for prospective students interested in learning about our program:

• UBC Undergraduate Programs offers an extensive overview of the undergraduate programs available at UBC, as well as information about applying, finances, campus tours, and more.
  • Using the Program search function, you find the engineering topics by filtering for Bachelor of Applied Science (Engineering)
• Engineering UBC is an engineering-specific site for prospective students, which features in-depth guides to each program, admission information, and student experience.
  • Find prospective and applicant student events to learn about design teams, getting involved, the engineering degree, and more.
  • Want to ask a current UBC engineering student a question? You can do so here.
• UBC Engineering Youtube offers videos of past prospective student events, information about various programs, and videos from UBC engineering staff, faculty, and students.

The UBC card is a student identification card. This card is used during exams as identification, in student housing for identification and meal plans, and may be used for after-hours building access. Students should obtain their physical or digital card as soon as possible when they arrive on campus. For more information and to apply, please visit the UBCcard website.

For all information about immigration, study permits, visas, or other immigration documents, please refer to Immigration UBC. If you have further questions, read through the International Student Guide, or contact International Student Advising.

For information related to your financial activity at UBC, you can view the relevant Workday tutorial. Several online payment options are available. For information about how tuition is calculated, please visit Undergraduate Tuition Fees.

Please contact your Enrolment Services Advisor for information about tuition, payments, scholarships, bursaries, or other financial inquiries.

If you have scholarship forms that need any official stamp for approval, please visit Enrolment Services.

Workday is an application used for applications, tuition, finances, grades, and much more. Students can access Workday here.

If you are experiencing technical difficulties with Workday, please consult the Workday help website.

Campus-Wide Login (CWL) is designed to give you access to UBC’s online applications with the same username and password. The CWL system provides access to many of the University’s online systems, such as the Student Service Centre, and Canvas.

UBC primarily communicates with students through email. It is very important that students keep their contact information up-to-date on Workday.

Students at UBC pay a variety of student fees, which are used to give students a variety of resources, benefits, and services. You can find a fee breakdown at AMS Fees.

The U-Pass BC program is a subsidized transit pass program that provides post-secondary students with universal, accessible, and affordable access to public transit across Metro Vancouver. This is a monthly 3-zone pass for Metro Vancouver transit. To find out more, or to learn about U-Pass exemption, please visit AMS U-Pass BC.

The AMS/GSS Health & Dental Plan was designed by students for students to take care of expenses not covered by basic health care plans, such as British Columbia’s Medical Services Plan (MSP), equivalent provincial health care plans, and private basic plans. The comprehensive Plan covers prescription drugs, dental care, psychologist visits, travel health coverage, vision care, and much more. For more information or instructions for opting out of the student health plan, please visit Health and Dental AMS.

Canvas is UBC’s primary learning platform for delivering online course content. It includes features such as quizzes, assignments, discussions, and mobile apps. You can access Canvas at canvas.ubc.ca and log in with your CWL.

Several other learning tools including iClicker, WeBWorK, peerScholar, and ComPAIR are integrated with Canvas. You will learn if you need these for your courses in your course syllabi.

Common engineering software (such as MATLAB and Solidworks) is installed in University Computer labs. There is also a variety of discounted and free software available to Engineering students.

For information about UBC Residence, please visit Student Housing UBC.

For information about finding housing off campus, please visit:

• Living Off Campus
• AMS Housing
• Off Campus Resources

UBC offers a variety of resources to students for addressing mental and physical health concerns:

• Engineering Embedded Counsellor – Gordon Lai
• UBC Counselling Services
• Sexual Assault Support Centre (SASC)
• Sexual Violence Prevention and Response Office (SVPRO)
• Student Health Services
• Wellness Centre

And many more. Please visit Health and Wellbeing or Campus Lightbox for a comprehensive list of wellness resources available to students.

Feeling overwhelmed by the number of resources? Please contact us if you need assistance navigating UBC to find the right resource for your situation.

If you need crisis support or you’re currently in distress, the following resources are available 24 hours/day, 7 days/week:

• Emergency Services: 911
• UBC Campus Security: 604.822.2222
• Hope for Wellness Line offers immediate mental health counselling and crisis intervention to all Indigenous peoples across Canada. 1-855-242-3310
• Vancouver Crisis Line: 1.800.784.2433
• Access & Assessment Centre (walk-ins 7:30am – 9:30pm): 604.675.3700
• Victim Link: 1.800.563.0808
• Urgent Care, UBC Hospital: 2211 Wesbrook Mall (8am – 10pm). Urgent care or go to the nearest hospital emergency department.

