This week is International Education Week and it’s a great opportunity to reflect on the value of international students at UBC. International students bring cultural and social benefits to our campus and communities – creating an exceptional learning environment that fosters global citizenship.
System-wide, UBC has about 10,000 international students from close to 150 countries. This is about 17 per cent of our student population of 58,000.
International students pay the full cost of their tuition and housing fees, and there is no impact on domestic students. No provincial or federal government funding goes to these students. In fact, expanded international students are allowing UBC to generate efficiencies, which means we can further expand the number of domestic seats we offer to British Columbian and Canadian students. This year alone we have admitted about 1,000 domestic students over and above what we are funded for by the province. The international students UBC admits are directly helping increase access for students from B.C.
UBC is recruiting diverse students from around the world, including China, the United States, India and Korea. In addition to our regular intake of international students, this year we‘re welcoming 300 students into a new program called Vantage College that specifically targets students from countries from which UBC currently has few students. Our first cohort includes students from Yemen, Turkey, Russia, Brazil, Mexico, Mongolia, Norway, Poland, Ecuador, Japan and Indonesia.
The college offers a first-year academic program to outstanding high school graduates – who must meet the same rigorous academic requirements as other undergraduates – but whose academic English does not meet UBC admissions requirements. After completing one year of academic courses combined with intensive academic English, students transition into the second year of their degree program. UBC aims to grow incoming Vantage College enrolment to 1,000 students by August 2016.
Furthermore, UBC has a financial aid program for international students, ensuring the university is able to attract students from diverse economic backgrounds. The financial aid comes from revenue generated by the international students. By the fall of 2017, the Vantage financial aid package will total $2.5 million.
UBC is also partnering with the MasterCard Foundation, for example, to foster the next generation of African leaders. The MasterCard Foundation Scholars Program will provide 112 academically talented yet economically disadvantaged young people from Africa with access to education at UBC. After graduating, the scholars will then use their learning and experience to contribute to the economic growth and social transformation of their communities in Africa.
International students are fully immersed in campus life and will use the same university services and amenities as other students. They are held to the responsibilities and regulations that apply to all students and they will be members of the Alma Mater Society, the organization that represents undergraduate students at UBC.
It’s also important to note that the Alma Mater Society fully supported the creation of Vantage College and other international student initiatives. Students from B.C. and from around the world are attracted to our campus precisely because diversity stimulates a deep exchange of thoughts, ideas and discussion – creating an exceptional learning environment that fosters global citizenship.
