University of British Columbia · Vancouver · Read 22 October 2026
UBC computer science admission requirements
UBC is unusual among large Canadian universities: a high school student cannot apply straight into computer science. The route runs through a faculty, usually Science, and the computer science specialization comes after first year, with its own competition for seats. This page follows that route from UBC’s own pages, read on 22 October 2026: the Science course requirements for students in British Columbia, Ontario and Alberta, the personal profile, the dates for September 2027 entry, and what the Computer Science department says about the second step. UBC revises these pages, so check each one when your teen applies. We teach the skills; we never forecast a decision.
10,000+ students taught since 2020 · Pre-calculus 12, Math 30-1 and programming · Live online
In short
UBC has no direct admission into computer science: high school students apply to a faculty such as Science, then apply for the computer science specialization during first year. For British Columbia students, UBC Science listed English Studies 12 or English First Peoples 12, Pre-Calculus 12 and a Grade 12 science, plus Chemistry 11 and Physics 11. Modern Age Coders covers the Pre-calculus 12 and Math 30-1 work in Western Canada Grade 12 Math, live online, in a batch or one to one.
Ready for both steps
Three courses for a student aiming at UBC computer science
The first step is the Science admission, which rests on Grade 12 math. The second is first-year performance, which rests on real problem solving. These courses cover both.
There is no direct admission to computer science at UBC
The Computer Science department says so on its admissions page: “there is no direct admission into the Computer Science program, but rather, you need to apply to enter one of the three faculties that offer Computer Science specializations: Science, Arts, or Commerce.”
The two-stage route for a high school student, from UBC’s pages (read 22 October 2026; the arrangement into stages is ours)
Stage
What happens
Whose rules
1. High school application
Apply to UBC and choose a degree such as the Bachelor of Science; meet the Science requirements for your province and write the personal profile
UBC Undergraduate Admissions
2. First year
Study as a first-year Science student, taking courses toward eligibility for a specialization
The Faculty of Science
3. Specialization application
Apply for the computer science specialization through the Faculty of Science Coordinated Admissions Process
The Faculty of Science, with the Department of Computer Science
4. Outcome
If successful, the Faculty of Science notifies the student; if not, the student may try again the following year
The Faculty of Science
Why the structure matters for a Grade 12 student
An offer from UBC Science is an offer to the faculty, not a place in computer science. The department’s first-year procedure page is direct about the second step: it “may not have enough seats to accommodate everyone, and you may need to select a non-CPSC specialization.” CPSC is UBC’s course code for computer science.
That changes how to prepare. Grade 12 marks open the faculty door. What happens in first-year courses decides the specialization, which means arriving at university already able to study mathematics and programming well.
Arts and Commerce routes
The department names Arts and Commerce as the other faculties with computer science specializations. This page follows the Science route, because the Bachelor of Science in Computer Science is the program UBC’s admissions site describes for Vancouver, and its high school requirements are the ones we read.
Students curious about the Arts or Commerce combinations should read those faculties’ own pages. The department also describes a separate process for students moving between faculties.
Sources: UBC Computer Science, admission processes and the department’s procedure page for students with first-year standing in Science, read 22 October 2026. Modern Age Coders has no connection with UBC.
Stage 1 requirements
UBC Science requirements for students in British Columbia, Ontario and Alberta
UBC’s requirements tool shows a list per campus, province and degree. We read Vancouver, Science, for three provinces.
UBC Vancouver, Bachelor of Science: degree-specific requirements by province (UBC requirements tool, read 22 October 2026)
Province
Grade 12 requirements
Grade 11 requirements
British Columbia
English Studies 12 or English First Peoples 12; Pre-Calculus 12; Anatomy and Physiology 12, or Chemistry 12, or Physics 12
SCH3U (Chemistry); SPH3U (Physics), which UBC says may be waived with scores of 86% or higher in senior-level Math and Chemistry
Alberta
English Language Arts 30-1; Math 30-1 or Math 31 (5 credits); Biology 30, Chemistry 30, or Physics 30
Chemistry 20; Physics 20, with the same waiver wording as Ontario
UBC general admission requirements shown for British Columbia applicants (read 22 October 2026)
General requirement
UBC’s wording
Graduation
Graduation from high school
English
Minimum of 70% in Grade 11 or Grade 12 English (or their equivalents)
Course load
At least six academic/non-academic Grade 12 courses (recommended, but not required)
What is assessed
UBC considers grades in all academic Grade 11 and Grade 12 classes, paying special attention to courses related to the degree
Completion
All requirements must be complete by June 30 before the September start
What stands out in the lists
For British Columbia students the math requirement is Pre-Calculus 12, and no calculus course appears on the Science list. For Ontario students it is Advanced Functions, MHF4U, rather than Calculus and Vectors. Every province’s list adds a Grade 12 science and both Grade 11 chemistry and physics.
