University of British Columbia (Fall 2013)

[gnmcclur]

Was recently admitted to the M.A. English Literature program at UBC, and was wondering who else had been admitted as a grad student during this admissions cycle. I'm definitely going to attend since their offer of funding was enough to help out a great deal with my living expenses. Has anyone else considered where they might live in Vancouver? I'm trying to scout out good apartments with fair prices (which, I'm assuming, would be around $1000/month, considering it's an urban location), and I'm hoping to find something in the Downtown area. The campus looks absolutely lovely and I'm really excited to be able to go, especially since I'm an international student from the US, and this particular school is a good choice for English literature.

 

Who else is excited? And are any of the accepted individuals from Canada, and can perhaps give some good advice to international students on living in Vancouver?

Edited March 13, 2013 by gnmcclur

[quilledink]

Hey there! I'm also headed off to UBC in the fall and I'm quite excited! They were also very generous with my funding offer -- it makes living in one of the (allegedly) more expensive cities much easier.

 

I've never lived in Vancouver myself, but I'm Canadian (lived mostly in the Eastern part of Canada). I'm looking at housing on campus for the moment--hoping to avoid the whole looking for a place remotely problem, but honestly I'm just happy to be going to UBC. It looks like a gorgeous campus and a beautiful city.

If you have any questions about Canada, I can probably answer those, but probably not so much about Vancouver....

Edited March 22, 2013 by quilledink

[tribesdude]

Housing at Downtown Vancouver can be quite expensive if you dont have a room mate. I would say $1000 a month minimum, and more so along the lines of $1200-$1500. If it is your first time there you should also consider living on campus in one of the residences. Marine Drive is great, relatively spacious living room, decently sized personal room (unless if you get a studio, which in Marine Drive is fairly big imo), and the rent is cheap ($800/mo). Plus, if you get lucky you can get a fairly great view of the ocean. The benefit of living on campus (I assume most if not all of your classes will be in the point grey campus, since the UBC Robson campus is more for MBA students than anything  else, at least to my knowledge). The benefit for you will be that if you dont know anyone in Vancouver, by living in rez you will have a significantly easier time meeting new people and making your social connections. Plus no hassle commuting (which can be a pain, since buses, although "free" for UBC students because we get a UPass and are fairly good, tent to get packed in the mornings and at around 4/5pm when people are leaving the campus). 

 

If you have any questions about the school, feel free to ask me a question. 

[quilledink]

Hey tribesdude, thanks for the tips! I actually applied to residence at UBC, since I live across the country and don't fancy apartment hunting from 4000km away. I'm just sitting around on a waiting list right now -- is it common for people to get a spot if they're waiting, or do a lot of people wind up looking last minute?

 

Thanks so much!

[tribesdude]

Yes a lot of people usually get off the waitlist,I would say 2000 and below on the waitlist and you are pretty much guaranteed to get of the wait list (at least this was the case 2 years ago, can not really give you an accurate representation now). However, it is still risky, so you should also consider applying to year round housing (I assume you are on Winter session right now, which has the long wait-lists). Year round is based on first come first serve, and if you apply now, I am sure you will get in (there may be a waitlist, but a lot of people move out between may and August so you should get in to that if you apply now). Plus unlike winter session where you have to reapply yearly, with year-round you do not have to reapply at all, so once you get it, you can keep that place till you graduate. 

Edited March 26, 2013 by tribesdude

[quilledink]

Ah thanks! That's really helpful. I'm sitting somewhere around the 200s right now, so it's not completely awful.... I do think I applied to Year-Round Housing though, but I'm not sure. I'll check on that. Thanks so much!

[quilledink]

Does anyone happen to know how essential the grad student orientation is to finding your way around/being a grad student when you get to UBC? I just realized that the orientation is on August 29, but I don't think I'll be able to make it to Vancouver til the 30th.

[parkleejo]

Hello,

 

I'm also attending UBC this Fall in Clinical Psych. Stoked! I heard the grad colleges (Green and St John's college) there are a good place to live on campus. Thoughts?

