Now What?

So you decided to jump into the hoop of nursing. Good for you! The Home tab of this site has all the UBC Nursing Vancouver-specific information you need. Explore each link thoroughly and NOTE DEADLINES. I know that it’s a lot to absorb and quite overwhelming, but please don’t worry—I’ll break it down into simple parts here.

  • you must have a MINIMUM 48 credits working towards a degree OR a previous degree, and it can be any degree/major PLUS UBC Nursing Vancouver-specific admission requirements

  • apply as a UBC Vancouver student here and pay required fees; current UBC students can skip this step

  • fill out and submit the UBC Nursing Vancouver supplemental application for CAD $143 (as of 2023)

  • complete the CASPer Altus Suite test for CAD $40 + CAD $16 for grade distribution (money grab, I know) —> choose a test date/time, select “Nursing - Undergraduate” program, and select school “UBC”; make sure you take them by the UBC Nursing CASPer Test Deadline indicated here

  • prepare/send all transcripts of grades to UBC; current UBC students can also skip this

  • Be yourself! Show your passion for nursing by linking all your education/experiences to it — why is it helpful in making you a good nurse? What are some skills you gained? Don’t try to blend in with the crowd. Keep it simple, yet don’t be too generic. Show that you also have hobbies. You’d be surprised at how passion and uniqueness gets people admitted.

    A UBC Nursing Alumni coworker told me they even mentioned going hiking when they were stressed: a key example of self-care that nurses must practice to stay sharp! Feel free to reach out to me on Reddit :)

  • Don’t study for it. Please.

    The test is designed to score you based on your ethical decision-making. You can’t prepare yourself for random scenarios they may show you. The purpose is NOT to degrade your morality and ethics, but to grade you on your response quality, and UBC Nursing will assess your readiness for fairness and ethical strength as a registered nurse who must deal with the most harrowing ethical decisions in the real world (and I’ve been in moral distress quite a few times! Sigh).

    What you can do? Practice typing speed or speaking speed (if Snapshot interviews are required—this link showcases amazing tips and information about CASPer Altus), think of scenarios you may have dealt with already (what worked? What did not work?), and learn how to answer ethical questions (provide action and rationale) in a short time, typically around 2-5 minutes.

  • First of all, YAAAAAAY! I knew you could do it! All your hard work has paid off and this is just the beginning. I’m SO excited to have you join us nurses who love what we do. Your opportunities will be boundless!

    Second of all, there’s many things to check off your list, which includes getting your N95 Mask Fit, Criminal Record Checks, CPR-BLS certifications and Immunizations all up to date. See more from Home page —> Post-Admissions tab.