Starting a New Student Exchange Program | U of G Staff and Faculty
We know that our best student exchange agreements begin with collegial relationships between Guelph faculty and their colleagues abroad. The Centre for International Programs can guide you through the steps of establishing a new program for students. Once the exchange partnership is established, the Centre also administers the program and coordinates student applications, placement, orientation and credit transfer.
What is an exchange program?
An exchange requires a formal agreement between the University of Guelph and an international university that allows us to exchange students each year. Guelph students, can take courses on exchange at one of our partner universities and transfer credits back to their Guelph degree when they return. Students pay their regular tuition fees to their home University and take courses at the host university. For an exchange program to be viable, there has to be a reasonable expectation that the numbers of students exchanged over the life of the agreement (usually 5 years) will be approximately equal. If courses and programs at the other institution do not align with Guelph courses or if courses are not offered in English, it is unlikely the exchange will be successful.
Here are some of the things we look for in new student exchange partners:
- Internationally recognized and accredited institutions at the University level with academic programs which align well with University of Guelph Programs
- Courses at the senior undergraduate (3rd and 4th year) or graduate level which are taught in English
- Partners who are not located in a region with a Global Affairs Canada level 3 or 4 travel warning
- Partner institutions with a reciprocal interest in exchange such that it may be reasonable to assume that equal numbers of students will be exchanged in each direction
- Partners must be able to offer an official transcript of the students' academic performance in perpetuity (i.e. students should be able to obtain a transcript of their exchange courses several years after their time at the host University is completed)
Student exchange agreements must be approved by the Centre for International Programs before they are signed by the Provost and Vice President (Academic) and Associate Vice President (Academic).
For more information about establishing a new student exchange agreement or other types of academic cooperation contact the Study Abroad Manager, Allison Broadbent, at abroadbe@uoguelph.ca.