CA · Master's
University of British Columbia
MSc in Computer Science
University of British Columbia
Course Overview
UBC Computer Science is consistently ranked in the top 3 in Canada and the top 30 globally, with research strength in machine learning (the lab that built Theano and trained Geoffrey Hinton's collaborators), computer vision, robotics, computer graphics, HCI, and systems. The MSc is a fully-funded thesis-based research program — supervisor commitment is required before admission, and most students are supported through TA-ships and RA-ships that cover tuition plus a living stipend.
Vancouver's tech ecosystem — Amazon's largest engineering hub outside Seattle, Microsoft's Vancouver office, plus EA, Hootsuite, Slack, Mastercard's AI hub — means MSc grads frequently convert internships into return offers at FAANG-tier salaries. Sri Lankan UBC CS alumni have moved into research engineering roles at Google Brain, Amazon Science, Microsoft Research, and the Vector Institute.
Entry Requirements
Academic
- check_circle Four-year Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or a closely related quantitative discipline (Mathematics, Engineering, Physics) with minimum A- (80%) standing in upper-level coursework.
- check_circle Strong programming portfolio and prior research output (publications, capstone projects, open-source contributions) — supervisor-match is competitive.
- check_circle Three academic references; GRE is optional but recommended for top scholarship consideration.
English Proficiency
- check_circle IELTS Academic: 6.5 Overall (min 6.0 in each component).
- check_circle TOEFL iBT: 90 Overall (min 22 Reading/Listening, 21 Writing/Speaking).
- check_circle Waived if your degree was taught in English in an English-majority country for at least 3 years.
Estimated Cost of Study
| Expense Category | Amount (CAD) | Approx. LKR |
|---|---|---|
| Annual Tuition Fee | CAD 9,690 | Rs. 2,280,000 |
| Living Expenses (Vancouver, 12 mo) | CAD 22,000 | Rs. 5,170,000 |
| GIC + SDS Visa + Biometrics | CAD 21,400 | Rs. 5,030,000 |
| Total Year 1 Investment (before funding) | CAD 53,090 | Rs. 12,480,000 |
*LKR conversion based on current bank rates. Subject to change.
Career Outcomes & PR
MSc CS graduates qualify for the 3-year Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) and are on Canada's clearest fast-track to Express Entry PR via the Canadian Experience Class. Vancouver salaries for UBC CS grads start around CAD 110,000–140,000 at Amazon, Microsoft, and EA, with FAANG returners (Google, Meta) typically pulling CAD 150,000+ total comp. Strong PhD pipeline into Stanford, MIT, CMU, and Toronto for research-track students.
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