UBC’s waitlist is a bit complicated, so we hope these FAQs will help to answer some of your questions about how the waitlist works. These questions are mostly reprinted from an earlier post – we have not made changes to how we handle the waitlist this year.
Waitlist questions: applicants who have an application status of Waitlisted
1. Can you tell me where I am on the waitlist? How long is the waitlist?
No, sorry. Our waitlist is more complicated than most due to the four sites, and we don’t reveal where applicants are on it, how long it is, how quickly it’s moving, etc.
2. When will you send the next round of offers?
It will be after the deadline for this round (Friday, May 26). We will try to send them on Monday the 29th or Tuesday the 30th and will update the blog when the next round has gone out.
3. I am on the waitlist but received an offer from another Canadian medical school. Can I accept the offer at the other institution but still remain on the waitlist for UBC?
Yes, that’s fine. If you get an offer from UBC and want to accept it you will need to withdraw your acceptance from the other school.
4. How long will I be on the waitlist?
That really depends on how many people decline their offers. We don’t give estimates or chances or anything like that to applicants because we don’t know how many people will decline, either. We usually try to shorten the waitlist at some point during the summer, but unfortunately it’s possible to stay on the waitlist until late August.
Waitlist questions: applicants who have received an offer
1. I received an offer, but it wasn’t to my first choice site. What are my options?
a. You can accept the offer and most likely stay on the waitlist for your first choice site (and second choice and third choice sites, if applicable). There are a couple of rare exceptions, which is why we say you will “most likely” stay on the waitlist – applicants who selected the NMP but did not complete the Rural Training section of the application will not be waitlisted for the NMP, for example. However, the majority of applicants will be on the waitlist for their preferred site(s). This happens automatically so you don’t need to contact us about it. Please note that if you accept the offer, you are agreeing to go to the site listed on your Response to Offer form. You will not be able to change sites unless you get another offer.
b. You can decline the offer to that site and most likely stay on the waitlist for your more preferred site(s). Same as above – the vast majority of applicants will be waitlisted for their preferred site(s), and this will happen automatically. The difference is that you are declining the offer and the site. This is taking a risk since you may not get an offer to a more preferred site, but sometimes you know a particular site just won’t work for you, and in this case it’s better to free up the spot for someone else. Please note that accepting or declining the offer won’t make a difference in terms of your position on the waitlist for your preferred site(s) – your waitlist position will be the same either way.
c. You could decline UBC completely. This would remove you from the waitlist and you would not get any further offers from us.
d. You could not submit the Response to Offer form at all (although we would prefer you did!). Not submitting the form removes you from the waitlist for your preferred site(s) and prevents you from receiving any other offers from UBC
2. Is my position on the waitlist of my preferred site(s) affected by accepting or declining an offer to a less-preferred site?
No, your position is the same whether you accept or decline the offer.
3. What if I have accepted an offer to my second (or third or fourth) choice and have decided I want to stay there? Do I have accept an offer to my first choice site if I get one?
You can stay at a less-preferred site if you want. We will take you off the waitlist for your preferred site(s). Please email us to let us know, and be aware that this decision is final. You will not be able to be put back on the waitlist for your first (or second, etc) choice site.
4. What if I have received an offer to my first choice site but I want to go to my second (or third or fourth) choice?
If you receive an offer to your first choice site you will have to stick with that site. You won’t be given any other offers. This assumes you have not already accepted an offer to the second (or third or fourth) choice site – if you have please see #3 above.