So you're thinking about going on exchange ...

• You must meet the eligibility requirements for Engineering students. 

• Your department is responsible for endorsing applicants for exchange. They will review your complete academic record. 

• The Faculty of Engineering has the final decision on whether you remain endorsed for exchange. Your endorsement can be revoked if academic performance suggests you are unlikely to be successful on exchange.  

The following levels can be taken on exchange:  

• Bachelor of Architectural Studies – 3B  

• Architectural Engineering – 3B 

• Biomedical Engineering – 3A or 3B  

• Chemical Engineering – 3B  

• Civil Engineering – 3B or 4A  

• Computer Engineering – 3A or 3B 

• Electrical Engineering – 3A or 3B  

• Environmental Engineering – 3B or 4A  

• Geological Engineering – 3B or 4A  

• Management Engineering – 3A; 3B  allowed for F26 only

• Mechanical Engineering – 3A or 3B  

• Mechatronics Engineering – 3A or 3B  

• Nanotechnology Engineering – 3B  

• Software Engineering – 3A or 3B  

• Systems Design Engineering – 3B 

Important:  

• Term/semester dates vary among our partner schools and often overlap with those at Waterloo. You are expected to be present at your host school for the entire duration of their term, including final exams. If the terms overlap, you may need to take a term off or arrange a shortened work term following your exchange term. A co-op sequence change may be possible to better align with the partner school semesters dates. Contact the Faculty Exchange Office for more information. 

• Some host schools offer early/alternative assessments that will allow you to return to Waterloo early and write a proctored exam, but this is not an option with all partners. Check the individual host school information pages in Waterloo Passport as this is often noted there. If not, check the host school website directly.  

• Many host schools offer courses instructed in English and do not require you to speak the official language of your host country with any degree of fluency.    

• Exceptions include some programs in France, China, Taiwan, Sweden, Spain, and some in Germany. If required, you must show your fluency in the language of instruction before you will be placed at those host schools.    

• Proficiency or fluency in the language of the host country will allow you to take a wider range of courses. We encourage you to take relevant language courses before you depart if you have no background in the common language of the host country.   

• Check the individual partner information pages in Waterloo Passport (“search programs”) where the language of instruction is often noted 

You are expected to prepare Proposed Study Plans before applying in Waterloo Passport.   

• Check the courses taken by other students and those offered by your institution(s) of interest to help determine if the host school is a viable option.   

The following restrictions may apply:   

• You may not be able to enroll in courses taken by students in prior years due to curriculum changes either at Waterloo or the host school.   

• You may not be able to immediately enroll in missed required courses when you return to Waterloo due to availability and class size limits.   

• By participating in an academic exchange, you accept the risk that you may not be on track to graduate with your class and may need an additional term to complete your degree requirements.   

Use the proposed study plan form to organize your courses for each of your host school choices.   

• Save these documents as you will need to submit the study plan for your first-choice partner school to your Exchange Course Coordinator. Refer to the Exchange Course Coordinator chart for the submission deadline of your Proposed Study plan. 

• Note for Chemical Engineering students: You must complete a preliminary course plan and submit it to Eline Boghaert for review BEFORE submitting your application in Waterloo Passport.   

• Not all Waterloo Engineering courses can be matched at a host school. You may be able to take electives on exchange and complete the missed courses at Waterloo before graduation. Check with your Exchange Course Coordinator and Academic Advisor to determine the possibilities.   

• For courses that do not have a direct Waterloo equivalent, the following course codes may be used:
  • GENE 310X = Technical Elective
  • GENE 311(A, B, C or D) = Complementary Studies Elective where the letter indicates the appropriate list
  • GENE 312X = Natural Science Elective (for the ENG plans that offer this)

• Using both the host school's website and Waterloo's Undergraduate Calendar (search for your program), make a list of courses that you believe are equivalent to your required or elective courses.    

• You must take the number of courses required by the host school for a given term to maintain full-time status. 

• If the host school only allows a maximum of four courses (e.g., Australia), you may consider taking an online course at Waterloo or through a Letter of Permission.   

• You are responsible for confirming course equivalencies before the start of your exchange term.  Do not take courses that are considered equivalent to a course you have already taken, or one you are required to take in the future.  Be sure to work closely with your Exchange Course Coordinator. 

• Your course choices will probably change throughout the application process, as there is no guarantee of course availability abroad. Be flexible when selecting your courses. It’s strongly recommended that you choose extra courses as backup options in case changes occur after arriving at the host school, which often happens. 

• The current exchange application fee is $150.  

• For international exchange, you pay full-time Waterloo tuition fees prior to departure. There is no extra tuition charged to participate in an exchange program and the tuition does not change if you take a lighter course load at your host school. 

• While studying abroad, you're responsible for any extra studying costs (e.g., books, lab fees, etc.), travel expenses, passport and visa arrangements, accommodations, food and all other living expenses, including health care. Costs of living abroad may vary considerably depending on the destination.  

• You can also take your OSAP with you! It is important to research application, travel, and living costs (which vary by country). To help you calculate how much an exchange might cost, please review the Waterloo Passport program pages. 

• Check out the International Experience Awards to help you fund your exchange. 

Visit the Go Abroad site for full details on the matching process.  

• Contact the Faculty Exchange Office immediately to discuss next steps.  

• Contact your Academic Advisor to ensure you are enrolled in Waterloo courses.  

• If you need to make changes/additions to your courses after your arrival, immediately contact your Exchange Course Coordinator. Otherwise, you may be at risk of not receiving credit for courses taken while on exchange and potentially delaying your graduation.  

• Advisors will work as quickly as possible to review your requests. Be mindful of the time difference between your host school and Waterloo. 

• After you complete your exchange term, the host school will issue your official transcript.  

• Your transcript will either be sent to Waterloo’s GLCs (Global Learning Coordinators) for distribution to the Faculty, or you may be issued a one-time access code which must be sent to the GLCs for verification.  

• Check with the host school to confirm their process. Note: all exchange transcripts must be sent to the GLCs first.  

• When your Exchange Course Coordinator receives your transcript, a Credit Transfer Memo will be generated and sent to the Registrar’s Office to ensure your Quest record is updated. 

A course offered at the host university has been approved for Transfer Credit; however, I have not completed the prerequisite at Waterloo. Can I still receive the transfer credits?   

• Yes, you will receive transfer credit for all course you successfully complete during exchange.  

My cumulative and/or faculty averages are slightly lower than the minimum requirements, can I still apply?   

• Normally, minimum grade requirements are strictly enforced and students are not endorsed if they do not meet the eligibility criteria. 

Can I go on exchange during my last study term (4B)?   

• No, this is not permitted in engineering.  

I'm scheduled to go on exchange during fall term, but my host university’s fall term will not end until February. Will this count as a two-term exchange?   

• No, your Waterloo Quest record will only record the fall term exchange. If you are an international student, please contact an immigration consultant to understand how this might affect your immigration status.  

I’m scheduled to go on exchange next term. Do I need to participate in course selection?   

• No, an exchange placeholder course (GENE 395 – Fall, GENE 396 – Winter, or GENE 397 - Spring) will be automatically added for you. If you are considering withdrawing from exchange, contact your Academic Advisor immediately to ensure you can participate in course selection.