Admission Requirements

There are 3 eligibility requirements to apply for the BSN Program: 

1. 3 university credits of first year or higher English Composition / Writing course
2. 6 university credits (or equivalent) of human anatomy & physiology 
3. Minimum of 48 non-nursing university transferable undergraduate course work in another field of study

1. First-year or higher English (3 credits) - one of the following options below meets this requirement: 

1. UBC ENGL 112 (3 credits) or WRDS 150 (3credits) or equivalent is recommended 
   • To check if your courses are equivalent to UBC ENGL 112 or UBC WRDS 150, please consult the BC Transfer Guide
      
2. First year or higher level university transferable to UBC English composition course. A composition course is defined by the School of Nursing to include an analysis based approach to writing at the University level.
   • To check if your courses is equivalent UBC ENGL 1st please consult the BC Transfer Guide
      
3. Have a university degree from an institution where English was the primary language of instruction? You may meet the prerequisite for 3 credits of English composition with your degree completion. 
    
4. Notation of "WRCM 1st (3 credits)"  in your UBC Academic History or Academic Transcripts is also acceptable. 
   • This means that UBC identified that you completed 3 credits of general first-year English “Writing/Composition” courses when your prior academic transcripts were reviewed at time of admission. 

2. Human Anatomy and Physiology (minimum 6 credits):

• UBC BIOL 153 (2019W Session and prior offerings) or UBC BIOL 155 (2020W Session and beyond) is recommended
• Equivalent Human Anatomy and Physiology (HAP) course/courses will be considered as long as:
  • They cover all body systems
  • Have been completed within four (4) years at time of application 
  • Please see "What HAP Courses Meet the Requirement?" for more detailed information. 

Please note: UBC BIOL 155 completed in 2019W and before does not satisfy the HAP requirement. Courses which transfer to UBC as BIOL 155 will be considered case by case. 

3.  Want to find out if you have 48 non-nursing university transferable undergraduate credits? 

• Please review your academic transcripts from your prior learning for the credit value, subject, and level of completed courses. 
• All undergraduate university level coursework you are currently completing, or have completed will count toward this requirement, except any courses classified as "Nursing Courses" based on your institutions academic calendar. 
   
• If you have not yet completed your undergraduate degree:
  • Ensure you've completed, or will complete, at least 48 credits of non-nursing university transferable credits before the final transcript deadline 
     
• If you have already completed your bachelors degree: 
  • Ensure that your official academic transcripts identify "Degree Conferred" and the name of your degree when you complete your initial UBC application 
  • Your UBC Application will be evaluated by Undergraduate Admissions for all pre-requisites (including this requirement for credits / degree completed).

Approved HAP Course List for 2024 Entry

Please note: for your course to meet the HAP prerequisite requirement, you must take the courses listed, in the combinations listed. The Approved HAP Course List for 2024 Entry was updated on August 29, 2023.

If you fall into one of the below categories, you are required to submit a  Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition (PLAR) application. 

• Completed HAP courses which do not appear on the Approved List.
• Completed HAP courses listed in a different combination than the ones mentioned on the Approved List
• Completed HAP courses more than 4 years ago (before September 2019) for September 2024 entry

Are you a current UBC Student wanting to complete your HAP credit at a different institution? Find out more details by checking the Approved HAP Course List for 2024 Entry link above and reading the FAQ's listed 

HAP courses which are not listed on the Approved List must meet the following criteria for PLAR assessment:

1. The coursework must show at least 6 post-secondary/university level credits of HAP (at an accredited institution)
    
2. The course work must be at least 75-78 hours of contact time:
   • 3 contact hours per week x 13 weeks over two (2) terms, or
   • 6 contact hours per week x 13 weeks over one term
      
3. The course(s) must cover the anatomy and physiology of the following human body systems:
   • Cardiovascular
   • Muscular and skeletal
   • Digestive
   • Nervous
   • Endocrine
   • Reproductive
   • Immune
   • Respiratory
   • Integumentary
   • Urinary
      
4. The course(s) must cover HUMAN, not Cell or Animal Anatomy/Physiology content, and include both the STRUCTURE and FUNCTION of all body systems listed above.
    
5. The course outlines submitted with the PLAR application must be from the year when the courses were completed.
    
6. Course(s) must be completed within the last 4 years at the time of application.
   • Applicants for September 2024 intake must present HAP course(s) completed within the last 4 years at time of application (i.e., after September 2019). 
      
7. Applicants who have current and active work experience or registration as an allied health professional who have completed HAP courses outside the 4-year time limit:
   • Must provide supporting documentation to show current knowledge of ALL human body systems.
   • Must submit a current resume
   • Must submit a letter of explanation addressed to the PLAR committee
   • Must submit proof of your professional designation/licence/registration
   • Must submit transcripts/outlines for additional HAP courses taken since the course(s) was/were completed
   • Other documentation they consider appropriate to support the application
   • Please Note: Applicants who might qualify for this category may also include internationally trained physicians, practicing massage therapists, and practicing doctors of naturopathy.
      
8. The PLAR committee reviews PLAR applications and determines if the coursework meets the required HAP content.
   • Please Note: The committee does not grant transfer credit. ​​​​​​

The 2022/2023 PLAR application deadline is December 1, 2023. The fee for submitting a PLAR application is $63.20. Please note that the PLAR application fee is non-refundable.

All PLAR Applications will be reviewed individually, and normally students will receive a response within four (4) weeks. Response times vary during peak times. All applicants for September 2024 entry who complete their application prior to the PLAR Application deadline will receive a response by end of February 2024.

You must have a minimum 70% average, or grade point average of 2.8 (calculated on a 4.0-point scale) based upon the most recent 30 non-nursing, university transferable credits completed at the undergraduate level.

Kindly check the Application Instructions page where you will find steps and Deadlines for the 2024W UBC - Vancouver BSN program application process - Click here  s://nursing.ubc.ca/admissions/undergraduate-admissions/application-instructions

You can email  with any general queries, we will be conducting a general information session in November 2023 for 2024W applicants, kindly check this website regularly for more details on Date & Time and how to register for the information session.information@nursing.ubc.ca