UBC, AMS, and Engineering offer students many opportunities to go beyond the classroom. Get involved on campus:

• Student Unions
  • The Engineering Undergraduate Society (EUS) is the Engineering faculty’s student union, responsible for things such as the Engineering Reds, E Week, Christmas Caroling, and more. Learn about getting involved here.
  • The Alma Mater Society (AMS) is UBC’s student union. They run the UBC Nest, plan events such as Block Party and Welcome Back Barbeque, provide students with support, resources, and advocacy, run and fund student clubs, and much more. Learn about getting involved here.
• Engineering Design Teams
  • At UBC, we have 35 different Engineering Design Teams where students volunteer their time to work collaboratively on design projects and gain hands-on experience. Learn more here.
• Entrepreneurship
  • Explore entrepreneurship opportunities for engineering students here.
• AMS Clubs
  • AMS offers a wide variety of clubs, ranging from sports, ethnic and religious societies, hobbies, non-profits, and much more. Learn more here.
• Professional Development and Experiential Learning
  • UBC Applied Science’s Experiential Learning Hub (E-Hub) is designed to give students an edge in a constantly evolving job market through involvement in a variety of action-based programs and workshops. Here, students can discover and connect with hands-on learning opportunities that allow them to forge professional networks, enhance written and verbal communication skills, and upgrade their emotional intelligence and inclusive leadership abilities.
• Recreational Sports
  • UBC Rec has drop-in classes, intramural leagues, and of course, the famous Day of the Longboat and Storm the Wall..

For more information on extra-curricular opportunities, please visit Get Involved on Campus.

There are a variety of resources available to UBC students, including:

• AMS Support and Services
  • AMS Ombudsperson, SASC, U-Pass, Health Plan, resource groups, free menstrual products
• Academic and Learning Resources
  • Library Services, peer coaches and tutors, study spaces
• Student Support and Resources
  • Academics, money, health, career, and more
• International Student Advising
  • If you have questions about life as an international student, International Student Advising is here to help. International Student Advisors are Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultants (RCICs) or Regulated International Student Immigration Advisors (RISIAs) who can support you in your experience as a UBC international student.
• Enrolment Services Advisors
  • If you are an undergraduate student in a degree program, you are assigned a dedicated Enrolment Services Advisor (ES Advisor) to help you navigate UBC. You can ask them questions on topics like making a budget, applying for loans, understanding UBC regulations and processes, and more. 
• Centre for Accessibility
  • The Centre for Accessibility facilitates disability-related accommodations and programming initiatives designed to remove barriers for students with disabilities and ongoing medical conditions in all aspects of university life.
• Indigenous Portal
  • Indigenous students collegium, orientations, indigenous student advising

If you are entering your first year at UBC Vancouver and coming directly from high school, you are eligible to register for Jump Start. The five-day program is designed to give you a first look at university life, let you meet your professors and academic community, and help you make your first friends at UBC Vancouver!

There are different programs designed for students staying in residence, and those commuting to campus throughout the year. Learn more at Jumpstart UBC.

On the first day of Winter Term 1, all classes are replaced by Imagine UBC Day with the single exception of those classes that start at or after 5:00 pm and meet only once per week.

You will have the chance to meet some great people including your Dean, some of your future professors, and other students. It will be an opportunity to learn about your new academic environment and the specific expectations of your faculty. Find out more at Imagine UBC.

To learn about the typical course format, evaluation, and more, please visit Introduction to UBC Classes.

To learn about UBC’s grading practices, please visit Grades.

Classes at UBC run with 10 minute breaks at the end of the class periods. For example, a course scheduled from 1:00-2:00pm actually runs 1:00-1:50pm, with a 10 minute break to get between classes.

As UBC is a large campus, we would recommend checking your class locations to see if getting between classes is doable in 10 minutes.

UBC runs a few prep courses every year in Writing and Math through Academic Essentials.

EAS also recommends students self-study the C programming language if they have no prior coding experience.