That science component surprises families who think of computer science as math plus code. At UBC the entry point is a science degree, so the faculty’s general expectations apply.
Courses UBC calls related
The program page lists the subject categories UBC considers particularly relevant for this degree: Language Arts, Mathematics and Computation, and Sciences. With UBC saying it pays special attention to related courses, those categories are the place to put Grade 11 and 12 effort.
The program page also notes that students outside Canada can sometimes use junior-level American courses or IGCSE and O Level courses as Grade 11 equivalents. Canadian students follow their province’s list above.
Writing the examples first: a test-driven check of the BC list
UBC’s list mixes two kinds of line. Some say one of several courses; some name a single course. A good way to make sure a program reads such a list correctly is to write the examples before the code. That habit, called test-driven development, is worth learning before first year. The plans below are invented, and the function only matches course names with the list as published.
Write down what should happen before writing how. A full plan should miss nothing; a plan with no Grade 12 science should miss exactly the science group.
Include a case that tests reading literally. The Science list names Pre-Calculus 12. A plan with Calculus 12 but no Pre-Calculus 12 should report the math group as missing, because the function checks the list, not what a counsellor might accept.
Include the empty case. A plan with nothing in it should report every group, in order.
Only now write the function. For each group, check whether any course in the plan appears among its options; keep the names of the groups where none does.
Run the examples. If an assertion fails, either the code or the example is wrong. Decide which on purpose, never by quietly editing the test.
Keep the examples with the code. When UBC changes its list, update the groups, rerun, and see at once which examples change.
Python · examples first, then missing_groups (ours)python
# UBC Science, BC applicants: which listed course groups does a plan miss? (ours)
# Groups copied from UBC's requirements tool (Vancouver, Science, British Columbia), read 22 October 2026.
GRADE_12 = [
("English", {"English Studies 12", "English First Peoples 12"}),
("Math", {"Pre-Calculus 12"}),
("Science", {"Anatomy and Physiology 12", "Chemistry 12", "Physics 12"}),
]
GRADE_11 = [
("Chemistry 11", {"Chemistry 11"}),
("Physics 11", {"Physics 11"}),
]
def missing_groups(plan):
"""Names of listed groups with no course from the plan in them."""
return [name for name, options in GRADE_12 + GRADE_11
if not any(course in plan for course in options)]
# Examples first: we wrote these four before the function body (ours)
assert missing_groups({"English Studies 12", "Pre-Calculus 12", "Physics 12",
"Chemistry 11", "Physics 11"}) == []
assert missing_groups({"English Studies 12", "Pre-Calculus 12",
"Chemistry 11", "Physics 11"}) == ["Science"]
assert missing_groups({"English First Peoples 12", "Calculus 12", "Chemistry 12",
"Chemistry 11", "Physics 11"}) == ["Math"]
assert missing_groups(set()) == ["English", "Math", "Science", "Chemistry 11", "Physics 11"]
print("all four examples pass")
Output: all four examples pass. Python stops at the first failing assert, so a silent run up to that print line is the proof. The course groups are UBC’s; the plans and the function are ours.
A one-of group is satisfied by any one of its members
The same, without a Grade 12 science
Science
A missing one-of group is found, and only that group
English First Peoples 12, Calculus 12, Chemistry 12, Chemistry 11, Physics 11
Math
The list is read literally: Calculus 12 is not Pre-Calculus 12
Empty
All five groups, in list order
The function reports in a stable, readable order
Why examples first
Writing the examples first forces a decision about meaning before any code exists. The third example is the clearest case: someone has to decide what a plan with calculus but no pre-calculus should produce. Deciding it in a test, out loud, is better than discovering it later as a bug.
UBC’s sample first-year courses on the program page include Software Construction, described as covering “debugging, and testing” among other topics. Students who already test their own code meet that course on familiar ground.
The limit of the example
The function does not know marks, the personal profile, the general requirements or the second-year specialization. A result of nothing missing means only that the course names match the Science list we copied on 22 October 2026.
Treat it as practice in careful reading and careful code. The authority remains UBC’s own requirements tool.
