1. No category

INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS
EXCHANGE ADVISOR MANUAL
Prepared by
Fazeela Kayyum
Revised February 24, 2014
Exchange Advisor Manual
Contents
1. Exchange Application Procedures and Guidelines ................................................................................................................................ 3
Exchange Application Form ...................................................................................................................................................................... 3
English Language Proficiency Requirements..................................................................................................................................... 3
Semesters .......................................................................................................................................................................................................... 3
Selecting Courses ........................................................................................................................................................................................... 3
Course Registration ..................................................................................................................................................................................... 4
Dropping/Adding Courses ......................................................................................................................................................................... 4
Restricted Faculties ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 4
Haskayne School of Business (HSB)....................................................................................................................................................... 4
Faculty of Fine Arts ....................................................................................................................................................................................... 5
Faculty of Law ................................................................................................................................................................................................. 5
Examinations and Grading ......................................................................................................................................................................... 5
Transcripts ....................................................................................................................................................................................................... 6
Text Books ........................................................................................................................................................................................................ 6
Orientation ............................................................................................................................................................................................................. 6
3. Transit Pass ........................................................................................................................................................................................................ 6

Students must purchase a transit pass (U-PASS) For the 2011/2012 academic year the cost is $110 per term. ....... 6
5. Visa Requirements and Study Permits...................................................................................................................................................... 7
6. Living on Campus ............................................................................................................................................................................................. 7
Types of Campus Residence http://www.ucalgary.ca/residence/ ......................................................................................... 7
Apartment Style Residences ..................................................................................................................................................................... 7
Suite Style Residences ................................................................................................................................................................................. 7
Yamnuska Hall ................................................................................................................................................................................................ 8
Global Village ................................................................................................................................................................................................... 8
Room Assignment.......................................................................................................................................................................................... 8
Accommodation for Special Needs ......................................................................................................................................................... 8
Residence Application ................................................................................................................................................................................. 8
Payment Options............................................................................................................................................................................................ 8
7. Living Off Campus ............................................................................................................................................................................................ 9
2
Exchange Advisor Manual
1. Exchange Application Procedures and Guidelines
Your application package should contain:
 Exchange application form.
 Transcripts.
 A list of courses the student wants to take at the University of Calgary (U of C).
 English Language Proficiency Certificate, if necessary.
Please send your application package to:
Fazeela Kayyum
Centre for International Students and Study Abroad (CISSA), MSC 275
University of Calgary
2500 University Drive NW
Calgary, AB T2N 1N4
Canada
Fax: +1-403-289-4409
Tel: +1-403-220-8843
E-mail: [email protected] / [email protected]
Exchange Application Form





Download the exchange application form: http://ucalgary.ca/admissions/files/admissions/ExchangeStudentREV01.pdf
Complete the application with appropriate signatures in Sections 11 and 12.
Send to: Centre for International Students and Study Abroad (CISSA) (see address above).
Include the student’s most recent transcript and a list of courses the student is currently enrolled in. Many U of C
academic advisors request detailed course outlines before they approve courses. Students should be prepared to submit
these if necessary. Chemistry, Biological Sciences and Psychology courses require detailed outlines of courses previously
taken.
Application deadlines: April 15 for the Fall semester (September-December) and September 15 for the Winter semester
(January-April).
English Language Proficiency Requirements
U of C requires proof of English Language Proficiency (ELP), if applicable. Information on TOEFL, IELTS, MELAB and CAEL minimum
test scores can be found at: http://www.ucalgary.ca/admissions/elp
Semesters



Fall semester: September to December
Winter semester: January to April
Each semester is 12 weeks followed by an exam period of approximately 2 weeks. Examination dates are posted mid-way
through the semester.
Selecting Courses

The U of C Calendar http://www.ucalgary.ca/pubs/calendar/ and timetable are posted online in April through the
Enrolment Services website: http://www.ucalgary.ca/registrar/ Students can access the actual courses in the upcoming
academic year at that time. The current calendar and timetable offer a good idea of course offerings and students can use
this as a guide.




