The latest updates from the MD Admissions team.
Offers 2026 – Round 2 Offers Sent
By Admissions on May 26, 2026
We sent the second round of offers today. Congratulations to everyone who received an offer! The deadline for this round is Tuesday, June 2nd at 12:00 p.m. (noon) PDT, and we will send the next round sometime after this deadline.
Online Application System Outage – AWS Outage
By Admissions on May 09, 2026
If you are receiving a 403 Forbidden error when trying to access the Online Application System (oas.med.ubc.ca) this is due to an ongoing AWS outage which began last night May 8 and is currently ongoing today May 9. The site will not be back online until the issues with AWS resolve. While there is no estimated time for the site to be backup, we hope it may be resolved soon. Thank you for your patience and understanding.
Update 10:39 AM PDT – oas.med.ubc.ca is now reachable once again and you should be able to login. We understand there are still ongoing issues with AWS so there is a chance of intermittent access throughout the day.
Waitlist Questions 2026
By Admissions on May 08, 2026
Many applicants have questions about the waitlist and how it works. UBC’s waitlist is a bit complicated, so we hope these FAQs will help.
Waitlist questions: applicants who have an application status of Waitlist
- Can you tell me where I am on the waitlist? How long is the waitlist? How quickly is the waitlist moving?
Because there are multiple sites/learning communities in the program, our waitlist can be complicated. Unfortunately, we are not able to reveal where applicants are on the waitlist, how long it is, or how quickly it’s moving.
- When will you send the next round of offers?
The deadline for first round offers is Friday, May 22 and we will send the second round of offers in the following days. We will update the blog when the next round has gone out.
- 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.
- How long will I be on the waitlist?
It depends on how many people decline their offers. We can’t provide an estimated wait time because we have no way of knowing how many people will decline their offer. We usually try to shorten the waitlist at some point during the summer, but unfortunately it is possible to stay on the waitlist until late August.
- Can I change my site/learning community preferences? My circumstances have changed and a different first choice would work better for me.
Site/learning community preference selections are final and cannot be changed. However, if you receive an offer to the site/learning community you wish to go to but was not originally your top choice, you can accept the offer and stay at that site/learning community (see question 3 below).
Waitlist questions: applicants who have received an offer
- I received an offer, but it wasn’t to my first choice site/learning community. What are my options?
- You can accept the offer and most likely stay on the waitlist for your first choice site/learning community (and second, third, fourth, and fifth choice sites/learning communities, 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)/learning community(s). This happens automatically, so you do not need to contact the Admissions Office about it. Please note that if you accept the offer, you are agreeing to go to the site/learning community listed on your Response to Offer form. You will not be able to change sites/learning communities unless you get another offer.
- You can decline the offer to that site/learning community and most likely stay on the waitlist for your more preferred site(s)/learning community(s). Same as above – the vast majority of applicants will be waitlisted for their preferred site(s)/learning community(s), and this will happen automatically. The difference is that you are declining the offer and the site/learning community. This is taking a risk since you may not get an offer to a more preferred site/learning community, but sometimes you know a particular location 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 will not make a difference in terms of your position on the waitlist for your preferred site(s)/learning community(s) – your waitlist position will be the same either way.
- You could decline UBC completely. This would remove you from the waitlist and you would not get any further offers from us.
- You could not submit the Response to Offer form at all (although we would prefer you do!). Not submitting the form removes you from the waitlist for your preferred site(s)/learning community(s) and prevents you from receiving any other offers from UBC.
- Is my position on the waitlist of my preferred site(s)/learning community(s) affected by accepting or declining an offer to a less-preferred site/learning community?
No, your position is the same whether you accept or decline the offer.
- What if I have accepted an offer to my second (or third, fourth, fifth or sixth) choice and have decided I want to stay there? Do I have to accept an offer to my first choice site/learning community if I receive one?
