UBC Bachelor of International Economics admission requirements: ENG4U, MHF4U, a personal profile and about 100 seats

When you choose Ontario in the requirements tool on UBC's International Economics page, the degree-specific list is ENG4U (English) and MHF4U (Advanced Functions). UBC's general rules add graduation from high school and at least 70% in Grade 11 or Grade 12 English.

The VSE admissions page adds that you must be eligible to take MATH 100 at UBC. It strongly recommends a high school calculus course, though it says calculus is not a factor in the decision. So MCV4U is a smart extra course.

UBC suggests courses in Language Arts, Mathematics and Computation, and Social Studies such as economics, law, geography or psychology. Map your timetable with our course planner.

UBC does not post a recommended grade range for the BIE in its Ontario requirements. VSE says admission is competitive and comparative, and that only applicants with competitive grades are considered. It says it does not admit on grades alone.

UBC looks at all your academic Grade 11 and 12 grades, with special attention to courses tied to the degree. It drops your lowest grade if that course is not a requirement or related to your program. With only about 100 seats a year, treat this as one of UBC's most selective programs. Check your numbers with our Top 6 average calculator.

Every high school applicant to the BIE writes UBC's personal profile. Each answer is a short essay of about 50 to 500 words. Questions ask who you are, what matters to you, and up to five activities, with more detail on one or two. You also list two referees, and one must be a school official. UBC may contact them.

UBC readers score the profile on four areas, and one is whether it is genuine. UBC asks: does your profile authentically reflect your own words? UBC also says an education agent cannot write or assist in writing your personal profile or any part of your application. Write it yourself.

Read our UBC personal profile guide for how the questions work.

UBC's application opens in early October 2026. The deadline for September 2027 is January 15, 2027. If you want to be considered for the Presidential Scholars Awards or the Centennial Scholars Entrance Awards, apply by December 1, 2026.

UBC makes decisions for high school applicants on a rolling basis from November 2026 to June 2027. Line up your dates on our Canadian university deadlines page.

The BIE is a cohort program. You take required courses on a set timetable with your own class. Year 1 includes ECON 101 and ECON 102, ECON 227 Data in Economics, COEC 293 Financial Accounting, WRDS 150 or 151, and MATH 100 and MATH 101 for calculus.

VSE says AP, A-Level or IB economics cannot replace ECON 101 and 102 in the BIE. To continue, you need an overall average of at least 60%, a core average of at least 65%, and a pass in ECON 101, ECON 102, MATH 100 and MATH 101.

Later years add intermediate theory, business courses from UBC Sauder, and a fourth year research seminar, ECON 494.

UBC's program page lists co-op as optional for the BIE. It runs through Arts Co-op, which takes BIE students. To apply for the September 2027 intake you need at least 21 credits done and a cumulative average of at least 72%. Below 70%, your application may not be reviewed.

Arts Co-op has three four-month work terms, so most students finish in 4.5 to 5 years. Fees for 2026-27 are a one-time $288.25, plus $889.00 for each search or work term.

VSE also runs a BIE research internship for top third year students, a dedicated BIE career centre, and exchange options.

UBC lists past BIE graduates working as a business analyst at Electronic Arts, a research assistant at the Bank of Canada, and consultants at Deloitte and Willis Towers Watson. VSE says graduates also enter top graduate programs.

After second year, a few students can apply to the BIE Academic Track, which swaps business courses for honours theory and advanced econometrics. It takes at most five students per cohort and is meant for students aiming at graduate school in economics.

VSE offers tours of its Iona building with a current BIE student between October and April, in person or over Zoom.

UBC's 2026-27 domestic tuition for International Economics is $330.71 per credit, or $9,921.30 for a 30 credit first year. That is higher than UBC's Arts rate of $206.69 per credit.

International students pay $2,077.92 per credit, or $62,337.60 for 30 credits. Student fees, residence and books are extra.

The Presidential Scholars Awards include a one-time award of about $5,000 and renewable awards of up to $80,000 on the Vancouver campus, paid over four years. Your personal profile also helps UBC decide entrance scholarships.

Apply by December 1, 2026 to be considered for these awards.

The BIE has a small class, a set timetable, and a higher tuition rate than most UBC degrees. Grades matter most, but the personal profile counts too, and it must be your child's own work. You can help by talking through experiences, not by writing.

See our UBC guide for residence and campus costs.

VSE's other route is the economics major in the Bachelor of Arts. You start in Arts and apply to the major, usually after second year. The BIE is direct entry, so you know your program from day one.

VSE says BIE students take some business courses but cannot take other Sauder credits, and the BIE is not part of the Bachelor plus Master of Management dual degree. If you want a full business degree, compare our UBC Sauder Commerce guide.