Student exchange program

Before you begin the application process, you should be aware of the exchange program requirements. In order to be considered for an exchange, you must: 

• Have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 (case by case exceptions may be considered by the selection committee).
• Have completed at least 30 credit hours by the time of departure. First year students are eligible to apply - the earliest they can go on exchange is the winter term of their second year (if 30 credit hours are successfully completed by the end of summer term of their first year). 
• Preference may be given to students who are in their third or fourth year of study.
• Be registered in a faculty other than U1 by the time of departure.
• Demonstrate strong personal, professional and academic goals.
• Demonstrate that you can adapt to living and studying in a foreign country.
• Maintain full-time status during the exchange (you don't necessarily need to be a full-time student when you apply).
• Provide proof of foreign language proficiency, if you'll be taking courses in a language other than English.
• International Students are welcome to participate in our program.

Some applicants may be required to participate in an interview and/or provide additional information.

If you meet the eligibility criteria for an exchange*, your next step is to set up an in-person or virtual appointment with the International Centre's Student Mobility Coordinator. This is a mandatory meeting that must take place before you submit your application.

How to schedule a meeting - Click booking portal to book your meeting (in-person or virtual). 

*Students who are interested in an exchange in future years are also encouraged to schedule a meeting to learn more about the exchange program options. 

Please familiarize yourself with the rest of the information on this page before your meeting. If possible, identify some potential exchange destinations based on our list below. Write down all of your questions to maximize our meeting time.

Do you have space in your degree for an exchange? How will an exchange impact your degree or graduation timeline? Which term should you go on exchange?

An academic advisor in your faculty can help you answer these questions. You are required to meet with an academic advisor—in either your faculty or the faculty you hope to enter—prior to applying for an exchange.

Use these guidelines to get the most out of your meeting: 

• Ask for a program check and map out your intended degree. Discuss your required courses, prerequisites and intended graduation date.
• Identify any courses or requirements for your degree that you must complete at UM (and not while on exchange).
• Discuss the time and duration of your intended exchange. If applicable, consider when required or necessary prerequisite courses are being offered at UM.
• If applicable, discuss how participating in an exchange may impact your intentions to complete a co-op term, complete a thesis for an honours degree, conduct research, complete a capstone or final project as a graduation requirement for your program or apply to a graduate or professional program.
• Consider what courses you'd like to take while on exchange. You are strongly recommended to take courses to count toward optional or electives on exchange. Courses required for your major and minor requirements must be taken at UM.
• Identify how many courses or credit hours would be ideal to take on exchange. (You must take a minimum of nine credit hours each Fall and Winter term and three credit hours in the Summer term.)

All courses on exchange will be evaluated for transfer credit after your exchange starts. Courses that are previously evaluated at UM can be viewed UM Online Transfer Credit Resources page. Further information will be provided after you've been accepted to the program. 

You will maintain full-time UM student status while on exchange. As such, you will pay tuition at the UM tuition rates as well as other standard fees, including the library fee, registration fee, sport and recreation fee, student services fee, tech fee, UMSU Health and Dental fees and international health coverage (for international students).

While abroad, you will need to pay for your living and travel expenses as well as the above university-related costs. Visit your host institution’s website to find out the estimated living cost. Depending on where you are completing your exchange, you may or may not be required to pay some small university fees in addition to your living and travel expenses while abroad.

Use our Financial planning worksheet (pdf) to help make sense of your potential expenses.

You can also visit the UM Financial Aid and Award database to find funding opportunities that may be available to you.

Application instructions and the link will be ready prior to Dec. 1, 2024. 

In the application you will be asked about the followings: 

Personal Information; Educational Background; Language Skills; Exchange Destinations; Relevant Experience; Financial Consideration; and Statement of Intent*

*in no more than two (2) pages, please respond to the following questions on a Word doc. and upload as pdf.

• Why do you want to go on an exchange?
• How does this opportunity match your personal, academic and professional goals?
• Describe a cross-cultural experience you had (in 3 sentences or less). then, in more detail tell us what you learned from this experience as a whole.

The online portal is open from Dec. 1, 2024 - Jan. 15, 2025 during the main application round. Extension will not be granted.

As part of your student exchange application, 2 references are required: 

• One academic reference from a professor or instructor at UM whom you took or are currently taking a course with. 
• One professional reference letter from a supervisor or manager of a paid or volunteer position

Instructions:

Send this IC Exchange Reference form to your referees. The reference form will be submitted via MS form. If your referees have any questions or concerns, please ask them to email the Student Mobility Coordinator at student.exchange@umanitoba.ca. 

You will be notified by the Student Mobility Coordinator within 5 business days after the reciept of your reference form. 

Mexico

ITESM-CEM - Instituto Technologico Y De Estudios Superiores De Monterrey - Campus Estado De Mexico  (exchange program)

Hong Kong

City University of Hong Kong (exchange program)

The medium of instruction is English. 

Available UM exchange term: Fall, Winter and Full Year. A few full year exchange spots are reserved for students in the Faculty of Arts. 

Hong Kong University of Science & Technology (exchange program)

The medium of instruction is English. 

