1. How to apply

First you must check with your home institution to see if they have an exchange agreement with the University of Waterloo. Your exchange coordinator at your home university will help determine if you are eligible to come to Waterloo. Your home university will then be able to submit the online student nomination form. Once they have done so, all incoming non-degree exchange students can complete Waterloo's online exchange application.

• Undergraduate application
• Graduate application

If your university is not among those listed as a University of Waterloo Exchange Partner, you can consider transferring to Waterloo as a full-time degree student.

If you are coming to Waterloo on exchange, you will be required to complete course selection for your first term of study as part of your application. Review specific information for: 

• Undergraduate course selection
• Graduate course selection

All incoming exchange students must have sufficient English language skills to be successful in their exchange program of study. Depending on your home school, English Language Proficiency (ELP) requirements vary to one of the following:

• Official test scores required 
• Alternative proof accepted 
• Official test scores/alternative proof is not required 

To determine the specific requirements, connect with your home school’s exchange office or email studyabroad@uwaterloo.ca.

• Undergraduate student English language requirements
• Graduate student English language requirements

If you would like to improve your English language skills, the English Language Institute (ELI) at Renison University College is Waterloo's home for English language classes. You can visit ELI to register for credit courses in spoken, or written English, or to find out more about how to increase your English language proficiency.