International exchange

Cyanne swimming with a shark while on exchange in Australia.

Cyanne went swimming with whale sharks while she was on exchange in Australia. Read student exchange stories →.

Expand your world with an international exchange

Students in the Faculty of Health are encouraged to participate in an international exchange. You can spend either one or two terms studying aboard. Courses taken while on exchange may be credited towards your University of Waterloo degree. Therefore, you can complete degree requirements while getting an experience of a lifetime!

Faculty of Health students have access to more than 100 exchange agreements.

By participating in an international exchange you have the opportunity to:

  • learn about a different culture by experiencing it firsthand;
  • learn to become independent, flexible, and confident;
  • make friends with people from different cultural and social backgrounds;
  • study courses within a different culture while obtaining credit toward your UWaterloo degree.

Eligibility Criteria

Students selected for an exchange serve as UWaterloo ambassadors. As such, successful candidates must have:

  • minimum academic level of 3A (applications accepted in second year);
  • minimum overall average of 70%;
  • minimum academic standing of satisfactory;
  • completed at least one academic year in a Health unit if they are a transfer student.

Student records, including current and past academic integrity records, will be considered prior to endorsement. Minor infractions will not automatically exclude a candidate from consideration. Each candidate is assessed on an individual basis.

Before you apply, you should meet with your academic advisor to determine if an exchange is possible based on your remaining degree requirements. If it is, your academic advisor will identify the best term for the exchange, as well as the required courses you must complete while on exchange to meet your remaining degree requirements. We cannot guarantee course offerings at other institutions. As such, academic advisors normally encourage students to go on exchange during a free elective-heavy term.

There is no guarantee of course offerings at UWaterloo. Although you may arrange your schedule to complete your degree requirements in four years, not all courses are offered every year and some courses may change time slots. This may lead to course conflicts. Be prepared for the possibility that you may not finish your degree in four years.

Costs

Adding an international experience to your degree doesn't have to break the bank! Most students who live in another country for a term find that they spend about 30% more than they would if they stayed in Waterloo. Not a bad deal for a once-in-a-lifetime experience!

Paying for courses

While away on exchange, you pay normal full-time (2.5 unit) tuition fees to UWaterloo, rather than having to pay international student fees to your host school. You also continue to be eligible for OSAP and other forms of financial assistance while on exchange.

Paying for other expenses

You are responsible for covering application, travel, and living costs related to your exchange. These expenses vary by country. To help you calculate how much your exchange might cost, please review living and housing expense details found on each partner school’s program page.

Exchange scholarships and bursaries 

We recognize the value of broadening your knowledge and experience by spending time abroad. That's why we have funding and awards available for international experiences:

Some exchange programs offer direct scholarships or financial incentives to UWaterloo students once they have been accepted into the program. To learn more about financing an exchange, consult the Go abroad website.

The Canadian Bureau for International Education (CBIE) also offers scholarship programs. To learn more, explore the CBIE funding options.

Plan and apply

You should meet with your academic advisor to determine if an exchange is possible for you, and if so, determine the best term for your exchange. You should start preparing for this experience as early as possible. You usually need to apply for the exchange 10 to 14 months in advance!

In first year…

In second or third year…

  • Complete the mandatory information session: Students are required to complete an information session in LEARN before they can apply. Access to the application portal will only be granted once the mandatory information session has been completed. Check out the Go abroad website for access details to the mandatory information session.
  • Make sure to plan early to give yourself enough time to complete your application before the deadline. There are two application rounds:
    • Round 1: October 1 to 31
    • Round 2: February 1 to 28
    • Of note, most of the spots will fill up during the first round. We encourage students to apply during the first round to increase their chances of being matched with their top choice. Applications for Fall exchanges are only available in round 1, while applications for Winter and Spring are available in rounds 1 and 2.
  • Narrow down possible destinations to your top four schools of choice. 
  • If you haven’t already, book an appointment with the Faculty of Health Exchange Coordinator to discuss your plans.
  • Apply for exchange and get ready for the experience of a lifetime!
  • Start getting your courses approved.
  • Once admitted by the host school, make arrangements to obtain your study visa (if one is required), travel, and housing—do not leave it until the last minute!
  • Your date of departure will depend on the term dates of your host school.
  • Enjoy your time abroad! Meet new people, see amazing places, and study the world through a new lens.

When you return…

  • Share your experience with us and other students. Connect with the Faculty of Health Exchange Coordinator for more details on how you can share your experiences.
  • We normally receive transcripts from our partner schools approximately two to three months after your exchange term ends. Once we do, we can apply the credits you completed on exchange to your UWaterloo record. After this happens, you should check in with your academic advisor to make sure you are on track to meet your degree requirements for graduation.

Application process

Mandatory information session

Complete the mandatory information session in LEARN: Students are required to complete an information session before they can apply. Access to the application portal will only be granted once the mandatory information session has been completed. Check out the Go abroad website for access details to the mandatory information session.

Application

Applications are completed online through Waterloo Passport. Only one application per student is possible. However, students can (and should) include their top four schools of choice in their application.

There are two application rounds:

  • Round 1: October 1 to 31
  • Round 2: February 1 to 28
  • Of note, most of the spots will fill up during the first round. We encourage students to apply during the first round to increase their chances of being matched with their top choice. Applications for Fall exchanges are only available in round 1, while applications for Winter and Spring are available in rounds 1 and 2.

Before matching can occur, students must pay their application fee.

For more detailed information, consult the application steps. 

Matching and application to host school

You will be notified of your match by e-mail.

