After you are nominated by Go Global

Now that you’ve been nominated by Go Global to go on exchange, it's up to you to maximize your learning opportunities. There are some critical next steps for you to complete.

You are the agent of your own experience

Applying to your partner university

Once Go Global has nominated you for exchange and matched you to a partner university, you must apply for admission to the partner university.

Application Instructions

In the weeks or months after Go Global has notified you of which partner university you've been matched to, you will receive the details about completing the “partner application.” This is the application you will submit to your host university which they will use to register you for your exchange.

You will be able to reference your application instructions on your Gateway application under "Transcript & Partner Application" in the Post-Acceptance section.

Your host university may also contact you directly with detailed application instructions. Let Go Global know if these instructions differ greatly from the instructions we sent you.

Some partner universities request online applications, while others require paper applications. Do not send any paper application materials directly to the partner. Submit paper documents to Go Global and we will mail them to your host university for you.

If your application was done completely online, then please email Go Global to confirm that you successfully submitted it.

Transcripts

Most partners will require you to submit your offical university transcripts.

Go Global will order your UBC transcripts for you and upload them to your Gateway application under "Transcript & Partner Application." You will download it and include it with your application to your host university.

If you are a transfer student from another post-secondary institution, you will need to submit official transcripts from all of your previous institution(s).

Other Supporting Documents

Every university has a different application process. While some may be as simple as completing one form, others may require additional documents such as

  • Academic reference letters
  • Resume (CV)
  • Statement of interest or motivation
  • Photos
  • medical exams
  • proof of funds (i.e., a bank statement)
  • Proof of medical insurance
  • Study plans or learning agreements 
  • Housing/residence application

It is the student’s responsibility to prepare all documents required for the partner university application.

Online submissions: Complete your application online and let Go Global know when it's complete.

Hard-copy (paper) documents: These must be delivered in person or by mail to Go Global by the deadline indicated. Go Global will mail or courier these to the partner on your behalf.

Speak to your Go Global advisor if you have questions about preparing your partner application.

Letter of acceptance

After you submit your application to your partner university, you will receive a letter of acceptance (also called a “confirmation of enrolment” or “letter of admission”) from the partner university. This letter may be sent directly to you or to Go Global. If you receive the letter directly from the partner university. You may need this letter for visa or permit applications for travel and stay in your host country.

If you have not received this letter two months before the start of your term, contact Go Global.

Travel Planning

An exciting and challenging part of the next several weeks and months will be planning your travel and preparing yourself for life in your destination.

Students are responsible for their own travel planning. This includes booking flights, applying for relevant visas/permits for your host country and finding housing.


Flights:

  • We recommend only making travel arrangements once you have been formally admitted to your host university and received a letter of acceptance. It can be wise to wait until your visa or permit, if required, is approved as well.

Passports, visas and study or residence permits:

  • We recommend that you make sure that your passport is valid for at least 6 months after you plan to return to UBC.
  • Most students will require some sort of visa, study permit or residence permit to travel to and stay in their host country for the duration of their program.
  • Go Global does not advise in detail on visas because rules and application processes change often and can vary greatly depending on students’ individual situation (e.g. citizenship, length of stay, etc.).
  • In most cases you cannot apply for your visa until you have your letter of acceptance from your host university.
  • Occasionally, students may need to travel to another city to apply for or obtain their visa. For example, students sometimes need to go in-person to a consulate in Ottawa or Toronto.
  • Visa fees can be significant and students are encouraged to take these into consideration when budgeting.
  • UBC international students with Canadian study permits should make sure these will remain valid while away on exchange. For more information, please contact International Student Advising.

Housing:

Availability of campus housing/residence varies between universities. Most host universities provide incoming students with information about finding local housing on- or off-campus.

UBC is committed to preparing students for safe and successful international experiences.  In order to achieve this, any student participating in a Go Global Program must complete the following:

  • All UBC Student Safety Abroad requirements
  • Go Global Program-specific pre-departure requirements (includes both online and in-person components)

Failure to successfully complete these and any other requirements may result in withdrawal from the Go Global Program.

Course Registration

Course registration at your host university:

Students will receive information from their host university before arrival about course registration. The course registration process and timeline varies greatly between universities and can be quite different than at UBC. For example, at some universities there may not be an add/drop period like at UBC, or course registration may only happen when you arrive. In other cases, for example, you may have a very small window of time to register for courses.

