This is honestly the most informative UBC housing video, I was getting exhausted of 20 minute videos where people showed me around their dorm without providing any helpful into. Actually learning about the different gender options, as well as the placement things was so helpful. Awesome!
Love this video! I’m a senior at UBC just about to finish up my degree! I just wanted to add that if you’re a prospective student going into first year and you’re disappointed you didn’t get a fancy Orchard Commons room- don’t worry it’s not as amazing at it seems! I lived there in my first year (when it was a completely brand new building) and I liked it and enjoyed the food but I felt it was much less “homey” than other residences! I used to hang out a lot in my friends dorm in Totem Park. I just felt it was harder to make friends in Orchard because you weren’t involved with your other hall mates as much (you only share a bathroom with one other person so you’re not forced to make friends with others if that makes sense)! Hope this helps make other people more excited to start school at UBC because it’s so amazing!
loving these super helpful UBC vids!! watching things like vlogs and room tours are also fun but sometimes i just want detailed, helpful info from a UBC student about all the logistical stuff. thank you!
Aw thank you! I feel like I bore people a bit just talking about the logistics but it's all the stuff I wish I knew when I was trying to figure out what the heck goes on at UBC. So glad to hear you enjoy them!
Sick vid. I also got a question. Is applying for residence first come first served? Its cos I haven't applied yet cos I'm still waiting for a decision. Cheers
It is completely random - so no. If you apply before the deadline, you will get housing but someone who applied earlier than you doesn't necessarily have a better chance at getting better housing. Hope that helps!
It's not so much that you choose the cost, it's more just something to be aware of. If you are assigned a room and you can't necessarily afford, being aware of how much each room type cost will help you when you try to switch rooms through the online forum, for example! Hope that helps!
Let’s say I choose my preference as both connected single and shared. Does that mean I’m less likely to end up in a single? I prefer a connected and would leave it at that but I included shared as a back up to avoid a single. I just wish we could rank the rooms types as well. But since it’s so random I guess it doesn’t matter much.
It's a bit tricky in that sense because you really don't have much control... it doesn't mean much. Honestly, I think they give you the choice to make it feel like you have a say, although I would like to think they consider it :) But as I mentioned there is a forum where you can switch your rooms. Rooming is a very big deal to some people and almost 100% guaranteed, someone will switch their shared for a single room if you don't want your single!
Thank you for this video, it was really informative! I'm an international student and I was wondering if we were able to pick (in the case that we choose a shared room or shared single as a preference), our roommate? Thank you!
You are welcome! If you and a friend want to live together, you can list each other as roommate options. You both have to identify that you want to live with each other... it needs to be mutual otherwise UBC will not acknowledge the request. In the case that you get a shared room, it is more than likely you will be assigned the person you request!
i really liked the video. thank u so much and i wanted to ask you to make a video on expenses through out the year in first year and if we can cook our own food.
Glad you liked it! I can tell you that in first year housing, unless you are in Ritsumeikan house, you can’t cook your own food and must purchase a meal plan. Expenses vary from person to person so it’s hard make one video all about it but thank you for the suggestion - I’ll think about it!
Thank you! To my knowledge there aren't any rules about that. You can only raise/lower your bed as much as the tracks on the bed frame allow, but it can all the way up or all the way down if you want. As to there you put your bed I don't think there are any restrictions so long as you're not putting it over a heater, etc. it is fine wherever! Thanks so much for watching :)
Hi! Thank you - glad you found it helpful! To my knowledge there aren't too many specific housing options for Master's students. Most housing offered by UBC is for undergraduate students but they detail some UBC residence options for Master's students here: vancouver.housing.ubc.ca/getting-started/graduate-students/ Hope that helps!
I'm thinking about going into a dorm because UBC is so far but I still feel like I'm a 12 year old. I'm worried I'll get homesick which would prevent me from sleeping/give me stomach pain/nausea since I have anxiety. I'll still be going back home on the weekends but it's such a huge change and as you stated in the other video about not having a home and living in a dorm felt weird to you, I feel the same about that. If I could stay for a few months to experiment then commute if it gets too much, it'd be better but 8 months is a long time to commit (for me anyways). What do you think I should do?