Please note, a match does not mean you have been admitted by the host school. You will be required to submit a formal application for admission directly to your host school once you have been matched. You will receive instructions by email for completing this second application:

  • For summer programs and fall term exchanges: instructions will be sent out by the end of April.
  • For winter and spring term exchanges: instructions will be sent out between July and November.

Course selection

Once your match is confirmed, you should start the process of selecting your courses. Many host schools require course selection as part of their formal application.

Offer of admission from host school

You can expect to receive an official offer of admission from the host school:

  • by the end of June for summer programs and fall term exchanges;
  • by the end of November for winter and spring exchanges.

Finalize travel arrangements and accommodation

Once you have been admitted to the host school, you can start finalizing your travel arrangements and housing accommodations. This is when you will also need to apply for your study visa or permit, if one is required.

Complete the pre-departure risk management requirements

You must complete the mandatory pre-departure risk management requirements before you leave.

For more detailed information, consult the application process.

After your trip

When you return home...

  • Expect some reverse culture shock! A helpful antidote: talk to others who have already been away on exchange.
  • Expect to be asked to network with UWaterloo students preparing for an exchange. Your experiences will be very valuable to them. Thank you in advance!

Transcripts and credits

  • You will receive an official transcript from your host school, usually within three months after the end of the exchange term.
  • Your host school will normally send your official transcript to the Registrar's Office. This will allow us to establish your UWaterloo transfer credits.
  • The credits will be added to your UWaterloo record with the designation “credit”, but without any associated numerical grades. In other words, the courses transferred from the host school will have no bearing on your UWaterloo average calculations. 

Courses

While on exchange, you take courses at another school and get credit toward your degree at UWaterloo.

How it works

  • While away on exchange, you pay normal full-time tuition fees to UWaterloo, rather than having to pay international student fees to your host school. In order to bill tuition for a full course load (2.5 credits), you will be enrolled in the placeholder course HEALTH 395 Study Abroad for the term of the exchange. Once we receive your official transcript from your host school, the placeholder course will be replaced on your transcript by the transfer credits.
  • You need to pass your courses at the host school in order for the credits to transfer back to your UWaterloo degree. Conversions to a pass are available for partner schools. Connect with the Faculty of Health Exchange Coordinator for details on the conversion specific to your host school.
  • The grades you achieve during your exchange will not be included in your UWaterloo average calculations. Only the credits will be applied to your UWaterloo transcript as credit (CR) or no credit (NCR).

Finding courses and determining course equivalents

Most schools have course information available online. You can find details under each partner school's program page in Waterloo Passport.

Most of the courses you’ll take on exchange won’t be direct equivalents to courses offered at UWaterloo, and therefore will transfer back to your degree as general credits (for example, KIN 2XX or HLTH 3XX).  

Enrolling into courses

Once you have been accepted by the host school, they will provide you with more information about how to enrol into courses. Regardless of when or how you enrol into courses at the host school, you must pay your tuition to UWaterloo by the normal tuition fee deadlines.

Course approval process

Once your match is confirmed, you should choose your courses and submit their course outlines/syllabi for approval to the Faculty of Health Exchange Coordinator. You will want to choose your courses and initiate the approval process well before you leave. This will ensure that you know what transfer credits to expect when you get back. In many cases, you will be required to include your course selection in your formal application to the host school. You will therefore want to start the approval process well before the application deadline.

Course selection/availability may change throughout the application process. Please keep the Faculty of Health Exchange Coordinator up to date as these changes occur. We cannot guarantee course availability abroad. It is therefore important that you remain flexible when selecting courses for any exchange or study abroad program.

If you hope to complete specific degree requirements while on exchange, you will need to have the courses assessed to determine if they can fulfill those specific degree requirements. Connect with the Faculty of Health Exchange Coordinator for more details on this process.

Faculty of Health students are expected to enrol in the number of courses required to be considered in full-time status at the host school. Regardless of the number of courses you take at the host school, you will pay tuition for a full course load at UWaterloo (2.5 credits).

The Faculty of Health acknowledges that a great amount of experiential learning happens before, during and after an exchange. As such, all Faculty of Health students who participate in an international exchange term are awarded a 0.5 credit of MISC 1XX to recognize the experiential learning that takes place throughout the whole exchange process.

Course approval FAQs

Can I take less than 5 courses while on exchange?

Yes, you can take fewer than five courses on exchange. Faculty of Health students are expected to enroll in the number of courses/credits required to be considered in full-time status at the host school. Please be aware that doing less than the equivalent of five courses at UWaterloo does not impact your tuition. You will still pay for a full course load at UWaterloo (2.5 credits).

How are courses transferred back toward my UWaterloo degree?

Courses are transferred back to UWaterloo on a Pass/Fail basis (CR/NCR). As such, numerical grades will not appear on your UWaterloo transcript, and will not be included in the calculation of your UWaterloo averages. In other words, the averages you achieve before you go on an international exchange will remain the same once your transfer credits are applied to your transcript. 

To obtain a “Pass” for a Transfer Credit, you must pass the course at the host school. 

Work or volunteer

Working or volunteering abroad is a great way to see the world, broaden your horizons, and gain valuable experience and skills.

Work abroad

A part-time job may be possible during your exchange term; however it will depend on the specific study visa/permit regulations of the host country. Check the conditions of your study permit or visa, as well as your host school's website for any job information for international students.

Co-op students can work abroad, either by applying to international co-op positions in WaterlooWorks or by finding their own jobs.

Volunteer

Waterloo programs

External programs

Note: While Faculty of Health students have previously volunteered through these external programs, they are not officially affiliated with or endorsed by the University of Waterloo.

Contact