The personal profile
The UBC personal profile, from UBC’s own page
Most UBC applicants from high school write a personal profile as part of the online application. UBC’s page explains who must write one, how long the answers are, who the references are and how the profile is assessed.
Personal profile facts from UBC’s page (read 22 October 2026)
Question
What UBC says
Who writes one?
High school students applying to any degree on the Okanagan or Vancouver campuses, with three named exceptions (Design in Architecture, Landscape Architecture, and Urbanism; Dental Hygiene; Music)
How long?
Each question needs a short essay response of 500 to 2,100 characters, which UBC puts at roughly 50 to 500 words; the limit is in characters, and longer answers are cut off
What kinds of questions?
Who you are; up to five activities or accomplishments in areas such as clubs, family or community responsibilities, arts, work, athletics, volunteering and service; more on one or two of them; and optional additional information
References
Two people who know the student well; for current high school students one must be a school official; “Neither referee should be a friend, family member, or paid agent.”
How references are contacted
“UBC does not send a link to references.” UBC contacts them directly after offers of admission have gone out
How it is assessed
Trained readers assess it against four criteria: Engagement and accomplishment, Leadership, Substance and Voice
UBC’s own advice
The page gives three tips: take time to reflect, be specific, and “Be true to who you are.” It also says “We’re not looking for a particular experience, and there are no right or wrong answers.” Any experience, the page says, from winning an international award to taking care of a younger sibling, can teach something.
Under Voice, UBC asks whether a profile does “authentically reflect your own words”. That is the standard every applicant should hold their writing to, and it is why the writing has to be the student’s own.
Where we stand
We do not write, outline, edit or review personal profiles or any other application text, and a teacher of ours would not be a suitable referee for an application either: UBC rules out a paid agent as a referee. Our role ends at the teaching.
What the teaching can give a student is material that is genuinely theirs: a program they built and debugged, a contest problem they finally cracked, a skill they can demonstrate. Whether and how to write about it is up to them.
Applying to computer science after first year in Science
This is the step that decides whether a UBC Science student studies computer science. The department’s pages describe it in three steps and are frank about competition.
The specialization application for students with first-year standing in Science, from the department’s page (read 22 October 2026)
Step
What the department says
Step 1
Confirm eligibility and requirements for choosing a specialization, following the steps the Faculty of Science sets out
Step 2
Review the department’s information on what average is needed for the second-year specialization application
Step 3
Apply for the CPSC specialization using the Faculty of Science Coordinated Admissions Process
Seats
The department may not have enough seats for everyone, and some students may need to choose a non-CPSC specialization
If unsuccessful
Students can try again the following year, and can still try to take computer science courses while progressing in their current major
The department on averages
On its how-to-apply page, in the context of the second-year specialization, the department writes: “Historically, we have required an average in the low 80’s. But every year is different!” It names course availability, number of seats and number of applicants among the factors.
That figure is about university first-year results for students already in UBC Science. It is not a high school admission average, and we do not translate it into one. It does show that first-year performance, not Grade 12 marks, decides the specialization.
What that means for preparation
A student who arrives at UBC having only just met Pre-Calculus 12 faces first-year math and computer science at the same time as everyone else, with the specialization riding on the result. A student who arrives fluent in algebra, functions and basic programming has room to adjust to university.
This is the honest case for preparing deeply in Grades 11 and 12: not to meet a cut-off, but to be ready for a year that counts twice.
What the Computer Science BSc at UBC Vancouver contains
UBC’s program page describes the degree a successful student eventually joins.
Computer Science (BSc), Vancouver, from UBC’s program page (read 22 October 2026)
Item
What the page says
Faculty and degree
Faculty of Science; Bachelor of Science
Length
4 years
Honours
Available, with additional requirements beyond the Major
Co-op
Available as an optional program alternating study and paid work terms
Options
Software Engineering, or combined honours with sciences, mathematics, or statistics
New in 2026
Computer Science majors can now take the Artificial Intelligence (AI) Option
Sample courses
Computation, Programs, and Programming; Software Construction; Intermediate Algorithm Design and Analysis; Introduction to Artificial Intelligence
The sample course descriptions make the preparation point concrete. The first introduces “Fundamental program and computation structures” and introductory programming. The algorithms course studies the design and analysis of algorithms, including the “choice of data structures”. Neither is a course a student can coast through on Grade 12 habits, which is why early depth in math and programming pays off. Our AI and machine learning classes for Canadian students give a first look at the ideas behind the new AI Option.
September 2027 entry
UBC dates for high school applicants
UBC’s dates page covers the whole cycle. These are the lines that apply to a Canadian high school student applying for September 2027.