200 level = first year
300 level = second year
400 level = third year
500 level = fourth year
3
Exchange Advisor Manual





Once the final timetable is posted, students can work directly with the CISSA advisor to finalize course registration.
Some U of C Faculties (Education, Haskayne School of Business MBA program, Medicine, Nursing) are not open to general
exchange students (see list of Restricted Faculties below - page 4).
Some Faculties have special requirements, e.g. the Faculty of Law requires high English Language Proficiency scores.
Some Faculties give priority to U of C students applying to high-demand and restricted courses. In some cases, Exchange
students may not be able to register until the restrictions are lifted (mid-August). In the case of Business courses, Exchange
students may not know until September. As a result, students must be flexible in course selection. Students should submit
a list of at least 10-12 courses. Students must be registered in at least 3 courses to be considered full-time; 5 courses are a
full course load.
For questions relating to before, during or after an exchange, contact the Centre for International Students and Study
Abroad (CISSA) [email protected]
Course Registration


Student Administration System: Students need to use their student identity (ID) to sign in to the “my U of C” portal before
they can access the system.
Courses with pre-requisites: Students’ U of C coordinator requests approval for the course from the appropriate academic
advisor. Once approval is given, it is posted on the Student Administration System and the student can self-register. In
some cases, students are not able to register themselves and their U of C coordinator assists them. In their acceptance
package, students are advised of the date registration becomes open. It is strongly recommended that students try to
register on this date in order to secure course registration


Courses with no pre-requisites or restrictions: Students can register themselves on the Student Administration System.
Note: Even though a class may be full, students are encouraged to keep checking because spaces sometimes become
available.
Dropping/Adding Courses


During the first 2 weeks of classes each term, students may drop or add classes through the Student Administration System
with no penalty. After that date, they may drop courses, but the letter “W” indicating “Withdraw” will appear on their
transcripts. Students may withdraw from courses until the last day of classes for the semester.
If the student does not officially withdraw from the class and no grades are issued, an “F” grade is assigned.
Restricted Faculties
Faculties with enrolment restrictions:
Haskayne School of Business (HSB)
HSB has an extremely high demand for its courses. Students may be able to register in some Business courses, but they will
not know until the last day to add/drop classes (the second Friday after classes start). Exchange students studying at the
undergraduate level, who are not participating in a HSB specific exchange agreement, are permitted to register only in the
following courses:
Accounting (ACCT) 301
Business and Environment (BSEN) 395
Business and Environment (BSEN) 401
Entrepreneurship and Innovation (ENTI) 201
Entrepreneurship and Innovation (ENTI) 381
Finance (FNCE) 341
Finance (FNCE) 343
Human Resources and Organizational Dynamics (HROD) 321
Management Information Systems (MGIS) 321
Operations Management (OPMA) 301
4
Exchange Advisor Manual
Marketing (MKTG) 341
Tourism (TOUR) 409
Faculty of Fine Arts
The Faculty of Fine Arts (Drama, Art, Art History, Dance) has limitations on student numbers. Students, who are unable to
obtain a place in a course prior to arrival in Calgary, are unlikely to be permitted to register when they arrive.
Some Dance courses require auditions.
Faculty of Law
The Faculty of Law considers Exchange students who meet the following conditions:
1. A high level of English Language Proficiency:
(i) TOEFL: a minimum Internet (ibT) score of 100 with a reading, listening and writing component of 75 (formerly 600
(paper-based), or 250 (computer-based) and a TWE score of 5.5); or
(ii) IELTS: the minimum overall band of 7.0, with a reading and writing band minimum of 7.0;
2. Are enrolled in the Faculty of Law at their home university;
3. Have completed a minimum of three full years of Law courses at their home university with above average grades. They
should have completed no less than 15-20 law courses within those three years.
The application to the Faculty of Law must also include a letter of intent and two academic references.
The Faculty of Law does not allow students to register in courses at the 400 level.
Schulich School of Engineering
Please note Engineering courses at the University of Calgary are generally reserved for Engineering
undergraduate degree students. As such exchange students wishing to complete Engineering courses at the
University of Calgary have a lower priority for registration in these courses. Unfortunately, this means that there
are no guarantees for registration in any Engineering courses, although there is generally some room left in most
courses for the exchange students.
Please also note that registration requests for Engineering courses will be considered and processed close to the
start of each term and we will make every effort to approve as many requested courses as possible. We
understand that this may be somewhat frustrating, however, the priority must be to reserve seats in the high
demand courses for our Engineering undergraduate degree students.
Examinations and Grading




Exams are scheduled during the last two weeks of the academic term. Students are required to write exams during the last
scheduled class, or to complete a “take home” exam (students are given the exam to prepare at home using references and
texts with a submission deadline).
Some professors do not assign examinations. They choose to grade students on the basis of written research papers, inclass quizzes, class participation, etc. Many choose a combination of these. In any case, students are told which evaluative
method/s the professor will use during their first lecture of the term.
The exam schedule is posted online 6 weeks prior to the exam period (mid-term). Students are strongly advised not to
schedule flights home, or make travel plans until the schedule is announced. The U of C does not consider travel plans a
valid reason for missing or requesting to reschedule an examination.
The U of C uses a grading system on a four-point scale to calculate students’ Grade Point Average (GPA). Approximate
equivalents are:
4.00 = A+ = Outstanding
2.30 = C+
4.00 = A = Excellent
2.00 = C = Satisfactory
3.70 = A1.70 = C3.30 = B+
1.30 = D+
3.00 = B = Good
1.00 = D = Minimal Pass
0.00 =F = Fail
5
Exchange Advisor Manual
Transcripts

