Your application for the MEL or MHLP program includes:
- Letter of intent
- Resume
- Transcripts
- Degree certificates (if applicable)
- Three references
- Proof of English Language Proficiency (if applicable)
- Proof of residency
- A video interview
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Letter of intent
The letter of intent is a critical piece of the application package. Think of it as an opportunity to personalize your application by telling us who you are and why you are applying to the program. Here are a few tips to consider.
Format and length
Similar to a cover letter for a job application, your letter of intent should look professional, be single-spaced and ideally fit on one page. However, you do have up to two pages if you need the space. If you find yourself going over one-and-a-half pages, see if you can edit the letter to be more concise and to the point.
You do not need to include an address line.
Address the letter of intent to the program director by using their full title and name (e.g., Dear Dr. Vladan Prodanovic). Avoid writing “To whom it may concern,” “Dear Sir/Madam” or using “Mr./Ms./Mrs.” You can find the director for your program by navigating to your program-of-interest and then selecting “Instruction and Leadership Team” from the sidebar.
Before you start writing
Your letter of intent should address the following:
- Why this particular program is the best place for you to pursue your professional leadership goals
- The skills and experiences you have that make you a strong candidate for your program
- Examples from your career of your capacity for leadership and your ability to work in or lead interdisciplinary teams
- How the program will help you achieve your professional goals
How to structure your letter of intent
Keep your opening paragraph brief with just a few sentences. Start with a compelling statement about who you are and why you are applying to the program. Summarize why are you interested in pursuing a specific MEL or MHLP program and briefly highlight two or three strengths that make you a strong candidate.
Follow your opening paragraph with two or three body paragraphs, with each summarizing a key strength or experience that has equipped you to succeed in the program. Provide concrete examples from your resumé to back up your statements.
The body paragraphs will help the Admissions Committee understand the professional and academic experiences that have contributed to your leadership capacity within your industry. The goal of this section is to convince the committee that your skills and experience equip you to make meaningful contributions to an interdisciplinary learning environment and that you have the potential to be a forward-thinking leader within your industry after you graduate.
Your closing paragraph will be short – no more than two or three sentences. Thank the admissions committee for their time and reassert your interest in the program and how it will support your goals.
Mistakes to avoid
Many applicants include too much detail in their letters. The admissions committee is not looking for your life story or a full summary of your career. Focus on the quality of the examples you discuss, rather than quantity.
Remember that this is a professional program and not a traditional, research-based degree. Your letter should focus on your industry or health–care sector experience rather than your research experience.
Finally, keep your discussion focused on the specific program you are applying to and not just the degree as a whole (MEL or MHLP).
Final tips
If you’re having a hard time writing the letter, you may be overthinking it! Take the pressure off by giving yourself permission to write a really rough first draft. Then, take the time to review and revise. Your letter will get stronger and more concise with each round of edits.
Another suggestion is to talk to at least two people before you start writing. Talk to a mentor about industry or workplace challenges and brainstorm examples from your professional career where you’ve made a difference. Talk to a friend about what they perceive as your key strengths and skills. After you’ve developed a solid draft of your letter, ask your mentor and friend to read what you’ve written for their feedback.
Ultimately, think about the letter of intent as a persuasive and concise summary of how your skills, experience and professional goals make you a great match for the specific MEL or MHLP program you are applying to.
Resume
Your resumé is a central element of your application package. It provides details about your professional background that our Admissions Committee will use to determine if you have the skills and experiences needed to succeed in the UBC Master of Engineering Leadership or Master of Health Leadership and Policy.
Take the time to create an up-to-date, comprehensive and professional resumé that is tailored to the program you are applying for. We recommend you follow a resumé format rather than a CV since you are applying to a professional program and we are most interested in learning about your industry or health care experience.
Choose a concise, easy-to-read format
Your resumé should be concise, with the content fitting on two pages. Choose an easy-to-read font such as Calibri or Times New Roman and make sure the font size is legible, such as 11 or 12 points.
We recommend starting with a “Summary of Qualifications” section that describes your core industry or health care skills, experience and knowledge. This can be followed by a list of your professional experiences in reverse chronological order, beginning with your most recent or current role.
Be specific and state your responsibilities or the specific projects you completed in each role. Consider including up to four or five accomplishment statements to state what you achieved. If you are new to writing accomplishment statements, watch this informative video from UBC Career Services.
Tailor your resume to the program
Take the time to explore the specific program you’re applying to and identify the key skills and qualities the Admissions Committee values. This will help ensure your resumé highlights the attributes they’re looking for.
You can then customize your resumé to match the skills that are the focus of the program you wish to apply for and study. Each point you include when describing your achievements should demonstrate experiences and responsibilities related to your specific program of interest.
Limit the personal details you share
The only personal details you should include on your resumé are your name or contact information. Do not include your age, ethnicity or cultural background, describe your physical attributes, or state your marital status or if you have children.