From UBC Dates and deadlines (read 22 October 2026)
Date
What happens
Early October 2026
Online application opens for Winter Session (September 2027 to April 2028)
December 1, 2026
Canadian citizens and permanent residents: deadline to apply if you wish to be considered for the Presidential Scholars Awards, UBC Centennial Scholars Entrance Awards or the Beyond Tomorrow Scholars Award
January 15, 2027 (UBC prints 11:59 p.m. PST)
Deadline to apply for Winter Session
November 2026 to June 2027
Admissions decisions for high school applicants, made on a continuous basis
March 1 to March 15, 2027
Canadian high school applicants outside BC and Ontario upload a spring transcript of grades
May 1, 2027 or June 1, 2027
Deadline for most students to accept the offer and pay the deposit, as stated in the letter of admission
June 30, 2027
Canadian high school applicants: deadline to complete all high school courses to meet the conditions of the offer
Distributed learning courses
Students taking online or distance courses to meet degree requirements should arrange for interim grades, at 50 per cent complete, to reach UBC by March 15, UBC’s requirements page says, and the courses must be finished by June 30.
That matters for any student taking a required course, such as Pre-Calculus 12, through a distributed learning provider. Plan the timing early.
Clocks for live classes
British Columbia now keeps UTC-7 all year, after its last clock change on 8 March 2026, so BC families no longer adjust in November or March. Alberta and Saskatchewan are UTC-6 all year. Our teachers work on India time, UTC+5:30, so India is 12 hours 30 minutes ahead of British Columbia year round.
UBC prints its application deadline with the label PST. We quote it as printed and do not convert it; check the time on UBC’s page if you are applying at the last minute, which we do not recommend.
A Grade 11 and 12 plan for a BC student aiming at UBC computer science
This plan is ours. It covers the Science list and prepares for the year that decides the specialization. It promises nothing about either decision.
Grade 11: take Chemistry 11 and Physics 11. Both are on UBC Science’s British Columbia list, and leaving either until later squeezes Grade 12.
Grade 11: build algebra and functions properly. Pre-Calculus 12 builds directly on it, and first-year math builds on Pre-Calculus 12.
Grade 11 and 12: write real programs. Python or Java, from a blank file, traced and tested. Arriving at university able to program frees first-year attention for the new ideas.
Grade 12: choose the science deliberately. Anatomy and Physiology 12, Chemistry 12 or Physics 12 each satisfy the list; pick the one you will do well in and learn most from.
Grade 12: consider Calculus 12 if your school offers it. It is not on UBC Science’s list, but first-year university math will not wait for you.
Autumn of Grade 12: apply early. The application opens in early October; the scholarship-consideration deadline is December 1, 2026, and the final deadline January 15, 2027.
Autumn of Grade 12: write the personal profile yourself. Use UBC’s questions and character limits, and ask your two referees early.
Spring of Grade 12: finish strong. Course completion by June 30, 2027 is a condition of the offer.
Ontario and Alberta students can follow the same shape with their own province’s courses from the table above: in Ontario, ENG4U, MHF4U, a Grade 12 science and the Grade 11 chemistry and physics; in Alberta, English Language Arts 30-1, Math 30-1 or Math 31, a 30-level science and Chemistry 20 and Physics 20.
Readiness for a year that counts
Four stages before first-year Science
Our stages, built from years of teaching senior high school students in British Columbia and elsewhere who later studied science and computing at university.
Stages of readiness for first-year Science and computing (ours)
Stage
What you see
1. Coursework
Completes assignments correctly with notes open
2. Independent
Solves a fresh problem in pre-calculus or code without notes
3. Self-checking
Tests answers and programs before handing them in, and finds their own errors
4. University-ready
Learns a new topic from a textbook or documentation alone, then explains it
For parents
Ask your teen to teach you one thing from this week’s math. Teaching it back is the quickest readiness test there is.
Stage 3 matters most at UBC, because first-year results decide the specialization, and self-checking students lose far fewer marks.
For students
Before you look at an answer key, decide how confident you are. Track it. Calibration is a skill.
Write tests for your own programs, as in the example above. It is the habit that separates a student from a programmer.
The catalogue
A further nine courses for students bound for UBC or another western university
Every course is live with one regular teacher, as a group class or privately, on British Columbia or Alberta time.
A weather forecasting site with live conditions for any location.
by Krish
Fees
Fees
The opening class costs nothing. Continuing families pay monthly for eight live classes, with the currency code shown beside the fee, and there is no contract to stop you leaving after any month.