Transcripts are automatically sent to the home university once the final grades are posted. If a student requires a personal
transcript, a request can be made to Student and Enrolment Services. This is a free service.
Text Books

The cost of text books ranges from $50-$150 per book. Students should take this into their budget considerations.
2. Arriving in Calgary
Getting to the U of C
1.Taxi
A taxi stand can be found immediately outside of the Arrivals area (follow the signs for “ground transportation”).
The cost from the airport to the University campus is approximately $50.
2.Public Transit
The Calgary airport is served by public buses which can connect you to the “C-Train” which is Calgary’s Light Rail
system. There is a C-Train station at the University of Calgary. However, this option may be difficult if you are
carrying large amounts of luggage or arriving at night. The cost of public transit is $2.75 and exact change is
required. Please check the Calgary Transit website for details.
http://www.ucalgary.ca/uci/arriveairport
Orientation

Orientation sessions are held the week before classes start. Check the dates on: http://www.ucalgary.ca/uci/students
3. Transit Pass

Students must purchase a transit pass (U-PASS) For the 2011/2012 academic year the cost is $110 per term.
.
4. Medical Information



All international Exchange students at the U of C need to have adequate medical insurance. Exchange students are strongly
advised to purchase a medical insurance plan in their home country. If students do not have an insurance plan, they are
responsible for paying all costs for medical treatment. A visit to a doctor can cost $45-$50 or more, and a hospital stay can
cost more than $1,000 per day. Students with no medical insurance have to pay the entire bill for these medical services.
Students with a Study Permit for at least 12 months (365 days or more) are eligible for the Alberta Health Care Insurance
Plan (AHCIP) which is the basic insurance coverage for all Albertans. The AHCIP covers visits to the doctor, laboratory tests,
and hospital costs. It does not cover prescription drugs, rehabilitation needs, dental services or ambulance transport. Even
if students are eligible for AHCIP, they should consider purchasing additional coverage.
Students not eligible for AHCIP coverage must purchase a private plan through an insurance company or agent, in their
home country, or on arrival in Canada . Students, who arrive in Canada without insurance coverage, can purchase medical
insurance through authorized providers within 5 days of arriving in Canada. An updated list of insurance providers is
available at the Centre for International Students and Study Abroad.
6
Exchange Advisor Manual
4. Visa Requirements and Study Permits
Entry Visa: Canada requires citizens of some countries to have an Entry Visa. Students should check with the nearest
Canadian Embassy or Consulate for requirements. For more information:
Studying in Canada: Information for foreign students: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/study/index.asp
Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) offices abroad: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/offices/missions.asp
6. Living on Campus
Many exchange students apply to live in U of C halls of residence for convenience to classes and campus services and for the
social living environment. Residence rooms are fully furnished and some have cooking facilities. Students can purchase meals
in the Dining Centre. Students, who want to live on campus should APPLY AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. Residence applications
for the 2013/2014 Academic Term open in December. Students do not need a Student ID to apply.
Types of Campus Residence http://www.ucalgary.ca/residence/
Traditional Style Residence (Kananaskis and Rundle Halls)
For first year students 20 years of age or under:
 Contracts are based on an eight-month stay
 Dormitory-style residences with a total of approximately 700 students
 Students must purchase a Meal Plan with the room; there is no kitchen facility. Plan. The Lighter Side Plan (see page 9) is
the minimum. Exchange students at the U of C for one semester are recommended to purchase this Plan.
 Double rooms: Students share the room with a roommate.
 Rooms consist of a single bed, a desk and chair, built-in bookshelves, a dresser and a closet for each student. Students
need to purchase/provide bed linen, blankets, towels, pillows, a radio, etc.
 Each floor has access to a laundry facility, a common lounge with cable TV, and shared washrooms (co-ed or single
gender).
Apartment Style Residences
Apartment style residence offers a more private form of residence, a quiet atmosphere and the chance to prepare one’s own
meals. There are 6 apartment style residence buildings on campus:
 Norquay, Brewster and Olympus Halls
Each building has 3 floors and contains Studio, 2-bedroom, 4-bedroom, and 1-bedroom single apartments. Each
rd
th
apartment has a kitchen, bathroom, and a common living area. Residents are usually 3 and 4 year students.
 Glacier and Castle Halls
Each building has 3 floors and contains Studio rooms, 1-bedroom single, 2-bedroom and 4-bedroom apartments.
Each apartment has a kitchen, bathroom, and a common living area. These halls are for Graduate students.
 Cascade Hall
This building has 5 floors and contains 2-bedroom, and 4-bedroom apartments. Each apartment has a kitchen,
rd
th
bathroom,and a common living area. Residents are usually 3 or 4 year students.
Apartment style residences:
 Furnished with a single bed, dresser, study desk and chair (per student), kitchen table and chairs, sectional living
room furniture (except in the studio apartments), refrigerator and stove. Students provide their own personal items,
such as bed linen, towels, blankets, pillows, cooking and eating utensils, radio, TV, etc.
 Each building has laundry facilities and study rooms.
 During vacation periods, students may continue to live in residence, but the Dining Centre may not be available.
Suite Style Residences
Suite style residence offers a hybrid of traditional residence and apartment residence. These buildings offer private rooms
and community building areas.
7
Exchange Advisor Manual
Yamnuska Hall
This is the newest residence building at the University of Calgary that opened in September 2011 and 590 residents in two
bedroom and three bedroom suites.
 Each suite consists of private bedrooms, a full bathroom and a kitchenette (no oven/stove) with fridge, microwave.
Each bedroom has a bed, desk, and dresses.
 Students are required to purchase a meal plan
 The building consists of six floors with two community lounges and events kitchens.
 The building also has a workout room, games room, retail outlets and a full service desk.
nd