Course booklists can be found on each individual course listing on Workday.

Textbooks can be ordered online or bought in person from the UBC Bookstore. You can also print your booklist at the UBC bookstore by scanning your student card, or entering your student number.

It is recommended to wait until class has started to buy textbooks, as the booklist may change.

We recommend a computer with the following minimum specifications:

·         Intel Core i5 or equivalent processor (ideally i7)

·         minimum 16GB RAM (ideally 32GB)

·         256GB drive

·         Ideally, a dedicated graphics card to run Solidworks, etc

·         The latest, fully updated operating system

·         Updated antivirus software

·         Built-in camera or webcam

·         Recommended: headset with microphone

Windows is recommended for Engineering students, to run software such as SolidWorks, but Apple users can always use a program like Boot Camp to run Windows-only software. 

A budget-friendly gaming laptop is a good option (such as, Acer Nitro 5, HP Victus 15, Razer Blade 15, etc). 

Common engineering software (such as MATLAB and Solidworks) is installed in University Computer labs. There is also a variety of discounted and free software available to Engineering students.

Before the add/drop deadline of each term, you may add, drop, or change your courses on Workday without having the record of registration shown on your academic record. The add/drop deadline can be found on Course Change Dates.

For all course registration requests, including section switches, credit limit increases, or course conflicts, please refer to the Registration Requests page.

Please note there are eligibility requirements for these requests. We are unable to accommodate requests that do not meet the eligibility guidelines.

Please Contact EAS.

Students can find the full first year program on the Course Planning page.

Additionally, students can find program information relevant to their situation on the First Year Registration and Transfer Student Registration pages.

For any questions about first year requirements, please Contact EAS.

Please refer to Second Year Placement.

Students can find the complementary studies requirements for the BASc program on the Course Planning page.

For any questions about complementary studies requirements, please Contact EAS

Upper-year program requirements can be found on the program’s website or in the UBC Calendar.

For any questions about upper year program requirements, please contact your Program Advisor.

Please refer to Minors and Dual Degree.

Please refer to Academic Standing.

There are a variety of academic supports available to Engineering Students. Please refer to Academic Support for more information.

Please refer to APSC 100/101 Course Equivalencies.

Please refer to Interdepartmental Transfer.

Please contact EAS if you have questions about first year or complementary studies requirements.

Please contact your program advisor if you have questions about upper year requirements.

EAS will conduct a preliminary check between mid-July and the end of August on the first year and complementary study requirements on students who are registered in Year 4 and 5 of the program. Students who may have a deficiency in these requirements will be notified. For other deficiencies or questions related to program-specific requirements in Year 2 and above, students are advised to see their program advisor.

If you have questions about graduation previous to this time, please contact EAS for your first year and complementary studies requirements, and your program advisor for upper year requirements.

Please review our Workday webpage for Engineering students for information on the accuracy of your Academic Progress Report.

Camosun Bridge Program is a block transfer whereby transfer credits are not noted. Your APR will be updated manually by EAS during your graduation check review before your final year.

No. You can only take a maximum of 3 credits of a language to apply toward your humanities requirement, even if the courses are in different languages.

Yes! Please refer to our Academic Leave page.

Please refer to the Transfer Credits page.

As APSC 100/101 are first year introduction to engineering courses, they aren’t relevant for upper year students. For this reason, upper year transfers and students who failed the course in first year are not required to retake the course. Instead, they will take equivalent upper year credits.

Please refer to APSC 100/101 Course Equivalencies for more details.

• Short answer: A W standing will replace the final grade on your transcript if you drop the course prior to the W deadline.

• Long answer: Every course a student registers for will be permanently recorded on their UBC transcript. A student may withdraw from a course with a W standing, prior to the published deadline, usually set to the end of the sixth week after the beginning of classes.
  • A W standing will appear on the transcript, in place of a final grade. W standings are excluded from all GPA calculations. The W standing will remain on the student’s transcript, even if they repeat the course in a future term. No tuition refunds will be offered for withdrawn courses after the published deadlines.

EAS requires a minimum of 5 business days to assess SD requests. It is normal to expect that you will not have an answer to your request in advance of the scheduled date of the final exam. Most requests will receive a response in 5-7 business days. Requests that require additional information or advising meetings may take longer to assess.