Lol I still feel like a 12 year old... don't worry that's pretty normal! Not many people are full on ready to dive into the university experience when they actually start. I know I wasn't! Everyone is different, and yes there is definitely an adjustment period but if you are going home on weekends, which is what I did for a bit, it is honestly not too bad. Yes, at times it' not always the best - I guess something I could've included in that video is that, when I was not having a good day, I would commute home and spend the night there and commute out to campus the next day. It's not ideal, but as a local domestic student, that's a pretty great option to have. You would have to reach out to UBC Housing and they would be able to help you a bit more. I knew a couple people who only stayed for term 1 and others that only stayed for term 2 so I am sure there is an option there! The other thing too is that there is a fair bit of support on campus/in res if you're ever feeling crazy overwhelmed! Hope this helps a bit :)
hey, if possible could you make a video about like how you eat and stuff at UBC. like is the meal plan enough or did you find yourself spending even more money getting food. also could you make a video about how common scholarships and stuff are at UBC?
I do have a video about UBC's meal plan already on my channel! That might answer some of your questions... not sure if you have already seen it? UBC scholarships are a little tricky. They give out many; I knew 4 people who received full-ride scholarships from UBC whether it was needs based or for academic achievement. That being said though, there are also many students (like me) that did not receive any money from UBC. I have a lot to learn about UBC scholarships before I can sit down and film a video, but hopefully soon!
@@MaddyA thanks for the prompt reply! i'll definitely check out your video about UBC's meal plan! also thanks for the information about the scholarships, i'll keep an eye out for the video!
Hi, I am a big fan! you're videos help me a lot! I will be starting at UBC this year, and I will attend the faculty of science. I do have some doubts about how to choose your course and how do credits work. I don't understand it so well because I am an international student. I was wondering if you could make a video, explaining how does first-year science student work. Thank you so much for the content,. It really helps!
Hi Sebastian! Congratulations on getting into UBC Science! Very exciting :) I have plenary of Science videos in the making ... hopefully towards the end of the month! Stay tuned
Not a science student, but I highly recommend the degree navigator on the student service center (ssc) to look at and keep track of your degree and what courses are mandatory for you to take to graduate and it updates itself after you declare your major as well. Everyone I know at or alumni of UBC finds it helpful and it's not talked about enough. Congratulations on your admission!
Thanks! Depending on your situation, year round housing might be the way to go. Winter housing for upper year students is harder to come by and a complete lottery each year you apply. With year round housing, you get on a wait list and once you sign the lease, the place is yours for the year and I believe at the end of your contract, you can either choose to renew it or end it. So there is a little more security with year round. Hope that helps!
Thank you! I don't actually know if Ritsumeikan is considered first year residence, but there is still a chance you can get in there as long as you are 18 by the end of the year that you are starting at UBC.
Stay tuned for my next video! It's all about my first year residence experience. But depending on your situation, it may or may not make sense. If you don't want to commute, residence is for you. If you want to experience a little bit more of campus life, residence is for you. I really liked it honestly!
I believe when you apply, they ask you about your habits ie. sleeping, cleanliness, etc. It's very brief but they do ask just to try and make better matches. That being said, everyone has a different idea of what "clean" might be so they aren't the most reliable questions. They try, but there are no guarantees with anything. Hope that helps!
Hi! I think it really depends on who is living there. Naturally you're going to get a good mix of people. In Vanier, there were the kids that were always studying in the commons block (aka me), the kids that partied every night, the kids who knew what balance was, the kids that played spike ball every waking hour, ya know... a good variety. I've heard that out of all first year residences that Vanier and Orchard Commons have the best sense of community compared to Totem. But that aside, there isn't much else!
Hey! Awesome video! Do you think a single connected maybe risky hygiene-wise if the person in the other room does not maintain good hygiene? Or is it worth it to take a leap of faith and apply for a single connected room?
Thanks! With single connected, they have an orientation type thing that talks all about hygiene and keeping things clean. The only place you will be actively sharing is the bathroom, so they talk about cleaning schedules, organization, etc. If you get assigned a single connected, that is always a discussion you can have with your roommate. If you had a shared room, this would be a bigger issue. You'd be fine in a single connected!
I had friends this past year in first-year residence that had mixed experiences with shared bathrooms most loved it but one of my friends had a really strange and unhelpful bathroom mate so there's always that chance. On the other hand, I had my own room in totem but shared the bathroom with all the people on my floor as it was only girls and while not having to clean the bathroom myself was nice others on the floor weren't the cleanest or very considerate of the shared space but going into living in residence you have to be prepared that living in any way with new and different people has its own challenges. I highly recommend first-year residence though!
Rehnoor Saini There is a laundry room on the main floor of each building that everyone shares! You usually need your own detergent and some kind of laundry basket. It’s not too bad although you need to make sure that you aren’t doing laundry at “peak times” as there are not that many machines.
