Exchange Opportunities

Study in a French environment 

The Department of French Studies encourages students majoring and/or minoring in French to study in a French environment, usually in their third year. Students of all levels and backgrounds in French are encouraged to participate in the Explore Program, which is a bursary program funded by the Canadian Federal government.

Students can choose to study at various institutions through the Go Abroad program. Students specializing in French are encouraged to participate in the following exchange offerings: Paris (MICEFA), Lausanne, Switzerland, and the Université du Québec à Chicoutimi (UQAC), Québec.

For an overview of our Exchange Program Offering, please see our Exchange Program Slideshow (PDF)

Duration: One or two terms.

All students applying to go on exchange must attend a mandatory information session.

To access the session:

  • Find Go Abroad Info Session in LEARN under Self Registration
  • Review the entire 40-minute session
  • Complete the Acknowledgement Quiz
  • Access to the application for the exchange will be provided within two business days of successful completion.
  • If you attended an information session last year, you still need to attend the mandatory information session as the information changes yearly.

Scholarships

Learn about available university-wide International experience/travel awards and scholarships in French Studies.

Useful links

Eligibility
  • It is strongly recommended that students reach out to their Academic Advisor to discuss the feasibility of an exchange in their degree plan (course selection, transfer credits, and co-op terms), prior to submitting their applications.
  • Students who have achieved a final average of at least 75% in their French courses will be approved to participate in the exchange program.
  • Students can go on exchange during their 3rd or 4th year of studies.
  • Only students registered in a four-year program may participate.
  • Students must be in good health and have the kind of flexibility and sensitivity to others that will allow for successful adjustment to an unfamiliar cultural setting.

Pre-Requisites
  • Successful completion of a minimum of two second-year French courses:
    • 1 French grammar course (FR 251, 252)
    • 1 French literature course (FR 276, 296, 297)
  • FR 250 is highly recommended, but not mandatory.

Application

See individual program pages.

Transfer Credits

Successfully completed courses taken at another university during the exchange will transfer as credits without numeric grades. This means that:

  1. the Registrar’s Office transfers courses that have a final grade equivalent to 60% (C-) or higher
  2. credits transferred will not affect your UWaterloo GPA.

Courses with grades below 60% will not be transferred. 

Upon completion of the program, students must order an official transcript from their host university. The official transcript must be sent directly to Waterloo's Registrar's Office:

200 University Avenue West
Waterloo, ON, N2L 3G1.

To receive transfer credits for courses taken at the University of Quebec at Chicoutimi, students must complete the following form before the departure: