University of British Columbia - Faculty of Applied Science (Engineering)

Consistently ranked among the globe’s elite universities, the University of British Columbia (UBC) is a public research university that prides itself on innovation and its entrepreneurial spirit.  Founded in 1908, it was the first university in the province, and today is ranked among the top 20 public universities worldwide and among the top three in Canada.

Academic Highlights

The Faculty of Applied Science, which includes among other disciplines, UBC Engineering, is committed to an instructional approach that is varied, experiential and engaging. The Faculty's core purpose is to create and apply knowledge to effect enduring, positive change for society.  The degree in Engineering begins with broad principles of engineering in the first year before students before specialising from second year in one of 14 engineering programs.

Location

The main campus is located on Point Grey Peninsula, around 30 minutes from downtown Vancouver, and is known for its arresting backdrop of mountains and ocean. The other campus is found in Kelowna, a city located in the vicinity of Okanagan Lake in southern British Columbia.

Did you know?

In 2015 the new Engineering Student Centre opened on the site of one of UBC’s original buildings, which was devoted to dairy research and cheese-making. To meet standards for sustainability, the new facility reused beams, posts and all the concrete from “The Cheeze,” as the building became known when the Engineering Student Society turned it into their clubhouse in 1980.

Handbook/Catalogue

Please note that UBC does not have a central unit handbook as Monash does. The central unit listing on the website, called the Course Schedule, is considered a timetable of what is being offered each semester. To find further detail on each unit, called courses, you will need to visit the faculty/teaching department page and search for graduate/undergraduate course descriptions.

Please pay close attention to the course and program restrictions on the Register for Courses at UBC on Exchange page.

Engineering students study at UBC under the Coordinated International Experience (CIE) agreement. Students must take the majority of their courses in the Faculty of Applied Science, typically in the following engineering programs that are open to CIE students:

Vancouver campus:

• Electrical and Computer Engineering
• Chemical and Biological Engineering
• Civil Engineering
• Materials Engineering
• Mechanical Engineering

Okanagan campus:

• Electrical Engineering
• Civil Engineering
• Mechanical Engineering

CIE students may request a maximum of two courses per term outside the Faculty of Applied Science. Registration is dependent on course availability. Due to limited capacity in Computer Science, Economics, Commerce, and Physics courses, requests for those courses normally cannot be accommodated.

Units not available to exchange students

• APSC courses - APSC 200 and APSC 293
• CIVL courses - CIVL 200, CIVL 300, CIVL 400 or CIVL 460
• CHEE/ENCH courses - CHEE 408, CHEE 415, CHEE 420, CHEE 421
• ELEC and CMPE courses - ELEC 425, ELEC 472, ELEC 490/ ELEC 498, ELEC 491/ ELEC 492
• ENPH courses - ENPH 455, ENPH 555
• MECH courses - MECH 460, MECH 462, MECH 464, MECH 212, MECH 210, MECH 217, MECH 273, MECH 310, MECH 323
• MINE courses - MINE 445, MINE 471, MINE 448
• MREN courses - No 3rd and 4th year MREN courses will be available in AY2022-2023 (Monash Sem 2 2022 - Sem 1 2023). Limited units will become available in future semesters.
• MTHE courses - MTHE 493 and MTHE 494.

For the course syllabus or outline, UBC has advised to contact the departments/course instructors directly to inquire if syllabi for courses are available.

Full-time Credit Load Equivalents

Academic Calendar

UBC ‘Term 2’ (Monash semester 1): early January – late April
UBC ‘Term 1’ (Monash semester 2): early September– mid-December

See Okanagan's dates and deadlines here.
See Vancouver's academic calendar here.

Note that UBC has two intakes for undergraduate exchange students but if you are applying for exchange in Monash’s Semester 1 (Term 2 at UBC) you must be flexible with your study plan as many units will be full and, therefore, unavailable. For more information, contact Monash Abroad.

Note

• Computer Science is NOT housed in the Faculty of Applied Science
• The listed disciplines are not necessarily exhaustive and other fields of study might also be available at the institution.
• Approval to study particular subjects at any institution is always at the discretion of the departmental/discipline and faculty advisers in your managing faculty(ies) and subject to available places at the host.

Important notes

Monash Engineering students take 3rd or 4th level engineering units at UBC. When applying for engineering units you must show evidence of how you have met the stated pre-requisites.

This program is only for Engineering students. Students from other disciplines should apply here.

Due to the popularity of this partner institution, for semester 1, 2026 onwards Monash students can only apply to study here on exchange for one semester.

This program is not currently accepting applications.

Have you been to the University of British Columbia and want to share your experience? 
Let us know about your exchange via this survey form and your testimonial could be shown here!