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Visual Art

University of British Columbia

Visual Arts: blue ink subject illustration
Image source

AI-generated ink illustration

Conceptual study artwork, not a photograph of teaching facilities.

Unidex · generated with ImageGen

Checked 2026-11-05

Symbolic subject artwork; no university facility depicted

Deadlines

January 2027

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Next deadline

  • First-year application

    Fall 2027 entry · First-year Vancouver Visual Art applicants

    January 15, 2027 · 11:59 p.m. Pacific

    Official deadline
Other deadline details
No central deadline, each B.C. institution sets its own application open and close datesEducationPlannerBC, deadlines are set per institutionRecurring annual · Every year
  • No central deadline, each B.C. institution sets its own application open and close dates
  • No central B.C. deadline
  • Each institution and sometimes each program sets its own dates
Full source wording

Verbatim: "Each institution sets their own application open and close dates. These dates also may vary based on the program you are applying to. You can use the search database to explore programs you are interested in applying to or visit the institution's website directly. Please refer to the institution's website or contact the Admissions/Registrar's Office directly for application deadlines and details." EducationPlannerBC is the single application service for B.C.'s 25 public post-secondary institutions but publishes no deadline dates of its own.

SourceChecked
Early October 2026Online application opens for Winter Session 2027/282027 entry
  • Early October 2026
  • Applications open for Winter Session 2027/28 and Summer Session 2027
SourceChecked

Requirements

Admission requirements

High-school prerequisites
  • ENG4UEnglish
  • Graduate from high school and earn at least 70% in Grade 11 or Grade 12 English or an approved equivalent.
  • UBC recommends at least six Grade 12 courses.
UBC Canadian high-school requirements by province and degree
Application steps

Entry terms · Fall 2027

First-year UBC Vancouver BFA Visual Art applicants

UBC Visual Art Fall 2027 first-year portfolio and admissions
  1. Step 1Check the admission requirements
    • Check the published entry route for your applicant category.
    UBC Canadian high-school requirements by province and degreeUBC Canadian high-school requirements by province and degree
  2. Step 2Apply through EducationPlannerBC
    • Create your application and select this program.
    EducationPlannerBCEducationPlannerBC
  3. Step 3High school grades and final transcript
    • Current Ontario high school applicants provide their OUAC reference number so UBC can receive grades electronically. Applicants who already graduated from a Canadian high school follow UBC's instructions for a government-issued transcript. Other applicant groups have separate document instructions.
    UBC transcript submission by applicant groupUBC transcript submission by applicant group
  4. Step 4Apply through EducationPlannerBC and choose BFA Visual Art at Vancouver as your first or second choice.
    • Complete this item using the university’s applicant instructions.
    UBC Canadian high-school requirements by province and degreeUBC Canadian high-school requirements by province and degree
  5. Step 5Complete the UBC Personal Profile within the undergraduate application.
    • Complete this item using the university’s applicant instructions.
    UBC Canadian high-school requirements by province and degreeUBC Canadian high-school requirements by province and degree
  6. Step 6Submit up to five finished artworks in at least two media. UBC requires your own work and excludes AI-generated pieces.
    • Complete this item using the university’s applicant instructions.
    UBC Canadian high-school requirements by province and degreeUBC Canadian high-school requirements by province and degree
  7. Step 7Add the requested titles, media, dimensions and short artwork descriptions.
    • Complete this item using the university’s applicant instructions.
    UBC Canadian high-school requirements by province and degreeUBC Canadian high-school requirements by province and degree
  8. Step 8Write 250–500 words reflecting on one of the submitted pieces.
    • Complete this item using the university’s applicant instructions.
    UBC Canadian high-school requirements by province and degreeUBC Canadian high-school requirements by province and degree
  9. Step 9Use the first-year portfolio form and the eight-digit UBC ID from your university application.
    • Complete this item using the university’s applicant instructions.
    UBC Canadian high-school requirements by province and degreeUBC Canadian high-school requirements by province and degree
  10. Step 10Check the Applicant Service Centre for required transcripts and English-language documents.
    • Complete this item using the university’s applicant instructions.
    UBC Canadian high-school requirements by province and degreeUBC Canadian high-school requirements by province and degree

Submit original artwork and a written statement.

