Queen's is one of the seven founding members of the Matariki Network of Universities (MNU), along with Uppsala University, Durham University, University of Western Australia, University of Otago, University of Tubingen and Dartmouth College. The University of the Western Cape, joined in 2024. Student experience is at the heart of the Matariki Network of Universities’ mission.

As such, there are multiple ways in which students, across every discipline at Queen's, can engage with this international network. The Matariki partners leverage their diverse research expertise to develop innovative international educational programming for undergraduate and graduate students alike, offering opportunities to showcase academic research, ponder questions of global citizenship, or explore local, regional and global Indigeneities.

Visit the Mataraki web page for more details on collaborations and programming.

Mitacs is the key link between industry and post-secondary institutions, driving collaborations at home and abroad to develop projects which solve business challenges and develop the nation’s innovation capacity. Mitacs is passionate about developing the next generation of researchers, helping to fuel Canada’s knowledge-based economy.

For more details on programming visit the Mitacs.ca website.

The following opportunities to study at other Canadian institutions are available to Queen’s graduate students:

Queen's/Royal Military College Visiting Graduate Student Agreement

Students from either university are permitted to take courses at the graduate level at the host university for degree credit at their home university at no additional cost. Courses may not be audited. Fees are paid at the home university. Please contact Darlene Homer at the SGSPA Office if you have any queries.

Queen’s and Trent University

Under the Queen’s-Trent Agreement, graduate students enrolled at Queen’s in some programs can enroll in graduate courses at Trent University and be supervised by faculty at Trent University. Teaching Assistantships at Trent University may also be available to participating Queen’s graduate students. For more details or questions about the Queen’s-Trent agreement, contact the Director of Admissions and Student Services in the Queen’s School of Graduate Studies and Postdoctoral Affairs.

Ontario Visiting Graduate Student Program

The Ontario Visiting Graduate Student Program Plan allows a graduate student who is registered full-time in a graduate program in any Ontario university to take graduate courses at another Ontario university for no additional tuition fees. Please contact Darlene Homer at the SGSPA office if you have any queries.

International Student Exchanges

International student exchanges are managed through a database of universities with whom Queen's has an exchange agreement. These agreements are often the result of a signed Memorandum of Agreement between two institutions and appendices to these agreements include details such as the length of study, fees that must be paid by students, and the length of the agreement. Because of the reciprocal nature of student exchanges, tuition is often waived at the host institution; however, students continue to pay tuition to their home university. Students are responsible for all other expenses such as travel, fees related to non-academic services, accommodation, and for incoming exchange students at Queen's, UHIP payment.  See the listing of possibilities on the VP International website.

International Visiting Researchships

Queen’s graduate students, in consultation with their supervisor, may also seek out their own individual visiting studentship at other universities with whom Queen’s does not have a formal arrangement. Graduate students are responsible for making these arrangements themselves with the desired institution. Once arrangements have been made with the participating university, current Queen's graduate students indicate their participation in study opportunities outside of Queen's by first completing an Off-Campus Study form (PDF*, 51 KB). These forms are available through the School of Graduate Studies and Postdoctoral Affairs. If the tuition is not waived at the host institution and if tuition is paid in full at the host institution, Queen’s students may request a tuition waiver for tuition charged at Queen’s for the period that they are paying tuition elsewhere.

Cotutelle Program

A cotutelle program is a dual doctoral degree program between two universities: the student completes the full degree requirements for each of the two universities (common dissertation) and, if successful, receives a degree from each university. Cotutelle programs afford opportunities to: enhance doctoral training, foster international research, enable student mobility, develop global networks and experiences. Doctoral students at Queen’s may be able to engage in international cotutelle studies, depending on their academic program, supervision, and plan of study. Students registered in a doctoral program outside of Canada are invited to consider Queen’s as a destination University for cotutelle studies.

