Getting started

Exchange

Spend one or two terms exploring a different country and culture, and gain credits toward your degree at one of Waterloo's partner schools. You pay your tuition to Waterloo while experiencing world-class teaching, training and facilities abroad. 

Study abroad

Study abroad while paying fees at your host school. Some Waterloo programs offer a study abroad experience specific to a department or faculty. Talk to your academic advisor about the possibility of receiving transfer credits. 

Summer and short-term programs

Looking for an alternative to a term or year abroad? These shorter programs will give you a taste of study and travel that complement your degree.

Internships

Shape your career path and gain relevant, hands-on experience in a different country. Some internship opportunities qualify for a work term credit. Discuss these options with your Co-operative Education advisor. Please note, not all instructions on the application steps page apply to internships. Please contact a Global Learning Coordinator for more guidance. 

As you research Waterloo Passport for opportunities to go abroad, we recommend that you pay attention to the following topics to make an informed choice.

Matching term dates

It is expected that you study at your host school for the entire duration of their term, including exams. Term dates vary abroad and sometimes overlap with Waterloo’s. If your terms overlap, you will need to take a term off or arrange a shortened work term. Some schools offer early/alternative assessments that will allow you to return to Waterloo early and write a proctored exam in Waterloo.

Ask yourself:

• Do my term dates line up?
• Do I need to arrange a shortened work term, or a term off?

Planning your courses

Going on exchange is an academic experience, so it is important to make sure you can take the courses you need. Consider planning to take more electives during your exchange term to make choosing courses easier. Research the course offerings at your host school to find out what they offer and when, and what language they are taught in. Use this year’s online course descriptions as a guide, but please note that changes may need to be made as programs and courses evolve.

Course loads vary abroad, so you will also need to find out what a full time course load at your host school is and what the credit weights are for the courses you want to take. You will find links to course calendars on the program pages in Waterloo Passport for the host schools you’re interested in, and your faculty exchange representative and academic advisor can help you determine equivalencies. Course availability is never a guarantee, so make sure you choose some alternatives in case your first choices are not available to you.  

Ask yourself:

• What courses does the host school offer and when are they available?
• What language are courses taught in?
• What is considered a full time course load at the host school?
• What are the credit weights?

Consider competitiveness (only during first round matching)

Each host school is given a colour to assist you in making choices that will increase your chances of getting matched. The colour assigned to a host school is based on last year's demand. However, each year demand for schools shift. Use these colours (green, yellow, and red) as a guide and remember that there are no guarantees. 

Ultra-competitive - less than 50% of students who selected this school as their first choice in the first round were matched. No spots remained for students who selected this as their second, third, or fourth choice. 

Very competitive - between 50% and 100% of students who selected this school as the first choice in the first round were matched. No spots remained for students who selected this as their second, third, or fourth choice. 

Competitive - 100% of students who selected this school as their first choice in the first round were matched. Some spots were available for students who selected this as their second, third, or fourth choice.  

Ask yourself:

• Did I choose a mix of red, yellow, and green schools? 
  • Are any of my second, third or fourth choices a red or yellow school? If so, swap it out for a green school. 
  • Have I selected a variety of schools and countries? For example, more than two schools and more than one country.
• Do I understand the matching process? If not, read about how it works. 

Checking your eligibility

Waterloo's requirements

Undergraduate students should aim to apply during their second year for departure in their 3A or 3B term. Students who plan to go on exchange during their fourth year of studies must consult with their academic advisor and their global learning coordinator to discuss the possibility of delaying their graduation. You should also review your faculty's requirements: 

• Arts

• Engineering

• Environment

• Health

• Mathematics

• Science   

Host school requirements

While researching, focus on schools for which you meet the requirements. You should pay close attention to minimum overall average and language requirements. Some exchange programs also require you to be in a specific program of study at Waterloo. Check the requirements section of the program pages on Waterloo Passport for the schools you are interested in to see if you are eligible.

Ask yourself:

• When should I apply for an international experience? 
• What is the minimum overall average?
• What are the language requirements?
• Do I need to be in a specific faculty to apply to this school?

Budgeting for the cost of living

When researching the cost of living in a region or city, consider rent, food, transportation and entertainment costs. Check the costs section of the program pages on Waterloo Passport for the schools you are interested in to learn about the cost of living at each school.

There are ways to make spending a term abroad more affordable. Check out our suggestions for how to pay for it below.

Ask yourself:

• What is the cost of rent, food, transportation and entertainment costs?
• What scholarships, awards and other financial aid can I apply for?

Reviewing housing options

At many host schools, you will have the option to live off campus or in university-managed accommodation. Your host school will often send you information about accommodation options when it is time to apply, but you can still look into your options ahead of time. Consider how far you will be from campus, the costs, whether or not it is furnished, and whether or not it includes a meal plan. Do not assume the type of housing you want will be available everywhere.

Ask yourself:

• How far do I want to live from campus?
• How much will it cost?
• Do I want extra amenities, like a furnished room or a meal plan?

Wellness planning

A key part of your planning should be centered on your personal wellness. Think about what you will need to be as successful abroad as you are at home. At Waterloo, there is a culture of promoting wellness, both physical and mental, that takes into consideration the environment around you. Internationally, the support for this type of programming will look different.

