OVERVIEW

The information contained on this site is relevant to you if you plan to come to Memorial University as:

1. A course-based exchange student under a university agreement (undergraduate & graduate)
2. A participant under a consortium agreement (UArctic, UMAP, IEP)
3. A visiting, fees-paying student, coming to Memorial for a short term
4. An undergraduate visiting researcher

If one of the above categories does not apply to you, please refer to the additional categories of applicants to Memorial University:

1. Visiting graduate researcher
2. Degree-seeking (new or transfer) undergraduate student
3. Degree-seeking graduate student (Master's, PhD)
4. English as a Second Language (ESL) participants (Grenfell Campus, Corner Brook)

ELIGIBILITY

Participating Academic Units:

Exchange & Visiting students are welcome to come to Memorial University to participate in academic, course-based activity in one of the following faculties:

1. St. John's Campus
   • Business Administration
   • Education
   • Engineering and Applied Sciences
   • Human Kinetics and Recreation
   • Humanities and Social Sciences
   • Science
     
     
2. Grenfell Campus, Corner Brook
   • Arts and Social Sciences
   • Fine Arts (some restrictions based on capacity and pre-requisites)
   • Science and the Environment

Research opportunities are generally available across all academic disciplines depending on the nature of the research project and the ability to engage with a research supervisor or unit. 

Restrictions:

Please note that courses from within our Faculty of Medicine, School of Social Work, Faculty of Nursing, and School of Pharmacy are not eligible for exchange at the moment. Some faculties and departments (e.g. Music, Computer Sciences) may limit access to courses depending on classroom capacity and pre-requisite requirements.

Requirements:

In general, we are looking for students with the following criteria:

• At least one year of undergraduate academic study completed (or at least 1 semester of Gradudate courses completed) 
• A grade point average of approximately 2.5 (scale of 4) - but we will defer to our partner's evaluation of the nominee

English Proficiency:

English is the primary language of instruction at Memorial University. The exchange agreement between Memorial University and your institution will indicate whether further documentation is required to meet Memorial’s English language proficiency requirement. Details on acceptable English proficiency tests and Memorial’s Intensive English Bridge Program can be found in the respective links.

Recognized measures of English language proficiency at Memorial University include:

• Intensive English Bridge Program (ESL Program at Grenfell Campus, Corner Brook)
• Cambridge Assessment English
• Canadian Academic English Language (CAEL) Assessment
• Canadian Test of English for Scholars and Trainees (CanTEST)
• Duolingo English Test
• IELTS Academic
• Michigan English Test (MET)
• Pearson Test of Academic English (PTE Academic)
• Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL)

Minimum requirements, for example, include an iBT TOEFL of 79, IELTS of 6.5, or Duolingo of 115 (plus sufficient band scores). Students seeking MBA classes (Master's of Business Administration) will require a TOEFL of 95 or IELTS of 7. 

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DEADLINES

Please note: due to the time-intensive logistics of the application processes for admissions, housing, visas & study permits, and the registration for courses, we will be firm on our application deadlines going forward from 2023.

We request your support in timely submission of all documentation by the posted dates. (Some leniency will be allowed for Federal Government Scholarship Candidates, such as ELAP, SEED and Study in Canada recipients).

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NOMINATION

In order to come to Memorial University as a visiting or exchange student you must:

1. Speak with your home institution representative about the internal selection process
2. Be nominated by your home institution to participate in an exchange (or have permission to come as a visiting, fees-paying student (i.e. "Free-mover")

To commence with the nomination process, please have your institutional coordinator (a faculty coordinator or member of your International Office complete the nomination form below:

NOMINATION FORM FOR VISITING
& EXCHANGE STUDENTS
(INSTITUTIONAL COORDINATORS ONLY)

Once you are nominated by your home coordinator, we will send you detailed application instructions. After the application is complete, your coordinator can send the supplemental documentation needed to goabroad@mun.ca.

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APPLICATION

The application to come to Memorial as an exchange or visiting student is relatively straight forward. We will require:

1. A nomination from your home institution (usually the International Office or Faculty).
1. Visiting Students only - A letter of permission to take courses at another university if you are not coming under a formal bilateral agreement.
2. Proof of English Proficiency (regulations)
3. Copy of your recent transcripts (course results, in-progress courses, etc.) translated into English
4. A complete online application for admission / readmission (below) 

When completing your online application for admission, keep these points in mind:

• You will apply as an undergraduate student (even if you are comning here to take graduate (Master's) level courses).
• You will not select a specific program application. Do NOT apply for the program you are studying at your home institution.
  • Please select "undeclared" "undecided" "unsure". If you have to select a faculty or school, choose "Sciences" or "Humanities"
  • This will not impact the courses you are able to take while on exchange - it is an administrative (internal) process. 
• In the "Admission Category" section, choose either visiting student or exchange student
• You will enter the exchange code that is given to you TWICE. Once in the application. Once at the payment page.
• Once the application is complete, supplemental documents must be sent to the Internationalization Office, goabroad@mun.ca (not to the Office of the Registrar)