If your request is submitted by the end of term, you will receive a response to your request no later than:

• Winter Term 1 (Sept-Dec): January 30
• Winter Term 2 (Jan-Apr): May 30
• Summer Term 1 (May-Jun): July 30
• Summer Term 2 (Jul-Aug): September 30

Academic concession requests may be refused on the following grounds:

• you have made repeated requests for academic concession over multiple terms
• you have not completed an adequate amount of the coursework
• you have already written the final exam
• you did not make the request in a timely manner
• if required, you have not provided supporting documentation to substantiate the request

All requests are considered on a case-by-case basis and the faculty reserves the right to deny a request.

Requests for academic concession should be made as soon as possible, generally within 72 hours of the missed coursework. Concession requests should be made no later than:

• January 15 – Winter Session, Term 1
• May 15 – Winter Session, Term 2
• September 15 – Summer Session (both terms)

Unless otherwise arranged or stated on the UBC SD exam website, all standing deferred exams are coordinated centrally by Enrolment Services and are written during the Standing Deferred exam period (late July/early August for the winter session and November for the summer session).

Note: an alternate writing date can be earlier but not later than the official SD exam period offered by Enrolment Services

Dates for SD exam periods are found on the Student Services website.

No. There are some courses that are scheduled differently. Please refer here to see Course Exceptions.  

If you’ve been granted a Deferred Standing for a missed final exam, you’ll normally be expected to apply to write the SD exam during the official deferred exam period unless otherwise indicated by your instructor, your home advising office, or the department offering the course. While some instructors may be able to offer you an earlier opportunity to take a deferred exam, they are under no obligation to do so.  

For SD exams written in the SD exam period, enrolment services is in charge of creating the exam schedule. If you have questions or concerns, please contact them at student.exams@ubc.ca. For emergency Standing Deferred inquiries, please call 604-999-8135.

An off-campus exam may be an option if you have Standing Deferred (SD) and you’re located outside Metro Vancouver during that period. Depending on your location, you might be able to write the exam in a UBC Partner Exam Centre or other off campus location. Not all departments will allow off-campus exams. Please check with your instructor to see if your SD is eligible for this option.

Students granted Deferred standing in Winter Session courses must complete all outstanding course requirements by August 23 of the following summer. Students granted Deferred standing in Summer Session courses must complete all outstanding work by December 25 of the same year. 

If you are unable to complete your standing deferred exam due to extenuating circumstances, you may appeal for additional academic concession. You must submit current documentation of your extenuating circumstances to support your appeal. To submit an appeal for additional Academic Concession contact EAS directly.

If your standing deferred exam is not completed by the end of the SD period, the SD will be removed from your record and your sessional average will be calculated using all posted grades and a grade of 0 for any courses without a grade. Your sessional average will be recalculated if the course is later withdrawn or a change of grade is submitted.

First-year students should be aware that receiving a Standing Deferred (SD) status may result in a delay in their second-year placement and the issuance of their Academic Standing. Students with SD exams can anticipate receiving the second-year placement notification in late August once the results of their exams and course grades have been finalized. Students will not be penalized in the placement process as a result of their SD standing, however, you will not be able to register for the upcoming winter session until the placement is finalized which may limit your ability to register in your first-choice timetable and classes.

Upper-year students (years 2 – 5) should be aware that receiving a Standing Deferred (SD) status may result in a delay in the issuance of your Academic Standing. This means you may not be able to register for the upcoming winter session until the results of your exams and course grades have been finalized. This may limit your ability to register in your first-choice timetable and classes.

Please contact your program advisor for all upper year course registration issues.

First-year students should be aware that receiving a Standing Deferred (SD) status may result in a delay in your second-year placement and the issuance of your Academic Standing. Students with SD exams can anticipate receiving the second-year placement notification in late August once the results of their exams and course grades have been finalized. Students will not be penalized in the placement process as a result of their SD standing, however, you will not be able to register for the upcoming winter session until the placement is finalized which may limit your ability to register in your first-choice timetable and classes.

When registration opens, and you have SD Exams Pending, you will not be able to register for courses if your SD courses are pre-requisites for any of the courses you are trying to register for. You will wait until mid to late August once all final grades for the exams are submitted and you have fulfilled the pre-requisite courses. Please refer here to check if your SD course is a pre-requisite for any of your second year courses. First Year Program > Pre-requisites for Engineering Programs. 

