Applicants interested in the Department of Theatre and Film graduate programs must follow the specific application process of their preferred program.
General UBC Application
Regardless of which program, all interested applicants must submit an online application through the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies.
In this process, you will also need to submit the following:
- Transcripts from all past post-secondary institutions
- Two letters of reference
- A statement of interest
- English Proficiency exam scores (if required)
Please note that each graduate program in the Department of Theatre and Film may require you to tailor your statement of interest to their program specifically.
For more information, visit the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies.
How do I know if I am eligible for my intended graduate program?
You can find eligibility requirements for all our programs either on our website, or at the UBC Calendar links below:
All Theatre programs (MA, MFA, and PhD)
MFA in Film Production
MFA Film Production & Creative Writing
Cinema and Media Studies
What kind of financial support is available for graduate students?
We offer some discretionary funds for incoming students, depending on which program you are interested in. Most of the funding available to students is distributed via university level funding competitions or Teaching Assistant (TA) positions. TA positions are not guaranteed; however, students are encouraged to apply, and students in our programs are prioritized for the positions available. Applicants to Masters level programs should not rely on university funding to cover all expenses related to their program. You can find a breakdown of tuition for graduate programs here.
What funding competitions should I apply to before applying to my chosen program?
For domestic Doctoral candidates, please review the CGRS-D competition overview to ensure you are eligible. For domestic Masters applicants, please review the CGRS-M competition page and ensure you meet the eligibility requirements. Along with your CGRS-M application, please consider submitting an Affiliated Fellowship checklist to thtr.sec@ubc.ca. For international Masters applicants, please review the Affiliated Fellowship application page to ensure you are eligible. Please submit your application directly to thtr.sec@ubc.ca before the deadline.
I am an international applicant interested in your Doctoral programs; how can I confirm what funding is available?
Our doctoral programs are required to provide a minimum funding balance of $40,000 to incoming Doctoral students for the first four years of their degree. Any external funding available that may support that minimum funding requirement, including the CIRTA awards and any TAships, will be taken into consideration during the admissions process.
I do not meet the eligibility requirements in the UBC Calendar for the program, but I have a related degree and/or relevant experience. Am I still eligible to apply?
There are no strict rules regarding the eligibility requirements for many of our programs. We consider the overall quality and coherence of each application. However, applicants who have not formally studied the academic discipline relevant to the program may find it more challenging to gain admission. We look for evidence of a significant amount of expertise, on an academic level, in these areas. If this is not demonstrated in your application, you may not be considered for admission.