Study Abroad Guide

1. Familiarize yourself with the International Centre website. Research the programs and opportunities available to you. Important things to check if planning to do an exchange: does the university offer the courses that you need? Are there any (restricted) faculties or departments at the host university that fall outside of the exchange? Do the semesters at the host university line up with when you want to be away and when you want to return? Is there a language requirement? Is there a GPA requirement?   
2. Attend an information session, meet with one of our student assistants (all former exchange students) as part of a group advising session, and follow us on Instagram (@DalStudyAbroad). 
3. Attend the annual Study Abroad Fair. Talk to current and former exchange students.

• University-wide exchange programs: University-wide exchange programs are largely organized through the International Centre (Halifax) and are open to any undergraduate student in any faculty. University-wide exchange programs are generally available for one single semester or two consecutive semesters. Students who are interested in a university-wide exchange program apply through the International Centre.
• Departmental exchange programs: Departmental or faculty-based exchange programs are generally limited to students from that department/faculty. Departmental exchange programs are generally available for one single semester or two consecutive semesters. Students who are interested in a departmental exchange program apply through that department/faculty.
• Faculty-led field courses: Faculty-led field courses are short-term (e.g. less than one month) study abroad programs that are organized and led by Dalhousie/King’s professors for groups of Dalhousie/King’s students. Sometimes a field course is an extension of an on-campus class (e.g. travel happens during or after the on-campus course), and sometimes it’s offered as a stand-alone course/experience.
• Short-term programs: These programs tend to be offered on a short-term basis during the spring or summer months. They generally offer fewer credits because of their short duration. In some cases, they’re treated as short-term exchanges (in which case, students pay their tuition to Dal); in other cases, students apply directly to the host institution on an independent basis (in which case, they pay their tuition to the host institution). 

Make sure that you understand your degree structure and requirements so that you can determine the following:

1. Which type of study abroad experience best fits with your degree plan and requirements?
2. If you plan to do an exchange, are there certain courses that you can only take at Dal? If so, which ones and when should you take them (e.g. before the exchange or after the exchange)?
3. If you plan to do an exchange, is there a way to plan ahead so that you’re able to take more of your electives while on exchange?  
4. If you plan to do an exchange, which semester (fall or winter) will work better with your academic program?
5. If you plan to do an exchange, are there certain exchanges that the academic advisor recommends based on the availability and transferability of courses?
6. What are the language requirements? Some programs may require a certain level of language proficiency if travelling to a country where English is not as widely spoken. Other programs in the same countries may in fact offer a range of courses that are taught in English. Check to make sure there are enough English-taught courses available in your area of study.

Select up to 3 exchanges for your application. Be sure to list them in order of preference. Give consideration to which exchanges may receive more/fewer applications and which ones may have more/fewer available places. Be strategic and order your choices accordingly.

Choose your list of preferred exchanges carefully based on available courses in your program area, the language of instruction, academic term/year start-dates and end-dates, GPA requirements, etc. In some cases, a host university may have a strict GPA requirement that is higher than the minimum GPA requirement needed to apply for a Dalhousie exchange. Be sure to check this information before including this exchange as one of your choices. If your program includes a required internship/work term, make sure that it doesn’t conflict with your exchange dates.

Some institutions have different semester dates than Dalhousie. When researching different institutions, make sure their academic calendar doesn’t conflict with the start of a co-op or the next semester at Dal.

If you are selected to participate in an exchange program, you will receive a nomination email from the International Centre (or the departmental exchange coordinator, if you applied to a departmental exchange program). The email will indicate which exchange and which semester for which you’ve been nominated. To accept the exchange nomination, follow the instructions in the email. Generally, you will be required to send a confirmation email by a specified deadline.

New in 2025, university-wide exchange students and some departmental exchange students will also be required to pay a non-refundable $100 Study Abroad fee. Together, the email and the fee confirm that you accept the nomination and intend to participate in the exchange. If you do not send an email or pay the fee by the specified deadline, your nomination will expire and the exchange place will be made available to other students during a second round of applications. If you do not wish to accept your exchange nomination, you can decline the nomination and re-apply during the second round of applications. However, it’s not possible to switch your nomination for another nomination without declining and re-applying.  

Keep your nomination email/letter on file, as you may need to provide it to immigration officials or your host university to demonstrate that you have been chosen to participate in the program.

• Once you've been nominated, the next step is to apply to the host university. The exchange coordinator will give you instructions on when and how to do this. Even though Dal has nominated you for the exchange, you’re not officially accepted to the exchange until you apply to (and are admitted by) the host university.
• Be sure to apply by the host university’s posted deadlines. The application deadline can often be several months in advance of the exchange.  
• Be prepared to provide additional documents that the host university may require as part of their admission process. These might include: transcripts, passport-sized photos, a letter of intent, a reference letter, a copy of your passport, etc.
• Once you are officially accepted, the host university will also send you an acceptance letter. Retain this letter because you will need it when applying for immigration documents (if required) and when entering the country. The host university will also provide you with more detailed instructions on how to prepare for your exchange (e.g. how to register for courses, how to arrange housing, how to get a host university email address, what immigration documents may be required, etc.).

