UBC International Scholars for Ghanaian students (2026-27)

What is UBC's International Scholars Program?

It is the University of British Columbia's need-and-merit scholarship program for international undergraduates. It holds four awards, and the best known is the Karen McKellin International Leader of Tomorrow Award. UBC says it has named more than 680 International Scholars since 2001.

The four awards are:

• Karen McKellin International Leader of Tomorrow Award, for top students who lead by working with and supporting others.
• Donald A. Wehrung International Student Award, for students from impoverished or war-torn areas who have excelled in hard circumstances.
• International Impact Award, for leaders working on climate, conservation, social justice or health. UBC gives priority to first-generation learners.
• Vantage One Excellence Award, for strong students who do not yet meet UBC's English standard and start at UBC Vantage College.

You do not pick one. UBC considers you for every award you qualify for.

Who can apply from Ghana?

A Ghanaian student in SHS 3 can apply for September 2027 entry if they meet every one of UBC's conditions. UBC says there are no exceptions.

• You are an international student. You will study in Canada on a study permit.
• You come straight from secondary school. For 2027, you must have finished no earlier than June 2026, and this must be your first degree.
• Your grades are at the top. UBC asks for "all As or equivalent standard", well above its normal admission bar.
• Your family cannot pay. You must show, with official documents, that a UBC degree is impossible without major financial help.
• You meet UBC's English standard by 31 January 2027.

Ghana helps you on two of these. UBC accepts the West African Senior School Certificate for admission. Ghana is also on UBC's list of countries where four years of full-time study in English meets its English standard, so most Ghanaian SHS students do not need IELTS or TOEFL.

Some degrees are excluded, including Nursing, Dental Hygiene, Medical Laboratory Science and joint or dual degrees. Check your programme first.

What does it cover?

Your financial need, as UBC assesses it, rather than a fixed sum. UBC does not publish a value for the McKellin, Wehrung or Impact awards. It works out your need: the support you would require to live and study at UBC after your family's resources are counted. The Vantage One Excellence Award, UBC says, ranges up to the full cost of the programme and living expenses.

Scholars also get dedicated advisers, workshops and retreats, and can take part in exchange and co-op. Use UBC's cost estimator to see the full cost, and ask the program what your award would and would not cover before you accept.

When are the deadlines?

For entry in September 2027, these are UBC's dates:

1. Late September 2026

   Agree a nominator and a teacher referee at your school.

2. From 5 October 2026

   Applications open for the September 2027 intake. Apply to UBC first: you cannot start the award application until your UBC application is in.

3. 15 November 2026

   International Scholars Program application deadline, 11:59 p.m. Pacific time. Your nominator and referee should submit a few days before this.

4. 31 January 2027

   Deadline for the documents UBC needs to assess you, and for meeting its English standard.

5. January to March 2027

   Video interview, if UBC invites you. You get one week to complete it.

6. February to April 2027

   Results released on a rolling basis. UBC says you will know by early to mid-April.

UBC's general application deadline is 15 January 2027. For this program, ignore it. Your real deadline is 15 November 2026, and your UBC application must already be in by then.

How do I apply?

Six steps, in order. Each one opens the next.

1. Choose your programme and campus. UBC considers you for the award in your first-choice programme, at Vancouver or Okanagan.
2. Secure your nominator and referee. Ask your head of school or counsellor to nominate you, and a different teacher to be your referee. Confirm your school has not used up its places: two for Vancouver, one for Okanagan.
3. Apply to UBC. Submit the admission application first. The award application asks for proof that you have done this.
4. Open your award account and invite both referees. You cannot submit until both their forms are in.
5. Complete the financial and personal sections. UBC asks for your family's income, expenses, assets, dependents, school fees and sources of support. You also write four short essays of about 150 to 250 words.
6. Send your documents by 31 January 2027. UBC says that if your school certificates are not ready by then, send them as soon as they are.

Gather the money information early. If a parent trades or farms and has no payslips, ask UBC which official documents it will accept. Our guide to aid forms with no tax returns explains how to build an income figure honestly.

How are scholars chosen?

On grades, leadership and need, together. UBC runs a financial assessment of every applicant and reads your essays, activities and references for leadership and community impact. Some applicants are then invited to a video interview.

UBC does not publish how many awards it makes each year or a scoring scheme. Treat the program as one ambitious application on a wider list.

Should I apply alongside US universities?

Yes, if you have the grades and the need. UBC's results arrive between February and April, alongside most US decisions, so you can compare offers side by side. Our guide to Canadian scholarships for Ghanaian students sets UBC beside the Lester B. Pearson Scholarship and other routes.

One trade-off matters. Applying to this program removes you from UBC's merit awards, which are partial. If your family could pay most of UBC's cost, the merit route may suit you better.

What should I do first?

Talk to your head of school this week. Ask whether the school will nominate you for UBC's International Scholars Program, and which teacher will be your referee. Then apply to UBC well before 15 November 2026.

If you would like help weighing UBC against your US options, you can book a call with us.

Questions people ask

Can a Ghanaian student apply for the Karen McKellin award at UBC?

Yes. The Karen McKellin International Leader of Tomorrow Award is one of four awards in UBC's International Scholars Program, open to international students who need a Canadian study permit. You do not apply for it by name: UBC considers you for every award you are eligible for once you submit the program's application by 15 November 2026.

Does UBC accept WASSCE?

Yes. UBC lists the West African Senior School Certificate as meeting its general admission requirement for Ghana. It says that in past years a combination of mainly B2 and B3 grades was needed for an offer, but the International Scholars Program asks for all As or the equivalent.

Do Ghanaian students need IELTS for UBC?

Usually not. Ghana is on UBC's list of countries where four years of full-time study in English meets its English Language Admission Standard. Check that your own schooling fits that rule before you skip a test.

Can I apply for UBC's merit scholarships and the International Scholars Program?

No. UBC says applicants are considered for either its merit-based awards or its need-based International Scholars Program, not both. If you apply to the program, you are not considered for merit awards such as the International Major Entrance Scholarship.

Does my school have to nominate me for UBC's International Scholars Program?

Yes. You need a nominator, such as your head of school or guidance counsellor, and a separate teacher referee. A school can nominate up to two students for UBC Vancouver and one for UBC Okanagan each year.

Where to go next

• Back up to the hubEvery scholarships guide
• Read nextCanadian scholarships for Ghanaian students
• Read nextLester B. Pearson Scholarship for Ghanaian students (2026-27)
• Read nextHow to study in Canada from Ghana
• If you would rather not DIYThe Full Journey