No, you do not have to accept an offer to your first choice site/learning community if you are happy with the other site/learning community you were offered. Please message us to let us know so that we can take you off the waitlist for your preferred site(s)/learning community(s). Please be aware that this decision is final. You will not be put back on the waitlist for your first (or second, etc) choice site/learning community.
- What if I have received an offer to my first choice site/learning community but I want to go to my second (or third, fourth, fifth, or sixth) choice?
If your first offer is for your first choice site/learning community, you must remain at that site/learning community. You will not be given any other offers. This assumes you have not already accepted an offer to your second (or third, fourth, fifth, or sixth) choice site/learning community – if you have, please see #3 above.
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Prerequisite Requirement Changes
By Admissions on Mar 27, 2026
Changes to Prerequisite Courses for the UBC Doctor of Medicine (MD) Program
The UBC Faculty of Medicine is updating the prerequisite course requirements for the Doctor of Medicine (MD) Undergraduate Program. As part of our commitment to Truth and Reconciliation and the UBC Indigenous Strategic Plan, we are introducing a new Indigenous Studies course requirement.
This change will be introduced gradually over the next few application cycles.
2026–2027 Application Cycle
Applicants must complete either:
- Two English courses, or
- One English course and one Indigenous Studies course
Applicants will indicate which courses they plan to use to meet this requirement when they submit their application.
- All prerequisite courses must be graded.
- Courses must be completed by April 30, 2027.
- Courses may still be in progress at the time of application, but must be finished by the deadline.
2027–2028 Application Cycle
Applicants must complete either:
- Two English courses, or
- One English course and one Indigenous Studies course
Important changes for this cycle:
- All prerequisite courses must be graded.
- Courses must be completed by April 30, 2027. Starting in 2027/2028, prerequisite courses must be completed by April 30 of the year of application.
- All prerequisite courses must be completed before applying. Applications from individuals who are still finishing prerequisite courses will not be considered.
2028–2029 Application Cycle and Future Years
Applicants must complete:
- One English course, and
- One Indigenous Studies course
Additional requirements:
- All prerequisite courses must be graded.
- Courses must be completed by April 30 of the year you apply.
- All prerequisites must be completed before applying. Applications from individuals who are still finishing prerequisite courses will not be considered.
Please note that in all years, all students must also meet the English language competency requirement for learning at the University of British Columbia. This is a separate requirement from the MD Admissions English prerequisite requirement. Please see the “UBC’s English Language Competency Requirement” section on the Admission Requirements page for more information. Note: the February 15 deadline listed on the UBC English language competency requirement page does not apply to MD Admissions.
For more information on these changes, and to see lists of English and Indigenous Studies courses that meet these requirements, please visit the Prerequisites section of the Admission Requirements page.
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By Susan Chen on Mar 17, 2026
At the UBC Faculty of Medicine we recognize that the path to medical school can be challenging, and we are committed to providing the necessary resources to help our students succeed.
We are pleased to share that the UBC MD Admissions Office is now accepting application for the 2026 MCAT Student Support Program (MSSP).
Offered in collaboration with the Temerty Faculty of Medicine at the University of Toronto, the MSSP is an 11-week program running from early May to late July, designed to support prospective medical students with high financial need and who come from underrepresented communities as they prepare for the MCAT.
This structured prep program provides participants with access to expert-led instructional sessions, MCAT resources, and test-taking strategies to help them feel confident and prepared for the MCAT exam.
Who Can Apply?
This program is open to students and applicants who:
- Are planning to write the MCAT
- Demonstrate high financial need
- Can commit to the full 11-week program
- Are residents of British Columbia (applicants from Yukon, Northwest Territories, and Nunavut will be considered BC residents for this program)
How to Apply
Please apply using the link below:
https://commsupport.wufoo.com/forms/m183mc8f0hi2yc6
More Information
For questions or additional details, please contact the Outreach Coordinator at outreach.md@ubc.ca
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