The latest updates from the MD Admissions team.
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
- 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
- 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
- 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.
MCAT Student Support Program (MSSP) – Applications Now Open for 2026
By Admissions 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
Permalink | No CommentsPre-Interview Evaluation Information & FAQs 2025/2026
By Admissions on Dec 11, 2025
If you received a letter of regret this year, or if you’re wondering what information is shared with applicants who are not invited to interview, the details below explain how applications are evaluated during the pre-interview stage. Please note that on occasion we do make changes to how we share information and what information is shared, but we hope this post provides some useful insight into the types of information provided this year (2025–2026).
OGPA: Overall GPA converted to UBC percentage
AGPA: Adjusted GPA converted to UBC percentage
NAQ Score Range: Your standardized score for the non-academic section. Reviewers are thoroughly trained, files go through consistency checks, and results are standardized to ensure fairness. Because of these safeguards, we do not re-evaluate non-academic files.
My Result: Your combined academic and non-academic standing compared to BC resident and out-of-province cutoffs. Some applicants may see a result that is very close to the cutoff. We review all files carefully and have cross checked all of these files to ensure their accuracy. While your score may be close, they are not be high enough for an interview invitation this year.
FAQs
Feedback
I was not invited for an interview; can I talk/meet with someone to discuss my application? I would like some more feedback
Unfortunately, we are not able to provide individual advising or additional feedback to applicants who did not receive an interview invitation. Information about how we evaluate academic and non-academic components is available on our Evaluation Criteria page. Our Statistics page provides interim data such as average GPAs for the applicant pool and those invited to interview.
I can tell why I didn’t get an interview, but how can I improve that area of my application?
We cannot give personalized feedback or guidance on how to improve specific sections of your application.
Generally:
- Improving your GPA requires taking more courses and earning higher grades. Deciding whether this is worthwhile depends on your circumstances, goals, and resources — only you can make that decision.
- If you take additional courses, remember:
- They must be university-transferable and have letter or percentage grades.
- Only courses completed before Summer 2026 will count toward your GPA for the next application cycle.
For the non-academic section, reviewers look for:
- Longstanding and meaningful commitments
- Leadership
- Work experience
- Service ethic and altruism
- Experience working with diverse groups
- Broad interests and exceptional achievements
It can be helpful to reflect on which sections felt easy to complete and which felt difficult to complete. We also encourage you to focus on your paid experiences. If you did not document the majority of your work history in your non-academic activities section, this could have influenced the result of your evaluation. Re-reading the non-academic guidance on the Evaluation Criteria page may also help guide your future planning.
GPA
I think there is an error in my academic evaluation.
Academic evaluations are based on the grades and credits entered by applicants, then verified with official transcripts. If you believe there is a specific error, please message Admissions through the application system with the details.
Please note: many applicants mistakenly entered incomplete or incorrect course information (e.g., missing courses, excluded failed courses, or used letter grades instead of percentages). The Admissions Office must correct these errors.
I thought I qualified for the AGPA, but it does not seem to have been used.
AGPA eligibility is determined automatically by the application system, based on the course and grade information you entered. The AGPA includes only completed, graded courses, and does not include courses completed in Summer 2025 or later. All grades were verified with official transcripts.
My GPA is slightly below the 75% (BC) or 85% (Out-of-Province) cutoff, but my non-academic experiences are very strong. Why wasn’t I reviewed?
Although we look for excellent non-academic qualities, these must also be accompanied by strong academic performance in order to demonstrate an individual’s ability to succeed in the rigorous MD Undergraduate curriculum. It was determined that GPAs below 75% for BC residents and below 85% for out of province applicants cannot be offset by a strong non-academic score. For this reason, non-academic sections for applicants below the academic cutoff were not reviewed.
My university does not use percentages. How does UBC calculate my average?
Our grade conversion tables and instructions are available on the Evaluation Criteria page.
Non-Academics
I am not happy with my non-academic score range. Can I request another review?
We understand you may wish for a higher score, but we do not re-evaluate non-academic files. Reviewers are trained extensively, files are cross-checked, and scores are standardized to ensure fairness. Although some subjectivity is inevitable, standardization and training minimize its impact.
General
I was not invited for an interview and want to appeal the decision.
We realize the importance of your application and appreciate that the results may be disappointing. Please be aware that we do our best to ensure that our evaluation practices are fair and consistent. Files are often double and sometimes triple checked to ensure accuracy. While we are unable to discuss your application over the phone, you may message Admissions through the application system if you have any specific concerns regarding your file evaluation. Please note that we will not re-evaluate the non-academic section of your file. We will not make appointments with the Dean, Assistant Dean, or Admissions staff to discuss your application.
I’m not sure if I am seeing the right thing under the scores line on my Status Checklist page.
This is what you should see, depending on your application status:
Ineligible: no results
Regrets, Partial File Review: OGPA, AGPA (if applicable)
Regrets, No Interview: OGPA, AGPA (if applicable), NAQ Score Range, and My Result graphic
Invited to Interview: no results
Permalink | No Comments
Important Update: Accessing Applications from Previous Cycles
By Admissions on Oct 15, 2025
Earlier this year, the MD Admissions Office launched a new version of the Online Application System (OAS). As the new system is not connected to the previous platform, applicants from earlier cycles will be affected by this transition.
Previous Applicants (2024-25 Cycle and Earlier)
If you applied during the 2024/25 cycle or earlier and you need a copy of your application data, please contact the Admissions Office at
admissions.md@ubc.ca.
For any questions or assistance with this transition, don’t hesitate to reach out to us at admissions.md@ubc.ca.
Accessing Applications from Previous Cycles
By Admissions on Sep 18, 2025
Early this year, the MD Admissions Office launched a new version of the Online Application System (OAS). As the new system is not connected to the previous platform, applicants from earlier cycles will be affected by this transition.
Previous Applicants (2024-25 Cycle and Earlier)
If you applied during the 2024/25 cycle or earlier, you must use the legacy URL legacy.oas.med.ubc.ca to access your application data.
Please download and save any application materials you wish to keep. Access to the legacy system will only be available until September 30, 2025.
After this date, the legacy URL won’t be accessible. If you need a copy of your application data, please contact the Admissions Office at admissions.md@ubc.ca.
For any questions or assistance with this transition, don’t hesitate to reach out to us at admissions.md@ubc.ca.