University of British Columbia was founded in 1908 and opened in 1915. It is a public university in the Canadian state of British Columbia. The University of British Columbia (UBC) is a center of excellence in teaching, learning and research. With the motto Tuum Est, meaning "It's Yours," UBC is a declaration of its drive to improve opportunities for people who see a better world for themselves and others.

The University of British Columbia is one of the top 20 public universities in the world. The QS World University Rankings 2023 ranked the University of British Columbia #47 in the overall world university rankings. UBC was ranked #37 in the Times Higher Education (THE) Overall World University Rankings and #13 in the 2022 Impact Rankings. Meanwhile, US News World Report ranked the University of British Columbia #35 best globally. Universities for 2022.

The first campus of the University of British Columbia was built in Vancouver. In 2005, a second campus of the University of British Columbia opened in Kelowna, Okanagan. UBC Robson Square – An extension of the UBC Vancouver campus, the UBC Learning Exchange and UBC's Digital Media Center are located in Vancouver. The University of British Columbia offers 254 undergraduate programs and 244 graduate programs in business, science, education, health and medicine, engineering, and humanities. UBC offers medical education to medical students at 80+ training sites across British Columbia. With an annual combined budget of approximately $3.4 billion, UBC spends $759 million in research funding for more than ten thousand programs. UBC has two regional bases in Hong Kong and India to build local links and foster partnerships for research, learning and capacity building.

In the 2021/2022 academic year, the Vancouver campus has over 58,000 students and the Okanagan campus of the University of British Columbia has 11,000+ students. At the Okanagan campus, 21.8% of all students are international students, while at the Vancouver campus, 28.6% of students are international students.

The Vancouver campus offers housing for more than 13,000 students in 15 residences. Most students qualify for a first-year guarantee in winter session housing. First-year students are assigned to live in Orchard Commons, Place Vanier, or Totem Park residences only, and students living in these residences must purchase a residential meal plan. The rest of the residences are for upper year and graduate students. A typical cost for a room and board plan for a new undergraduate student is about $12,000-$14,500 per year. However, depending on the room type, the fee can range from $10,300-$15,000 per year.