Housing & Residence Life Fees

Note: Fees are subject to change. All fees are approved by the Board of Governors. All fees are listed in Canadian dollars.

2023/2024 Academic Year: includes Sept 2023 semester (Sept-Dec) and January 2024 semester (Jan-Apr)

The Application Fee ($26.50) and Residence Room Deposit ($275.00) are due during the application process (in bold below). All other residence fees will be due on the first day of Move-In each semester.

Housing Application Fee (non-refundable) $26.50
Late Housing Application Fee (non-refundable) $150.00
Residence Room Deposit $275.00
4 Bedroom Suite Rental (per bedroom per semester) $2732.00
Residence Life Fee (per semester) $49.50
Residence Infrastructure Fee (per semester) $29.50
5-Day Meal Plan Fee (per semester)  $2655.00
7-Day Meal Plan Fee (per semester) $2865.00
Parking Fee (per semester and if requested $231.00
Nightly 4 Bedroom Suite Rental (per bedroom per suite between semester dates)  $26.50

Deadlines:

Housing Application Fee and Residence Room Deposit

  • A non-refundable Housing Application Fee of $26.50 is required to complete your application.  After the deadlines listed below the Late Application Fee is $150.00.
    • Housing Applications for the September Only (Sept-Dec) OR the Academic Year (Sept-Apr) semesters are due by July 1*.  
    • Housing Applications for the January Only (Jan-Apr) semester are due by December 1*.
    • Housing Applications for the May semester (May-August) are due April 1*.
      • Housing applications for the Spring Intercession (May & June) are due April 1*.
      • Housing applications for the Summer Intercession (July & August) are due June 1*.
  • In order to receive a Housing Offer, the student shall pay UNBC the sum of $275.00 as a Residence Room Deposit.

Housing Guarantee

First Time Resident AND 1st Year Undergraduate 

We believe living in residence is an important and meaningful way for new undergraduates to begin the university journey.

Criteria (must meet ALL requirements)

  1. You are eligible to live in Residence (age 17 or over by the end of your first semester, and enrolled in a minimum of 1 UNBC course per semester living in Residence)
  2. Your application to UNBC Housing was submitted and Housing Offer accepted by May 1st.
  3. You must not identify as a newly admitted international OR exchange student.
  4. You are entering UNBC as a first-time post-secondary student and you have not completed any post-secondary coursework at UNBC or any other post-secondary institution.

Aboriginal Students

The Aboriginal Housing guarantee is open to all Aboriginal students. UNBC is dedicated to making living on campus more accessible to Aboriginal people, and to improving its ability in supporting the personal and educational needs of Aboriginal students. UNBC recognizes that Aboriginal students make valuable contributions to the residence living and learning environment, and therefore invites Housing Applications from Aboriginal students under this guarantee.

Applicants who wish to be considered under this guarantee must self-identify as being a person of Aboriginal ancestry upon submission of their UNBC Housing Application.

Criteria (must meet ALL requirements)

  1. You are eligible to live in Residence (age 17 or over by the end of your first semester, and enrolled in a minimum of 1 UNBC course per semester living in Residence).
  2. Your application for Housing for Academic Year (Sept-Apr) is received by Aug 1st.
  3. You are not a newly admitted International OR Exchange student.
  4. You must self-identify as being a person of Aboriginal ancestry.

Youth in Care Students

The eligibility requirement for the BC Provincial Tuition Waiver for former youth in care are as follows:

Canadian Citizen; from British Columbia; between 19 to 26 years of age; have been in care* for a minimum total of 24 months; and attend a B.C. public post-secondary institution, Native Education College or one of ten Union Institutes.

*Care is defined as: Interim Custody Order; Temporary Custody Order; Continuing Custody Order; Special Needs Arrangement; Voluntary Care Agreement; Youth Agreement; Extended Family Program; Interim Custody Order; Temporary Transfer of Custody; Permanent Transfer of Custody; Child in Home of Relative

Criteria (must meet ALL requirements)

  1. You are eligible to live in Residence (age 17 or over by the end of your first semester, and enrolled in a minimum of 1 UNBC course per semester living in Residence).
  2. Your Housing Application is submitted and Housing Offer accepted by Aug 1st.
  3. You must successfully submit an Provincial Tuition Waiver Application to the UNBC Office of the Registrar.

Housing & Residence Life Refund Policy

  • If the student decides not to attend UNBC and/or no longer requires a room, the student must inform UNBC Housing and Residence Life at housing@unbc.ca from their UNBC student email account before August 1 if they applied for the September ONLY (Sept-Dec) or Academic Year (Sept-Apr) semesters. For applicants applying to the January ONLY semester (Jan-Apr), the student must inform UNBC Housing and Residence Life before December 1. For applicants applying to the May/Spring semesters (May-Aug/May & June), the student must inform UNBC Housing and Residence Life before April 1. For applicants applying to the Summer Intersession (July & Aug), the student must inform UNBC Housing and Residence Life before June 1. Upon written notification from the student, UNBC will return the student's Residence Room Deposit. 
  •  After the cancellation deadlines listed above, should a student decide that they no longer require a room, the student must inform UNBC Housing and Residence Life at housing@unbc.ca from their UNBC student email account in order to officially cancel their Housing Application. The student will forfeit their Residence Room Deposit in this instance. 
  • After Move-In day and/or upon occupying the room, should the student decide not to attend UNBC and/or no longer requires a room, the student must inform UNBC Housing and Residence Life by submitting the Notification of Intent to Move Out form. Upon submission of the Notification of Intent to Move Out form, the student will receive a pro-rated refund (calculated from the date notification is received plus 30 days) of their Housing and Residence Life fees paid. The student will forfeit their entire Residence Room Deposit in this instance. 

New International Applicant Terms 

  • New international students (excluding exchange students) applying to live in UNBC Residence, both Undergraduate and Graduate level, must agree to have a  International Housing Deposit reallocated from the International Student Admission Deposit. The  International Housing Deposit will be applied towards any applicable Residence Fees once the student arrives at the UNBC Residences. 
    • Note: The  International Housing Deposit is allocated from the International Student Admission Deposit. No additional payment is required to cover this deposit.
  • The refund policy for the International Housing Deposit is different than the refund policy for the International Student Admission Deposit.
    • The International Housing Deposit amount will be refunded if new international students are denied their study permit and they cancel their reservation by emailing housing@unbc.ca from their UNBC student email account before Move-in Day. Students will have to provide official documentation from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) indicating that their application for a Study Permit was denied. If this cancellation request is received before August 1, for September Only (Sept-Dec) and  Academic Year (Sept-Apr) applicants OR December 1 (for January Only (Jan-Apr) applicants OR April 1 for May (May-Aug) and Spring (May & June) applicants OR June 1 for Summer (July & Aug), new international students are also eligible for a full refund of their Residence Room Deposit.
    • After the semester deadlines but before Move-In day, new international students who are denied their study permit will be eligible to receive a refund of their International Housing Deposit with proper documentation. 
    • No refunds of students' Residence Room Deposit OR International Housing Deposit will be considered once a student has moved into Residence or if their application is cancelled after Move-In day, regardless of Study Permit Denial. 
  • For more information about UNBC's Refund Policy for Undergraduate and Graduate International Students, please refer to the International Student Refunds - Policies and Information page.