Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) – University of British Columbia (Vancouver)

SpaceCat Fit Notes

1. CASPer: Required. Weight not published, but CASPer results are one of three components in admission decisions (alongside academic standing and supplemental application). details
2. GPA window & upgrading strategy: Most recent 30 non-nursing, university-transferable credits (= ~10 courses). Minimum 70% / 2.8 GPA on 4.0 scale. Includes failed and repeated courses. Post-degree courses likely count (window is “most recent” credits, not “from your degree”). Fully resettable in ~1 year of upgrading. details
3. Experiential / written advantage: Supplemental application required (details not published but assessed by nursing admissions team). details

4. Out-of-province: Canadian citizens/PRs given preference. No explicit BC-only restriction but “Canadian residents will be given preference in the final selection process.” details

5. Overall assessment: Strong fit – This is a genuinely excellent option for SpaceCat. Despite the confusing label, UBC’s “standard” BSN is actually a third-year entry program requiring 48+ university credits (which SpaceCat has from her BA). The GPA window is the most recent 30 credits (~10 courses = fully resettable in 1 year). CASPer is required (SpaceCat’s strength). A supplemental application provides additional opportunity to show non-academic strengths. Competitive averages for admitted students have been 80-86%. Anatomy & physiology prerequisite (within 5 years) would need to be completed. SpaceCat enters at 3rd year and completes in 5 consecutive terms (~20 months). The only downsides: BC residency preference (but not a hard block), and the program is competitive (~500-600 applicants for ~120 spots).

“Applicants are required to have a minimum 70% average, or grade point average of 2.8 (calculated on a 4-point scale) based upon the most recent 30 non-nursing, university transferable credits completed at the undergraduate level.”

IMPORTANT CONTEXT: This Is NOT a Traditional “Standard” Program

Despite being listed on UBC’s website as the undergraduate BSN, this program is not a traditional 4-year high-school-entry program. It is an advanced standing / third-year entry program that requires a minimum of 48 university-transferable credits before admission. All students enter at the 3rd-year level and complete 5 consecutive academic terms (~20 months) of nursing coursework.

This means: - SpaceCat’s BA from Dalhousie easily meets the 48-credit requirement - She is evaluated on her most recent 30 university credits, not high school - This is functionally similar to an accelerated/second-entry program, though UBC does not label it as such

Quick Facts

• Institution: University of British Columbia, School of Nursing
• Program name: Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN)
• Degree granted: BSN
• City, Province: Vancouver, British Columbia (Point Grey Campus)
• Program type: Advanced Standing / Third-Year Entry (requires 48+ university credits; all students enter at Year 3)
• Duration: 5 consecutive academic terms (~20 months)
• Delivery format: In-person (Point Grey Campus). “The BSN program is an IN-PERSON program based at the Point Grey Campus.”
• Full-time / Part-time: Full-time only
• Language of instruction: English
• Start date(s): September
• Intake frequency: Annual
• Application deadline(s): UBC application: December 8, 2025 (for Sept 2026). Supplemental application: January 16, 2026. CASPer: last date January 18, 2026. Interim transcript: January 31, 2026. Final transcripts: May 31, 2026.
• Application system: UBC application (you.ubc.ca) + separate supplemental application via Applicant Service Centre
• Program URL: https://nursing.ubc.ca/admissions/undergraduate-admissions
• Accredited: Yes – CASN accredited. Source

Admission Requirements

GPA

• Minimum GPA: 70% average or 2.8 GPA on 4.0 scale
• Competitive GPA (if known): Historical admitted averages: 2015: 80%, 2019: 82%, 2022: 86%, 2023: 82.4%, 2024: 80.8%. A 78-80% puts applicants in top 50%; 83-85%+ in top 25% (per UBC Nursing Undergraduate Society, unofficial).

“The minimum 2.8 GPA / 70% average is the required minimum in order to be eligible to apply … and does not reflect what a competitive average may be for the year of application.”

• GPA calculated on: “The most recent completed 30 transferable credits up to December of the year of application, including any failed and repeated courses.”

“Applicants are required to have a minimum 70% average, or grade point average of 2.8 (calculated on a 4-point scale) based upon the most recent 30 non-nursing, university transferable credits completed at the undergraduate level.”

“The most recent completed 30 transferable credits up to December of the year of application, including any failed and repeated courses.”

• Number of credits in GPA window: 30 credits = 10 courses = 1 academic year to fully reset. Arithmetic: UBC defines a standard course as 3 credits (e.g., “3 UBC credits of first year or higher English” = 1 course; “6 UBC credits … of human anatomy & physiology” = 2 courses). UBC Senate Policy defines a full-time year as 30 credits: “A standard program of study is defined as 30 credits in a Winter Session.” Therefore: 30 credits ÷ 3 credits/course = 10 courses; 10 courses ÷ 5 courses/term = 2 terms = 1 Winter Session (Sept–April).
• GPA scale used: 4.0 scale or percentage (70% = 2.8)
• Do post-degree upgrading courses count? Not explicitly stated, but the wording “most recent 30 … credits completed at the undergraduate level” strongly suggests post-degree courses count, as they are “most recent.” The GPA page also says “including any failed and repeated courses” – this language describes a rolling window, not a degree-specific calculation. Confirm with program.
• Are online/summer/part-time courses included in GPA? Not stated. The window is based on “transferable credits” with no delivery-mode restriction mentioned.
• “Entire record” caveat? Not found. The GPA calculation appears to be strictly the most recent 30 credits.
• Mid-term handling: When counting back 30 credits falls within an academic term, UBC uses “the academic average of that term” for the remaining credits needed.
• Can applicants explain/contextualize a low GPA? Possibly via the supplemental application (details not published).

