Fees & Payments

Find out the cost to live in student housing at UBC, plus when and how to pay.

On this page:

Explore fees by residence area

Winter Session residence fees

Year Round residence fees

Upper year

Graduate colleges

Student Family residence fees

Summer residence fees

Quick facts

Top things to know about fees for housing and meal plans.

  • Fees vary by residence area and room type.
  • Pay residence and meal plan fees directly to Student Housing—not to your tuition account.
  • When you receive an offer email, you must pay a deposit or first instalment of fees by the deadline indicated in the email. Failure to make this payment means you forfeit your residence offer.

How do I pay?

We recommend EFT and Interac Online payment options as the quickest and easiest way to pay your Residence and Meal Plan fees.

Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT)

If you have an account at a Canadian financial institution, you can pay your residence and meal plan fees through direct debit from your bank account.

Log in to the Student Service Centre (SSC), click on “Banking Details” and enter your bank’s institution number, transit (bank branch) number, and account number. Once you have entered and saved your banking details, you can pay your fees by selecting “Bank Transfer” under the “Pay Fees” menu.

All payments will be applied to your UBC account immediately upon successful transaction and payment information will be forwarded to your financial institution.

Interac® Online

Interac® Online is available via the Student Service Centre (SSC) or via the Student Housing and Community Services (SHCS) Online Service Centre.

You will need to have an online banking account with TD Canada Trust.

NOTE: VISA and Mastercard Debit cards cannot be used to make an Interac® payment online at UBC.

Online Banking Bill Payment

Bill payment via online banking is now available for residence and meal plan fees.

Make a bill payment from your Canadian online bank account by adding a Payee “UBC Student Housing and Meal Plan”. Your account number at UBC is your student number. Please allow 3-5 business days for processing.

This service is currently available at Scotiabank, HSBC Canada, BMO, RBC, TD Canada Trust, CIBC, and Credit Unions in British Columbia. The service may expand to additional Canadian banks in future.

International Funds Transfer

UBC has chosen Western Union Business Solutions, the world’s largest specialist in global business payments, to provide a simple, low-cost method of paying fees in your own currency.

Access Western Union International Funds Transfer via the MyFinancial Account in the Student Service Centre (SSC). Find instructions at UBC Student Services, under International Funds Transfer.

NOTE: Payments should be made three days earlier than the due date. Western Union locks in the exchange rate for 72 hours, after which a new exchange rate is applied.

Credit Card (Visa or MasterCard)

Pay by credit card through the Student Housing and Community Services Online Service Centre for:

  • Residence and residence meal plan fees
  • Assessment and late fees
  • Early arrival and extension fees

Please note that a non-refundable 2.5% convenience fee will be applied to online credit card payments for the above items. This fee is paid directly to the payment processor, not to UBC. 

Please note: The confirmation email will be sent by the payment processor to the email entered by the payee at the time of making a payment. 

We also send a confirmation email to the email associated with a student’s profile, but ours does not include the detailed breakdown (i.e. it will not show the convenience fee). 

You can use your credit card to make fee-free payments online for:

  • Residence application fees
  • Residence and residence meal plan acceptance deposits
  • Residence room transfer fees
  • Savings Plus and UBCCard meal plans
  • Orientation application fees and acceptance deposits
  • UBC childcare application and ongoing fees
  • Food and other merchandise at UBC Food Services locations across campus

When do I pay?

Winter Session Residence fees

For students in first year residences with a required meal plan and upper year residences without a required meal plan.

Pay fees in three instalments:

  • when you accept your offer
  • in late-September
  • in early-January
Winter Session, Term 1-only fees

Pay fees in two instalments:

  • when you accept your offer
  • in late-September
Winter Session, Term 2-only fees

Pay fees in full when you accept your offer.

Year Round Residence fees

Payments are due on the first of every month. You must pay a deposit when you accept your offer.

Student Family Residence fees

Payments are due on the first of every month. You must pay a deposit when you accept your offer.

Summer Residence fees

  • Students staying less than 60 days: pay fees in one instalment
  • Students staying for 61 days or longer: pay fees in two instalments

Fees and payments FAQs

Does UBC accept payment by wire transfer?

Effective June 6, 2018, UBC no longer accepts wire transfers for:

  • Student housing fee instalments
  • Meal plan payments
  • Tuition and fees

To pay with international currency, please pay by International Funds Transfer.

What should I do if I paid my residence / meal plan fees to my tuition account?

If you have paid these fees to your tuition account by mistake, please email information@housing.ubc.ca immediately to let us know.

Is there a charge for late payments?

Yes, a fee is charged for late payments. Please refer to your residence contract for details.

When do fees stop being charged?

You will continue to be charged fees until you return all assigned keys to your residence front desk and sign the check out form.