Comprehensive reference for international students at UBC.
Housing
For many students, living in residence is a great opportunity to connect with new friends and meet people from many backgrounds and cultures. Other students may prefer the chance to live elsewhere in Vancouver. Whether you choose to live on campus or off, this section will give you helpful information on what to consider as you get settled in.
Totem and Vanier Holiday Break Closure
Important reminder to Totem Park and Place Vanier residents: Residence is closed during the Holiday/Christmas Break. Please plan accordingly. For more information, click here.
Residence
If you decide to live on campus, you’ll be within walking distance of everything you need. UBC is a little city unto itself, complete with theatres, shops, art galleries, museums, concert halls, ice arenas, grocery stores, restaurants, a hospital, and a sports stadium. Make sure you take advantage of what’s available to you on campus.
UBC Student Housing & Hospitality Services offers a variety of types of student housing to meet the needs of different students.
Applying for residence
Demand for on-campus housing in residence is high! Apply for residence when you apply for admission.
Student-family housing
If you have not yet applied, you still can. However, the waiting period for student-family housing is usually one year from your application date.
Single-student housing
If you have not yet applied, you can submit your application in December for the upcoming year.
To find out more about applying for residence, visit the Student Housing & Hospitality Services Residence Application Information web page.
Once you've been accepted
After you’ve been offered a place in residence ("rez"), you’ll receive a link to your online residence guide and residence contract.
If you are an undergraduate student, and you are interested in living in residence after your first year at UBC, please note that there is no on-campus housing guarantee for international students after first year. Spots in residence after first year are assigned in a housing lottery. If you want to live in residence after your first year, you might want to consider applying for a year-round residence, such as Thunderbird or Marine Drive.
Making the most of your residence experience
It’s normal to feel homesick or lonely when you move in to a new place. The following suggestions may help you get over the loneliness, so that you can make the most of your time in rez.
- Ask your Residence Advisors what activities and programs they’re planning, and tell them what kinds of things you’d enjoy.
- It’s amazing how many people you meet when you participate in an activity or join a rez intramural team.
- Sit in the lounge rather than in your room.
- Watch TV with your housemates and take the opportunity to enjoy the show and meet others.
Other residences on campus
Other student housing is available on or close to campus in residences that offer both temporary and permanent accommodation for certain student groups. These spaces are in high demand, so apply early.
Off-campus housing
Apartment hunting can be a daunting task, but the good news is that over one-third of British Columbians rent their home. If they can find a place to live, so can you! The Housing website has gathered resources to help you find off-campus housing. While the information on the Housing website is provided as a service to students, it should serve only as a reference and not as an authoritative document.
- Deciding where to live: Vancouver has many neighbourhoods that offer different advantages to students. Take some time to find out about Vancouver before you start looking for housing.
- Looking for a place: Find out where to look for housing and what to look for.
- Once you’ve found a place: Make it feel like home!