Reviews from families and students, reproduced from Google as written.
★★★★★
"The one step solution for my son. Modern Age Coders make learning coding so simple that kids love it. The teachers explain complex concepts clearly with practical exercises and interactive content."
Ria Mukherjee
Parent
★★★★★
"Modern Age Coders has been a game-changer for me. I struggled to grasp IT concepts and coding before joining, but their classes transformed everything. I can now confidently write complex programs with ease."
Samriddha Mondal
Student
★★★★★
"One of the most wonderful education centres out there. Education is not limited to school syllabus but focuses on skill development."
Vansh Agarwal
Student
★★★★★
"My child Dhairya is really enjoying the Modern Age Coders classes. This is his first online class and he eagerly looks forward to it. I can already see his improvement, and the teachers are very cooperative."
Sonam Oswal
Parent of Dhairya
★★★★★
"Modern Age Coders have wonderful teachers who teach in a clear, easy and practical way. The teacher boosts students' confidence and inspires them to learn without hesitation."
Sonu Goyal
Parent
★★★★★
"I highly recommend this computer coding class! The teachers are incredibly knowledgeable and passionate about coding."
Ritu Kedia
Parent
Families ask us
UBC computer science admission: common questions
Can I apply directly to computer science at UBC?
No. UBC's Computer Science department says there is no direct admission into the Computer Science program. Students apply to a faculty that offers computer science specializations, such as Science, Arts or Commerce, and apply for computer science after first year.
What courses does a BC student need for UBC Science?
On 22 October 2026 UBC listed English Studies 12 or English First Peoples 12, Pre-Calculus 12, and one of Anatomy and Physiology 12, Chemistry 12 or Physics 12, plus Chemistry 11 and Physics 11 in Grade 11. UBC also asks for at least 70 per cent in Grade 11 or Grade 12 English.
What does an Ontario student need for UBC Science?
UBC listed ENG4U, MHF4U and one of SBI4U, SCH4U or SPH4U, plus SCH3U and SPH3U in Grade 11. UBC says the Grade 11 sciences may be waived with scores of 86 per cent or higher in senior-level math and chemistry.
Is calculus required for UBC computer science?
Not at the high school stage, on the lists we read. UBC Science named Pre-Calculus 12 for British Columbia, MHF4U for Ontario and Math 30-1 or Math 31 for Alberta. First-year university courses will still assume strong math.
What average do you need to get into UBC computer science?
UBC's admissions pages we read do not publish a high school average for Science. The department says that for the second-year specialization it has historically required an average in the low 80s, and that every year is different. That figure is about first-year university results, and we make no prediction for any student.
What is the UBC personal profile?
A set of short essay questions in the UBC application, required for high school applicants to most degrees. Each answer is 500 to 2,100 characters, and UBC asks for two references. Trained readers assess it for engagement and accomplishment, leadership, substance and voice.
Can you write or check my UBC personal profile?
No. We never write, outline, edit or review application text. UBC also says a referee should not be a paid agent. We teach math and programming, so the work a student describes is genuinely their own.
When is the UBC application deadline for September 2027?
UBC's dates page gave January 15, 2027 as the deadline to apply for the Winter Session starting September 2027, and December 1, 2026 for Canadian applicants who want to be considered for certain major entrance awards. Applications opened in early October 2026.
What happens if I am not admitted to computer science after first year?
UBC's department says the specialization may not have seats for everyone and some students may need to choose another specialization. It also says students can try again the following year and can still take computer science courses while progressing in their current major.
What times are your classes for BC families?
Weekdays or weekends, flexible: choose your batch, or for a very personalised plan choose 1-on-1 at your convenience, weekend mornings or weekdays. British Columbia now stays on UTC-7 all year, so a class time agreed in BC does not shift in November or March.
Elsewhere on this site
Related pages
More for students in British Columbia and the west.
Say which grade your teen is in, which math course they take and whether they write code yet. The first class picks up from their current unit or project.
Classes are live on video with teachers in India, a fixed 12 hours 30 minutes ahead of British Columbia, so there is nothing to drive to. WhatsApp is the fastest way to reach us.
Want a class sooner? Book a priority demo
A priority demo is a full class of about 45 to 60 minutes. After the class the mentor sends a written skill report and a personal learning roadmap on WhatsApp. If you enrol, the demo fee is adjusted against your first month's fee. Share your demo Order ID with us on WhatsApp and we take it off.