Note that course content and availability at your host university may change; Go Global cannot guarantee access to specific courses or whether available courses will meet your degree requirements.

Make sure to understand the exchange Transfer Credit Process.

UBC registration while abroad:

Every student participating in a Go Global program will be registered in the appropriate section of an EXCH course by Go Global. Registration in this course serves as indication on your SSC record that you are participating in an exchange program.

Registration in EXCH will allow you to retain your UBC status and eligibility for scholarships and loans while you are away. Tuition fees are assessed based on 15 credits per term for EXCH for the Winter Session (unless you have a letter from Centre for Accessibility that recommends a reduced course load) and on aper-credit basis for Summer Sessions.

If you are in a study abroad program at a partner university and paying fees there, the EXCH course will not generate UBC tuition fees. Go Global will contact you with more information on the EXCH registration process before your departure.

In most cases, exchange students will be assessed fees at UBC and will pay tuition for 15 credits per term. A small number of partnerships require that you pay comparable tuition directly to the partner university. 

Go Global Fee and Withdrawal Policy

The Go Global Fee (of $415.00) is an administrative fee required for all applicants to Go Global programs. The fee is non-refundable. However it may be adjusted under the following circumstances:

Not matched:

You are eligible to have your Go Global fee adjusted from $415.00 to $93.25 (i.e. reduced by $321.75) if:

  • You have applied to Go Global but do not meet our minimum eligibility requirements
  • Go Global cannot match you to a partner university
  • The partner university does not accept your application and Go Global cannot find another option

Withdrawals:

To withdraw from your Go Global exchange or summer abroad program, you must contact Go Global by email to request withdrawal. You will then be asked to complete a short withdrawal form.

Students who withdraw from Go Global by the relevant deadline below, will have their Go Global fee adjusted from $415.00 to $321.75 (i.e. reduced by $93.25).

  • March 30: For summer programs
  • June 30: For UBC Term 1 and Full Year exchange
  • September 30: For UBC Term 2 and Split Year exchange

Please consult with your Go Global advisor if you have any questions.

Scholarships: Exchange, Research + Study Abroad

There are a number of International Learning Awards to support your participation in a Go Global Program. You will automatically be considered for some of these awards, while others require an application. It is important to note that students can only receive one exchange-related award or scholarship. Please review the available international learning awards and scholarships. 

Go Global will notify you which application-based scholarships you are eligible for. For scholarships administered by Go Global that you need to apply to, log on to Go Global Gateway CWL and select "Search Scholarships."

How do I receive my scholarship?

All university awards and scholarships pay directly towards students’ tuition and fees. But if you owe less than the amount of your award or scholarship, you will receive a cheque for the remaining amount. Similarly, if you pay your tuition and fees in advance, you will get a cheque for the full amount of your scholarship.

Since you may not be able to pick up your cheque in person, you must do one of the following:

  1. Ask us to mail your cheque to your home address or to your bank.
  2. Authorize someone else to pick up your cheque.
    • Download a Third Party Pick-up Form
    • Complete this form, attach the required ID copies, and leave it with the person you have authorized.
    • The authorized person must bring this form, and ID copies, with them when they pick up your cheque.
  3. There is a new direct deposit feature on the SSC where you can have awards directly deposited into your bank account.

Am I eligible for scholarships next year?

  • If you are currently in receipt of a UBC scholarship and want to ensure you will be considered for scholarships when you return to full-time studies the year following your exchange, you will need to submit some additional information to us.
  • For Trek Excellence Scholarships or scholarship renewals, submit your sealed transcripts to your Enrolment Services Advisor and indicate that you would like to be considered for these awards.
  • To be considered for awards recommended by faculties, please speak with an academic advisor in your faculty before you leave to determine your faculty’s requirements.
  • Additionally, you must also meet the applicable regulations governing University awards.
  • If you don’t have an advisor, call our phone line on 604.822.9836 or email us for advice.

Student Loans

Going on Exchange is an exciting endeavor and it’s worth every moment of additional preparation. As an Exchange student, you will have special requirements to complete your loan application and to receive your loan.