Prerequisites

“Applicants with a completed Bachelors Degree (or equivalent) … the English language prerequisite may be waived for students who have completed a bachelor’s degree from an accredited University (where English was the main language of instruction during that degree).”

SpaceCat’s BA from Dalhousie: Satisfies the 48-credit requirement and the English prerequisite waiver. She would need to complete anatomy & physiology (6 credits) if not already done, and these must be within the recency window.

Prereq source URL: https://nursing.ubc.ca/admissions/undergraduate-admissions/admission-requirements

Prior Degree Requirement

• Minimum credits / degree required: Minimum 48 transferable non-nursing university credits. A completed bachelor’s degree is not required but is sufficient.
• Completed degree required? No – 48 credits sufficient. But a degree waives the English prerequisite.
• Degree field restrictions: None. Must be “in a field of study other than Nursing.”

CASPer

Required. All applicants must complete the CASPer (Canadian Nursing stream). Applicants who do not complete CASPer will not be considered for admission.

“All applicants must complete the Computer-based Assessment for Sampling Personal Characteristics (CASPer) (Canadian Nursing) as part of the admission process and request results be sent to the UBC School of Nursing.”

“Applicants who do not complete the CASPer assessment will not be considered for admission.”

• Weight in admission: Not published. CASPer is one of three components: “admission decisions will be based on academic standing, supplemental application score and CASPer results.”
• Test dates: Available September 2025 – January 2026 for the 2026 cycle. Results valid only for the year of application.
• Registration: acuityinsights.app, at least 3 days before preferred test date

Supplementary Requirements

• GRE: Not required
• Interview: Not required (no interview mentioned)
• Supplemental application: Required. Accessed through the UBC Applicant Service Centre after submitting UBC application. Non-refundable processing fee (amount TBD). Assessed by UBC School of Nursing Admissions Team.
• Resume / CV: Not stated separately (may be part of supplemental)
• References: Not stated
• Language proficiency: Must demonstrate minimum English proficiency. Waived for applicants with a bachelor’s degree from an English-language university.
• Other: After admission: criminal record check, CPR-HCP certification, N95 mask fitting test

How Applications Are Evaluated

• Admission model: Multi-component assessment (academic + supplemental + CASPer). No published formula.
• Published formula: None. “The admission decisions will be based on academic standing, supplemental application score and CASPer results.”

“The admission decisions will be based on academic standing, supplemental application score and CASPer results.”

• Selection emphasis: The School selects applicants “who most aptly display a motivation to study nursing” and “qualities and skills most necessary to be a caring and competent professional nurse.”
• GPA cutoff before other components? Not explicitly stated. The 2.8/70% minimum is required for eligibility, after which all three components appear to be assessed together.

Out-of-Province Considerations

• Residency restrictions or quotas: No hard restriction. “Canadian residents (citizens and Permanent Residents) will be given preference in the final selection process.” No explicit BC-only quota.

“Canadian residents (citizens and Permanent Residents) will be given preference in the final selection process.”

• Out-of-province tuition differential: BC charges differential tuition for out-of-province domestic students. The amount was not confirmed on the nursing page but is standard UBC policy (~$1,500-$2,000/year more for non-BC residents, significantly less than international differential).

Cost

• Tuition (total program, approximate): Not published on the nursing-specific pages. UBC domestic tuition for BSN is approximately $6,000-$8,000/year for BC residents. Total program (~20 months / 5 terms) estimated at $15,000-$20,000 domestic.
• Additional fees: Supplemental application fee (TBD), clinical requirements (criminal record check, CPR, mask fit)

Competitiveness

• Cohort size: ~120 students per year
• Acceptance rate: ~20-24% (approximately 500-600 applicants for 120 spots)
• Number of applicants: ~500-600 per year (per UBC Nursing Undergraduate Society)

Source

Fieldwork / Clinical / Practicum

• Placements guaranteed? Yes (built into the 5-term curriculum)
• Total required hours: Not published
• Placement settings / locations: Vancouver area; delivered through UBC’s Clinical Practice Placement Unit
• Can placements be done out of province? Not indicated
• Scheduling: Not detailed

Licensing & Career Path

• Licensing exam: NCLEX-RN
• Graduates eligible to practice in all provinces? Yes
• CASN accredited: Yes

Reputation & Notes

• UBC Nursing is consistently ranked among the top nursing programs in Canada.
• The program is CASN accredited with an established track record (unlike the Ontario college programs which are new).
• The “standard” BSN at UBC is functionally an accelerated program for people with prior university – there is NO traditional 4-year high-school-entry nursing option at UBC Vancouver.
• UBC Okanagan has a separate BSN program with different admission requirements.
• The supplemental application and CASPer together provide two opportunities for SpaceCat to demonstrate non-academic strengths.

Information Not Found

• Exact weighting of CASPer vs GPA vs supplemental application in the admission formula
• What the supplemental application asks (prompts, word limits, components)
• Whether post-degree upgrading courses explicitly count in the “most recent 30 credits” window
• Exact out-of-province tuition differential for BSN
• Whether there is any meaningful BC residency preference that would disadvantage SpaceCat as an Ontario resident

Contact: UBC School of Nursing – admin.support@nursing.ubc.ca or 604-822-9588

Sources

• UBC Nursing Undergraduate Admissions
• UBC BSN Admission Requirements
• UBC BSN Admission Requirements (alternate URL)
• UBC BSN GPA Calculation
• UBC BSN Application Instructions
• UBC Academic Calendar – Nursing Admission Criteria
• UBC Nursing Undergraduate Society – Applicant Information
• CASN Accredited Programs
• AllNurses – UBC BSN 2025 Entry
• AllNurses – UBC BSN 2024 Entry