Available UM exchange term: Fall, Winter, Full Year and summer. 

Japan

Akita International University (exchange program)

The medium of instruction is English. 

Available UM exchange term: Fall, Winter, Full Year and summer*
*AIU summer program is designed for absolute to beginner Japanese language learners.

Kokugakuin University (exchange program: Kokugakuin -Short Term Exchange Program)

Students will be placed in either English or Japanese taught K-STEP according to their placement result at Kokugakuin. 

Completion of a minimum of one year of formal Japanese language study is required. 

Available UM exchange term: Full year only 

Funding may be available. 

Sophia University (exchange program)

Previous Japanese language study is not required. 

English taught courses are limited. 

Available UM exchange term: Fall, Winter and Full Year. Sophia's fall term ends in January. Students participating in fall term only exchange at Sophia are not eligible to take UM Winter term courses. 

Waseda University (exchange program)

Previous Japanese language study is not required.

English taught courses are limited. 

Available UM exchange term: Fall and Full Year. Waseda's fall term ends in January. Students participating in fall term only exchange at Waseda are not eligible to take UM Winter term courses. 

Korea, South

Chung-Ang University (exchange program)

English taught courses are available. 

Available UM exchange term: Fall, Winter, and Full Year

Dankook University (exchange program) - New Partner!

Open to students in School of Art only to take courses within College of Arts at Dankook. 

Available UM exchange term: Fall, Winter and Full Year

Korea University (exchange program)

English taught courses are available. 

Available UM exchange term: Fall, Winter, Full Year and Summer 

Yonsei University (exchange program)

You must complete a min. of 30 credit hours at the time of IC exchange application. 

English taught courses are available. 

Available UM exchange term: Fall, Winter and Full Year

Malaysia

UCSI University (exchange program) 

The medium of instruction is English. 

Available UM exchange term: Fall, Winter and Full Year.

Singapore

Nanyang Technological University (exchange program)

The medium of instruction is English. 

Available UM exchange term: Fall, Winter and Full Year.

Taiwan

National Central University (exchange program)

English language taught courses are very limited - some English taught courses in third and fourth year level may be available.  

Available UM exchange term: Fall*, Winter and Full Year.

*NCU's fall term ends in mid-January. Students participating in fall term only exchange at NCU are not eligible to take UM winter term courses. 

Providence University (exchange program)

English language taught courses are very limited. 

Available UM exchange term: Fall*, Winter and Full Year.

*Providence's fall term ends in mid-January. Students participating in fall term only exchange at Providence are not eligible to take UM winter term courses.

Austria

Academy of Fine Arts Vienna (exchange program)

Open to students in School of Art only

English taught courses are limited. 

Available UM exchange term: Fall and Winter (one term exchange only).

Belgium

Ghent University (exchange program)

Many English taught courses are available. 

Available Ghent Faculty: Faculty of Arts and Philosophy; Faculty of Political and Social Sciences; Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences

Available UM exchange term: Fall, Winter and Full Year.

Denmark

Aarhus University (exchange program)

English taught courses are available.

Available UM exchange term: Fall, Winter, Full Year and Summer

France

ISARA - Lyon (exchange program) 

Preference given to students in Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences.

English taught courses are available.

Available UM exchange term: Fall, Winter, Full Year and Summer. ISARA- Lyon summer programs are taught in English.

La Salle Beauvais - Institut Polytechnique (exchange program)

Programs may be most relevant for students in Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences and Clayton H. Riddell Faculty of Environment, Earth and Resources. 

English taught courses are available.

Available UM exchange term: Fall, Winter, Full Year and Summer. UniLaSalle summer programs are taught in English.

University Clermont Auvergne (exchange program)

Preference given to students who major in French in Faculty of Arts. 

At least B2 or upper intermediate level in French language proficiency is required.

Available UCA programs: UFR Lettres, Cultures et Sciences Humaines (Lettres modernes), and Languages, Cultures et Communication (Anglais) 

Limited English taught courses are available.

Available UM exchange term: Fall, Winter and Full Year.

Université d'Angers (exchange program)

At least B2 or upper intermediate level in French language proficiency is required. 

English taught courses are available.

Available UM exchange term: Fall, Winter and Full Year.

Université de Caen Normandie (exchange program)

At least B2 or upper intermediate level in French language proficiency is required. 

English taught courses are limited.

Available UM exchange term: Fall, Winter and Full Year.

Germany

Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München (exchange program) 

At least B2 or upper intermediate level in German language proficiency is required for German taught courses. 

English taught courses are available.

Available UM exchange term: Fall (LMU's winter), Winter (LMU's summer) and Full Year. Fall term (LMU's winter) ends in February. Students participating in fall term only exchange at LMU are not eligible to take UM winter term courses. 

Ostfalia University of Applied Sciences (exchange program)

At least B2 or upper intermediate level in German language proficiency is required. 

English taught courses are very limited.

Available UM exchange term: Fall (Ostafalia's winter), Winter (Ostafalia's  summer) and Full Year. Fall term (Ostafalia's  winter) ends in February. Students participating in fall term only exchange at Ostafalia are not eligible to take UM winter term courses. 