 

Cheers!

[ntraft]

Hey there. Chiming in with my own introduction.

 

I'm starting an MSc in Computer Science this Fall, hoping to transition into a PhD. I'm absolutely over the moon that I got into UBC, my top choice, and with an RA on top of that. I'll be coming from Boston.

 

I was #21 on the waiting list for a studio at Ponderosa Commons, the new residence that's opening this fall, so I've already been offered housing. Really glad that's out of the way. If you're okay with living in a half-finished dorm (we share some of Marine Drive's facilities until 2015), then you might be able to get a lower number on that waiting list.

 

I heard the grad colleges (Green and St John's college) there are a good place to live on campus. Thoughts?

 

I thought you had to have special qualifications to live at Green and St. John's? One is specifically for interdisciplinary students and the other is for Asian students, or something like that.

 

Has anyone else considered where they might live in Vancouver?

 

I've been out in the working world for 6 years now and have learned to thoroughly detest commuting, so I will never live in downtown Vancouver as long as I'm at UBC. I've heard it's a minimum of 45 minutes, probably more like an hour door-to-door. I'd be more likely to consider an affordable apartment near the 99 B-line.

 

Does anyone happen to know how essential the grad student orientation is to finding your way around/being a grad student when you get to UBC?

 

I'm curious about orientation too. Maybe you should email someone from Admissions and ask them. I'll still attend, but I'm annoyed that orientation is the 29th and I'm not allowed to move into the residence until Sept. 1st. I'll have to grab an AirBnB for the first week I'm there.

Edited June 5, 2013 by ntraft

[quilledink]

Hey there. Chiming in with my own introduction.

 

I'm starting an MSc in Computer Science this Fall, hoping to transition into a PhD. I'm absolutely over the moon that I got into UBC, my top choice, and with an RA on top of that. I'll be coming from Boston.

 

I was #21 on the waiting list for a studio at Ponderosa Commons, the new residence that's opening this fall, so I've already been offered housing. Really glad that's out of the way. If you're okay with living in a half-finished dorm (we share some of Marine Drive's facilities until 2015), then you might be able to get a lower number on that waiting list.

  

I thought you had to have special qualifications to live at Green and St. John's? One is specifically for interdisciplinary students and the other is for Asian students, or something like that.

  

I've been out in the working world for 6 years now and have learned to thoroughly detest commuting, so I will never live in downtown Vancouver as long as I'm at UBC. I've heard it's a minimum of 45 minutes, probably more like an hour door-to-door. I'd be more likely to consider an affordable apartment near the 99 B-line.

  

I'm curious about orientation too. Maybe you should email someone from Admissions and ask them. I'll still attend, but I'm annoyed that orientation is the 29th and I'm not allowed to move into the residence until Sept. 1st. I'll have to grab an AirBnB for the first week I'm there.

Hey there! Yeah, as far as orientation goes, I've decided to try to get into the city a few days early and stay with a friend. Whether or not it's a big deal, I'm still going to be lost (coming from the east cost, never been west!) so a few more days to explore and find my way are probably a good idea, regardless...

 

As far as the grad colleges go, I've actually been accepted into Green -- you're right, it's interdisciplinary, but as far as I understand, it depends a lot on the strength of your application (which is a somewhat long process) and your willingness to apply your research to interdisciplinary ideas (you don't have to be doing an interdisciplinary program, but it probably helps...). St. John's is for international students, I believe...

 

Anyone else getting excited/antsy/nervous about the move and the new school year? Course registration is this week and I'm just a tad freaked out...

Edited June 11, 2013 by quilledink

[sweetpolaris]

Hi everyone,

 

I'll be attending UBC for an M.A. in Asian Studies. I'm coming from the US and have applied for on-campus housing to avoid the hassle of apartment hunting. I'm on the wait list for year-round housing but I'm trying to be positive about getting a place. Overall, I'm really excited about going to UBC, especially since I registered for classes last week! I definitely plan on attending the graduate orientation.

 

I'm happy to see people posting here