Students in a cotutelle program are registered as full-time students at two institutions. They have a supervisor at both universities who are fully committed to mentoring the student in collaboration with each other. Students are subject to the admission requirements (including language requirements), degree requirements, and the regulations of both universities, and they spend research and study time at each institution. One comprehensive/candidacy examination and one thesis defence is held in accordance with the framework agreed upon at the start of the cotutelle program. Normally, a cotutelle option is possible when there is an existing or developing collaborative research project/program between researchers (i.e., prospective supervisors).

A Cotutelle PhD Agreement (PDF 104KB)} must be completed and signed by the participating universities to confirm the terms (e.g., registration, payment of tuition, etc.) and a schedule of study (e.g., periods at each institution, the location of the thesis examination). A detailed research proposal with a schedule for completion of all degree requirements is also required.

If a Queen’s student is considering a cotutelle experience, they should discuss this option with their supervisor to explore the possibilities. An Associate Dean at the School of Graduate Studies and Postdoctoral Affairs should be contacted to review the cotutelle program framework, and a Cotutelle PhD Agreement must be completed and signed prior to commencing a cotutelle program of study.

Queen’s students completing a cotutelle PhD program with a partner institution in France may apply for France-Canada Research Fund (FCRF) Cotutelle Scholarships

A student who is registered in a graduate level program at their home university may register at Queen's for non-degree study and/or to join a research group for a period of up to one year. Interested students are required to complete an application that includes a recommendation from the research supervisor and from the Department Head. A Visiting Research Student may be assessed student activity fees but not tuition fees and may not enroll in courses. They must be insured under UHIP (if international). Contact the SGSPA Office for further information and the application documents for the VRS program. Please contact Darlene Homer at the SGSPA Office if you have any queries.

• A citizen of China, studying in China or abroad
• Students must be either 4th year undergraduates or in their 1st year of their PhD or current graduate students in a Master's program
• Note: There are no Master's scholarships. However, a letter of offer to a 4th year undergraduate program from a foreign university can indicate that the offer will lead to a PhD degree.

1. Contribution from the CSC

• The CSC pays for flight, accommodation, and living expenses for the student.

2. Contribution from the Department

• A student who comes with CSC funding is required to receive departmental funding equivalent to the cost of tuition – this can come from any combination of RA, QGA, TA, or other departmental resources. It is expected that, in addition to this department funding, the supervisor would cover bench costs.
• The conditional letter of acceptance should indicate that if the student receives the CSC Scholarship, they will receive funding equivalent to the cost of tuition fees, which they will be required to pay.
• What that means for the department, however, is you need to provide the student with an award that is at least equivalent to the cost of the tuition fee. 

3. Example Wording for a Conditional Letter

Dear (name of student)

Congratulations on your offer to come to Queen's. The offer of admission is conditional on you winning the CSC. Once it has been confirmed that you have been awarded a CSC Scholarship, then you will be admitted into the PhD program in (program name) and you will be provided with an award that will be at least equivalent to the cost of tuition fees.

In relation to being a Teaching Assistant (TA), it is up to individual departments to assign TA positions to their graduate students. The TA stipend may form a part of the award given to you as tuition support. You should determine these details with the graduate coordinator in the Department.

Step 1 – Apply to a Queen’s Graduate program. See the “How to Apply” page on what documentation you need and how to complete the online application.

• In the section "Financial Information"(where you are asked to list the names of awards outside of Queen's), please specify that you have applied to CSC or you will be applying for the CSC competition. Please also include the deadline date for the CSC competition at your home university.
• Once you have received an offer of admission from Queen's University, apply to the CSC Doctoral Scholarship Program.

Step 2 – Once you have received a formal offer of admission from Queen’s, you may apply for the CSC scholarship.

• There are two rounds in which students submit their applications to CSC. Round 1 from March 1 - 20 and Round 2 from May 20 - 30. The second round will only be open if the pool of CSC funds in not exhausted in the first round. Thus, it is highly encouraged that offers be sent to students before March 1.
• If the language of instruction in your current degree program is not in English, please take the TOEFL or IELTS test, and ensure your test results are sent to Queen's University.

For further information on the CSC, please visit the CSC website.