What experience requirements do I need?

To complete entrance requirements to the BEd program, you must have volunteered or worked in some capacity in a group setting with children or youth, preferable who are of the age level you wish to teach. Typical experiences for applicants include working in school classrooms as a volunteer or assistant, teaching dance, coaching team sports or working as a summer camp counselor. While we recommend classroom experience, it is not absolutely required. If you wish to obtain classroom experiences, you should make use of your personal network to find a placement. Experience in international settings can be valuable, but we also recommend experience in Canadian settings.

A range and variety of experiences is encouraged to better prepare for the program. We are looking for more than 75 hours, and it can be a total of various experiences put together. A substantial number of experience hours is generally favourable for your application, but it is not the only consideration, since admission is competitive-based. Although we consider all relevant experiences, current experiences within the last two years is required.

How do I demonstrate this experience?

You must submit the following 3 items to us with your application by way of the Supplemental Application forms available online:

1. A brief summary of work or volunteer experience with children or youth. Experience working with groups rather than individual children or youth, especially of the ages you intend to teach, is strongly recommended for admission into the BEd program.
   Examples of appropriate experience include:
   • In-school classroom experience
   • Teaching at a community centre
   • Teaching youth groups in other community settings
   • Camp counseling
   • Teaching in schools abroad
   • Working with children of diverse backgrounds is recommended
   In your summary of experience include details regarding:
   • Activities: Indicate the organization and a clear statement about your duties and responsibilities.
   • Dates & Hours: Indicate the length and hours per week and the total hours involved in the experience.
   • Supervision: Indicate the names of supervisor(s) with telephone contact information.
   • Extra-curricular and/or community & work experience: Briefly include any other of your relevant experiences in these areas that you consider important for us to know.
   Please consult an Admissions Advisor if you have questions about your experience to date.
2. A 1-page essay of 500 words in concise and grammatically correct English that illustrates what you have learned from the experience(s) referred to in your summary of experience and how that will help you in a teaching career. You may also indicate what it is about teaching that you enjoy or other elements of working with children.
3. Two confidential reference reports, preferably from referees who have observed you working with children or youth of the age level you wish to teach.
   They must be submitted to the TEO office either of two ways:
   1. Referee sends it directly to the Teacher Education Office in a sealed envelope
   2. You submit the form(s) sealed in envelopes signed by referee(s) across the back adhesive flap of the envelope with your application package.
   • Referees must use the form provided in the link; no other letter format will be accepted.
   • Referees must attest to your suitability for entering a teacher education program.
   • Choose two referees, at least one of which who has observed you working with children and/or youth.
   • Confidential reference reports submitted to the UBC Faculty of Education will not be forwarded to other institutions.

When we receive your essay and experience summary and your confidential references, we have your data read by education professionals who evaluate it and make recommendations for admission based upon: quality, quantity and relevance of your combined experiences, your written language skills, and references.

• An additional interview may be required with the Admissions Committee.

How do I report my experience?

Supplemental Application Forms

Applicants must also complete supplemental application forms online that tell us more about your academic and experience entrance requirements.

To access forms:

1. First submit the BEd application and obtain a UBC student reference number (former and current UBC students already have their UBC student number).
2. Log onto the UBC Student Service Centre and create your Campus-Wide Login (CWL) account.
3. Complete the BEd Supplemental Application Form and the Academic Requirement Form of your chosen program option. (For example, the "Elementary Supplemental Form" if you have applied for this option.)

Go back to "Academic Requirements"

If you're ready to apply, go to the next step, "Choose a session"