UBC Four Year Doctoral Fellowship 2026–2027: Receive a $24,000 Annual Stipend Plus Tuition Coverage in Canada

The University of British Columbia is offering its prestigious Four Year Doctoral Fellowship to outstanding domestic and international doctoral students. Commonly known as the UBC 4YF, the fellowship provides stable financial support so that recipients can concentrate on advanced research and successfully complete their doctoral studies at UBC’s Vancouver campus.

Effective September 2026, recipients without external scholarship funding can receive an annual stipend of up to CAD 24,000, together with tuition support, for up to four years. This represents potential stipend funding of CAD 96,000 over four years, in addition to applicable tuition coverage.

There is no separate application for the Four Year Doctoral Fellowship. Candidates seeking admission to an eligible PhD, Doctor of Musical Arts or combined MD/PhD program are automatically considered after submitting their graduate admission application.

The application deadline is determined separately by each UBC graduate program. Prospective students must therefore check the deadline for their chosen doctoral program rather than rely on a single university-wide date.

UBC Four Year Doctoral Fellowship: Key Information

What Is the UBC Four Year Doctoral Fellowship?

The Four Year Doctoral Fellowship is a major institutional funding programme administered by the University of British Columbia’s Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies.

The programme is designed to help UBC attract and retain exceptionally strong doctoral candidates from Canada and other countries. It gives recipients a stable base level of financial support during their doctoral studies and research.

The fellowship is principally intended for students beginning the first year of an eligible full-time doctoral program. However, UBC graduate programs may also select outstanding continuing doctoral students.

Each graduate program receives a limited allocation of Four Year Fellowships. The program reviews its incoming and continuing students and recommends its strongest candidates, normally giving priority to new students.

Receiving admission to UBC does not guarantee a Four Year Doctoral Fellowship. All eligible admitted applicants are considered, but only the highest-ranked candidates selected by their respective graduate programs receive offers.

UBC 4YF Financial Benefits

Beginning September 1, 2026, a 4YF recipient who does not hold another major scholarship may receive:

• A stipend of up to CAD 24,000 per year
• A tuition award applied against the recipient’s tuition charges
• Funding for up to four years, subject to eligibility and program limits
• Stable financial support for full-time doctoral research
• Continued designation as a 4YF holder when certain external or internal awards temporarily replace the UBC stipend

A recipient funded for the complete four-year period could receive up to CAD 96,000 in stipend support, plus applicable tuition support.

The previous maximum annual stipend was CAD 18,200. UBC’s revised CAD 24,000 annual value takes effect on September 1, 2026 and applies to both new and continuing eligible 4YF recipients from that date onward.

How the Tuition Support Works

UBC describes the fellowship as providing tuition coverage, but technically, recipients do not receive a tuition waiver. Instead, a tuition award equal to the applicable tuition assessment is credited against their tuition charges.

For students enrolled in standard doctoral programs, this normally provides coverage corresponding to the assessed tuition. However, several conditions can affect the final tuition award:

• Students in specialized doctoral programs with higher tuition assessments may receive an award capped at the tuition charged for a standard PhD program.
• Tuition support may be reduced when combined with certain major internal or external scholarships.
• If a recipient’s tuition is already paid by a third-party sponsor or through a staff tuition waiver, the 4YF tuition award may be reduced accordingly.
• Indigenous students receiving eligible Band funding are treated under a stated exception and may remain eligible for tuition awards.
• Funding rules can change depending on the value and source of another award.

Applicants should therefore understand “tuition coverage” within the conditions established in the official UBC Four Year Doctoral Fellowship Guidelines.

Available Funding Period

A Four Year Doctoral Fellowship may support a recipient for a maximum of four years.

However, the actual funding period may be shorter in certain circumstances. The general limit is:

• Four years of combined 4YF, eligible external scholarship and university-wide internal scholarship status; or
• The end of the student’s fifth year in the doctoral program;

whichever occurs first.

An incoming doctoral student who starts the 4YF at the beginning of their program may receive the complete four-year period. A continuing student who receives the award later may have a shorter funding period because funding normally cannot extend beyond the applicable fifth-year limit.

