Prepare To Go
Going abroad is an incredible opportunity and we want you to make the most of your experience.
Applying to your partner university
- For Term 1 and Full Year students the following steps happen in the Spring.
- For Term 2 and Split Year students, these steps happen in the late Summer and Fall.
In the weeks or months after Go Global has notified you of which partner university you’ve been matched to, you will receive the details about completing the “partner application.” This is the application you will submit to your host university which they will use to register you for your exchange.
You will be able to reference your application instructions on your Gateway application under “Transcript & Partner Application” in the “PRE-DEPARTURE STEPS” section. Alternatively, your host university may also contact you directly with detailed application instructions. Let Go Global know if these instructions differ greatly from the instructions we sent you.
Some partner universities request online applications, while others require paper applications. Do not send any paper application materials directly to the partner. If paper copies are required, submit paper documents to Go Global and we will mail them to your host university on your behalf.
Most partners will require you to submit your official university transcripts.
Go Global will order your UBC transcripts for you and upload them to your Gateway application under “Transcript & Partner Application.” You will download it and include it with your application to your host university.
If you are a transfer student from another post-secondary institution, you will need to submit official transcripts from all of your previous institution(s).
Every university has a different application process. While some may be as simple as completing one form, others may require additional documents such as
- Academic reference letters
- Resume (CV)
- Statement of interest or motivation
- Photos
- Medical exams
- Proof of funds (i.e. a bank statement)
- Proof of medical insurance
- Study plans or learning agreements
- Housing/residence application
It is the student’s responsibility to prepare all documents required for the partner university application.
Speak to your Go Global advisor if you have questions about preparing your partner university application.
LETTER OF ACCEPTANCE
After you submit your application to your partner university, you will receive a letter of acceptance (also called a “confirmation of enrolment” or “letter of admission”) from the partner university. This letter may be sent directly to you or to Go Global. You may need this letter for visa or permit applications for travel and stay in your host country.
If you have not received this letter two months before the start of your exchange, contact Go Global.
Travel Planning
An exciting and challenging part of the next several weeks or months will be planning your travel and preparing yourself for life in your destination.Students are responsible for their own travel planning. This includes booking flights, applying for relevant visas/permits for your host country, and finding housing.
Flights:
- We recommend only making travel arrangements once you have been formally admitted to your host university and received a letter of acceptance. It can be wise to wait until your visa or permit, if required, is approved as well.
Passports, visas, and study or residence permits:
- We recommend that you make sure that your passport is valid for at least 6 months after you plan to return to UBC.
- Most students will require some sort of visa, study permit, or residence permit to travel to and stay in their host country for the duration of their program.
- Go Global does not advise in detail on visas because rules and application processes change often and can vary greatly depending on students’ individual situation (e.g. citizenship, length of stay, etc.).
- In most cases you cannot apply for your visa until you have your letter of acceptance from your host university.
- Occasionally, students may need to travel to another city to apply for or obtain their visa. For example, students sometimes need to go in-person to a consulate in Ottawa or Toronto.
- Visa fees can be significant and students are encouraged to take these into consideration when budgeting.
- UBC international students with Canadian study permits should make sure these remain valid while away on exchange. For more information, please contact International Student Advising.
Housing:
Availability of campus housing/residence varies between universities. Most host universities provide incoming students with information about finding local housing on- or off-campus.
Safety Abroad:
UBC is committed to preparing students for safe and successful international experiences. In order to achieve this, any student participating in a Go Global Program must complete the following:
- All UBC Student Safety Abroad requirements
- Go Global Program-specific pre-departure requirements (includes both online and in-person components)
Failure to successfully complete these and any other requirements may result in withdrawal from the Go Global Program.
PLanning Your Stay:
- Budget: create a financial budget for your time abroad, including tuition, living expenses, travel costs, and any other potential expenses.
- Health check: research whether your host country will provide you health insurance and if not, be sure to obtain international health insurance coverage for the duration of your stay. Schedule any necessary vaccinations, dentist appointments, or health check-ups
recommended for your destination. Refill any prescriptions you may need. - Travel arrangements: book your flights and ensure you have all necessary travel documents. Make sure you know how you will get to your accommodation from the airport and when you are allowed to check-in.
- Banking: as bank accounts often require two-step verification, ensure that your bank account is not connected to your phone number for this. It would be smart to have some cash emergency funds in your host country’s currency. Research if you want to use an
international card, your current bank account, or set up a bank account in your host country. - Cultural and language research: familiarize yourself with the local culture, customs, and norms to help ease the transition. If the destination country has a different language, consider taking language classes.
