Info for current & accepted students
How do I prepare for arrival?
First, make sure you have the right immigration documents to reside and study in Canada. (See the "Immigration documents" section.)
Then, scan these resources:
- New to UBC guide
- Coming from abroad to UBC
- Setting up your phone in Vancouver
- Preparing food in Vancouver
- Money basics, such as setting up a bank account
- Sign up to receive the International Community Update e-newsletter
- Transportation at UBC
- BC tourist attractions
Delayed arrivals
Sometimes hurdles get in the way of arriving on your originally scheduled start date: study permit or visa delays, travel disruptions and so on. If this happens, fill out the Delayed arrival online form so we can update your letter of acceptance and ensure you have appropriate insurance coverage.
If a delay is due to a visa and/or study permit processing times, see the International Student Guide for assistance or submit a web form to talk with an International Student Advisor.
Once you arrive in Vancouver, complete this IMED change of dates form to adjust your medical insurance coverage dates.
The Visiting International Research Student (VIRS) program is considered full-time studies for which accepted students will be engaged in research under the supervision of a UBC faculty member. The research represents a student-institution relationship with UBC, not an employment relationship.
You cannot begin your research without appropriate immigration documents and legal status. Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) sets document requirements, not UBC. Students are responsible for researching the documents they need on IRCC’s website.
If you have questions, contact International Student Advising. Identify yourself as a VIRS student and include your UBC student number, your country of citizenship and the length of time of your VIRS studies.
VIRS students studying at UBC for six months or less do not need a study permit.
Apply for a Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) or Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA)
A TRV or eTA is required to enter Canada as a visitor. Depending on your country of citizenship and nationality, you will either need a TRV or eTA, but not both. Find out which document you need.
If you are applying for a study permit, you do not need to apply separately for a TRV or eTA.
VIRS students studying at UBC for longer than six months must apply for a study permit, as required by IRCC.
Apply for a study permit
Once you are accepted as a VIRS student, you will need a Provincial Attestation Letter (PAL) to apply for a study permit. Go Global will issue PALs to students who are eligible. More instructions on how to request a letter can be found on this page. Once you have both your VIRS Letter of Acceptance (LOA) and your PAL, apply for your study permit. An initial study permit application must be made outside of Canada to the visa office responsible for your country of citizenship or the country in which you are currently residing. You must have a valid study permit before you can begin your research at UBC under the VIRS program.
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Please review this page and access the Study Permit tutorial to learn how to apply for a study permit for your VIRS program.
IMPORTANT: If you plan to extend your VIRS research study period beyond an initial study period of six months, discuss your plans with your supervisor to choose your study period as early as possible. Visitors to Canada—such as exchange, visiting or high school students—who apply for a study permit in Canada cannot study beyond their initial six-month period until their study permit is approved. Read more.
Contact International Student Advising for additional support.
What if IRCC refuses your visa or study permit?
Contact Go Global immediately. We will work with the UBC International Student Advisors to review your case and inform you of your options.
VIRS students are not eligible for UBC housing in on-campus dormitories.
As a VIRS student, you are responsible for finding your own accommodation in Vancouver. That can be challenging and expensive. Start your research early!
Start here:
Before you arrive at UBC to conduct your research, Go Global will register you in a non-credit, non-tuition-bearing course code for full-time studies in academic research.
The code will vary depending on your academic level at your home institution:
- VURS 499 for undergraduate students
- VGRD 500 for master's level students
- VGRD 600 for PhD students
- VGRD 699 for PhD students who have been approved for the Joint Doctoral Research Scholar (JDRS) designation
Do not attempt to update or change this registration yourself. Your registration at UBC is required for you to have access to UBC various services.
Student Status
By registering in any of these course codes, you will be a full-time UBC student. These course codes do not come with credits and are non-tuition bearing.
Every year, some students—particularly those from France and Tunisia—are required by their home university to have an “Internship Agreement” or "Training Contract” signed by UBC in order to participate in VIRS. As a part of the internship agreement review and signing process, UBC requires an “addendum” signed by all the parties: student, home institution and UBC.
Review and signing can take one month or longer after receiving the signed addendum (step 7, below) from the student and home university. So you might receive fully signed documents before or after arrival.* Start this process early!
*Students with the appropriate immigration documentation admitted to VIRS may travel to UBC. However, if you are travelling to Canada before your agreement has been approved by UBC, you assume the risk of the agreement not being approved.
How to:
- Determine your eligibility for the VIRS program.
- Prepare and submit a VIRS application.
- Send Go Global a copy of your signed internship agreement or training contract: email go.global@ubc.ca.
- Go Global will email you a pre-populated addendum with information drawn from your signed internship agreement or training contract.
- Sign the addendum and get signatures from your home institution.
