2024-25 Go Global photo contest
We are now accepting applications for the 2024-25 Go Global photo contest. All students who participated in Go Global programs during the 2024-25 academic year and Summer 2025 are eligible to participate. The deadline to submit your photos is September 15, 2025 @ 4:00 pm. Please find the contest details and submission guidelines below. We look forward to seeing all of your wonderful photos!
Contest details
Contest information & guidelines
The annual Go Global Photo Contest gives students an opportunity to reflect on and share their experience abroad with other UBC students. Tell about your favourite moments from your time abroad and include a short description about why you chose those photo(s) for a chance to win one of three prizes.
We will feature all submissions on Go Global online and print materials.
Do
- Choose powerful imagery that transports the viewer to a specific place and sets a mood
- Select images that show a different point of view
- Show settings that a student might never see unless on a Go Global program
Don't
- Submit photos with people whom you did not get permission from
- Use images with anyone under the age of 18
- As a good rule of thumb: “if you wouldn’t want someone to use or take your picture, don’t take theirs or submit it”
By submitting your photos and statements to the Go Global Photo Contest, you authorize Go Global and UBC to use the photos and/or statements on UBC and international student websites, and for other materials produced for promotional and informational purposes. You certify that you have the right to distribute these photos. Where possible, you will be credited for your submissions.
Timeline
- Contest opens: August 1
- Contest closes: September 15
- Review period: September 13 - October 1
- Top 10 photos posted on Go Global’s Instagram page for public voting: October 1-10
- Winners announced during the week of October 14
Who can enter?
All UBC students who participated in a Go Global program during the following terms:
- 2024 Winter Term 1 (Sept.-Dec. 2024)
- 2024 Winter Term 2 (Jan.-April 2025)
- Summer 2025
How to enter
Please submit your photos using the following instructions
Submit your photo(s) here
- With each photo, include:
- First name, last name and student number
- Program (Exchange, Global Seminars, Summer Abroad, Research Abroad, etc.)
- Location (university + city + country)
- Short caption (100 words max) as a way to help judges know what you were reflecting on – in other words, why this photo was powerful for you
*Photos must be at least 1920 x 850 pixels
Prizes
1st place
$200 gift card and a
30 x 20” canvas print of your photo
2nd place
$125 gift card and a
30 x 20” canvas print of your photo
3rd place
$75 gift card and a
30 x 20” canvas print of your photo
See previous winners
2024 winners
First place
Lily Reid – Exchange in University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
Going to Australia had always been on my bucket list, and I had the time of my life during my exchange in Sydney. I cannot count how many times I went to Bondi Beach with new friends, whether it was to surf, swim, run, or walk the Bondi to Coogee Beach trail. I took this picture on my last day, waking up at 5:20 am to get there early for the sunrise. Despite waiting an hour before any good sunlight shone through thick clouds, it was well worth the wait and effort to get the picture.
Second place
Esther Lu – Exchange in University of Manchester, UK (photo location: Paris, France)
The ability to see in real life the architecture and monuments I’ve seen in my history books and classes growing up was a surreal experience I’m endlessly grateful to have experienced through Go Global.
Third place
Talia Chen – Global Seminars in South Africa
A herd of elephants bathe themselves in river mud before trudging up the bank to coat themselves in dust. As I sat there watching elephants of all ages noisily splashing and rolling around in the muddy, orange waters, slamming into the banks to drag down more soil, I was reminded of the magnificent artistry in which life forms of all shapes and sizes sculpt entire ecosystems through their mannerisms and biology. Seeing wild animals as they are when no threat is imminent can be hard to come by. I sat still, holding the moment through my camera lens.
2023 winners
First place
Henry Van Dyck – University of New South Wales
My friend Chris and I learned to dive in Vancouver the summer before our Exchange term–in hopes of exploring Australia’s underwater worlds. Captured at Osprey Reef, 500 km from the Great Barrier Reef, this photo reflects our journey. The volcanic atoll is famed for its 2,000m drop offs with near-vertical walls cutting into the abyss. In this snapshot, we encounter vibrant Alcyonacea, or sea fans, which at a depth of nearly 40m are larger than cars. We also had a run-in with a tiger shark, and felt a bit lucky to make it all back in one piece.
