Applications expected to top 5,000. Interest from Lower Mainland up 45 per cent
Applications for admission to undergraduate programs at UBC’s Okanagan campus are expected to top 5,000 this spring, roughly 2.5 times the volume the university saw in 2005, the first year of operation for the Okanagan campus.
“Demand is particularly strong for Nursing, Engineering, and Human Kinetics,” says Ian Cull, Associate Vice President, Students. “All three programs are expected to fill in 2011. The Bachelor of Arts program has seen an impressive 24 per cent increase in new applications and will likely be the single greatest contributor to growth at our Okanagan campus this fall.”
Cull says direct-entry applications from Okanagan Valley secondary schools are up considerably — by 13 per cent — but the real explosion has been from the Lower Mainland, where 684 students have indicated UBC’s Okanagan campus as their first choice of campus — a 45 per cent increase over the previous year.
“BC post-secondary transfer from other institutions also remains strong, with good applicant growth in local-area transfers,” says Cull.
Demand from the rest of Canada continues to grow, with 812 applications — up 8 per cent – this year, and applications from the rest of the world are up 53 per cent from last year. Applications have been received from prospective students in 92 countries.
Cull notes that it’s too early to project how many students will be registered this fall, however, he says final enrolment may reach the ultimate goal of 6,932 full-time equivalent students, a target that was set for the Okanagan campus by the provincial government.
While applications closed on February 28, there is still opportunity for students to apply for some programs. Prospective students can contact the university’s student recruitment office for more information or visit you.ubc.ca.
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