Application Deadlines
First Nation, Métis, and/or Inuit applicants who are domestic students may contact the program and receive a code to waive the program application fee. In order to make use of this offer, you will need the code before beginning your application file.
1. Find a supervisor
All applicants are required to identify and confirm a supervisor in the WACH program, prior to applying.
View prospective supervisors and their research interests on the Find a Supervisor page.
Please email supervisors directly and attach your curriculum vitae for their review and response.
When you have secured a supervisor, please inform the WACH Program Manager. We will organize a ‘Supervisor Agreement’ document to confirm their willingness and availability to supervise the applicant.
2. Organize required documents
The following documents are required for application to the WACH program:
1. Application form: Completed online application form, with application fee paid.
2. Letters of references:
- Two (2) letters of reference are required.
- Referees should be able to comment on applicant’s strengths in academics, research, and/or professional settings.
- For PhD applicants, 1 reference must be submitted by the applicant’s Master’s supervisor.
- For MSc applicants, applicants should organize 1 reference from their research project supervisor, if one was completed in their undergraduate degree.
- Referees will be sent instructions to complete e-reference forms or upload reference letters to the online application system. Please note: the application system is unable to accept e-mails from Hotmail, Yahoo, Gmail, MSN or other free e-mail accounts.
- Should referees have difficulty accessing the e-reference forms from their regular browser, they are encouraged to access the forms from via a Chrome in Incognito mode or via Firefox.
- Sealed and signed/endorsed envelopes can be mailed to: Attn: WACH Program, C420-4500 Oak St, Vancouver BC, V6H 3N1.
3. Transcripts:
- High quality scan of front and back of official, up-to-date transcripts for all current and previous post-secondary studies.
4. Curriculum vitae (CV)
5. Writing sample: One (1) example of your scholarly writing, such as a term paper or a substantial scholarly paper.
6. Supervisor Agreement: Signed Supervisor Agreement from research supervisor (WACH faculty member). Please follow directions in step 1 to obtain this document.
NB: Applications without a Supervisor Agreement will not be evaluated.
7. Statement of Interest/Intent: A statement of interest, also known as statement of intent and description of research interests, is an important component of your graduate school application. According to a UBC faculty members, “The statement of interest is your opportunity to provide more evidence that you will succeed in your program.”
So how to get it right?
Read the instructions. Visit the website of the graduate program you’re interested in and check what their guidelines might be. These may include page and word count limitations, document upload specifications and specific questions.
Demonstrate fit. Show an understanding of the type of work done in the department, and provide an explanation of what you want to study, which should match up with some of the research interests in the faculty.
Be specific. Why UBC? Why this program? Be clear about what you want to do in the program and how the program can support you.
Be flexible. Indicate your well thought out and informed ideas, but allow them to be malleable. Sketch out a potential research agenda with room for further developmentand show interest in both a particular research area as well as alternative projects.
Be clear. Avoid repetition. Watch out for spelling mistakes and typos, irrelevant personal information, information already contained in other parts of your application, as well as general statements of enthusiasm, empty loyalty, and vague references without any details. Most importantly, don’t forget to proofread.
And if you feel stuck, start with these questions:
- Why are you interested in this field of study?
- What is your background and how does it relate?
- Can you describe your previous research experience and how it has formed your current interests?
- What is your motivation for proposing a particular research path?
- Are you able to connect your area of interest to work being done in the program?
- Is there anything the admissions committee should be aware of that is not addressed in other parts of your application?
7. English proficiency test scores: Applicants from a university outside Canada in which English is not the primary language of instruction must provide results of an English language proficiency examination. Tests must have been taken within the last 24 months at the time of submission of your application.
The minimum English proficiency test scores for the WACH program are as follows:
| Test | Reading | Writing | Speaking | Listening | Overall Score |
| TOEFL | 4.5 | 4.5 | 4 | 5 | 4.5 |
| IELTS | 7.0 | 7.0 | 7.0 | 7.0 | 7.0 |
| Duolingo | 115 | 120 | 120 | 115 | 125 |
Visit www.grad.ubc.ca/prospective-students/application-admission/english-proficiency-requirements for a list of acceptable English proficiency tests, and submission instructions
If English testing services in your region have been interrupted, please contact the WACH Program Manager.
If an applicant is admitted to the WACH program, it is required that all final and official transcripts be received by the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies: https://www.grad.ubc.ca/prospective-students/application-admission/transcripts-academic-documents
3. Complete online application
a. Create a UBC Campus-Wide Login, if you do not already have one: https://activate.id.ubc.ca/iamweb/
b. Complete the online application: https://www.grad.ubc.ca/prospective-students/application-admission/apply-online
c. All supporting documentation and reference submissions must be received and/or uploaded by 2 weeks after the applicable deadline.
Application Deadlines
| For admission in: | Applications open | International applicant deadline | Domestic applicant deadline |
| September 2026 | December 2, 2025 | February 27, 2026 | April 30, 2026 |
| January 2027 | April 15, 2026 | June 19, 2026 | August 22, 2026 |
| May 2027 | August 1, 2026 | October 31, 2026 | December 26, 2026 |
All supporting documentation and reference submissions must be received and/or uploaded by 2 weeks after the applicable deadline.
Deadlines are organized to support students in applying for study permits, etc. Anticipated acceptance dates are based on completion of all elements of the application, and will be communicated at that time.
For questions regarding documentation required for application, please contact the WACH Program Manager.