Despite a decrease in the number of B.C. Grade 12 students last year, enrolment has grown by 17 per cent at UBC Okanagan and remains strong at UBC’s Vancouver campus for Fall 2007.
In September, UBC Okanagan will welcome 1,266 new first-year students — an increase of 7.7 per cent — and see total enrolment grow by 17 per cent or nearly 700 students to 4,864, the largest jump in enrolment since its inception in 2005.
UBC’s Vancouver campus will welcome 5,105 new first-year students, up by 1.7 per cent from 2006, while total Vancouver enrolment is projected at 43,542, or about the same as last year.
While still proving to be a popular choice for local students, this year UBC Okanagan generated growing interest among students in other provinces. The 2007 first-year class includes 229 students coming from across Canada, a 76 per cent increase over the previous year. UBC Okanagan has registered 491 Okanagan-area high school graduates, an increase of 7.2 per cent over the previous year. Overall international student enrolment has grown by 45 per cent to 172 students.
“I am very pleased with our increase in enrolment at UBC Okanagan, especially given the decrease in high school graduates in the province,” says Doug Owram, Deputy Vice Chancellor, UBC Okanagan. “I am also really encouraged to see the increase in students coming from across Canada to our campus. When students move across the country to attend your institution, you know you must be doing something right.”
The mean entrance average at UBC Okanagan was 80 per cent — compared to 79.7 per cent in 2006. Many programs, including Nursing, Education and a new Human Kinetics program are full, and there are twice as many graduate students as in 2006.
Incoming students to UBC Okanagan continue to benefit from one of the most generous financial assistance and awards programs in Canada. This year UBC Okanagan is providing $4 million in awards, bursaries and Fellowships.
Here is a snapshot of enrolment this fall, and what’s new at UBC Okanagan:
First-year student profiles
- Enrolment from B.C. Grade 12 students increased 7.2 per cent
- Mean GPA for incoming first-year students: 80 per cent
- 39 per cent are from the Okanagan, 23.9 per cent from the Lower Mainland, 12.6 per cent from the rest of B.C., 18.1 per cent from the rest of Canada and 6.5 per cent from the rest of the world
- 55.5 per cent are female, 44.5 per cent male
- 43.4 per cent will live on campus
- 47.2 per cent will receive an entrance scholarship
Awards and Financial Aid
- UBC will provide $4 million in student financial support at UBC Okanagan, in the form of awards, bursaries and Fellowships
- UBC is one of only two Canadian universities with a policy that no qualified domestic student be denied access for financial reasons alone
International Students
- The number of international undergraduate students registered at UBC Okanagan this fall is expected to grow by 45 per cent, to 172 students
New Academic Programs
- Bachelor of Arts in Health Studies
- Bachelor of Human Kinetics
Housing
- 815 single-student housing spaces are available. Another 80 student spaces will open this fall in the new townhouse style structures, with more of these planned to open throughout the academic year.
More information on the enrolment numbers at UBC’s Vancouver campus can be found at: http://www.publicaffairs.ubc.ca/ubcnews/
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