Example) You will not be able to register in MATH 253 if you have an outstanding SD in MATH 101

Please contact EAS if you are having Canvas access issues.

Instructors make decisions about in-term concessions. EAS is not involved in the decision-making for in-term concessions.

Please attempt to contact your instructor – by email, through Canvas, by visiting office hours, or after class time. As instructors can be very busy, please allow 5-7 business days for responses to emails.

If you have made attempts to contact your instructor but have been unsuccessful, please contact EAS. An advisor will attempt to contact the instructor on your behalf.

No, having in-term concessions will not disqualify you from getting an SD on your final exam. However, it will be considered when assessing your overall eligibility for an SD.

Choosing to withdraw from a course may impact your eligibility for promotion or graduation.

• Short answer: A W standing will replace the final grade on your transcript if you drop the course prior to the W deadline.

• Long answer: Every course a student registers for will be permanently recorded on their UBC transcript. A student may withdraw from a course with a W standing, prior to the published deadline, usually set to the end of the sixth week after the beginning of classes.
  • A W standing will appear on the transcript, in place of a final grade. W standings are excluded from all GPA calculations. The W standing will remain on the student’s transcript, even if they repeat the course in a future term. No tuition refunds will be offered for withdrawn courses after the published deadlines.
• What does a W mean for my long-term future?
  • The long-term impact of a W standing may be less dire than many students may think. While it is realistic to be concerned that taking a W could potentially add more time to complete your degree, it is much less likely to be impactful to your future employment prospects.
  • As for grad schools, one or two W grades on your transcript are unlikely to be viewed as a negative, especially considering the Engineering program’s heavy course load. However, a consistent pattern of W’s may signal trouble with time management or with anticipating workload.
  • If notice a pattern of W’s emerging on your transcript, consider meeting with your academic advisor prior to registration to build a more manageable course plan.

Here are some questions to ask yourself:

• Have you tried UBC’s free resources for academic support?
• Is this course a pre-requisite for any future courses I need to take?
  • If YES: when is the next Term this course will be offered? Check SSC to find out which Terms have offered this course in the past. An academic advisor’s help can be valuable to figure this out.
• Do you know for certain that you are going to fail this course?
  • IF YES: What is your projected sessional average? Are you at risk of failed year standing?
    • IF YES: If failed year standing is a real possibility, a W standing may be better than an F grade.
    • IF NO: Consider attempting to complete the course.
      Think of it this way, if you take a W, you know for certain you will need to repeat the course. If you attempt to finish, there is still a chance that you can pass the course and remain on track to complete your degree on schedule.
• Will dropping this course mean you no longer meet the definition of full-time enrollment, in order to maintain:
  • Your financial aid and/or awards?
  • Your UBC residence contract?
  • Your eligibility to work on/off-campus with your study permit?
  • Your eligibility for your post-graduation work permit?

Learn more: how to calculate your course load

The decision to take a W standing can be complex, but the good news is you don’t have to make this decision on your own. Academic advising is here to help you navigate your options, plus any concerns you may have about your academic progress. We look forward to meeting with you to help you make a confident decision about whether W standing is the right choice for you.

Withdrawing from a course also changes the number of credits a student is registered for, which could change their status from full-time enrolled to part-time enrolled. Maintaining full-time student status can be important for financial aid, awards, UBC residence contracts and international students with study permits.

Learn more: UBC enrollment definitions for immigration purposes

No credits will be granted for a course with W standing. A course with W standing cannot be used to meet prerequisites for future courses. If you take a W for a required course, you will need to take that course again and start it from the beginning and pay tuition fees. Taking a W for a course can delay progression in your program, especially for Engineering students, which is why it may be helpful to consult with your program’s academic advisor first. Most Engineering courses are offered only once per year during Winter session, with few courses offered over the Summer.

For first year students, please note that in order to be eligible for second year placement, you must complete a minimum of 27 credits from the first year Engineering curriculum before April 30. We strongly recommend that you plan to complete all of your first year requirements as early as possible to keep pace with your program and build up a foundation for success in your upper level classes. Please note that only a limited selection of Engineering courses are offered during the Summer Term each year. Researching which courses were offered last Summer in SSC can help you make an informed plan.