Frequently Asked Questions

Unfortunately, the answer is no. These programs are professional 10-month master's programs offered on the Vancouver and Okanagan campuses. They give you access to key experts with the field of arts (linguistics), computer science, and statistics. As well, the programs provide strong connections with industry partners in public and private sectors, start-ups, and leading tech companies leading to a wider range of networking/career opportunities.

Because the three programs have different admissions procedures, you may not transfer between programs once you have paid your acceptance deposit. If you are unsure which program is right for you, feel free to contact us. 

No, the MDS program is a cohort based program. All our courses are developed specifically for the program and build on each other. As such all students start the program together, take the same courses in the same order and graduate as a cohort.

All MDS programs take the same DSCI courses from September-December. In January, MDS Vancouver and Okanagan students continue a deeper focus on data analytics, while MDS Computational Linguistics students take courses that concentrate on working with language data, including building, analyzing, and evaluating LLMs and AI.  Capstone projects are also stream-specific.

The MDS program is a full-time, accelerated program with a demanding academic workload. While students may choose to work during the program, we strongly encourage applicants to carefully consider whether outside employment is compatible with the program's academic demands.

No. The MDS program does not include a formal internship or co-op component. However, all three MDS programs include a capstone project, which occurs during the final two months of the program. The capstone is a 6-credit course, not an internship or co-op position. Students work in teams, are mentored throughout the process, and are awarded a grade at the end of the course.

MDS is a full-time, cohort-based program. Students' progress through the curriculum together, taking the same courses in the same sequence. Because of this structure, the program cannot be completed on a part-time basis. Applicants should expect to commit to full-time study for the duration of the program.

The MDS program is a course-based professional master's program. Students complete a prescribed set of courses to earn the degree. Unlike a research-based master's program, MDS does not include a thesis and does not require an individual research supervisor.

Because the MDS is a cohort-based program, we have only one intake per year in September. All of our courses are developed specifically for the program and build on each other. As such, all students start the program together, take the same courses in the same order and graduate as a cohort.

Applications for the UBC Master of Data Science program open once per year, usually around the Fall. The application deadline is typically January 31. We encourage applicants to review the Admissions website regularly, as application deadline dates may vary by program and can change from year to year.

Yes. You can apply for more than one of the UBC Master of Data Science programs, but you will be required to complete and submit a separate application for each program (and pay separate application fees). 

We’re unable to review or pre-assess applications or provide admission decisions before an application is submitted. Applications are reviewed holistically after reviewing the full application, including academic preparation, supporting documents (i.e., transcripts, letter of intent, references, etc.), and relevant work/professional experience. If you meet the minimum admission requirements, we encourage you to apply. Applying is the only way to receive an official admission decision.

Please be genuine and use your own voice throughout your application, particularly in your personal statement. Your application should reflect your own experiences, perspectives, and motivations.
Admission Committees can often identify when personal statements, reference letters, or other application materials have been written or substantially prepared by AI tools, consultants, or other external parties. Using these resources in place of your own voice will weaken your application.

The UBC MDS program is a very competitive program. The Admissions Committee will review and consider all applications as a whole, including the mandatory prerequisites, personal interest statements, transcripts for all current and previous post-secondary study, academic/professional references, resumes and other experiences and English language tests (if applicable). See application tips.

All three programs offer rolling admissions, with offers going out as early as December and as late as May. While applying earlier does not strengthen your application, it may allow you to receive a decision sooner.

If your undergraduate or graduate degree was not completed at an English-speaking university, proof of English-language proficiency is required as this program requires a significant amount of reading, writing and oral communication. See the International Students page for more information on which English language proficiency exams we accept.

The UBC Master of Data Science program does not require a GRE or any other academic test score for admission.

MDS will accept professional references instead of academic references but strongly encourages at least one academic reference. The goal of the reference should be to highlight your skills and suitability for the program. References should be selected based on how they can promote your abilities, not simply based on the reference's position or reputation.

The deadline to receive all reference letters is 7 days after the application deadline.

Yes. You may be considered if you hold any undergraduate or graduate degree in an unrelated field, provided you can demonstrate that you have met the prerequisite requirements for admission. Applicants from non-traditional or interdisciplinary backgrounds are encouraged to clearly describe how they have developed the required technical and analytical skills in their application materials. Learn more about some of our alumni and their background here.

Applicants who do not meet the minimum GPA requirements are still welcome to apply. The admissions committee considers applications holistically. This includes any relevant work experience you may have. If any extenuating circumstances such as illness or significant personal disruption may have led to not meeting our minimum GPA requirement, we recommend you explain that in your letter of intent.