Residents of this building are 2 year, international and transfer students
Global Village http://www.ucalgary.ca/residence/globalvillage
Global Village is a living-learning community located in a new residence hall that opened October 2009. It has a focus on
domestic and international living, so students that live in this community wish to learn about other cultures and are willing
to teach others about their own.
 Three floors each with a common lounge and kitchen (students cannot cook in their apartments)
 Each apartment in Global Village consists of two bedrooms, a bathroom, and a kitchenette (no oven/stove). Each
bedroom has a bed, desk, dresser, and TV.
Room Assignment




Rooms are assigned to students based on age, availability, and date of application.
Students, who apply for apartment style residence, are asked to answer 25 personal questions on the application
in order search for a roommate.
First year students that do not request a roommate will be placed with a roommate based on a couple of the
questions that they answered in their application.
The majority of non first year students applying for residence will be given the option to select their room and
apartment they wish to live in.
Accommodation for Special Needs


Rooms are available for students with environmental sensitivities, such as chemical sensitivities, severe allergies,
or asthma.
Rooms are available with wheelchair accessibility.
Residence Application



Students must apply to Residence Services online. It is very important to provide e-mail, fax or phone contacts
that will remain valid for the months before arrival in Calgary.
Applications are available early and to secure a place, students should submit their application with the $50 CDN
application fee as soon as possible. Room assignments are made on a first-come, first-serve basis.
Residence Services process applications starting in March and continue throughout the summer, and they inform
students if they are able to offer them a place. Students have a better chance of getting the accommodation of
their choice if they apply early.
Payment Options




When students are offered a place in residence, they sign a Statement of Understanding and send a deposit to
confirm the placement.
Payment of the deposit can be made in Canadian funds using a money order, bank draft or credit card. The deposit
is non-refundable and is deducted from the residence bill.
Students with problems paying the deposit by the deadline should contact Residence Services and make other
arrangements: [email protected] / Fax +1-403-283-8443.
Students sign a contract for 4 or 8 months on arrival. Residence fees are due the same day as tuition.
8
Exchange Advisor Manual


Monthly payment option: Students who wish to pay monthly must submit a form with their reason and
documentation. This must be approved by a U of C business officer. When approval is given, students are
informed of their monthly payments and charged a one-time $50 admin fee. Payment can be made in Canadian
funds: cash, personal cheques, direct banking, travellers’ cheques, bank drafts, or money orders.
For more information on Residence Services: www.ucalgary.ca/residence
Residence Dining Plans
Students, who do not wish to prepare their own meals, may purchase a Meal Plan. Residents in first year residence or
Yamnuska Hall are required to purchase a plan.
 Prices are based on the average amount spent by students. The program is a “user-pay” system where all food
items are individually priced (a la carte) so students are charged the cost of the food they eat.
 There are 13 places across campus where students can use the Meal Plan including a full service cafeteria in the
Dining Centre which offers a wide variety of different foods. There are also food kiosks and restaurants on campus
that are not a part of the Meal Plans.

