Living & studying in Vancouver

Consistently ranked as one of the most livable cities in North America and the world (The Economist, Mercer), Vancouver offers our students unparalleled opportunities. No other place in the world offers you better connections to business — and pleasure.

West Coast entrepreneurial spirit

Vancouver has a reputation as a place that inspires. Since 2014, TED has hosted their famous conference in the city, describing Vancouver as a “city that’s itself an inspiration – cosmopolitan, energetic, innovative.” In the tech sector in particular, Vancouver is gaining recognition as a hub for startups, dubbed “Silicon Valley North.” Companies born here include Hootsuite, Lululemon, Arc’teryx, Vision Critical, Shoeme.ca, and Chrysalix Energy Venture Capital, all of which have hired our graduates.

West Coast lifestyle

Vancouver offers a temperate climate and unlimited options for outdoor adventure – from kayaking and sailing in English Bay to skiing and biking on the North Shore Mountains. This cosmopolitan city is compact enough to make its recreational and cultural attractions easily accessible, and big enough to ensure there is always something new to discover.

As one of the fastest-growing tech hubs in North America, Vancouver is positioning itself as a leader in the job market. Vancouver is renowned for its natural resources; 1,200 mineral exploration companies are located in British Columbia, with 800 headquartered in Vancouver alone, and two-thirds of British Columbia’s largest forestry companies headquartered here. The forestry industry in BC alone provides 150,000 jobs in direct and indirect employment. Positions in business administration, finance, management, environmental consulting awaits new graduates, and in recent years, Vancouver has begun to also tap into clean energy and sustainability, developing new sources of clean, green energy.

Gateway to the Pacific Rim

Vancouver is a gateway between North America and the Pacific Rim, providing unique access to China, Hong Kong, Japan and growing Asian-Pacific markets. The UBC MBA has developed strong relationships with Asian schools, as evidenced in our exchange offerings and cross-cultural immersion experiences.

In Vancouver, the finance sector also employs approximately 60,000 people, thanks to its advantageous location between Asian economies and the close proximity to the United States. All five of Canada’s largest banks have operations in Vancouver, with several international banks, including the Canadian headquarters of HSBC, locating their offices here.

Silicon Valley North

Colloquially known as “Silicon Valley North”, Vancouver is also home to many startups, and is building a reputation for attracting major corporations who have opened research hubs and offices in the city in recent years, like Microsoft, SAP, Amazon.com, and McKinsey & Company, thanks to its support for innovation and creativity. A study also found that growth in the social enterprise sector in British Columbia is outpacing the larger economy, earning more than $500 million annually and providing 13,000 paid jobs. In addition, the tech sector occupies 40% of downtown Vancouver real estate, employing close to 90,000 people, and the numbers continue to grow.

The future in Greater Vancouver and British Columbia is brimming with opportunity … We are on the cusp of global greatness.

Iain Black
Vancouver Board of Trade President & CEO

Housing options are found in vibrant neighbourhoods all throughout Vancouver, one of the world’s most livable cities. UBC MBA students have the option of living on-campus, or, more commonly, finding housing off-campus.

On campus

Housing is available through student housing but demand is high, and on-campus housing requires a separate application from the UBC MBA application. We encourage you to apply for housing before being admitted into the UBC MBA.

Graduate students are able to stay at the following:

• Green College (available to 85 single or married graduate students without children)
• St. John’s College (residential college available to 142 single or married graduate students without children)
• St. Andrew’s Hall (sponsored by the Presbyterian Church in Canada, and options available for single, married or families of full-time UBC students)

Off campus

Location 30 minutes from downtown Vancouver, the UBC Point Grey campus is reachable via the city’s efficient transit system. UBC MBA students will receive a U-PASS, providing unmitigated access to the transit system. Different neighbourhoods offer different types of amenities and cuisines. Areas that would be within a reasonable commute (half an hour or less by bus) include West Point Grey, Dunbar, Kitsilano, Arbutus, Kerrisdale, Fairview, Shaughnessy, South Cambie, West End and Downtown Vancouver.

We recommend students who are interested in living off campus to begin their search for housing once they are admitted into the UBC MBA. As one of the world's most livable cities, demand for housing increases with the start of the school year. We highly recommend students secure housing before they arrive in Vancouver on Opening Week.

The UBC Housing website also has a list of online resources and valuable information to help you search for a place to live in Vancouver.

Family housing

Family housing is available to couples with or without children, and to single parents. One adult parent must be a full-time, registered student at UBC. All units come unfurnished, but include kitchen appliances. Applications can be found on the Acadia Park website. Be aware that family housing is very limited and there can be up to a year long wait list for residence.

On-campus non-UBC options

Wesbrook Properties are located at the South end of campus and offer a range of rentable apartments & townhouses suitable for single students, couples or families. These properties are not administered through UBC Housing and are a separate entity requiring application.