See also: Science Program Restrictions for Exchange Students
Courses such as Honours, Directed Studies, and Seminar courses usually have restricted enrolment and/or separate application and approval processes. Connect with the relevant department if you're interested in taking any of these courses.
Co-op work placement courses are not available to exchange and visiting students.
Programs with restrictions
Anthropology (ANTH)
Courses at the graduate level (500+) are not available
Chinese Language (CHIN)
ALL incoming students who wish to take ANY CHIN-titled courses (or CNTO or CLCH 389/399) are required to complete an Online Placement Questionnaire to obtain a placement approval for registration. Students without approval will be removed from the class.
Students may not enroll in more than one level of Chinese Language in the same term.
Computational Linguistics (COLX)
These courses are part of the Master of Data Science program and are not available. For more information, please refer to our Faculty of Science program restrictions.
Creative Writing (CRWR)
Most 200-level courses are available. 400-level and 500-level courses are not open to exchange students. If you are requesting 300-level courses, please submit the following documents to go.global@ubc.ca:
- Syllabus/course outline of the pre-req courses you have taken at your home university
- A short writing sample in English, maximum 10 pages, ideally in the genre you want to take.
For any questions related to CRWR course requests, please email crwr.undergrad@ubc.ca.
Economics (ECON)
The department may ask students to provide updated transcripts to prove prerequisites are met.
Courses that are NOT available:
- ECON 325, 390, 490, 495 and 499
- Courses & sections that are restricted to special programs such as Bachelor of International Economics (BIE) and Coordinated Arts. Please refer to the course/section-specific restrictions on the course schedule to view these restrictions.
- Graduate courses (500+ level)
Courses that have limited availability and require approval from the department (not course instructor) with an updated transcript demonstrating that prerequisites have been met when requesting enrolment:
- ECON 301, 302, and 326
- All 400-level ECON
- ECON Honours courses: ECON 304, 305, 306, 307. Approval for enrolment in honours courses will be rare. Students should have a very strong mathematical background and grades in the top 10% of their class. Requests will be adjudicated on a case-by-case basis by the Honours Advisor. Even if the student meets the criteria, enrolment is not guaranteed as capacity is limited.
For any questions about these restrictions, please contact Go Global first.
English (ENGL)
Limited availability in ENGL courses:
- First-year (100-level) courses are not available.
- ENGL 210, ENGL 211, ENGL 489, ENGL 490, ENGL 491, and ENGL 492, courses for English Honours are not available.
Theatre & Film (CINE, FIPR, THFL, THTR)
Limited availability in Cinema Studies (CINE, formerly FIST), Theatre (THTR), and Film Production (FIPR) courses. Many courses are restricted or not open to exchange students. Course schedule and restrictions may vary year to year.
CINE (formerly FIST) - Cinema Studies
- Many courses have limited space and are restricted to students majoring in Cinema Studies at their home institution
- Students are advised to check the Section Comments under the respective course section on the Course Schedule
- CINE 100 and 200-level CINE courses may be open to exchange students.
- CINE 240 and 300 may be available for exchange students.
- CINE 331, 340, 445, and 449 are not open to exchange students.
- All other CINE 300-, 400-, and 500-level courses may be available for exchange students with written permission from the instructor. Exchange students should contact Go Global to register for the waitlist and contact the instructor to obtain written permission using the Change of Registration Form after arriving.
FIPR - Film Production
- FIPR 101, 131, 133 (non-restricted seats), 230, 234, and FIPR 469A (Community Storytelling) may be open to exchange students.
- FIPR 233, 333, 337, 339, 433, 437, 439, 469G and 469H are not open to exchange students.
- All other FIPR 300-, 400-, and 500-level courses may be available for exchange students with written permission from the instructor. Exchange students should contact Go Global to register for the waitlist and contact the instructor to obtain written permission after arriving.
THFL - Theatre & Film Studies
- THFL 100 and 200 are available for exchange students.