Begin the process of investigating which courses are available at the host university.

• Make sure you're clear about what the host university calls a course (e.g. module, paper, subject, unit, etc.).
• Make sure you understand how many courses constitute a full-time course load at the host university. It may not be five courses, as it is at Dalhousie. In some cases, you may be limited to fewer than five courses (e.g. at some partners, a full-time course load consists of 2-3 courses). In other cases, you may be required to take more than five courses. The first consideration is to make sure you satisfy the host university’s requirement for full-time enrolment. The second consideration is to make sure that the total credits for the courses taken at the host university (accounting for the conversion of credits between universities) are roughly equivalent to the total credits you would earn at Dalhousie when enrolled on a full-time basis.  
• Make a list of 5-10 possible courses. It’s better to include more course options in case some of the courses are unavailable or not approved for transfer. Review the courses (and course descriptions) with an academic advisor in your faculty. Check Dalhousie’s Transfer Credit Equivalency database to see if any of the courses have been previously assessed and approved for transfer credit.  

• IMPORTANT: It can often take several months to get your exchange courses pre-approved for transfer, so start this process early (e.g. March/April for fall exchange students, August/September for winter exchange students). Keep in mind that your list of exchange courses must be submitted to the Registrar’s Office two to three months in advance of your exchange to allow for sufficient processing time. Another variable is that you may need to contact the host university for more detailed course descriptions in order for Dalhousie to assess the courses for transfer, so give yourself – and others – lots of time.
• To get your courses pre-approved for transfer, you will need to complete a Learning Agreement (for most university-wide and departmental exchanges) or a Letter of Permission (for some departmental exchanges). A Learning Agreement and Letter of Permission give you advance certainty of the transfer credit value of the courses that you will be taking on exchange. Check the Academic Support page for more information about both documents, including where to find the forms, how to complete the forms, and where/when to submit the forms. Work with an academic advisor to complete the form.
• Pro-tip: Submit more courses for transfer credit assessment than you can actually take at the host university. This way, you will have more flexibility to make changes to your courses/class schedule (if necessary) after you arrive. In some cases, students discover that one or more courses that they thought would be available are no longer available. It can be difficult and uncertain trying to get new courses assessed for transfer on short notice. If you find yourself in this situation, email LOP@dal.ca with your new course selection and syllabi for assistance.
• Once you complete your exchange, the host university will send your final transcript to Dalhousie. The Registrar’s Office will apply the credits and update your academic record accordingly
• Note: Courses taken on exchange transfer back on a Pass/Fail basis. Courses with a “Pass” grade are GPA neutral. Courses with a “Fail” grade will count as 0.0 towards your Dalhousie GPA.

Depending on your nationality, where you’re going, and how long you will be staying, you may need a visa to enter the country as an exchange student. Start your research early, and check the host country’s visa requirements. If you require a visa, start the visa application process as soon as you receive confirmation of admission from the host institution. Visa information can be found in one or more of the following ways:

• Application/admissions instructions from the host institution.
• Visiting the website of the host country’s embassy, consulate, or high commission in Canada and checking their visa and consular services section (e.g. French Embassy in Canada, British High Commission in Canada, etc.).

Some exchange partners offer on-campus housing. Others may help to facilitate off-campus housing options. Some may refer you to off-campus housing directories and third-party providers. The host institution will provide you with more information after you are admitted as an exchange student.

Once you're nominated, accepted, and are beginning to think about booking plane tickets and your visa, you should consider the funding options available.

The International Centre will organize a variety of in-person and virtual sessions designed to help you prepare for your exchange. There will be regular drop-in group advising sessions and a series of pre-departure orientation sessions. Additionally, a pre-departure handbook/guide for students, as well as a variety of video tutorials will help to lay out the steps to follow.

All Dalhousie students travelling internationally must complete a series of pre-departure steps and requirements to comply with Dalhousie’s International Travel Policy. Review the steps and requirements on the Before You Go page. Get started once you receive confirmation of admission from the host institution.

For billing purposes, you are considered a full-time student when on exchange, so you will be charged your usual full-time tuition by Dalhousie. To be clear, you will pay tuition and any applicable student fees to Dalhousie according to the standard payment deadlines. You will pay any/all other fees (e.g. housing) directly to the host university. If you do not enrol in a full-time course load at the host university, you will still be charged full-time tuition by Dalhousie. If you enrol in a Dalhousie course while on exchange, you will be charged additional tuition and student fees for that course. Your full-time tuition payment cannot be used to take exchange courses and Dalhousie courses at the same time. There are separate tuition payments for each.