The UBC OIS Award, officially called the Outstanding International Student Award, is a one-time merit-based entrance scholarship for qualified international students admitted to the University of British Columbia. It recognizes strong academic achievement together with meaningful extracurricular involvement. Eligible students are considered after applying for admission to UBC.
For the 2027 intake, UBC’s main undergraduate application opens in early October 2026 and the standard application deadline is January 15, 2027 at 11:59 PM Pacific Time. The university states that applicants who apply by the admission deadline are automatically considered for the OIS Award and the International Major Entrance Scholarship, so there is no separate OIS application.
UBC OIS Award Details
The Outstanding International Student Award is one of UBC’s merit-based entrance awards for international undergraduate applicants. It is awarded when selected students receive admission and is separate from the need-and-merit-based International Scholars Program, which has a different application process and earlier award deadline.
UBC evaluates OIS candidates using the admission application, including academic and personal-profile information. Scholarship decisions are generally made after admission review, and only successful recipients are notified of an award offer.
University | University of British Columbia |
|---|---|
Country | Canada |
Award | Outstanding International Student Award |
Level | Undergraduate |
Type | One-time merit-based entrance scholarship |
Separate award application | No |
2027 admission deadline | January 15, 2027 at 11:59 PM PT |
Award decisions | Generally between mid-February and end of April |
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Award Benefits
The OIS Award provides a one-time merit scholarship to successful international students entering UBC. The university’s current international-awards page confirms the award remains part of its merit-based funding portfolio for new international students.
UBC has not yet published the exact 2027 award figure. The most recently published range, for the 2025/26 academic year, was CAD $10,000 to $25,000; applicants should treat this as a reference only and use the value stated in their official award offer if selected.
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Award Eligibility
Applicants must be new to UBC and entering directly from secondary school or post-secondary study. They must be international students who will study in Canada on a Canadian study permit and must demonstrate outstanding academic achievement plus strong extracurricular involvement.
Students nominated for UBC’s need-and-merit-based International Scholars awards are not considered for OIS. Applicants should therefore understand which UBC award pathway fits their circumstances before beginning the application process.
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Requirements and Required Documents
There is no separate OIS scholarship form. Applicants must complete the UBC undergraduate admission application and submit the academic records, personal-profile information, and other programme-specific documents required for the chosen degree and applicant type.
Because merit-award evaluation uses the applicant’s academic and personal profile, the admission application should be complete and accurate. International applicants should also plan for the Canadian study-permit process after receiving and accepting an admission offer.
How to Apply for the UBC OIS Award
Applicants apply through UBC’s official undergraduate admission process linked from the international scholarships and awards page. The OIS Award does not require a separate scholarship application.
The university reviews eligible international applicants automatically after they apply for admission by the required deadline. Students should make sure their application includes all mandatory academic and personal-profile components because incomplete admission files can affect both admission and award consideration.
UBC OIS Award Application Deadline
The OIS Award has no separate scholarship deadline because eligible applicants are automatically considered through the admission process. For Winter Session 2027, UBC lists the general undergraduate application deadline as January 15, 2027 at 11:59 PM Pacific Time.
Applicants seeking UBC’s separate International Scholars Program must follow the earlier November 15, 2026 award-application deadline, but that deadline belongs to a different need-and-merit funding route and should not be confused with automatic OIS consideration.
Frequently Asked Questions
The following questions cover the most common details applicants ask about the UBC OIS Award, including the application process, funding structure, and the timeline for merit-award decisions.
What does UBC OIS stand for?
OIS stands for Outstanding International Student Award, a merit-based entrance scholarship for qualified international students admitted to UBC.
Do I need a separate OIS application?
No. UBC states that eligible international applicants are automatically considered for OIS when they apply for admission by the required deadline.
Is the OIS Award fully funded?
No. UBC describes OIS as a one-time merit-based entrance award and advises recipients to plan for the remaining cost of their degree.
When are merit-award decisions released?
UBC indicates that merit-based scholarship decisions are generally made between mid-February and the end of April, with successful recipients notified directly.
Final Thoughts
The UBC OIS Award is a useful merit-based funding option for international undergraduate students who combine strong academics with extracurricular involvement. Its automatic-consideration model means applicants do not need to prepare a separate scholarship form.
Students targeting the 2027 intake should focus on submitting a strong and complete UBC admission application by the January 15, 2027 deadline. They should also avoid relying on older award amounts until UBC publishes the current 2027 value or communicates an official offer.