Hi, I'm committed to UBC vancouver and going to UBC this September. May I ask whether I can choose which building I can live in, and wheter I can pick which type of shared room I want to live in? cuz the options on housing page is not really detailed!
There is a chance but it is not high - there is a housing forum for UBC where people try to switch/get into other houses. You may have some luck there!
Since you don’t get to choose exactly where you stay, does that mean you may get put in an expensive room that you may not be able to afford? Or do you get to choose how much you are willing to pay?
Yes, that can happen. You have to pay whatever the room fee is. That being said though, you can try to switch rooms. There is an online forum that opens up and gives people the opportunity to switch rooms with fellow students who want something different, closer to their classes, or students who might want more affordable housing. I haven't really explored if there is any financial aid available for housing so I would double check on that if the cost is a concern.
Housing is definitely a bit expensive. If I am not mistaken they adjusted housing fees because of COVID and i think they might be less for some residences now than what they were pre-covid. I know in Place Vanier there were some more affordable options, but overall it is still a chunk of change haha
Thanki u so much for this and i have ine question that if i live off campus can i still apply to second ir third year housings that r better than these and if yes when is the best time? Cuz i rlly get stressed out and anxious in box type rooms altho its gonna cost me a lot more ( cuz im alone ) but i would fail anything bc of stress 😂
for shared rooms, do roommates split the rent? so like let's say if the monthly cost $800, does one person pay 400 and other also pays 400? and also for single connected do the "roommates" split the cost? also do first year residents get rooms that have a kitchen? sorry for two many questions. hope to hear from you soon. :) your videos are really helpful!
No I don't believe so. They break down fees per student, it is not a shared cost. Same goes for single connected rooms. You pay your rooming fee for your dorm and your "roommate" pays for their own rooming fee. Typically first year students do not get rooms with a kitchen, unless they are in Ritsumeikan house or somehow in an upper year residence building. Hope that clears some things up for you!
No - they only have the bathrooms that are in your room. It's a little inconvenient at times but honestly, I would have rather had a shared bathroom than communal (and just to note, communal wasn't that bad!)
They chose for you but you can rank your preferences I think... I can't totally remember. But, once you get your rooming assignment, there is an online forum that opens up and you can try to switch rooms with other students.
I mean I can only really speak to what it was like in Vanier - it was pretty amazing there :) I thought it was a very welcoming and social environment. I've heard both Orchard and Totem are not as social and don't have as great a sense of community as Vanier 1) because they are so much bigger than and 2) some people say its because neither of them have a central "hang out" place. Hope that helps!
I got Orchard Commons this year on the highest floor with my best friend! But we got shared singles? Not sure if they made a mistake or this is a new thing this year
hey, i’ve been thinking of applying to ubc next year. i am from brazil and all of these sound expensive for me :(((( is there any way i can get a room for free?
Hi! UBC does not offer free housing... or anything for free. If you apply for scholarships and manage to get one that will certainly help! There are lots of options for financing your schooling but of course that’s something you must figure out with your family :) good luck!
single connected rooms typically cost more than a single room because they have a shared bathroom instead of a private one. if you were to compare a single room w/ communal bathroom to a single connected though, the single connected would cost much more. it depends on the building you are in, the residence area, etc. there is definitely a bit of variability. check out these pages for cost breakdown: vancouver.housing.ubc.ca/applications/fees-payments/orchard-commons/ vancouver.housing.ubc.ca/applications/fees-payments/totem-park/ (Things are a bit wonky because of covid so keep that in mind when looking at these pages)
Hi there! I am a high school student studying in Ontario, Canada. I was wondering if I need to write any English Language tests to meet the ELAS requirements of UBC. Please reply soon!
Hi there! I am not too sure about that. If English is not your first language, there is typically some kind of English proficiency test you must take to show UBC that you can actually speak english. Sorry, I know that wasn't particularly helpful :(
For as far as I know, you don't have to because to graduate from a high school in Ontario because you have to pass OSSLT and that counts as the English language proficiency test. I'd also advise checking out the website for more info .
Hi! Meal plans are not optional. Unless you are in upper year housing, and though it happens sometimes, it's very unlikely that a first year student will be placed in upper year housing. Certain houses also have minimum age requirements and more often than not, most students starting out aren't old enough to live in upper year residences. You don't get to choose where you live so it's not something you have control over until you find what your rooming assignment is. Hope that helps!
