Student Researchers

Both graduate and undergraduate students conducting research under the auspices of UBC will need to apply for research ethics approval for their stand-alone projects.

Student research that is being undertaken to meet Syllabus requirements in a specific course are usually reviewed under a single ethics application submitted by the instructor (see “course-based research projects”), unless they are deemed “Above Minimal Risk” (in which case a stand-alone ethics application is required). 

Graduate students are required to include the ethics ID number and name of the approving UBC Research Ethics Board in their thesis. See the Faculty of Graduate Studies website for full details.

Requirements for undergraduate, graduate and medical students are provided here. New information is added to the Ethics website regularly. We recommend checking back before you begin a new ethics application. 

• Human research ethics requirements for graduate students (June 2022)
• Residents, Interns & Summer Medical Students (September 24, 2018)
• Quality Improvement, Quality Assurance, Program Evaluation or Curriculum Development studies requiring ethical review (March 2011)

Also see:

• Ethical Considerations in Research Design
• Navigating Ethics Review
• Indigenous Research and Ethics Review
• Medical Resident Research Guidance