To best help you research the wellness resources at universities for your exchange, Waterloo Passport has a dedicated "wellness planning" section for each university. 

If you are registered with AccessAbility Services, make sure you look into what accommodations will be available abroad. The global learning team can help you identify these resources as needed, and you can work with AccessAbility Services to make a plan before you go.

Even if you are not registered with AccessAbility Services, consider any conditions you regularly manage at home that could require attention while you are abroad, like repeating prescriptions, regular counselling/medical appointments, and access to physically accessible spaces.

You should also consider how you might manage an unexpected change to your wellness while you are away. This includes an unexpected illness or injury, physical or mental.

No matter what, you should think about who your support is, both in country and at home, to help you maintain your wellness while you are away.

Ask yourself:

• Are the types of accommodations I require available at the host school?
• How will I manage my physical and mental health while I’m abroad?
• What supports do I need to arrange to help me be well while I’m abroad?

Planning to graduate on time

It is recommended that you go abroad during third year, because any later may delay your graduation. For one, course availability cannot be guaranteed at the host school. If you are not able to get the courses you need, you may have to stay an extra term at Waterloo.

Even if you get all the courses you need, it can take months for your transcript to arrive from your host school and your transfer credits to be added to your Waterloo record. Going abroad in your final winter term will not allow for spring (June) convocation, even though you will probably be finished your exchange by then.

Ask yourself:

• Am I planning an exchange term that will still allow me to graduate on time?
• Is it important to me that I graduate on time? 

How does matching work?

We do our best to match students to one of their four choices, but there are no guarantees as spots are limited at each of our partner schools. Keep in mind: 

• Some schools have as few as two spots each year. 
• Other schools have a larger number of spots, but are extremely popular, meaning that they are still ultra or very competitive.
• Sometimes exchange schools put restrictions on the number of students they can accept each term, or the number of students they can accept into specific programs. 
• There are a set number of spots at each host school for all Waterloo exchange students; divided between faculties based on student interest. Your GPA will be considered against other students from your faculty during matching. Please visit Waterloo Passport school pages to see the anticipated number of spots available at each school and the associated competitiveness. 

In the first and second rounds, we go through all students' first choices, and try to match students to their first choice. Many schools (especially red and yellow) will fill before we get to second, third, and fourth choices. This means it’s important to think carefully about the order that you apply for schools.

I am interested in going to a red (ultra-competitive) school. What should I know?

Remember less than 50% of students who selected red schools as their first choice in first round were matched to this school. This means that:

• Students who selected these schools as their first choice and who had a high GPA for their faculty still had less than a 50% chance of being matched.
• We do not suggest listing a red school as a second, third, or fourth choice. Red schools usually fill up before we consider those choices. 
• You do not increase your odds of getting matched with this school by selecting multiple semesters. e.g. First choice – University College London in fall term; Second Choice University College London in winter term.
• If your GPA is not very high, you likely will not be matched to this school in first round.

I am interested in going to a yellow (very competitive) school. What should I know?

Remember between 50% and 100% of students who selected yellow schools as their first choice in first round were matched to this school. This means that:

• Depending on demand, students who select yellow schools as their first choice, and who had a high GPA for their faculty, could still not be matched.
• We do not suggest listing a yellow school as a second, third, or fourth choice. Yellow schools usually fill up before we consider those choices.
• You do not increase your odds of getting matched with yellow schools by selecting multiple semesters. E.g. First choice Trinity College Dublin in fall term, Second choice Trinity College Dublin in winter term.
• If you GPA is not very high for your faculty, you will likely not be matched to this school in first round.

I am interested in going to a green (competitive) school. What should I know?

Select green schools as a first choice for the greatest likelihood of being matched. They also make excellent second, third and fourth choices. 

How does the study abroad team determine who gets matched with a partner school?

We allocate exchange spots at each school to students in Waterloo's six faculties based on:

• Number of applications that are received from each faculty
• Your GPA and program type
• Your faculty endorsement

Students who apply only to ultra competitive (red schools) or very competitive (yellow schools) risk not getting matched, even with a high GPA.

How many schools can I pick?

You can select up to four schools in order of priority, but it's not required. We suggest that you only select schools you are interested in actually attending. If you don't want to go - don't select the school.

What happens if I don't get matched with any of my choices? 

If we can’t match you to any of your four choices, you'll be notified, and within a few weeks, given the opportunity to determine if any of the schools which still have spots available are of interest.

Can I get on a waitlist to be matched with a school I originally wanted? 

No - we do not use waitlists. 

What if I want to withdraw from the exchange program?

Please email us at studyabroad@uwaterloo.ca to let us know that you would like to withdraw from the exchange program.

It's hard to predict how global events will affect mobility programs for the current and upcoming academic years. 

We encourage you to approach planning for an exchange with optimism but keep in mind the realities of global events.

Your exchange may be cancelled by Waterloo or your host school if conditions globally, at your host institution, or in your host country are not safe. If your exchange is cancelled, we'll be sure to notify you and let you know what your options are, including issuing you a refund for your application fee.