I have a question; I have some anxiety issues and bathrooms usually are a safe space for me. Community or shared bathrooms sounds like a nightmare to me. Is it possible for a first year student to get a single room with a private bathroom? Do those even exist at all? And if so hard is it to get one of these rooms?
From what I know, first year students aren't eligible for a single/private room+bathroom unless they are 19 in their first year. It's very unlikely you would be placed in the completely private room. That being said, I'm not sure what UBC's approach will look like for the fall - I've heard they will only be offering single rooms, but I don't know how they are managing bathrooms. Another quick note, as much as communal or shared bathrooms seems daunting, they really can be quite nice. At least in my experience, they can become a very social and fun place. The girls on my floor were super respectful and clean which made it a much more pleasant experience :) I was worried about it too, but you get used to it!
I have a questionnn. Basically if me and my friend both get into Ubc, is it possible for us to share one of the rooms with the connected bathroom. If yes, then what is the process of doing this?
Yes! You just need to make sure that you list each other as your preferred roommates when you apply for housing! It should be a part of your application but you can also go back into your SSC and go to the housing page and edit your roommate preference there. I’m not sure if you just need the name or the student number too.
Hi. Can you please tell if choosing for co ed is an option or is it random? Also if you are supposed put in an all girls house, can you switch to co ed or vice versa?
You can not choose what residence area, what building, what room, or whether the building you're in is co-ed or not. You don't really have that choice as rooming is randomly assigned. There is a rooming forum that opens up once rooming assignments have been released and you can try to switch with people there.
Hi! Can you tell me the expenses in 1yr.(approx. amounts)including tuition fees, residence fee, food, traveling etc. Which are mostly need in UBC. And also do students work prat time jobs in UBC(inside and outside campus)
Hey! I don't know about the work thing. But, UBC has this thing online where you can do the calculations yourself by adding certain information like the degree you're going into, the type of residency that you will want, scholarships and things like that. All you have to do is search: How much will my first year at UBC cost? And it's usually the first link to pop up. Hope it helps :)
No but you can rank your pretences I believe. After you’ve been assigned a room there is a room switch forum that opens up. If you don’t like your room you can always try and switch that way!
The science buildings are somewhat central on campus, but science classes aren't always in science buildings. Sometimes they are a bit scattered around. Place Vanier though is most central on campus... about a 5-8 minute walk to any science building!
It really depends. Science classes are relatively central, but a lot of Arts classes are spread out. I'm not too sure honestly... I know that Buchanan is typically an Arts building but I had math in there and it was about 10 minutes from Vanier if you walked fast. My friend down in Totem is an Arts student and her walk was at lest 20 minutes to her closest class. Totem in general is the farthest because it is the most southern residence area on campus. Hope that helps :)
I'm in arts at UBC and yes classes are spread out but Vanier is the residence closest to the most arts building and classes. I lived in Totem and pretty much none of my classes were nearby my room, about a 10-minute walk at least for all of them. I didn't mind since I don't mind the rain or outdoors, like walking and walk very fast but it sucks if you run late often like I do. Forestry, sciences and engineering classes are generally a bit closer to totem and orchard. But all the first-year residences are at the bottom end of campus and UBC is huge so it's likely you'll have some distance to go no matter what residence you're in. I highly recommend first-year residence though.
From all the videos on UBC residences I've watched, they all say the food in Vanier is the best compared to Orchard and Totem. Is that true? Also which residence has the highest number of international students?
Vanier has decent food! I honestly enjoyed all of the dining halls despite what some people say about Totem or Orchard not being as good as Vanier. Each dining hall has their specialty dish this just always delicious... but in general they are all pretty good! Housing assignments are random, so how many international students there are from residence to residence varies. There is a lot of diversity either way! About 1/3 of the students on my floor in Korea House were international.
I have a question - like in other countries some international students stays in such a house in which they cook there food by themselves, so is there any same type of housing near ubc ?
There is lots of off campus housing in which you would do all your own cleaning, cooking, etc. If you choose to live on campus in residence, as a first year student, you are required to get a meal plan if you end up living in Totem, Place Vanier, or Orchard commons. The only building you might be able to get into and not have a meal plan is Ritsumeikan house. This residence is all 4 bedroom, 2 bathroom suites with a kitchen - meal plans are optional if you live here.
raj kanani You can only stay at one of the 3 first year residences and yes if you are in one either Totem, Orchard or Vanier, a meal plan is mandatory. If you choose not to stay in residence and live elsewhere, you would obviously be responsible for your food.
hi! i heard that if you wanna stay in YRH or winter housing for second year, its best to apply now since the waitlist is long. is this true?? how does the application for that work??
