Costs

Q14. How much does it cost?
Q15. Am I still eligible for student loans, scholarships, bursaries, and awards?
Q16. Are there any funding opportunities specifically related to exchange?

Application Questions

Q17. Is there a fee to apply?
Q18. How do I apply?
Q19. What does the application consist of?
Q20. Could I not be accepted to go on an exchange based on how much money I have as shown in the budget worksheet?
Q21. Am I bound to the courses I put down for my study plan?
Q22. When is the application deadline?
Q23. Do you accept late applications?
Q24. How do you place students in their exchange spots?
Q25. Is it very competitive to get a spot?
Q26. How many students can go to each school every year?
Q27. If I am accepted to exchange but need to postpone my departure date, is this possible?
Q28. If my circumstances change, is it possible to withdraw from the program?

Exchange Process Questions

Q29. What happens after I’ve been accepted to go on exchange?
Q30. How does the partner institution application process work?
Q31. Can I be rejected by the partner institution?
Q32. How do I register for classes while I’m on an exchange?
Q33. What happens if there is an emergency while I am away on an exchange?
Q34. Do I get credit for all the courses I take while on exchange?
Q35. Can you tell me how my courses will transfer back to KPU?

General Questions

Q1. Why should I go on exchange?

Top Ten Reasons to Open Your World

1. Enhance your education
2. Increase your employability
3. Challenge yourself
4. Travel to new places
5. Broaden your understanding of the world
6. Meet new people and make lasting friendships
7. Live in another culture
8. Learn or perfect a second (or a third, or a fourth) language
9. Learn more about your own culture and how the world perceives Canada
10. Build up your exciting story reservoir!

Q2. What are the requirements to apply to go on exchange?

To go on exchange you must:

• have completed 24 university credits by the time you wish to go on exchange. 15 of those credits must have been completed at KPU
• have a GPA of 2.5
• be willing to return to KPU after your exchange for a minimum of 9 credits

Q3. Do I have to have travel experience in order to go on exchange?

A: No, you do not. You do, however, have to have an open mind and be willing to face new cultural challenges.

Q4. Where can I go on exchange?

A: All over the world. For a list of partner schools please visit our partner school page.

Q4.1 What is UMAP?

UMAP is a consortium or network of partners in Asia Pacific. Through our agreement with UMAP you can go to any of the participating institutions on the list that is accepting students through UMAP. Go here to see where you can go. 

Q5. If I am interested in going somewhere that is not on the list, is this possible?

A: Yes, students can arrange their own study abroad, but it is not recommended. Independent study abroad students planning on attending an institution outside of Canada must pay international student fees and are not generally eligible for student loans. If you want to arrange your own study abroad and be a paid “visiting student”, you must research the institution of choice to see if the institution accepts non-degree-seeking visiting students for a semester or year. You would then directly apply and would need to request a letter of permission from Kwantlen’s KPU’s registrar’s office outlining the courses to take abroad and how they will transfer back to Kwantlen KPU. 

Q6. Can I still take courses in English?

A: Most of our partner institutions offer at least some instruction in English. Please see our partner pages to determine the language of instruction at each institution.

Q7. Where do I live when I go on exchange?

A: Each partner institution is different. Some institutions have on-campus housing, others have homestay, and others will assist you in finding independent accommodations.

Q8. What program do I have to be in to go on exchange?

A: Exchange opportunities are offered across many programs. Please visit our partner pages to see the main faculties of programs offered at each institution. 

Q9. Can I go on exchange to more than one university?

A: Yes, you can go on exchange to up to two different locations.

Q10. When can I go on exchange?

A: You can go on an exchange after you have completed 30 university credits, fifteen of which must be done at KPU. After your exchange, you must return to KPU for a minimum of 9 credits. Based on these requirements, most students go on exchange in the second semester of the second year, during the first or second semester of the third year or the first semester of the fourth year. Some programs have limitations on when you can go on exchange:

• Business: It is strongly recommended that students go on exchange in the second year. 
• Fashion Design: Second semester of the third year 
• Graphic Design for Marketing: Second semester of the second year
• Product Design: Either semester in the second or third year
• Interior Design: Second Semester of the second year or first semester of the third year

Q11. How long can I go on exchange for?

A: Most students go on exchange for one semester, but you can go for a full academic year depending on the institution.

Q12. What kind of support is offered by KPU International?

We support students through the KPU exchange application process, partner school application process, cultural preparation, transfer credit, and re-entry.

Q13. Are there risks involved in going on exchange?

A: There are always risks involved with overseas travel. Students will be exposed to a new environment with risks that may be different from the risks faced by those staying in Canada. Cultural differences and language barriers can be very challenging. Going on an exchange through KPU helps to reduce the risk as we offer pre-departure training to help prepare students appropriately for their experience. Despite the support offered by KPU, students need to take the appropriate precautions to have a safe and successful trip.