With these points in mind, you are ready to complete your online application for admission:

ONLINE APPLICATION FOR ADMISSION
(EXCHANGE & VISITING STUDENTS)

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FINANCES

Below is an estimate of the costs to come to Memorial as an exchange student:

These are cost estimates, and will vary from semester to semester. Please keep in mind:

• Visiting, fees-paying students ("Free-Movers") are required to pay tuition and ancillary fees as per the International student rate.
• If a student elects to enrol in an online class (optional), there is a fee associated with these classes of approximately $51 (CAD). You exchange advisor will highlight those courses for which this fee is applicable. 
• General fees (e.g. Health Insurance) should be paid by the first day of classes as per Calendar regulations. For a list of methods of payment, please review the information on our Cashier's Office. 
• If living on-campus, a deposit may be necessary to confirm your room. The Housing Office will contact you directly in this regard after a separate application of on-campus housing is submitted.

SAMPLE LIVING COSTS IN NEWFOUNDLAND & LABRADOR

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HOUSING

On-Campus Housing:

We have two options for on-campus housing:

1. Dormitory-Style Accommodations - in the Paton College Dormintories you can select to have a shared room (1 roommate) or single room (more costly). Each dormitory has space for approximately 100 students. You share many of the facilities in the dormitory, but you must purchase a meal plan. 
2. Apartment-Style Accommodations - in the Burton's Pond Apartments you will share an apartment with up to 3 other students. You will have an individual room and share the kitchen, living room and bathroom facilities. You can either cook your own meals or elect to purchase a meal plan.

You must apply to the on-campus housing separately through the online system. You can only apply for housing after you have been accepted for exchange and have your letter of acceptance.

If you are attending Grenfell Campus, please refer to the Housing Information Resources offered there. 

Off-Campus Housing:

There are a variety of off-campus housing options available:

• Individual apartment (1, 2, 3 bedroom)
• Shared apartment (1 room with roomates)
• Shared house (1 room with roomates)

If you are attending St. John's Campus, please refer to our off-campus housing resource pages. Some accommodations are within walking distance. Others will require public transportation to reach the campus. Prices for accommodation will vary accordingly.

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VISAS & PERMITS

When travelling to Canada you must consider what document(s) you will need to enter the country and commence your studies or research at Memorial University. This will depend on the country you are travelling from, your home citizenship, the length of your stay in Canada, and the purpose of your stay in Canada amongst other criteria.

In Canada, the department of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship oversees the regulations necessary for entering and staying in Canada. Only authorized and certified representatives are allowed to give advice on immigrations issues. 

Should you require specific advice about your journey to Memorial, feel free to contact the Internationalization Office's Immigration Advisors, immigrationadvising@mun.ca well in advance of your planned stay in Canada.

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ACADEMICS

As a visiting or exchange student, your academic participation at Memorial University is of prime importance. However, the process is different than that which takes place for degree-seeking international students.

Course Selection:

• You will submit a ranked order list of courses you prefer to take on the Course Selection Form
  • Official course offerings are usually available about 8 weeks prior to the semester
  • The course selection form, once complete, should be emailed to goabroad@mun.ca. 
• Your mobility coordinator will be responsible for securing your courses based on the preference form
  • They will build a schedule to ensure there are no time conflicts
  • They will contact the faculties on your behalf
  • They will secure registration in the system for those courses for which there are pre-requisites

Course Module Access Notes:

1. Classroom capacity
2. Meeting pre-requisites (for which your transcripts and in-progress course lists will be needed; sometimes detailed syllabi will be requested)
3. Meeting departmental approval (as mentioned before, some faculties and schools restrict or deny access to course modules for exchange and visiting students)

Maximum and Recommended Course Load (number of courses):

• The recommended course load for an exchange student is between 3 and 4 courses (9-12 credits / 18-24 ECTS) per semester (for balance of academic and cultural experiences as part of the exchange). (We can accommodate the maximum 5 courses (15 credits / 30 ECTS) if absolutely required).
• Due to course mapping for our Bachelor’s programs, it is rare and difficult to accommodate 5 courses in one subject area. For this reason, it is recommended that students choose an array of courses from several relevant and applicable faculties, schools, and departments as determined in consultation with their academic coordinator at their home (sending) institution.
• Many of our courses contain laboratory components that may add an additional 3-hours per week into one’s class schedule. For this reason it is not recommended to engage in more than 3 laboratory courses in any given semester.
  
  

Changes to your Class Schedule:

Your course registration will commence on the first day of the registration period. However, due to permission requests and other administrative processes, your mobility coordinator may require additional time to secure your courses. 

There is also a two-week window at the beginning of the semester during which changes can be made to your class schedule. We encourage you to first attend your registered classes before making any changes to your schedule. Changes will be made in consideration of classroom capacity, consultation with your home university, and pre-requisite verification.

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