There are 4 Residential Dining Plans to choose from:
 Sampler Plan– approx. 7 meals/week (Yamnusak residence only)
 Lighter Side Plan – approx. 10 meals/week
 Standard Plan – approx. 15 meals/week
 Ultimate Plan – approx. 19 meals/week

For more information on Meal Plans and prices: http://www.ucalgary.ca/residence/mealplans
7. Living Off Campus
The majority of international Exchange students choose to live on campus, at least during their first year, but some choose
to live off campus.




Students that choose to live off-campus are responsible for finding their own accommodation and need to arrive early
st
to look for a place to stay. Most off campus accommodation becomes available the 1 day of the month, so students
coming for the Fall semester should plan to come a few weeks early.
Many apartments and houses require students to sign temporary contracts covering a period of time. Contracts
(leases) can be for 6, 8, or 12 months, depending on the owner. Some owners (landlords) agree to rent the
accommodation on a month-to-month basis. Information for landlords and tenants is available at
http://www.servicealberta.gov.ab.ca/1022.cfm. In Canada, this information is available by phone: 1-877-427-4088.
Off campus housing options:
o Shared apartment or house: Often the cheapest options.
o One-bedroom apartments: Most apartments are unfurnished so students should expect to pay more for a
furnished apartment and budget for items that they need.
o Room and Board: Renting a room with a family that provides meals.
Rental costs: For a single student living off-campus the rental costs ranges from $350 - $800 CDN per month with an
average cost of about $450 - $550 /month.
How to Find Accommodation


Off-Campus Housing List: http://www.su.ucalgary.ca/ooch/listing.php U of C Students Union provides a list of
apartments, houses, and room and board available to students. The Housing List is updated weekly and gives the cost,
number of rooms available, appliances included, the location, a contact number, etc.
Calgary newspapers: The Calgary Sun www.calgarysun.com and The Calgary Herald www.calgaryherald.com offer daily
listings of accommodation rentals.
9
Exchange Advisor Manual

Centre for International Students and Study Abroad keeps a small file of accommodation for international students
when they arrive in Calgary. Accommodation is usually room and board or shared accommodation.
Temporary Accommodation
 Calgary International Youth Hostel [email protected]

520 – 7 Avenue S.E. Tel: +1-403-269-8239.
Cost: $24.00/night for Hostelling International Members; $28.00 /night for non-members.
U of C Conference Housing (May – August) http://www.ucalgary.ca/residence/guestaccommodation/
Cost: $32-$56 /night. A discount is available with a valid university ID from home. Tel: +1-403-220-3202.
For rates, packages and more information, go to: www.ucalgary.ca/residence

Hotels and Motels close to the U of C:
Hotel Alma
Hotel Alma is a full-service hotel located on the University of Calgary campus.
http://www.hotelalma.ca/home
Motel Village:
th
16 Avenue / Banff Trail NW (15 minute walk from campus, South on Crowchild Trail)
Royal Wayne Motor Inn
Telephone: (403) 289-6651, Fax (403) 289-6709, E-mail: [email protected]
Toll Free: 1-800-834-8423, Web site: http://www.royalwaynemotorinn.com/
Super 8 Motel
Telephone: (403) 289-9211, Fax (403) 282-7824, E-mail: [email protected]
Toll Free: 1-800-800-8000, Web site: http://www.super8.com/
Travelodge
Telephone: (403) 289-6600, Fax (403) 289-6767, E-mail: [email protected]
Toll Free: 1-800-578-7878, Web site: http://www.travelodge.ca/
Ramada Limited
Telephone: (403) 289-5571, Fax (403) 282-9305, Email: [email protected]
Toll Free: 1-800-272-6232, Web site: http://www.ramada.ca/
Comfort Inn & Suites
Telephone: (403) 289-2581, Fax (403) 284-3897, E-mail: [email protected]
Toll Free: 1-877-424-6423, Web site: http://www.comfortinn.com/
Econo Lodge Inn & Suites University
Telephone: (403) - 289-1921, Fax: (403) 282-2149, E-mail: [email protected]
Toll Free: 1-800-917-7779, Web site: http://www.econolodgecalgary.com/
Quality Inn University
Telephone: (403) 289-1973, Fax: (403) 282-1241, E-mail: [email protected]
Toll Free Reservations: 1-800-661-4667, Web site: http://www.qualityinnuofc.com/
For further inquiries about the information in this Manual, contact
Fazeela Kayyum
Centre for International Students and Study Abroad (CISSA), MSC 275
University of Calgary
2500 University Drive N.W.
Calgary, AB T2N 1N4 Canada
Fax: +1-403-289-4409
Tel: +1-403-220-8843
E-mail: [email protected] / [email protected]
10