THTR - Acting/Directing
- THTR 130 is available for exchange students.
- Courses in the BFA Acting program (THTR 271-274, 371-374, 471-474) are not open to exchange students.
- The following courses may be available for exchange students: THTR 230, 317, 330, 339, 417, and 439.
- Graduate courses (500+) in the Theatre Directing program are not available for exchange students.
THTR - Theatre Design/Production
- THTR 150, 205, 245, 250, 305, 306, 308, 354, and 356 may be available for exchange students.
- All other THTR design 300-, 400-, and 500-level courses may be available for exchange students with written permission from the instructor. Exchange students should contact Go Global to register for the waitlist and contact the instructor to obtain written permission after arriving.
THTR Studies - Theatre Studies
- THTR 120, 210 and 211 are available for exchange students. THTR 310, 311, 320, and 325 may be available for exchange students, exchange students should contact Go Global to register for the waitlist and contact the instructor to obtain written permission after arriving.
- THTR 445 and 449 are not open to exchange students.
- Exchange students should contact Go Global to register for the waitlist and contact the instructor to obtain written permission after arriving.
First Nations and Indigenous Studies (FNIS, FNEL)
- Very limited capacity in FNIS and courses fill very quickly
- FNIS 100 is available for exchange and visiting students
- FNIS 210 and 220 are restricted for majors and minors until the end of July
- FNIS 310 and FNIS 320 are restricted to FNIS majors and minors only
- FNIS 400 is restricted to FNIS majors only
- All other FNIS courses offered (including graduate-level courses) can only be taken with permission from the instructor where space permits
- FNEL 101, 191 and FNEL 482 require an application
- Prerequisites must be completed prior to registration for language courses (FNEL 102, 201, 202)
- Other FNEL courses are open to registration or can be taken with permission of the instructor
French (FREN)
Students are required to have completed at least three years of French and can participate comfortably in courses taught exclusively in the French language in order to study French while at UBC. Below that level, we offer only a single French language course per term.
Media Studies
The following courses in the Bachelor of Media Studies are not open to exchange students:
- FIPR 233, CINE 240, CINE 340, INFO 250, INFO 419, and INFO 456 (restricted to UBC BMS students only)
- MDIA courses restricted to students in the BMS program (most MDIA courses - please refer to specific restrictions on the course schedule)
Courses that may be open to exchange students include MDIA 100 and and MDIA 470.
Political Science (POLI)
There is limited availability in POLI courses.
- POLI_V 100, 101, 110, 220, 240, 260, and 300 are open to all exchange students.
- Other than POLI_V 300, registration in 300-level POLI courses is restricted to Political Science and International Relations Majors (as well as Majors in related fields). Eligible Majors may register in a maximum of three 300-level POLI courses per term.
- 400-level POLI seminars and Graduate (500+) courses are not available.
Please note:
- POLI_V 300 is intended for students who have limited experience in Political Science and likely won't be suitable for Political Science and International Relations Majors.
- Students interested in taking upper-level Canadian Politics courses (POLI_V 301-310) are strongly encouraged to take POLI_V 101, Introduction to Canadian Politics, first.
Psychology (PSYC)
Graduate (500+) courses are not available.
Courses that require permission from the course instructor:
- PSYC 217, 218, 301, 303, 306, 359, 361, 365, 367, 368, 404, 409, 417, 427, 460, 461, 462 and 472
- Directed Studies: PSYC 340, 440, 388, and 488 require permission after students arrive
Courses not open to exchange students (no exceptions):
- PSYC 370 and 371 (these courses are restricted to UBC degree-seeking students in the Neuroscience program)
- PSYC 349 and 449
Visual Arts (VISA)
- There is very limited availability in VISA courses.
- Only 100-level VISA courses are open to exchange and visiting students for 2026/2027.
University Writing Centre Courses (WRIT)
WRIT 098 and WRIT 099 are open to exchange students but are not covered under your tuition waiver. You will need to pay tuition for these courses.