U-Pass
About the U-Pass Program
The U-Pass BC program is one of the benefits available to Regent students due to the College's affiliation with the University of British Columbia. It gives eligible students unlimited access to TransLink services—bus routes, SkyTrain, and SeaBus—throughout the Metro Vancouver area. The cost of the U-Pass is highly subsidized, meaning that students can save hundreds of dollars a year on public transit.
The cost of the U-Pass is part of Regent's Student Fees, which are mandatory for students taking 3 or more credit hours per term. However, students who are living outside of Metro Vancouver and taking only online classes are eligible to opt out of U-Pass program. See Exemptions below for more details.
Using Your U-Pass
UBCcard & Compass Card
In order to access transit with your U-Pass, you'll need a UBCcard and a Compass Card.
- You need a UBCcard to access your U-Pass; you'll also need to carry it with you on transit in case you're asked for proof that you're a student.
- The Compass Card is a durable, re-loadable electronic fare card that you will load your U-Pass onto each month. Whenever you ride a bus or SkyTrain, you simply tap your Compass Card to get on board.
Get Set Up
Follow these steps to get your U-Pass ready to use. (Note: You'll only have to do Steps 1 to 4 the first time you get a U-Pass.)
Step 1: Make sure you have an Affiliate Campus Wide Login (CWL). Find instructions to set one up on our Campus Wide Login page.
Step 2: Obtain a UBCcard. Find instructions on our UBC Resources page.
Step 3: Purchase your Compass Card (if you do not already have one). Available for $6 at the UBC Bookstore or other locations around the city. (TransLink has a map of Compass card vendors on its website.)
Step 4: Link your Compass Card with your U-Pass. (You'll only need to do this when you use U-Pass for the first time or get a new Compass Card.)
- Go to the U-Pass BC site.
- Select UBC as your school.
- Enter your CWL login and password.
- Link your Compass Card using the 20-digit card number and 3-digit verification number on the back of the Compass Card.
Step 5: Once you've linked your Compass Card, you'll need to load your U-Pass for each month.
- You can load the next month's U-Pass any time on or after the 16th of the month (e.g., you can link September's U-Pass starting August 16).
- It can take up to two days for your pass to register on your card, so load next month's pass early!
U-Pass Eligibility
Fall & Winter Terms
Students are charged for U-Pass as part of each term's Student Fees. Your relationship with Student Fees depends on the number and type of hours you are taking in a given term. If you are taking:
| 3+ hours for credit | Student Fees are mandatory. You will be charged automatically upon registration. |
| 3+ hours for audit (or for a combination of credit and audit) | Student Fees are optional. You can opt in during the registration process. |
| Fewer than 3 hours | You are not eligible to pay Student Fees. |
Spring/Summer Term
You are only eligible to receive Summer U-Passes if:
- You paid Student Fees in the preceding Fall or Winter term, or
- You are a new program student admitted for the coming Fall term.
Summer U-Passes are available on a monthly basis, based on the number of credits you are registered for. As with Fall/Winter Student Fees, Summer U-Pass Fees are mandatory if you are taking 3+ hours for credit and optional if you are taking 3+ hours for audit (or a combination of credit and audit).
- Credits are counted from the month that your class begins until the month when your last assignment is due.
- For example, if your class starts May 30 and the last assignment is due July 1, the credits for the class will be counted toward May, June, and July for U-Pass eligibility.
Exemptions
We are aware that some students may not use their U-Pass. In general, however, participation in the U-Pass program is mandatory for students taking 3 or more credit hours.
This is because the success of the U-Pass program relies on bulk purchases that enable AMS (UBC's student society) to buy access for the student body at a significant discount. The U-Pass typically costs less than 25 percent of the cost of TransLink's standard 3-zone monthly pass, which provides equivalent access to the general public. Because everyone contributes, students can enjoy highly subsidized and accessible public transportation. You can learn more on UBC's U-Pass page.
Exemptions to the U-Pass requirement are available in limited circumstances.
Outside Metro Vancouver
If you live outside of Metro Vancouver and are studying at Regent online only, you can apply for an AMS U-Pass BC exemption.
Fill out this AMS exemption form and submit it before the deadline listed on the same page.
Within Metro Vancouver
If you live in Metro Vancouver, you may apply for a Regular U-Pass BC exemption if you meet one of the following criteria:
- You hold a U-Pass from another institution;
- You hold another valid non-transferable transit pass that is valid for the duration of the term;
- You are unable to access transit due to a disability.
To request an exemption on one of these grounds, email [email protected] to get a copy of the "U-Pass Exemption Application Form," fill it out, and return it to the same email address for approval and processing.
U-Pass Refunds
If you qualify for a U-Pass exemption, it will be processed and approved by UBC AMS. We will then refund the fees to your student account. If you don't see the refund by the end of the current term, please email [email protected].
Note: You will need to pay the full balance owing on your student account, including all the Student Fees, before Regent's Registration and Payment Deadline in order to avoid late fees. This is true even if you are applying for a U-Pass exemption. The refund will typically be processed 6-7 weeks after the term has started and will appear as credits in your student account.