TUM: Technische Universität München (exchange program)

More English taught courses are available compared to other German partners, however TUM's programs may be most relevant for students in Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences and Clayton H. Riddell Faculty of Environment, Earth and Resources. 

Available UM exchange term: Fall (TUM's winter), Winter (TUM's summer) and Full Year. Fall term (TUM's winter) ends in February. Students participating in fall term only exchange at TUM are not eligible to take UM winter term courses.

University of Greifswald (exchange program) 

At least B2 or upper intermediate level in German language proficiency is required - firm.

Preference given to students in Faculty of Arts.

Funding may be available.

English taught courses are very limited.

Available UM exchange term: Fall (Greifswald's winter), Winter (Greifswald's summer) and Full Year. Fall term (Greifswald's winter) ends in February. Students participating in fall term only exchange at Greifswald are not eligible to take UM winter term courses.

University of Trier (exchange program)

At least B2 or upper intermediate level in German language proficiency is required. 

Preference given to students in Faculty of Arts.

Funding may be available to students in Faculty of Arts.

English taught courses are very limited in Undergraduate programs.

Available UM exchange term: Fall (Trier's winter), Winter (Trier's summer) and Full Year. Fall term (Trier's winter) ends in February. Students participating in fall term only exchange at Trier are not eligible to take UM winter term courses. 

Hungary

University of Szeged (exchange program)

Only courses offered in Szeged's Faculty of Arts (Humanities) are available.  

English taught courses are available but may be limited.

Available UM exchange term: Fall, Winter and Full Year.

Iceland

University of Iceland (exchange program)

English taught courses are available but may be limited in some programs.

Available UM exchange term: Fall, Winter and Full Year.

Ireland

National University of Ireland, Galway (exchange program)

Open to students in Faculty of Law only.

Available UM exchange term: Fall only 

Italy

UniCollege (exchange program)

Available UM exchange term: Fall and Winter (one term exchange only)

Netherlands

Radboud University (exchange program)

Many English taught courses are available.

Available UM exchange term: Fall, Winter and Full Year 

Poland

Jagiellonian University (exchange program)

English taught courses are available. 

Available UM exchange term: Fall, Winter and Full Year 

University of Gdansk (exchange program)

English taught courses are available. 

Available UM exchange term: Fall, Winter and Full Year 

Spain

Universidad Politécnica de Valencia (UPV) (exchange program) 

At least B2 or upper intermediate level in Spanish language proficiency is required. 

English taught courses are very limited.

Preference given to students in Faculty of Agriculture and Food Sciences.

Available UM exchange term: Fall, Winter and Full Year. UPV's Fall term ends in January. Students participating in fall term only exchange at UPV are not eligible to take UM winter term courses. 

Sweden

Linköping University (exchange program)

Courses within Faculty of Arts and Sciences.

Many English taught courses are available.

Available UM exchange term: Fall, Winter, Full Year and Summer. The LiU Summer Academy is taught in English.

Swedish University of Agriculture Sciences (SLU) (exchange program)

SLU programs are most relevant for students in the Faculty of Agriculture and Food Sciences. students only. Architecture students who are interested in SLU, please contact the Faculty of Architecture exchange program for assistance. 

Available UM exchange term: Fall, Winter and Full Year. 

Umea University (exchange program)

Many English taught courses are available. 

Available UM exchange term: Fall, Winter and Full Year.

Ukraine - Currently not offered

Lviv Polytechnic National University (exchange program)

Upper intermediate level in Ukrainian language proficiency is required.

English taught courses are very limited. 

Available UM exchange term: Fall, Winter and Full Year.

United Kingdom - Fall term exams are scheduled in January at all UK partners. Fall terms exchange at UK universities is not recommended for students who must take winter term courses. 

Cardiff University (exchange program)

Available UM exchange term: Fall, Winter and Full Year

Edinburgh Napier University (exchange program)

Students in undergraduate program only.

Available UM exchange term: Fall, Winter and Full Year

Glasgow Caledonian University (exchange program)

Available UM exchange term: Fall, Winter and Full Year

University of Birmingham (exchange program)

Available UM exchange term: Fall, Winter and Full Year

University of Liverpool (exchange program)

Available UM exchange term: Fall, Winter and Full Year

University of Nottingham (exchange program) 

Available UM exchange term: Fall, Winter and Full Year

University of Plymouth (exchange program)

Available UM exchange term: Winter and Full Year.

Australia - Fall exchange commence in July. Winter exchange commence in February or March.

Flinders University (exchange program)

Available UM exchange term: Fall and Winter.

Griffith University (exchange program)

Available UM exchange term: Fall and Winter.

Swinburne University of Technology (exchange program)

Available UM exchange term: Fall and Winter.

University of South Australia (exchange program) 

Preference given to students in Faculty of Architecture.

Available UM exchange term: Fall and Winter.

University of Wollongong (exchange program)

Available UM exchange term: Fall and Winter.

Western Sydney University (exchange program)

Available UM exchange term: Fall and Winter.