Many of the institutional agreements we’ve signed with our partner universities include “tuition swaps” where you pay your regular tuition fees directly to Saint Mary's University for your study abroad, making the exchange process much smoother for you.

Terms start and finish on different dates at many of our partner institutions, but generally this is the timeline for the application process:

Late fall — Narrow down your choices of partner schools and decide how long you want to study abroad (e.g., a semester, a year, or for a shorter-term summer abroad).

Early winter — Apply for the exchange program(s) of your choice.

Going on exchange in the third year works best for most undergraduate students, but the program is open to students in other years of study and graduate students as well.

The SMU exchange programs are open to students who:

• Are from any academic discipline and possess a GPA of 2.5* or higher.

• Have declared a major or are in the process of declaring a major prior to the start of the exchange program.

• Are eligible to receive transfer credit towards their SMU degree program (check with your academic advisor).

• Will have completed 30 credit hours of Saint Mary’s courses before leaving for an exchange program.

• Are registered as a full or part-time student at Saint Mary’s University.

Some partner institutions may have additional academic requirements.

International students can participate in most exchange programs, though usually not in programs based in their home country.

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*A lower GPA may be accepted if some or all of the following factors are successfully demonstrated:

• Leadership

• Participation in extra-curricular activities

• Genuine interest in global issues

• Academic merit

• Clear personal and career goals

Not necessarily. Many courses are taught in English at our partner institutions.

Exchange students often take the host country’s language and culture courses while on exchange. Prior knowledge or fluency in the host country’s language may be required to take some courses or programs offered in that language.

Before you apply for an exchange program, your academic advisor can:

1. Review which courses you have left to complete for your program.

2. Confirm if any of those remaining courses can be taken abroad.

3. Go over the Letter of Permission process with you.

Your academic advisor cannot advise you on which school to choose. It is up to you to research the partner institutions and their courses. We can help you explore different options.

After you get accepted to SMU Exchange and nominated to a partner institution, you need to obtain approval for your transfer credits by completing a Letter of Permission (see below). More specifically, you will:

1. Complete the Letter of Permission (LOP) request form found on the Student Forms page by clicking here.  

2. Email the completed LOP form, along with detailed course outlines from your host institution to records@smu.ca.

3. Once your LOP form has been reviewed and approved, you will receive a copy, via email, from the Records Office.

4. Submit a copy of the approved LOP form to the Global Learning and Intercultural Support Office, AT 106.

When you successfully complete your exchange program, the host institution sends your official transcript to SMU, and grades for courses taken outside Canada are recorded as TR and excluded from the GPA. A minimum passing grade of C (65%) is normally required for the courses to be accepted for transfer credit hours. Some departments may require higher than a passing grade for transfer credit towards major programs.

In terms of course load, there is no fixed number of courses you need to take while on exchange, unless the host university requires students to follow a prescribed curriculum. Your course load often depends on how many transfer credits will be accepted by your Saint Mary’s program. Credit values are different at many of the host universities so each course you plan to take for transfer credit must be fully assessed for Saint Mary’s equivalencies before your exchange program begins.

The cost of studying abroad can vary and depends on:

1. Living and travel expenses (i.e. urban Western Europe vs. rural Central America)

2. Program features (i.e. support services, equipment, excursions, etc.)

3. Duration (i.e. a summer session for 3 credit hours vs. a full year for 30 credit hours)

4. Financial arrangements between home and host institutions (i.e. tuition swap)

5. Accommodation (i.e. on-campus residences vs. off-campus housing)

6. Types of meals (prepare your own vs. use food services facility)

Using the information above, you can plan a study abroad experience to fit your budget. Keep in mind, a year long program rarely costs twice as much as a semester long program. This is because you have fixed administrative and travel costs that are spread over a longer period of time.

A host institution's website usually also provides information about typical living expenses. Generally you should set aside a budget for:

1. $100 administration fee

2. Regular Saint Mary’s tuition (payable to Saint Mary’s University), usually based on the number of transfer credits. This includes tuition, international differential (if applicable), and campus renewal fees.

3. International and in-country travel

4. Supplementary health insurance (mandatory)

5. Accommodation, food, and basic necessities

6. Any host institution fees, such as student fees

7. Communication, incidental costs, and miscellaneous expenses

8. Passport and visa application

9. Immunization(s) (if applicable)

There are funding opportunities available for students who have been accepted into study abroad programs. Check out the Financial Support page to learn more.

Our Exchange Advisor will help you navigate your options. They can:

• Provide program advice

• Facilitate the application process

• Liaise with partner institutions

• Conduct pre-departure orientation

• Connect you with previous exchange students to learn more about their experiences.

To make an appointment, email global@smu.ca.

Your Academic Advisor can check which courses you have left to complete in your academic program requirements, and whether any of those remaining courses can be taken abroad. They will also help you obtain approval for your transfer credits by completing a letter of permission after you get accepted to SMU Exchange and nominated to a partner institution (see above).