Hello!! For upper year winter housing, it is a lottery... there is only a wait list for that if you don’t get a room assignment right away. You can’t apply for that now as there is a specific application window. For year round that is first come first served and the wait lists are pretty long. I don’t know when applications for that open but as soon as they do you need to apply right away! The Application for upper your housing it is somewhat similar to first year housing… The only difference is that you have to rank your preference as to where you want to live. Hope that helps!
Hey Maddy! You said that some of the floors are co-ed but is it possible for someone's roommate to be of the opposite gender? If they both mutually request it.
I honestly am not sure. I've heard mixed things - people being set up in floor lounges, other residence areas... it completely depends. Don't worry though! It IS temporary. Usually within the first two weeks you will be placed in a room.
Hi! Thank you for this video! I just got placed into orchard commons living but instead of a connected single, I got a shared room with a private bathroom. Do you know if those look the same? I need to know how much storage to bring and I can’t seem to find a video of one. 😂
Hi Ashley! That is so exciting! From what I understand, in a shared room the beds are in the same space, similar to that in Vanier or Totem, but you have an attached bathroom just for you and your roomie. That's my guess but I am not too sure. Hopefully that helps a bit! You will have one dresser, a desk, a closet as well... you might have lots of storage under your bed. Space is limited though so don't bring every last thing you own if you can help it haha!
Hi! I believe Marine Drive is only upper year residence (year 2 onward). Are you a graduate or undergraduate student? As a first year undergraduate student, you can apply for Vanier, Orchard Commons, or Totem park. As a graduate student you have many more options.
hat kind of room would you recommend for an international student? And the shared room....the one whic has two beds in one room,does it have a private bathroom or communal? The first one at 5:11
UBC is working on installing wifi in all residences! They started about half way through my time there so I’m sure they’ll have it all done by next year... depending on how COVID evolves.
Orchard commons and the new totem buildings all have wifi. The older buildings in totem like the one I was in didn't and neither do any of the ones in Vanier that I'm aware of but it's true they are working on it. My last weeks before quarantine when I moved home they were talking about the ways they are going to set up wifi in each building. I just already had a router from my sisters time in Vanier years before and it worked just fine and was easy to plug into the wall and set up.
@@MaddyAhow i go to Admission in ubc for pg program after mbbs ( md) called in canada to pursue master in surgery as well as doctor of medicine after mbbs (md )
I met a few new people through Jumpstart, but also a lot of people just on my floor by chatting in the halls, at residence events, and things like that!
There are plenty of housing options both on campus and off campus... I am not 100% sure what that looks like for graduate students in terms of dorms. I know UBC does have housing options that are more apartment/condo style for students pursuing their graduate studies, but I don't know too much about them. Check out this link: vancouver.housing.ubc.ca/getting-started/graduate-students/ It should give you all the details you need! I hope that helps :)
I am a 12th graders and wanna know about the chance I could be accepted to Ubc undergraduate admission with a quite low GPA of 3.75, which is about 83% in our school. For the person profile I don’t know if it is strong enough but I am the Public Relation of the student council in our school and also the vice-president of animals welfare club (volunteering club which take cares of community animal shelters). These are the two strongest one I have. The program I am applying to is BA psychology in Vancouver campus and I met the requirements on ubc website asked for this program.
Hi Winny! I can't tell you what your odds/chances are. There are too many variables each year that affect how many students get admitted, what the admission average is, the competitive nature of programs etc. Put it this way... if you apply you have a chance!
Hi! I was just filling out the UBC res form, and it gave me the option to select which room styles I liked (single connected, single etc). If for example I only selected a single connected room does this mean if not available I wldnt get a res, or if I selected more styles would I be less likely to get a single connected room? It wldnt bother me that much but just curious if u have any tips tysm for the helpful vid :)
Hi Yasmeen! Only selecting a single connected wouldn't mean that if none are available you don't get housing. It's strictly preference. If you apply for housing, regardless of what you select, you will get housing in first year! I'm not too sure how the system as a whole works, but when I applied I selected single connected and single as my top choices and ended up in a single room. So maybe they pay attention to it? Haha, I'm not 100% sure... Hope that kind of helps?
Start by going to UBC's website! I am not sure if 2021 applications are open yet so you would have to do some digging. Do you want to apply for housing as well as academics?
It is usually shared between two people of the same gender. If you have a friend you want to share your bathroom with, so ling as you both request to be each other’s roommate, it doesn’t matter what your gender is.