Gain an international academic experience. Study at North America's most international university. Meet students from other universities and Canadian students through socio-cultural activities. Learn about Canadian culture and society.
Watch the video from 2019 VSP!
Come and explore our beautiful Vancouver campus and city.
Get to know your campus: methods of transportation, housing, food, events, and attractions.
The Vancouver Summer Program (VSP) is a four-week academic program that offers the opportunity to participate in a program package, consisting of two academic courses, while learning about Canadian practices and culture. Participants will attend highly interactive classes and engage in a variety of social activities while living in residence on UBC's stunning campus, located on the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territories of the Coast Salish people.
The MacIsaac School of Nursing was ranked one of the top nursing schools in Canada Maclean’s Magazine and #1 Canadian nursing school in the Shanghai rankings (25th globally). Our excellence in health education and research methods is a significant part of our success. No prerequisites are required; however, participants must be proficient in English, have a strong academic background, and be at least 18 years of age at the beginning of the session. All disciplines may apply. Course credit may be granted by the home university. We look forward to sharing with you our commitment to health education, research, and practice at the UBC School of Nursing!
In 2026, we are offering 3 packages for Vancouver Summer Program. Applications will open in late November and the application deadline will be April 17, 2026.
This package is open to all prospective students of various disciplines. The following two academic courses are offered in Package A:
This course offers an engaging exploration of healthy aging and the common health challenges faced by older adults. Students will take part in excursions to innovative seniors’ care centres and learn through interactive mentorship experiences that bring theory to life. Guest speakers, including older adults, healthcare providers, and educators, will share real-world insights into aging, dementia, and wellness. Students will discuss best practices for promoting seniors’ health and wellbeing, guided by ethical principles and respect for personhood. Learning takes place through a dynamic mix of lectures, workshops, discussions, and excursions, providing meaningful opportunities to connect with and learn from the aging community.
This course offers students an applied exploration of how to support the health and well-being of seniors within their homes and communities. Students will gain experience developing practical skills to engage effectively with older adults and to create safe, supportive home environments that promote aging in place. A range of guest speakers, including seniors, family caregivers, and health and social service providers, will share diverse perspectives on community-based care. Guided by expert faculty in the field of aging, students will examine environmental, policy, and systemic factors that influence aging in place. Learning will take place through lectures, case studies, discussions, and excursions, connecting classroom knowledge with real-world experience in senior support.
The content covered in NURS Package A: Aging Well - Community, Care, and Connection in Later Life is similar to an undergraduate elective course, NURS 270, and foundational pillar courses in the Masters of Health Leadership and Policy (MHLP) Seniors Care program as a whole (NURS 542, NURS 585S). However, this course does not translate exactly into the content covered for either course due to condensed format.
This package is open to all prospective students of various disciplines. The following two academic courses are offered in Package B:
This course applies a life-course perspective to examine mental health and illness from the fetal period through older adulthood. Students will explore key developmental, biological, social, and structural determinants influencing mental health across the lifespan, including major risk and protective factors. Emphasis is placed on mental health promotion, prevention, and treatment, as well as health system challenges and opportunities in addressing mental health and substance use concerns. Through lectures, discussions, and guest presentations, students will develop a strong foundation for working effectively with individuals, families, and populations across diverse care and community settings.
This course examines the multidimensional nature of stress and resilience and their impact on physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being. Students will explore the positive and negative aspects of stress, factors that contribute to stress, and the physiological and psychological responses it evokes. Emphasis is placed on understanding resilience, social support, and self-care strategies that foster overall health and well-being. Through lectures, discussions, excursions, and an interactive creative assignment, students will apply evidence-informed approaches to managing stress in their current and future personal and professional lives.
The content covered in NURS Package B: Roots of Resilience - Mental Health and Well-Being at UBC is similar to coursework covered in a few courses, NURS 303 and NURS 180. It is intended to support university students to advance their knowledge about mental health and wellbeing. However, these packaged courses do not translate exactly into the content covered in the courses due to its condensed format.
This package is open to all prospective students of various disciplines. The following two academic courses are offered in Package C:
This course offers students an opportunity to explore how an increasingly globalized and connected world creates new avenues for health care providers to lead in social justice and equity. Drawing on the World Health Organization’s current program of work and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the course introduces leadership styles and strategies for global health advocacy and policy development. Discussions will examine global health leadership in action as it relates to complex contemporary challenges such as climate change, human resources for health, good global governance, decent work, gender and age-transformative action, universal health coverage (UHC), and the WHO’s “triple billion” goals. Students will also have opportunities to meet leaders in Vancouver who champion Indigenous rights and cultural safety.
This course addresses climate change, the largest threat of the 21st century, and its impacts on human health and well-being. Students will explore key concepts in climate science, examine how human activities contribute to environmental degradation, and consider strategies to promote sustainable practices at individual, community, and population levels. Using the social determinants of health framework, the course integrates lectures, sessions with climate and health experts, and real-world case studies to provide a comprehensive understanding of climate-related health challenges. Students will gain critical knowledge and practical skills to support resilience and promote health in a rapidly changing world.
The content covered in NURS Package C: Global Leadership - Health Equity and Climate Resilience is similar to coursework covered in a few courses, NURS 290, NURS 351, NURS 512 & NURS 520. However, these packaged courses do not translate exactly into the content covered in the courses due to its condensed format.
If you would like more details or have further questions about the VSP in Nursing, please contact:
Please contact vsp@nursing.ubc.ca for general inquiries and applications. To find out our past VSP experiences, please visit: https://vsp.nursing.ubc.ca/.
For Central Office, Office of the Vice-Provost International, please contact vsp.ubc@ubc.ca. Tel: +1-604-827-2957
For East Asia, please contact Rebecca Chiang in our Asia Pacific Regional Office, Hong Kong at Rebecca.chiang@apro.ubc.ca. Tel +852-2111-4401
For South Asia and the Middle East, please contact Faisal Beg in our India Liaison Office, New Delhi at faisal.beg@ubc.ca. Tel: +91-11-46061905
