In order to find the school or study abroad program that is the right fit, students must take the time to investigate and research a variety of options. Students must determine what courses are available, how the courses will fit with their degree at Queen's or their home institution, and whether the location will work for you. This process, much like selecting your exchange partner institution, requires time, careful analysis, and discussion with parents, department heads and academic advisors if necessary.
Students interested in pursuing studies abroad are strongly advised to become familiar during their first year with the range of options open to them, in order to determine which options best meet their needs. The International Programs Office runs a series of information sessions in the fall term, designed to outline study-abroad options and to provide additional information on specific programs.
Independent Study Abroad
Students may take part in study abroad programs administered by other universities, such as:
- the Canadian Field Studies in Africa program managed by McGill University,
- the Trent-in-Ecuador or Trent-in-Ghana programs managed by Trent University, or
- the Dalhousie Cuba Semester program managed by Dalhousie University.
Students may even spend a term at sea accumulating transfer credits with the Semester-at-Sea program sponsored by the University of Virginia or participate in a language immersion program.
A period of study abroad can last as little as a few weeks and as long as a year, depending on the type of course and/or program and university in which the student intends to study.
To participate in these study abroad programs, students must apply for admission to the host university and pay tuition fees directly to that institution.
Also, students must apply for an International Letter of Permission (ILOP) to receive transfer credit(s) for the courses taken and to retain their Queen's academic status.
See a list of popular study abroad programs at Queen's University
International Letter of Permission and Transfer of Credits
Arts and Science students who wish to participate in a study-abroad experience at another educational institution where Queen’s does not have a formal exchange agreement must apply for an International Letter of Permission through the International Programs Office for the specific courses to be taken. The International Letter of Permission serves as a guarantee that courses taken abroad will be accepted for credit towards a Queen’s degree, and must therefore be obtained prior to making any commitments to a university abroad. Applications can be obtained from the International Programs Office or downloaded from the website. Students should note that course credit will be transferred to Queen’s, but a TR designation will appear on the Queen’s transcript, not the grade achieved at the host institution.
