Computer Science at the University of British Columbia, offered as a Bachelor of Science through UBC's Faculty of Science on the Vancouver campus, is one of UBC's most oversubscribed and selective undergraduate programmes, competing directly with the university's Sauder Commerce and Applied Science (Engineering) degrees for the title of hardest UBC programme to get into. For applicants weighing UBC against other major Canadian computer science programmes (Waterloo, Toronto, McGill), UBC's pitch is a top-45-globally ranked research university in a genuine Pacific tech hub, with direct proximity to Vancouver's growing tech sector and easy pipelines into major US West Coast employers.
This guide walks through what UBC publishes on acceptance rates, cost, requirements, English-test rules, and where Computer Science graduates go on to work.
Acceptance Rate: What UBC Actually Publishes
UBC does not publish one official university-wide acceptance rate, and third-party aggregate estimates conflict enormously (commonly ranging from roughly 44% at the Vancouver campus to as high as 71% at UBC Okanagan or in some more recent third-party estimates), so UBC's own university profile leaves this figure as officially unpublished rather than fabricated from unreliable secondary sources.
What is more useful for Computer Science specifically is this site's own programme-level breakdown, drawn from published UBC admissions data:
- Computer Science acceptance rate: approximately 25-30%, one of the most competitive programmes at UBC alongside Sauder Commerce and Engineering
- This sits well below the broad Arts (60-65%) or Sciences (55-65%) undergraduate averages, confirming Computer Science's status as one of UBC's hardest programmes to enter
See UBC's full acceptance rate breakdown by faculty and programme for the complete picture across all of UBC's programmes.
On the grades side, since UBC does not use a GPA, SAT, or ACT: UBC's own general admission standard cites a floor in the high-60s to low-70s percentage range as the absolute minimum to be considered, while competitive benchmarks for Computer Science specifically run from the high 80s into the low-to-mid 90s (percentage average), with IB applicants typically expected in the low-to-mid 30s (out of 45) and A-Level applicants around B/B+ or higher.
Fees and Cost of Attendance
| Cost Item | Amount (USD/year) |
|---|---|
| International tuition (Computer Science BSc) | $37,476 (approximately CAD $53,082) |
| Domestic (BC-resident) Arts/Science rate | $4,378 (not comparable to the international rate) |
| Living expenses | $16,164 (IRCC's official minimum proof-of-funds threshold) |
| Estimated total cost of attendance | $52,544-$53,640 |
UBC does not publish one university-wide tuition rate; Computer Science, taught through the Faculty of Science, runs meaningfully higher than the general Bachelor of Arts rate but below Sauder Commerce or Applied Science/Engineering. Living expenses above use Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada's official minimum proof-of-funds threshold for a single study permit applicant (CAD $22,895/year, effective since September 2025) as a standardized, well-documented proxy, since UBC's own first-year cost estimator is an interactive online calculator without one fixed published annual figure. UBC's application fee is CAD $173.25 (approximately USD $122) for applicants on a Canadian study permit.
Admission Requirements
Computer Science admission runs through UBC's own Applicant Portal (myapplication.ubc.ca), not a shared national or provincial system:
- UBC Applicant Portal application, UBC's own online system (there is no UCAS, Common App, or BC-wide centralized portal)
- Official Grade 11 and Grade 12 (or final two years of senior secondary school) transcripts, in your home curriculum
- Self-reported grades entered directly into the portal, later verified against official transcripts after an offer is made
- Personal Profile, UBC's required holistic written supplement covering extracurricular activities, leadership, and personal circumstances
- English language proficiency test scores, unless exempt (see below)
- Program-specific senior secondary prerequisite coursework (commonly Precalculus 12 for STEM programmes including Computer Science)
The application deadline is January 15 for most direct-entry Vancouver campus programmes, with decisions rolling from February through June.