For students who transfer directly from a master’s program into a PhD without completing the master’s degree, the 4YF eligibility period is counted from the date of transfer into the doctoral program.

Eligible Degree Programs

The Four Year Doctoral Fellowship may be held by students enrolled full-time in the following degree categories:

• Doctor of Philosophy programs
• Doctor of Musical Arts programs
• Combined MD/PhD programs during the PhD component

The fellowship is not generally intended for ordinary master’s programs, non-doctoral degrees or part-time study.

A student who transfers from a doctoral program into a master’s or another non-doctoral program will lose eligibility, and the award will be prorated to the effective date of the transfer.

Who Is Eligible for the UBC Four Year Doctoral Fellowship?

The fellowship is open to both domestic and international students.

Eligible applicants and students may include:

• Canadian citizens
• Canadian permanent residents
• International students from any country
• New applicants seeking admission to an eligible doctoral program
• Continuing UBC doctoral students selected by their graduate program
• Full-time PhD students
• Full-time DMA students
• Full-time MD/PhD students during the PhD portion of their studies

The award page does not establish a separate minimum GPA specifically for the 4YF. Nevertheless, selection is based on academic excellence, and competition is strong.

Applicants must also satisfy the admission requirements of their chosen doctoral program. Requirements may include:

• Appropriate previous university qualifications
• Strong academic transcripts
• Evidence of research ability
• Relevant academic or professional experience
• A research proposal or statement of intent
• Letters of recommendation
• English-language proficiency
• GRE, GMAT or other assessments where required by the selected program
• Confirmation of a suitable research supervisor in programs where supervisor approval is necessary

Meeting the minimum admission requirements does not guarantee admission or fellowship selection.

Selection Criteria

The principal selection criterion for the UBC Four Year Doctoral Fellowship is academic excellence.

Graduate programs may consider factors such as:

• Academic results
• Quality and relevance of previous qualifications
• Research experience
• Publications and conference participation
• Academic references
• Research potential
• Proposed field of study
• Alignment with faculty expertise
• Awards and previous distinctions
• Professional accomplishments
• Ability to contribute to the graduate program
• Overall strength of the admission application

UBC does not conduct one centralized competition in which every applicant is ranked together. Each eligible graduate program reviews its own students and applicants using its allocated number of fellowship places.

Is a Separate 4YF Application Required?

A separate Four Year Doctoral Fellowship application is not normally required.

To be considered, prospective students must submit an application for admission to an eligible UBC graduate program. Every PhD, DMA and MD/PhD applicant who receives an admission offer is automatically considered for 4YF funding.

The general process is:

1. Select an eligible UBC doctoral program.
2. Review the program’s academic and English-language requirements.
3. Identify its application, transcript and referee deadlines.
4. Prepare and submit the graduate admission application.
5. Upload the required transcripts and supporting documents.
6. Ensure referees submit their recommendations by the applicable deadline.
7. Wait for the graduate program’s admission and funding decision.
8. If selected, respond to the fellowship offer according to the instructions in the offer letter.
9. Accept the formal online award offer issued through UBC Workday.

Applicants should not submit the University Award Recommendation Form themselves. That form is completed by the graduate program after it has selected a recipient.

Application Deadline

There is no single university-wide deadline for the Four Year Doctoral Fellowship.

The official deadline is:

Set by each UBC graduate program

Because fellowship consideration is connected to the doctoral admission application, candidates must submit their admission materials by the deadline for their chosen program.

UBC advises that deadlines for September admission can range from November of the preceding year to April of the intake year. Exact dates can differ for Canadian and international applicants.

Graduate programs may establish separate dates for:

• Submission of the admission application
• Uploading official transcript scans
• Submission of letters of reference
• Completion of other program-specific requirements

Candidates should consult the UBC Graduate Degree Program Listing for the exact deadline applicable to their program and nationality status.

UBC states that an application may not be considered if the application deadline is missed. Applicants should also note that changes cannot normally be made after the application has been submitted.

Nomination and Fellowship Allocation

UBC allocates a limited number of fellowship places to disciplinary faculties and graduate programs each year.