- Packing: make sure to bring weather appropriate clothes for your host country, bring the proper charging cables for electronics, medications you may need, etc.
upon arrival:
- Local SIM: Consider a local SIM card for your phone to avoid high roaming charges.
- Local transportation: decide how you are going to get around, whether this means buying or renting a bike or buying a public transit card.
- Orientation programs: Attend any orientation sessions organized by the host university or program to get familiar with your host school, city, and make friends.
- Contacts and resources: have a list of emergency contacts, including local contacts and the nearest embassy. Familiarize yourself with the academic support services available at the host university. Establish a communication schedule with friends and family at home for emotional support.
Course Registration
Course registration at your host university:
Students will receive information from their host university before arrival about course registration. The course registration process and timeline varies greatly between universities and can be quite different than at UBC. For example, at some universities there may not be an add/drop period like at UBC, or course registration may only happen when you arrive. In other cases, for example, you may have a very small window of time to register for courses.
Note that course content and availability at your host university may change; Go Global cannot guarantee access to specific courses or whether available courses will meet your degree requirements.
Make sure to understand the exchange Transfer Credit Process. Note that this process will be reviewed at Pre-Departure.
UBC registration and tuition while abroad:
Every student participating in a Go Global program will be registered in the appropriate section of an EXCH course by Go Global. Registration in this course serves as indication on your Workday record that you are participating in an exchange program.
Registration in EXCH will allow you to retain your UBC status and eligibility for scholarships and loans while you are away. Students on exchange will be assessed fees at UBC and will pay tuition for 15 credits per term. A small number of partnerships (“study abroad”) require that you pay comparable tuition directly to the partner university. Tuition fees are assessed based on 15 credits per term for EXCH for Winter Sessions (unless you have a letter from the Disability Resource Centre that recommends a reduced course load) and on a per-credit basis for Summer Sessions.
If you are in a “study abroad” program at a partner university and paying fees there, the EXCH course will not generate UBC tuition fees.
Scholarships: Exchange, Research, and Study Abroad
There are a number of International Learning Awards to support your participation in a Go Global Program. You will automatically be considered for some of these awards, while others require an application. It is important to note that students can only receive one exchange-related award or scholarship. Please review the available international learning awards and scholarships.
Go Global will notify you which application-based scholarships you are eligible for. For scholarships administered by Go Global that you need to apply to, log in to Go Global Gateway CWL and select “Search Scholarships.”
All UBC awards and scholarships pay directly towards students’ tuition and fees. But if you owe less than the amount of your award or scholarship, you will receive a cheque or direct deposit to your bank account for the remaining amount. Similarly, if you pay your tuition and fees in advance, you will get a cheque or direct deposit for the full amount of your scholarship.
Since you may not be able to pick up your cheque in person, you must do one of the following:
- The best option is to set up direct deposit in Workday so that the funds are deposited in your bank account.
- Authorize someone else to pick up your cheque.
- Set up Third Party Authorization in Workday. The authorized person must bring his/her ID as well as provide the Authorization Code (set by you) when picking up the cheque.
- You can also download a paper Third Party Pick-up Form. Complete this form, attach the required ID copies, and leave it with the person you have authorized. The authorized person must bring this form, and ID copies, with them when they pick up your cheque.
- Ask us to mail your cheque to your home address.
Going on Exchange or Study Abroad is an exciting endeavor and it’s worth every moment of additional preparation. As an Exchange or Study Abroad student, you will have special requirements to complete your loan application and to receive your loan.
Please refer to our page on Student Loans for more information.
Pre-departure session
Go Global’s pre-departure information session is a key way to help you prepare for going abroad.
If you are accepted to go on a Go Global experience, a Go Global Advisor will contact you with the details on the following sessions.
Learn about logistics, safety abroad, flight and visa information, and much more. Connect with other students who have recently returned from your partner university. Ask questions about what people have learned abroad, make connections with others, and get the inside scoop.
This session is mandatory. The following topics will be covered:
- Transfer credit and academic planning
- Awards and financial concerns
- Health and safety
- What to expect on your exchange
When are sessions?
For Term 1, full year, and summer students, the Pre-Departure session will be held late-February / early-March.
For Term 2 and split year students, the Pre-Departure session date will be in late-September / early-October.