Carefully review your resumé
Take the time to ensure your resumé is professional, consistent and error free. Please make sure to:
- Review your document for spelling, grammar and punctuation
- Format your resumé for easy reading: ensure your fonts and punctuation are consistent across sections
- Keep the formatting consistent between your letter of intent and resumé
Remember, the Admissions Committee will be reviewing hundreds of resumés, so make sure yours clearly and concisely describes your professional achievements. This will help you stand out.
Just like your letter of intent, ask one or two people to review your resumé. They may be able to provide suggestions on which accomplishments to highlight in your professional roles and they can provide an extra pair of eyes to catch any typos or inconsistencies.
Ultimately, your resumé should give the Admissions Committee confidence that you have the skills, abilities and experiences to succeed and grow within the program.
Transcripts
As part of your application, you will need to upload a copy of your transcripts from all post-secondary institutions attended for one year or longer. Scan both sides of each page of your transcript and save the transcript as a single PDF per credential before uploading.
Please note that UBC cannot accept WES evaluations in lieu of transcripts.
If your transcripts are issued in a language other than English, submit both the original transcript and an official English translation. Please combine your documents into a single PDF per credential. If your bachelor and/or master’s degree includes transfer credits from other institutions, we also require the transfer credit transcripts.
Degree certificates
If your transcript does not indicate the name of your degree (e.g., Bachelor of Applied Science in Mechanical Engineering, Bachelor of Science in Nursing) and the date you conferred your degree, you will also be required to submit a copy of your degree certificate. Scan and upload a copy of your official degree certificate to your online application. If your degree certificate is issued in a language other than English, submit both the original degree certificate and an official English translation.
Three references
You need to provide contact details for three referees as part of your application.
To enable your referees to submit their reference forms online, please provide their institutional, business or academic email address on your application form rather than a personal email address.
If you provide a personal email address for a referee (such as a personal email account through Gmail, Hotmail or yahoo), your referees will be required to send their reference to UBC by postal mail. This may result in delays in processing your application. Using an institutional, business or academic email address will allow them to submit the reference online.
Your referees will be automatically contacted after you have submitted your completed application and paid the application fee. They will have the option of uploading a reference letter or completing a reference form. The reference form usually takes 15 to 20 minutes to complete. All references must be submitted in English and received by the application deadline.
You may want to follow up with your referees to ensure they submit their references by the application deadline. You can see if referees have submitted their reference on MyApplication under Reference Details. If they have not submitted their reference, you can send them a reminder.
If at any point you need to change a referee, you can do so on MyApplication under Reference Details. You may change each referee once only.
The following video offers some tips on who to choose as your referees.
Proof of English language proficiency
To succeed in this program, you must be able to fluently speak, comprehend and write in English. If you completed your undergraduate or graduate degree in a country where English is one of the official languages (such as Canada, the United States or the United Kingdom), this will satisfy the English language requirement.
If you completed your undergraduate or graduate degree in English, and this is stated directly on your transcript, this will also satisfy the English language requirement. If the language of instruction is not stated directly on your transcript, you must complete an English language proficiency exam.
If you have not met the English language proficiency requirement through your undergraduate or graduate degree, book your English test early – you will need time to receive the results before you can apply to the program.
Tests must have been taken within 24 months of your application. Please review the English language proficiency requirements.
When you are applying, you can either upload your unofficial English language proficiency test results directly to your application or ask the test provider to send your results electronically to UBC:
- TOEFL: Use UBC’s Institution code 0965; give the reason for taking TOEFL “to enter college or university as a graduate student.”
- IELTS: Use name of institution: The University of British Columbia; Master of Engineering Leadership or Master of Health Leadership & Policy: Graduate School Admissions.”
Proof of residency
To apply to UBC, you must provide a copy of a proof of residency or citizenship document. For most applicants, this is a copy of the photo page of your passport. Your passport may be expired at the time of application, but make sure to renew it in time to travel to Canada, if applicable.
If you are a permanent resident of Canada, please include a scanned copy of your permanent resident card.
Video Interview
Once you have submitted your application and paid the application fee, you will receive an email request to complete a mandatory video interview.
While your application provides us with a summary of your technical or health care skills and experience, your video interview is a critical opportunity for the Admissions Committee to better understand your professional experience, capacity for leadership and suitability for the program. Interviews are a common practice for professional programs such as the UBC MEL and MHLP degrees.
The video interview is asynchronous, which means no one from UBC will be attending the interview with you or asking you live questions. Rather, you will listen to a set of pre-recorded interview questions. After you listen to each question, you will have 30 seconds to reflect on the question and two minutes to respond.
Be sure to complete the video interview by the deadline stated in the email invitation. Usually, you will have one week to complete the video interview and it must be completed by the application deadline.
The email invitation will include more detailed information to help you prepare for your video interview. The following video also explains the video interview process:
Note: All submitted application materials, including irreplaceable documents, become the property of the UBC Faculty of Applied Science. Students who submit irreplaceable material may request the return of that material. Such requests must be submitted with the original material.