How to Get Into UBC's Computer Science Programme
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Target UBC's competitive Computer Science benchmark, not the general admission floor. While UBC's absolute minimum sits in the high-60s to low-70s percentage range, Computer Science applicants are realistically competing in the high 80s to low-mid 90s percentage range, so treat this as a genuinely competitive programme rather than a general-admission formality.
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Invest real effort in the Personal Profile. UBC's holistic written supplement, covering activities, leadership, and personal circumstances, carries real weight for a programme as oversubscribed as Computer Science, and generic responses won't stand out against a strong applicant pool.
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Confirm and complete Precalculus 12 (or your curriculum's equivalent) as early as possible, since Computer Science and other STEM programmes at UBC require specific senior secondary prerequisite coursework beyond general academic strength.
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Apply through the UBC Applicant Portal well before January 15, and consider UBC's early submission window (roughly October 1-November 30) if you want to be considered for the Presidential Scholars Awards or, for some programmes, a First Round Offer.
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Clear the IELTS/TOEFL requirement comfortably above the minimum, since a borderline English score adds unnecessary risk to an already competitive application for one of UBC's most selective undergraduate programmes.
English Proficiency Requirement (IELTS/TOEFL)
Computer Science follows UBC's standard undergraduate English-proficiency requirement:
- IELTS: minimum 6.5 overall, no band below 6.0; recommended 7.0
- TOEFL: minimum 90 overall (for tests taken before 21 January 2026); recommended 100
- Waiver: available for four or more consecutive years of full-time study in English at a school in Canada or another UBC-approved English-medium country/curriculum, qualifying grades in specified courses, six transferable university-level English credits, or a prior degree taught and examined in English
For the complete breakdown of UBC's testing policy, see UBC IELTS requirements and UBC TOEFL requirements.
Career Outcomes
UBC does not publish outcomes broken out specifically for Computer Science graduates, but the university's broader undergraduate recruiter data gives a strong proxy, since Computer Science graduates are typically among the most heavily recruited within UBC's undergraduate population:
- Top recruiters (university-wide undergraduate): Amazon, Accenture, Deloitte, KPMG, Bloomberg, and BMO Capital Markets, with Amazon in particular reflecting strong Pacific Northwest tech-sector recruiting given Vancouver's proximity to Seattle
- UBC's location gives Computer Science graduates a genuine pipeline into both Vancouver's growing local tech sector and the broader US West Coast tech industry
- Employment rate and average starting salary specific to Computer Science graduates are not published in our research
FAQ
What is UBC's acceptance rate for Computer Science specifically? UBC does not publish an official programme-level rate, but this site's own breakdown of published UBC admissions data estimates Computer Science at roughly 25-30%, one of UBC's most competitive undergraduate programmes alongside Sauder Commerce and Engineering.
What percentage grade average do I need for UBC Computer Science? UBC's general absolute minimum sits in the high-60s to low-70s percentage range, but competitive Computer Science applicants typically need the high 80s to low-mid 90s (IB applicants in the low-mid 30s out of 45, A-Level applicants around B/B+ or higher), since exact cutoffs shift year to year with applicant volume.
What IELTS or TOEFL score do I need for UBC Computer Science? The standard UBC undergraduate minimum applies: IELTS 6.5 overall (no band below 6.0) or TOEFL iBT 90 overall.
How much does UBC's Computer Science BSc cost for international students? International tuition is approximately USD $37,476/year (CAD $53,082), with an estimated total cost of attendance around USD $52,544-$53,640/year including living expenses.
Does UBC use UCAS, the Common App, or a province-wide portal? No. UBC only accepts applications through its own Applicant Portal at myapplication.ubc.ca. There is no UCAS-, Common App-, or Ontario OUAC-style shared portal for UBC.
Will I need a visa interview to study at UBC? Almost certainly not. Canada's study permit process, run by IRCC, generally does not require a routine in-person interview; most applications are decided from the online application and supporting financial and academic documents.