“The biggest and best decision in my life was to live in residence. You get the full university experience.†– Totem Park resident
First year undergraduate students, who meet the eligibility criteria and requirements detailed below, are guaranteed a room in residence at UBC, as part of our first year guarantee. We assign rooms to these applicants first.
First Year guarantee
Criteria for students with Winter Session contracts starting in August/September 2025.
Criteria
You must meet all requirements.
- You are eligible to live in residence based on your age and academic credit load.
- Your application to UBC and application for Winter Session Residence was received by May 1. This may mean submitting an application prior to receiving your UBC admission decision (Prospective first year students can open a residence application when applying to UBC.)
- You must receive and accept UBC’s offer of academic admission by June 1.
- You are entering UBC directly from high school or CEGEP. For example:
- You graduated in June 2025.
- You graduated no earlier than June 2024 and you have not completed any post-secondary coursework since graduating (i.e., you took a gap year).