Costs

Q14. How much does it cost?

A: Students participating in an exchange pay tuition directly to KPU and not the partner institution in most cases. Students are required to take and pay for 9-15 credits for each semester on exchange. Additional expenses that students must account for in their budget include airfare, housing, food, transportation inside the country, books/supplies, etc. You can always take a look at websites such as Numbeo to get a sense of how much things cost at the destination you're interested in.

Q15. Am I still eligible for student loans, scholarships, bursaries, and awards?

A: Exchange students remain eligible to apply for student loans, scholarships, bursaries, and awards. 

Please note that if you are applying for student loans through StudentAid BC, you must let KPU International know, and one of our advisors will be able to assist you with what steps you must take to maintain eligibility. 

Q16. Are there any funding opportunities specifically related to exchange?

A: Yes, there are some specific scholarships available for exchange. Please visit our Funding & Scholarships page for more info.

Application Questions

Q17. Is there a fee to apply?

There is no application fee to apply for an exchange. Most field school applications will require a deposit with the application.

Q18. How do I apply?

A: You first apply online to KPU for an exchange through this page.

Q19. What does the application consist of?

A: The application consists of general personal information, a personal statement (300-500 words), a budget worksheet, a study plan for what courses you are interested in taking, and two reference forms filled out by KPU instructors.

Q20. Could I not be accepted to go on an exchange based on how much money I have as shown in the budget worksheet?

A: The budget worksheet is judged by how much research you’ve done into your country of choice, not by how much money you have.

Q21. Am I bound to the courses I put down for my study plan?

A: No. It is however very important to consider what courses you will be able to take at the partner institution to make sure you know that they fit into your program.

Q22. When is the application deadline?

A: The deadline is February 15 for studying abroad in the Fall, June 15 for studying in the next calendar year's Spring, and October 15 for studying abroad in the Summer semester.

Q23. Do you accept late applications?

A: If there are additional exchange spots available after the February 15 and June 15 allocations, late applications may be considered on a case-by-case basis depending on space availability and lead time required for a successful exchange. To have the highest chance of getting a spot at the school of your choice, you should apply before the deadline.

Q24. How do you place students in their exchange spots?

A: Applications are scored and then ranked. The highest-ranked students will get their first-choice placement. We continue down the list until all places have been filled.

Q25. Is it very competitive to get a spot?

A: Some schools and programs are more competitive than others. Even though a spot for each student is not guaranteed, we do our best to make sure that everyone who applies and meets the minimum qualifications gets a spot.

Q26. How many students can go to each school every year?

A: Generally, there are four spots available at each partner school per academic year.

Q27. If I am accepted to exchange but need to postpone my departure date, is this possible?

A: If you would like to postpone your exchange to a semester that falls within the same academic year, there are generally no problems depending on your program. If you wish to postpone your exchange to the following academic year, the situation is analyzed on a case-by-case basis.

Q28. If my circumstances change, is it possible to withdraw from the program?

A: Students may withdraw from the program in writing at any time. Before withdrawing, students should consider the impact of their withdrawal on their current program of study.

Exchange Process Questions

Q29. What happens after I’ve been accepted to go on exchange?

A: You will meet with an International Exchange Coordinator to discuss how you need to apply to the partner institution. Following that, you will attend a pre-departure session which will cover transfer credit, cultural adjustment, insurance, passports, and visas.

Q30. How does the partner institution application process work?

A: After being accepted to the exchange program by KPU, all students must apply to their partner institution. Each institution has a different application process. You will be informed of this process after you are nominated to a partner institution.

Q31. Can I be rejected by the partner institution?

A: In general, students are accepted by the partner institution without any problems. In very rare circumstances KPU applicants can be rejected by the partner institution. Rejection can be based on the timeliness of the application, space in the desired program, and quality of the application.

Q32. How do I register for classes while I’m on an exchange?

A: Each partner has a different registration process. You will be informed of this process after you have been accepted to the partner institution.

Q33. What happens if there is an emergency while I am away on an exchange?

A: Students are informed of emergency procedures during their pre-departure session. Students' first point of contact will be local authorities and the Canadian government.

Q34. Do I get credit for all the courses I take while on exchange?

A: Credits obtained while on exchange transfer back to KPU. We cannot, however, guarantee that the credit applies to your degree. It is the student's responsibility to ensure that they are meeting their degree requirements.

Q35. Can you tell me how my courses will transfer back to KPU?

A: After you finalize your registration for courses at the partner institution, we will prepare a letter of permission for you that outlines how your credit will transfer back to KPU.