FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

For both the MSc and PhD programs, the program admission requirements include: 

• The Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies establishes the minimum admission requirements common to all applicants, usually a minimum overall average in the B+ range (76% at UBC). The graduate program that you are applying to may have additional requirements. Please review the specific requirements for applicants with credentials from institutions in: 
  • Canada or the United States 
  • International countries other than the United States 
• Admission to the Master of Science (MSc) or Doctor of Philosophy in Science (PhD): The GSAT   program requires a strong academic background in any area of the life and molecular sciences; this could include basic sciences applied science, medical sciences, agricultural sciences, computational biology, pharmaceutical sciences, or forestry. 
• English Language Proficiency. Applicants whose prior degree is from a university outside Canada in which English is not the primary language of instruction must provide official results of an English language proficiency examination as part of their application. Tests must have been taken within the last 24 months at the time of submission of your program application, and the results must be sent to UBC directly from the testing agency. TOEFL, IELTS, CAEL, PTE are considered acceptable tests; you may refer to the UBC Grad Studies page for a complete list of acceptable testing agencies.
  • The minimum TOEFL internet-based score required for a Genome Science and Technology graduate program application is 100, with a minimum score in each component: Reading – 22; Writing – 21; Listening – 21; Speaking – 22.  
  • For IELTS, a minimum overall band score of 7.0 is required, with a minimum score of 6.0 in each component of the academic (NOT general) test. 
  • If you completed your degree credential in a non-English speaking country but your university’s primary language of instruction is English, we require an official letter from the University Registrar to confirm this. In such cases you may be exempted from language testing. 
• Securing a supervisor: Students selected for the GSAT MSc Rotation Scholarship are not required to secure a supervisor prior to admission to the program. These students will have the opportunity to complete laboratory rotations before selecting a supervisor. All other MSc and PhD applicants must secure a faculty supervisor before they can be admitted to the program. In addition, all applicants must meet the minimum admission requirements established by UBC Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies. 

Yes. To be admitted to the GSAT program, a GSAT faculty member must agree to supervise you and accept you into their research group unless you have been offered the M.Sc. Rotation Scholarship.

All complete applications are available for review by GSAT faculty members. However, applicants are strongly encouraged to contact faculty members whose research interests align with their own and introduce themselves and their application. Faculty members can supervise only a limited number of graduate students each year, so expressing your interest is important. 

If a faculty member agrees to supervise you, they will initiate the admission process. All applicants must also meet the minimum admission requirements established by UBC Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies.

For M.Sc. and Ph.D. programs, it is the applicant’s responsibility to identify and contact potential supervisors whose research interests align with their academic background and research goals. Information about faculty members, their research areas, and contact details are available on our Faculty page.

While applicants may submit an application before securing a supervisor, admission to the program cannot be finalized until a faculty member has agreed to supervise the student. 

The program is unable to recommend specific supervisors or identify which faculty members are currently accepting students, as supervisory availability may change throughout the admission cycle. Applicants are encouraged to review faculty profiles and contact potential supervisors directly to discuss research opportunities and supervision availability.

As part of your application, you must upload PDF copies of your academic records through the online application system. The uploaded transcripts should be scanned from official transcripts issued by your institution(s). In most cases, applicants obtain official transcripts, scan them, and upload the scanned copies for application review. These uploaded files are considered unofficial for admission purposes and will be used during the initial assessment of your application. 

Applicants who receive an offer of admission may be required to submit official transcripts as a condition of admission. Generally, UBC requires one official transcript from each post-secondary institution where an applicant has completed the equivalent of one year or more of full-time study. UBC may also request official transcripts for studies of shorter duration when necessary. 

Official transcripts should not be sent to UBC before an admission offer has been made unless specifically requested by the graduate program.

If you have documents that are issued in a language other than English, then, in addition to uploading digital copies of the documents in their original language, you must also upload a certified literal English translation of your transcripts from your home university’s translation service or a certified English translator.

Unfortunately, the program is unable to conduct pre-assessments or provide evaluations of prospective applicants before a formal application is submitted. 

Applicants are responsible for reviewing both the program-specific admission requirements and the minimum admission requirements established by UBC Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies before applying. Meeting the published requirements does not guarantee admission, as all applications are evaluated competitively through the formal admissions process.

Yes. You may apply before completing your degree. Please submit the most recent transcript available at the time of application. If you are offered admission, the offer will be conditional upon receipt of an official final transcript confirming that your degree has been awarded.