The language background requirement for the MDS Computational Linguistics program refers to the study of natural (human) language, and not programming languages such as Python or R.

To determine if your 3-year degree is accepted, please refer to this website: https://www.grad.ubc.ca/countries.

No. The prerequisite courses can be taken at any accredited university. Below are short descriptions of the UBC courses eligible as MDS pre-requisite courses. Courses taken at other institutions should match in topic and content. Click on the tabs to review the prerequisites for each campus.

In addition to the technical background required for all MDS students (see above), the expectation is that candidates will have a degree and/or other significant experience relevant to language (i.e. a major or minor in linguistics). Candidates should outline this language background in their letter of intent.

Yes. Applicants may apply while completing prerequisite coursework. Any outstanding prerequisites must be completed before the program begins in September. We typically request that you provide an interim mark or a letter from the course instructor stating your progress in the course.

We do not pre-assess individual courses for prerequisite eligibility in advance of an application. You can view the learning objectives here. You are responsible for reviewing the learning objectives listed for each prerequisite and determining whether the course you have taken has significant overlap between the content of the prerequisite course and what is listed in the learning objectives. If you believe a course you have completed (or are completing) aligns with the stated learning objectives, you are welcome to apply and include that course in your application.

The UBC MDS program and Computational Linguistic are very competitive programs. If you take your prerequisite courses at an accredited university and submit the grades you receive on a transcript, you will have a stronger application compared to someone who has taken online courses (and does not have any grades to submit). Online MOOCs/Coursera courses and adult education/continuing studies courses are not accepted. Distance education courses offered by accredited universities are accepted, provided they are credit-bearing, graded, and appear on an official university transcript.

While work experience is great in supporting your application package, we still require you to have university credit courses for the pre-requisites.

• Tuition Fees:
  • For the most up to date tuition fee information for the UBC Master of Data Science program, please visit our tuition page. Tuition for the UBC Master of Data Science in Computational Linguistics is the same as the MDS program.
• Deposit Fees:
  • For the most up to date deposit fee information, please visit our tuition page.

In addition to tuition fees there are application fees and student fees all UBC students pay. Please note, tuition fees do not include room and board.

The UBC MDS Vancouver and Okanagan campuses as well as the Computational Linguistic program offer the same merit-based entrance scholarships of up to $25,000 CAD awarded to a Canadian student and an international student. The admissions committee makes the selections based on the strength of students’ applications. No separate applications or documents are required. The MDS Vancouver program offers additional program-specific scholarships that are not available across all MDS programs. Learn more about available funding opportunities.

Yes. The 2025–2026 study permit intake cap will include master’s and doctoral students. This includes MDS.

Since Jan 1, 2026, most graduate students are exempt from the PAL requirement. Applicants to UBC master and doctoral degree programs won't need a PAL when applying for a study permit.

Yes, all programs qualify to apply for the BC PNP.

Yes, graduate students of master’s degree programs, such as MDS, continue to be eligible for Post-Graduation Work Permits (PGWP) for 3 years, even if their program of study is less than 2 years, so long as they meet PGWP eligibility requirements.  

While graduates from master's and doctoral programs will continue to be eligible for PGWP without a field of study requirement, there are proposed changes to the requirements, such as proof of language skills having been introduced. All PGWP applicants must meet a minimum language level of Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) 7 for university graduates or CLB 5 for college graduates. This aligns with language requirements for permanent residency under Express Entry.

Unfortunately, no. Spouses and common-law partners of master’s students will only qualify for open work permits if the program lasts at least 16 months. Because MDS is a 10-month program, spouses and common-law partners of MDS students are ineligible. However, spouses who no longer qualify for open work permits may be able to get another type of work permit.

It depends. If your most recent degree was completed at a university where English was the official language of instruction (institution-wide, not just program-wide), you do not need to submit an English language proficiency test (e.g., TOEFL, IELTS). Provide us with official documents in your application to prove this. However, if your most recent degree was completed at a university where a language other than English was the official language of instruction, you must meet the English language proficiency requirements with valid scores from an English language proficiency test (e.g., TOEFL, IELTS) taken within the past 24 months.

If your undergraduate or graduate degree was not completed at an English-speaking university, proof of English-language proficiency is required as this program requires a significant amount of reading, writing and oral communication. See the International Students page for more information on which English language proficiency exams we accept.

Once the application deadline has passed, application processing will generally take between eight and 16 weeks (this may vary by program). However, certain circumstances can cause that timeline to increase.