The nomination process works as follows:

1. The Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies allocates 4YF places to disciplinary faculties.
2. The faculties distribute their allocations among eligible graduate programs.
3. Each graduate program reviews eligible incoming and continuing students.
4. The program selects its strongest candidates, normally prioritizing incoming students.
5. The selected candidate receives an initial offer from the graduate program.
6. The program submits a University Award Recommendation Form to Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies.
7. UBC creates a formal online award offer through Workday.
8. The selected student accepts the award online.

Graduate programs are asked to submit their recommendations at least eight weeks before the intended start date to allow sufficient time for processing.

Possible Fellowship Start Dates

For candidates selected directly by a graduate program, the start date is determined by that program.

The available start dates are generally:

• May 1
• September 1
• January 1

Recipients selected through certain university-wide or external competitions may have different start-date arrangements.

Ways a Student Can Become a 4YF Recipient

Students may receive 4YF status through several routes.

Selection by a graduate program

A UBC graduate program can select an eligible incoming or continuing student from its allocated fellowship places. This is commonly identified as a 4YF-G award.

Major internal UBC awards

Eligible recipients of certain major university-wide awards, including the Killam Doctoral Scholarship or Li Tze Fong Fellowship, may automatically become 4YF recipients.

Eligible Tri-Agency doctoral funding

Students receiving eligible doctoral-level Canadian Tri-Agency funding may automatically obtain 4YF designation. The current guidelines identify the Canada Graduate Research Scholarship–Doctoral and refer to the discontinued Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship in connection with previous awards.

Indigenous Graduate Fellowship arrangements

Under specified circumstances, eligible students receiving an Indigenous Graduate Fellowship may receive 4YF-I status. The precise arrangement depends on whether the student already held, or had been promised, a graduate-program 4YF allocation.

These different routes can affect the source and timing of stipend payments, but recipients retain 4YF status according to the applicable rules.

Combining the 4YF With Other Scholarships

Recipients must disclose and accept eligible major internal or external scholarship funding.

The general principle is that the 4YF does not simply stack in full on top of every other major scholarship.

If another scholarship is worth more than the 4YF stipend:

• The recipient normally receives the larger scholarship.
• The 4YF stipend is not paid during the overlapping period.
• The student may retain 4YF designation.
• 4YF funding may resume after the other scholarship ends, subject to the overall duration limits.

If another scholarship is worth less than the 4YF stipend:

• The student may receive the difference between the other scholarship and the 4YF stipend.

Recipients may generally hold the 4YF together with:

• Graduate Support Initiative funding
• Awards recommended directly by the graduate program
• Graduate research assistantship stipend funding
• Certain other forms of departmental support

Specific combinations remain subject to UBC’s award rules.

Requirement to Apply for Other Funding

4YF recipients are expected to apply for external doctoral funding when eligible.

The current guidelines state that 4YF-G and 4YF-U recipients—including Canadian, permanent-resident and international recipients—are expected to apply annually for Tri-Agency doctoral funding if they satisfy the eligibility conditions.

Failure to apply when eligible may affect continued eligibility for the 4YF or other UBC award funding.

Because Canadian Tri-Agency programmes have their own citizenship and residency rules, not every international student will necessarily be eligible to apply.

Academic Progress Requirements

Fellowship funding is conditional on satisfactory academic progress.

All 4YF recipients must submit an annual progress report, including recipients who are temporarily holding another scholarship instead of receiving the 4YF stipend.

The progress-report deadline depends on the fellowship start date:

Failure to submit a satisfactory progress report can result in award payments being suspended.

How Fellowship Payments Are Made

UBC normally pays the stipend through Workday at the beginning of each academic term:

• September
• January
• May

Payments are first applied against outstanding tuition and fees. Any remaining amount is issued to the student through electronic funds transfer, where properly configured, or by cheque.

Tuition awards are also applied through Workday at the start of each term.

Taxation of the Fellowship

UBC does not withhold income tax from the fellowship’s stipend or tuition payments.

