Sufficient Progress Requirements

Students follow two distinct measures of progress: Sufficient Progress and year level class standing. Students are evaluated for Sufficient Progress at the end of each Winter Session.

  • Sufficient Progress measures progression through your degree and often includes specific requirements for your specialization or degree requirements that must be completed before key milestones of credits attempted. Students are evaluated for Sufficient Progress at the end of each Winter Session.
  • Class standing is updated each academic session on Workday as you complete new courses – see “Latest Class Standing” in Workday - and determines your priority for course registration.

For more information about class standing, review the Academic Calendar for Promotion Requirements and Degree Progression. 

Progress upon 48 Attempted Credits

By the time you reach 48 attempted credits (including advance and transfer credit), you must be eligible to be promoted to second year class standing, AND:

  • Once you’re in second year class standing, you must apply for a specialization in May/June. You will be notified of your specialization before registering for Winter Session courses in July. Review more about the specialization application.
  • Students who do not apply for a specialization and who have more than 48 attempted credits at the time of the specialization application will be assigned one by the Faculty of Science.

Students who have exceeded 48 attempted credits at the end of Winter Session (April) and are not eligible to be promoted to second year class standing will be required to withdraw from their studies in UBC Science for lack of sufficient progress. Speak with a Science academic advisor if you think this will be the case.

Progress upon 78 Attempted Credits

By the time you reach 78 attempted credits (including advance and transfer credit), you must be eligible to be promoted to third year class standing, AND:  

Students who have exceeded 78 attempted credits at the end of Winter session (April) and are not eligible to be promoted to third year class standing will be required to withdraw from their studies in UBC Science for lack of sufficient progress. Speak with a Science academic advisor if you think this will be the case.

Progress upon 108 Attempted Credits

When you reach 108 attempted credits (including advance and transfer credit), you must be eligible to be promoted to fourth year class standing, AND you must have completed:

Students who have exceeded 108 attempted credits at the end of Winter session (April) and are not eligible to be promoted to fourth year class standing will be required to withdraw from their studies in UBC Science for lack of sufficient progress. Speak with a Science academic advisor if you think this will be the case.

Note: Students must meet all graduation requirements within 180 attempted credits. Those who do not will be required to withdraw from the Faculty. 

Transfer Students

In addition to university admission requirements, students admitted to the BSc from other post-secondary institutions with second or third year class standing must still meet all the Faculty of Science Sufficient Progress requirements outlined above. You must also meet the Communication Requirement while in second or third year class standing. 

Musqueam First Nation land acknowledegement

We honour xwməθkwəy̓ əm (Musqueam) on whose ancestral, unceded territory UBC Vancouver is situated. UBC Science is committed to building meaningful relationships with Indigenous peoples so we can advance Reconciliation and ensure traditional ways of knowing enrich our teaching and research.

Learn more: Musqueam First Nation

Faculty of Science

Office of the Dean, Earth Sciences Building
2178–2207 Main Mall
Vancouver, BC Canada
V6T 1Z4
UBC Crest The official logo of the University of British Columbia. Urgent Message An exclamation mark in a speech bubble. Arrow An arrow indicating direction. Arrow in Circle An arrow indicating direction. A bookmark An ribbon to indicate a special marker. Calendar A calendar. Caret An arrowhead indicating direction. Time A clock. Chats Two speech clouds. External link An arrow pointing up and to the right. Facebook The logo for the Facebook social media service. A Facemask The medical facemask. Information The letter 'i' in a circle. Instagram The logo for the Instagram social media service. Linkedin The logo for the LinkedIn social media service. Lock, closed A closed padlock. Lock, open An open padlock. Location Pin A map location pin. Mail An envelope. Mask A protective face mask. Menu Three horizontal lines indicating a menu. Minus A minus sign. Money A money bill. Telephone An antique telephone. Plus A plus symbol indicating more or the ability to add. RSS Curved lines indicating information transfer. Search A magnifying glass. Arrow indicating share action A directional arrow. Spotify The logo for the Spotify music streaming service. Twitter The logo for the Twitter social media service. Youtube The logo for the YouTube video sharing service.