Note: ensure that the signatures provided on your addendum are provided by the same signatories as your internship agreement. - Send: 1) the signed addendum 2) a copy of your internship agreement or training contract to Go Global electronically or as a hard copy for review and signature.
*Note: it is important that you share your internship agreement with Go Global to obtain the signatures required from UBC. - Go Global will send the signed addendum and your internship agreement or training contract to the University Counsel for review. Based on the volume of requests, it can take more than one month for review.
- Go Global will return the reviewed and signed addendum and internship contract back to you.
Note: As a VIRS student, you have “full-time” student status at UBC for immigration purposes. While an internship agreement or training contract can be signed on request by your home university, you will not have an employment relationship with UBC.
Withdrawals
If you need to withdraw from VIRS, inform your supervisor or host department, as well as Go Global by email: go.global@ubc.ca.
We can refund the VIRS program fee if your withdrawal is due to rejection of legitimate immigration document application or rejection of research funding application (eg, government or institution grants, scholarships or awards).
Extensions
Contact International Student Advising for additional support.
- If you would like to extend your time with VIRS, you can extend for up to a maximum total duration of 24 months (including the original study dates), as long as you remain enrolled at your home university and have approval from your host supervisor.
- To request an extension, complete the VIRS Extension Request Form (PDF) and email it to Go Global. Request your extension only after you start the program and, at least 4 months before your end date.
- The program fee is $415* once per one-year period. If your extension increases the total length of your stay at UBC to more than a year, you pay the fee a second time.
- If your extension is approved, we will give you with a letter of extension to use to extend your Canadian study permit or visa, if necessary. You receive your extension letter once you pay the fee.
*Amount is subject to change
Certificates/letters of completion
Go Global does not issue certificates or completions letters for VIRS.* However, you can request one directly from your supervisor. This is at your supervisor’s discretion.
For proof of record—or proof that you are a VIRS student or were once registered—you can order an official UBC transcript through UBC’s Student Services Centre. You will need your UBC CWL, or Campus Wide Login, to log in.
Of you need custom letters for various purposes, such as scholarships or immigration, contact go.global@ubc.ca for assistance.
*PhD VIRS students approved for the JDRS designation: Contact Go Global close to the end of your research study period to have your completion letter issued by Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies.
Connecting to UBC’s secure wireless network
All VIRS students should be able to access the secure network on their laptops and smartphones while on campus. Set this up using the AutoConnect application online. See the steps on the UBC IT website. Use your UBC Campus-Wide Login (CWL) and password to access the network.
U-Pass
VIRS students are not eligible for the U-Pass transit pass.
Library access
You can access UBC library resources online by logging in with your CWL.
Your UBC Card will act as your library card for borrowing materials.
Recreation
Take advantage of UBC's excellent recreational facilities:
The most accessible activities are drop-in sports and fitness classes.
VIRS students pay public or staff rates and do not qualify for the student rates. Try public services through the Vancouver Park Board Community Centres. There are recreation activities in every neighbourhood in Vancouver.
Employment at UBC
If you have a valid study permit and you are full-time—all VIRS students are considered full-time for immigration purposes—you are eligible to work on-campus in jobs not related to your research. You are eligible to work during the dates you are a VIRS student.
As a VIRS student, you cannot be employed by UBC for activities related to your research. This includes positions such as a Teaching Assistant or Graduate Research Assistant. You are not eligible to work off-campus as you are not enrolled in a program that leads to a degree, diploma or certificate at UBC.
Make sure you meet the requirements to work in Canada and be sure to apply for a Social Insurance Number before working.
Funding
VIRS students are usually self-funded, sponsored by their home institution or funded through an external source. Your UBC faculty member might agree to provide reimbursement or an award for some of your UBC expenses. However, this is at the discretion of your UBC faculty member who has agreed to act as your host supervisor, as well as the affiliated department.
Whether you are self-funded or supported by another party, ensure you have sufficient funds to support your stay in BC. Researching the cost of living in Metro Vancouver and budgeting accordingly is important. Review our VIRS budget section to learn more how to plan and prepare.
UBC owns all intellectual property and including but not limited to any research, reports, data or other material, whether or not such material gives rise to intellectual property, created by or on behalf of UBC, including contributions made by the VIRS student. In the event the VIRS students’ work during their placement at UBC gives rise to a patentable invention ownership and mobilization of that invention will be determined in accordance with the policies and procedures of UBC.
Copyright in academic material produced by the VIRS student in accordance with the academic requirements of their program, including without limitation theses, papers or internship/placement reports (“Academic Material”), will be determined in accordance with the policies and procedures of UBC.
If you have questions or concerns, please contact Go Global (go.global@ubc.ca)