The university issues a T4A tax form listing the stipend and tuition portions. Recipients are responsible for determining and meeting their Canadian tax-filing obligations.

International recipients should obtain appropriate tax guidance based on their individual circumstances.

Employment While Holding the Fellowship

The fellowship guidelines do not impose the previous general restriction limiting employment to an average of 12 hours per week for students holding awards of CAD 17,500 or more annually.

Nevertheless, 4YF recipients are expected to devote full-time effort to the studies or research for which they are funded. They must continue to make satisfactory academic progress.

Students should discuss substantial outside-employment commitments with their graduate program to ensure that the work does not interfere with their doctoral responsibilities.

Internships and Fellowship Interruptions

A recipient may continue to receive 4YF funding during a paid or unpaid internship or co-op placement when:

• The student remains registered in the doctoral program; and
• The internship or co-op is a required part of the program.

When an internship is not an academic requirement, the recipient may request an interruption of fellowship payments. If approved, the fellowship end date may be extended, normally without extending beyond the fifth year of doctoral study.

Recipients considering an internship or non-academic interruption should obtain approval before changing their study or funding arrangements.

Leave, Withdrawal and Completion

The fellowship may be affected when a recipient takes leave, withdraws or completes the degree.

Academic leave

Recipients are not normally eligible to receive 4YF payments during terms in which they are officially on leave. Payments can be suspended and the original end date extended by the approved leave period.

Program completion

Funding is prorated to the end of the month in which the student completes the doctoral program, normally when the final thesis is accepted.

Withdrawal

If a student withdraws, the award is prorated to the effective withdrawal date. Any overpayment relating to a period after completion or withdrawal must be repaid.

Transfer to another degree

A student who transfers to a master’s or another non-doctoral program loses eligibility. Transfers between closely related UBC doctoral programs may be approved without loss of funding.

Why the UBC 4YF Is a Significant Doctoral Opportunity

The Four Year Doctoral Fellowship offers several important advantages:

• Up to four years of predictable financial support
• An annual stipend of up to CAD 24,000 from September 2026
• Tuition support for domestic and international recipients
• No separate fellowship application for doctoral applicants
• Automatic consideration after an eligible admission offer
• Availability across a wide range of doctoral disciplines
• Eligibility for international students
• Possibility of combining the award with research assistantship or departmental funding
• Recognition as a 4YF holder on the student’s UBC record
• Greater ability to focus on doctoral research

However, applicants should not assume that admission automatically produces a fellowship. Each program has a limited allocation, and selection is reserved for its strongest candidates.

Important Application Advice

Prospective applicants should:

1. Select a doctoral program that closely matches their academic and research background.
2. Check the exact program deadline well in advance.
3. Determine whether international and domestic applicants have different deadlines.
4. Identify a suitable research supervisor when required.
5. Prepare a focused and well-developed research proposal.
6. Request academic references early.
7. Demonstrate research potential through previous work, publications, dissertations or projects.
8. Explain how the proposed research aligns with UBC expertise.
9. Submit all documents before the relevant deadlines.
10. Avoid treating minimum admission eligibility as evidence that fellowship selection is likely.

Because the award is based on academic excellence, the overall quality of the doctoral admission application is crucial.

Official Application and Information Links

• UBC Four Year Doctoral Fellowship page
• Official 4YF Guidelines
• UBC Graduate Application and Admission Information

Conclusion

The University of British Columbia Four Year Doctoral Fellowship is a highly competitive funding opportunity for exceptional domestic and international doctoral students.

Effective September 2026, eligible recipients can receive an annual stipend of up to CAD 24,000 together with tuition support for as long as four years. Funding is available to full-time PhD and DMA students and to MD/PhD students during the doctoral component of their programs.

Prospective students do not normally submit a separate fellowship application. Instead, they apply for admission to an eligible UBC doctoral program and are automatically considered if offered admission. Graduate programs then select their strongest incoming and continuing students based primarily on academic excellence.

Because there is no universal fellowship deadline, applicants must follow the admission deadline established by their chosen graduate program. Early preparation, strong academic evidence, a compelling research plan and close alignment with the selected UBC program are essential for competitive consideration.

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