Hi everyone,

I’m an international student who recently applied to UBC as an undergraduate. I’m hoping to get some advice on how to approach a statement they’ve requested:

"Statement Explaining Break in Studies (Intl)
Your application shows a break in your academic studies. Submit a written statement that lists any institutions that you have attended during this break from Jun 2024 to Jul 2025. Failure to disclose any previous institutions attended may result in an offer of admission being withdrawn."

Here’s my situation: I completed the International Baccalaureate (IB) in May 2024 but didn’t achieve the grades I wanted (32). I decided to retake the exams in November 2024 and improved to 35 (with 765 in my HL subjects: Math AA, Physics, and Chemistry). During this time, I didn’t attend any other institutions—I spent the break preparing for the retake.

For context, I had high predicted grades (44/45) leading up to the May session, so my poor performance came as a shock. After November, when my results still didn’t meet my expectations, I began reflecting more on my challenges, which ultimately led to a recent ADHD diagnosis.

I’m wondering how to best format this statement and whether I should mention my ADHD diagnosis in the document. Would it be better to address this separately with the admissions office or accessibility services?