UBC Visual Art Fall 2027 first-year portfolio and admissions
Applicant pathways
British Columbia high school

British Columbia high school applicants

  • English Studies 12 or English First Peoples 12.
  • Graduate from high school and earn at least 70% in Grade 11 or Grade 12 English or an approved equivalent.
  • UBC recommends at least six Grade 12 courses.
  • Submit original artwork and a written statement.
UBC Canadian high-school requirements by province and degree
International Baccalaureate

International Baccalaureate Diploma applicants

  • Complete the IB Diploma with at least three Higher Level courses.
  • Submit original artwork and a written statement.
UBC Visual Art programme, IB admission and career examples

Degree requirements

Credits and degree requirements
  • Earn 120 credits, including at least 72 in Arts unless the specialization qualifies for the Calendar exception.
  • Complete the three-credit Writing Component before reaching 54 credits and fulfill the Research Component.
  • For a single specialization, complete at least 30 credits outside it.
  • Earn at least a 72% cumulative average in the three introductory VISA courses and in the 12 second-year studio credits.
  • For the major declaration, complete the introductory VISA courses, at least three ARTH credits and at least 27 credits overall.
ReferencesUBC Visual Art degree requirementsUBC Vancouver BFA degree requirementsUBC Arts Co-op eligibility for Bachelor of Fine Arts studentsUBC Arts Co-op work term requirements and scheduleUBC Art History, Visual Art and Theory current BFA plan
Course planning
  • Honours requires department permission, an 80% minimum average and six additional 400-level credits each in ARTH and VISA.
ReferencesUBC Visual Art degree requirementsUBC Vancouver BFA degree requirementsUBC Arts Co-op eligibility for Bachelor of Fine Arts studentsUBC Arts Co-op work term requirements and scheduleUBC Art History, Visual Art and Theory current BFA plan

Program facts

Entering averageNot published

The university does not publish a comparable percentage minimum or entering-average range for this program.

UBC Visual Art Fall 2027 first-year portfolio and admissions
Co-opOptional Faculty of Arts co-op · three 4-month work terms for the designation

Eligible BFA students can apply to the Faculty of Arts co-op programme.

University work-study information
UBC Arts Co-op eligibility for Bachelor of Fine Arts studentsCheck work experience options

Majors & specializations

Direct BFA entry in Visual Art at Vancouver.

Honours in Visual Art

BFA

Apply for permission to pursue advanced Visual Art coursework within the same BFA studio discipline.

Published requirements

Courses

Published requirements by study stage. Choices and prerequisites follow the Academic Calendar.

Lower-level visual art4 listed

Complete the foundation courses, six lower-level ARTH credits and 12 second-year studio credits. Use an eligible ARTH or VISA flex course for the VISA 101 requirement.

UBC Visual Art degree requirements
Upper-level visual art3 listed

Take VISA 480 before 481. Add 15 third-year VISA credits, six upper-level ARTH credits, 12 advanced studio credits and three other fourth-year VISA credits.

UBC Visual Art degree requirements

Careers

Career examples

  • Visual artist

Career sectors

1
  • Contemporary visual art
Career sectorsUBC Visual Art programme, IB admission and career examplesUBC Arts Co-op eligibility for Bachelor of Fine Arts students
Scope and qualifications

UBC career examples for Vancouver Visual Art

Costs

Fine Arts · 30 credits

Published cost estimate

2026–27 · Vancouver · Published first-year full course load · CAD

Canadian students example · Choose your category

Tuition$6,200.70
Books and supplies$1,800
Residence
Residence
Not estimated
Meal plan
Not estimated
Estimated subtotal$8,000.7

Student fees and dual-degree tuition extra

Housing and meals are outside this estimate.

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