The UBC Okanagan International Welcome Award is a no-application award that every new international student receives at the University of British Columbia’s Okanagan campus: CAD 5,000 credited against first-year tuition. It is one of the few Canadian university awards an Indian student does not have to compete for – the only condition is that you list a UBC Okanagan degree as your first choice and enrol.
There is no separate scholarship deadline. Your UBC admission application is the only gate, and UBC issues admission offers from December, with most students’ acceptance deadline falling on 1 May.
UBC Okanagan International Welcome Award 2027: quick facts
Quick facts2026-27
| Scholarship from | University of British Columbia – UBC Okanagan campus, Canada |
| Study level | First year of a full-time undergraduate degree (24 credits in the Winter Session) |
| Award value | CAD 5,000 tuition credit – CAD 2,500 in Winter Term 1 and CAD 2,500 in Winter Term 2 |
| Who can apply | New international students who list a UBC Okanagan degree as their first choice, are admitted and enrol |
| Last date to apply | No separate application or deadline – the UBC admission application is the only deadline |
| Official website | you.ubc.ca – scholarships for international students |
What the UBC Okanagan International Welcome Award is worth
- CAD 5,000 as a credit toward first-year tuition fees at UBC Okanagan.
- Paid in two equal parts: CAD 2,500 in Winter Term 1 and CAD 2,500 in Winter Term 2.
- It is a one-time first-year award, not renewable, and it does not need to be repaid.
- UBC states that the credit appears on your Applicant Service Centre account once classes start in September.
Who receives it automatically
- You must be a new international student at UBC (studying on a Canadian study permit).
- You must list a UBC Okanagan degree as your first choice in the UBC application.
- You must be admitted to that first-choice Okanagan programme and enrol in it.
- You must register for a full-time load of 24 credits in the Winter Session.
- No form, essay or reference letter is needed – UBC applies the credit after you accept your offer.
How the CAD 5,000 is paid out
The award is released in step with your registration. Half lands against Term 1 tuition and half against Term 2 tuition, as long as you stay enrolled in the minimum number of credits in each term. If you drop below a full-time load, the second instalment can be affected, so confirm your course registration before the add-drop deadline.
How it fits with the other UBC Okanagan awards
UBC Okanagan has three separate international entrance awards, and the university applies them on top of each other according to their own rules:
- UBC Okanagan International Welcome Award – CAD 5,000, automatic for every new international student who enrols on a first-choice Okanagan degree. One year only.
- UBC Okanagan Global Elevation Award – CAD 8,000 per year, paid as CAD 4,000 in each Winter term, renewable for up to three additional years (four years or degree completion, whichever comes first).
- UBC Okanagan Bachelor of Commerce International Launch Award – CAD 6,000, for new international students entering the Bachelor of Commerce at UBC Okanagan.
- Vancouver campus awards (International Major Entrance Scholarship and Outstanding International Student Award) are separate and are decided on merit, not automatically.
What you must do, and by when
- Apply to UBC through the standard undergraduate application and put a UBC Okanagan degree down as your first choice – this is the step that makes you eligible for the Welcome Award.
- Apply on a Canadian study permit basis; citizenship changes can affect award eligibility on UBC awards generally.
- Accept your UBC offer by the deadline in your offer letter (UBC says most students’ deadline is 1 May).
- Register for at least 24 credits across the Winter Session so both instalments can be released.
- Check your Applicant Service Centre after classes begin in September to confirm the CAD 5,000 credit.
UBC’s own figures for context: the university devotes more than $35 million a year to awards and financial support for international undergraduate students, and award recipients come from more than 111 countries.
Official links
- Scholarships and awards for international students (UBC)
- Applying to UBC – application steps and deadlines
- UBC financial planning for international students
- UBC Okanagan campus
Related reading: Study abroad scholarships
International scholarships
Class 12 scholarships
Related scholarship posts
- UBC Okanagan Global Elevation Award 2027: $8,000 a year
- UBC International Major Entrance Scholarship 2027
- McGill Entrance Scholarship 2027
Frequently asked questions
For eligible students, yes. UBC states that all international students who list a UBC Okanagan degree as their first choice, are accepted and enrol into that programme will receive the CAD 5,000 award.
No. There is no application form. UBC applies the CAD 5,000 as a credit on your student account after you accept the offer of admission and register.
No. It is a first-year award only, paid as CAD 2,500 in Winter Term 1 and CAD 2,500 in Winter Term 2. The renewable Okanagan award is the CAD 8,000 Global Elevation Award.
They are separate UBC Okanagan awards with separate rules. The Welcome Award is automatic on first-choice enrolment, and the Global Elevation Award is also applied automatically for new international students who enrol at UBC Okanagan; check your award letter for the amounts you are granted.
There is no award-specific deadline. The deadline that matters is your UBC admission application deadline for the intake you want; UBC releases admission offers from December and most students’ acceptance deadline is 1 May.
UBC lists a full-time load of 24 credits in the Winter Session, with 50 per cent of the award applied to Term 1 tuition and 50 per cent to Term 2 tuition, as long as you are enrolled in the minimum number of credits.