Second place
Asalah Youssef – University of Otago
Pursuing an exchange in Aotearoa, New Zealand was filled with an abundance of enriching experiences - from sea to sky and everything in between. Climbing the peaks of the South Island was a dream, and in this moment, up top of this peak I felt an indescribable feeling of presence, joy, and utmost gratitude for the experience of being immersed on these beautiful lands for this exchange. Throughout the entirety of my time in Aotearoa New Zealand, perspectives were gained literally and metaphorically, and for that I am filled with gratitude.
Third place
Jorge Albin – Sciences Po Paris
Simplicity. Journeying through the mountains of the Amalfi Coast in Italy, I was deeply reminded of the beauty and value of simplicity. Far removed from the trappings of modern technology, there was only nature and joyful conversations shared over a bottle of wine and pasta. This experience underscored the profound beauty found in a simple life and the importance of cherishing life's uncomplicated moments.
2022 winners
First place
Magdalen Hamilton – Exchange in Cape Town
"Looking out over Cape Town from Lion's Head. The Lion's Head trail that winds up the mountains surrounding Cape Town is one of the most accessible and popular hikes in the city. This photo was taken during my first time hiking it, and my breath was taken away by the panoramic view of the city below that overlooks each and every corner of Cape Town. Cape Town is a city of stark dichotomies, with incredible wealth coexisting alongside extreme poverty. To see from an aerial view this entanglement of different neighborhoods- and lived experiences- really made me think about the complexity of South Africa. It is one of the most naturally beautiful countries in the world with a long and troubled history that remains difficult to articulate and neatly categorize. Moments like this make me grateful for the opportunity with Go Global to gain a deeper understanding of these realities."
Second place
Heidi Collie – Global Seminars in Israel
"Through Herod’s Eyes: Masada’s view of the most coveted land on Earth"
Third place
Olivia Yin – Exchange student from University of Melbourne
"This semester, I am studying on exchange at the University of British Columbia, Vancouver. I took this photo at the Richmond Night Market when I visited with some friends on the weekend of the Mid-Autumn Festival. Coming from an Australian-Chinese background, this night market was very special to me; seeing all the food vendors and eating the delicious Asian-fusion food made me feel nostalgic of my own home and the local Queen Victoria night market in my city. There's a saying that good food in good company in one of life's greatest pleasures, and this couldn't be more true seeing how joyous everyone looked on the night!"
2019 winners
First place
Katie Lee – Global Seminars in Iceland
"A large focus of the seminar was to learn about the importance of sustainability and the various unique geological sites of Iceland. Travelling around the island was a truly humbling experience that made me appreciate how small humans are compared to the powerful geological formations of the earth. Yet, humans are the largest destructive force disrupting Earth’s ecosystems and climate today. Being able to visit Iceland solidified in my mind the importance of preserving natural resources and ecological areas so that future generations can experience the same beautiful landscapes that we saw during our trip in 2019."
Second place
Michael Suey – Exchange in Stockholm
"The first thing this reminds me of is how surreal exchange was. I’ve always dreamt of travelling to Africa, and while on exchange I had the opportunity to travel to the Moroccan sand dunes and live out that dream. The second thing it reminds me of is that the most amazing moments can come at the most unexpected times. They were short camels for the sunset ride but decided to walk alongside them anyways. As the sun set, the camels crossed over a hill and I was lucky enough to capture what is my favorite photo I’ve ever shot."
Third place
"The Light" by Jensen Tung – Exchange in Singapore
"For the first 20 years of my life, I never traveled outside the Pacific Time Zone. I was clueless about the world outside Vancouver. That all changed when I went on exchange. Studying in Singapore and traveling around Southeast Asia felt like exiting my cave for the very first time. The sights, the sounds, and the emotions that I experienced were all new to me. Exchange opened my eyes to the beauty of the world and was a breath of fresh air."