Undergraduate students from BC

  • We strongly encourage you to apply online for your student loan; if you are using a paper application, please contact your Enrolment Services Advisor as additional steps are required.
  • Contact your advisor before you apply to confirm your study dates for loan purposes. If you do not use the correct dates, UBC will be unable to approve your loan funding.  If you don’t have an advisor, call our phone line 604.822.9836 or email us for advice.
  • Visit the Student Aid BC web site to start your application.
  • If your Exchange starts before August 1, use the loan application for the current academic year.  If your Exchange starts August 1 or later, use the application for the upcoming academic year.
  • To be eligible for funding, your study period must be at least 12 weeks long and you must be enrolled in at least 60% (40% for PD students) of a full-time course load in each term.  Visit Course load guide for the credit load requirement of your program.
  • If you will be paying fees to UBC, select UBC as your learning institution (not your partner university).
  • If you have been nominated as a Study Abroad student and will be paying fees to the partner university, please see the important note in the right column of this page (blue box).
  • Select your UBC program of study.
  • Enter your partner university's academic start and end dates, which your advisor has confirmed for loan purposes.
  • Your study dates will be different from UBC’s term dates, and an Appendix 3 form will be required as part of your application.
  • Student Aid BC contacts UBC directly if you enter dates that are different from UBC’s term dates.  Within one week, we will automatically complete an online Appendix 3 for you. You can continue your application after the online Appendix 3 is complete.

Breaks in study

  • If there is a break in study of more than 10 business days, you must apply for two loans during your exchange year.  You will submit one application for your first semester and one application for your second semester. 
  • If your semester break falls in late December (similar to UBC’s holiday break) then you are allowed a 15 business day break.  You can submit a single application for both semesters. 
  • Contact your Enrolment Services Advisor if you need advice about whether to submit one or two loan applications.  If you don’t have an advisor, call our phone line on 604.822.9836 or email us for advice.

Undergraduate students from other provinces

  • We strongly encourage you to apply online for your student loan; if you are using a paper application, please contact your advisor as additional steps are required.
  • Contact your Enrolment Services Professional before you apply to confirm your study dates for loan purposes. If you do not use the correct dates, UBC will be unable to approve your loan funding.  If you don’t have an advisor, call our phone line 604.822.9836 for advice.
  • Apply for your loan through your home province web site to start your application.
  • If your Exchange starts before August 1, use the loan application for the current academic year.  If your Exchange starts August 1 or later, use the application for the upcoming academic year.
  • To be eligible for funding, your study period must be at least 12 weeks long and you must be enrolled in at least 60% (40% for PD students/80% for Newfoundland loans) of a full-time course load in each term.  Visit Course load guide for the credit load requirement of your program. .
  • If you will be paying fees to UBC, select UBC as your learning institution (not your partner university).  
  • If you have been nominated as a Study Abroad student and will be paying fees to the partner university, please see the important note at the bottom of this page.
  • Select your UBC program of study
  • Enter your partner university's academic start and end dates, which your advisor has confirmed for loan purposes.

Graduate students

  • We strongly encourage you to apply online for your student loan.
  • If you are a BC student, visit the Student Aid BC web site to start your application.
  • If you are from another province, apply for your loan through your home province.
  • If your Exchange starts before August 1, use the loan application for the current academic year.  If your Exchange starts August 1 or later, use the application for the upcoming academic year.
  • To be eligible for funding, you must be registered as a full-time graduate student and your study period must be at least 12 weeks long.
  • If you will be paying fees to UBC, select UBC as your learning institution (not your partner university).
  • If you have been nominated as a Study Abroad student and will be paying fees to the partner university, please see the important note in the right column of this page (blue box).
  • Select your UBC program of study
  • Graduate students can apply with UBC’s regular term dates
Power of Attorney (POA):
  • You can designate someone as your Power of Attorney (POA) while you are away. You should choose a family member or friend that you trust to do so
  • If you are applying for a student loan for the first time, speak to your Enrolment Services Advisor to see whether you might require a Power of Attorney to look after your financial affairs.
  • For assistance completing and submitting these forms, please contact the National Student Loans Service Centre

Drop-in Advising Hours

Drop-in advising hours (UBC Vancouver)

Monday: 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm
Tuesday: 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm 
Thursday: 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm

You might not need to see an advisor. General questions about the Go Global Exchange process can be answered at the Go Global Main Office at the UBC Life Building (Vancouver) or by emailing go.global@ubc.ca. 

Go Global Vancouver

When emailing us, please include:

  1. Your student number in the subject line
  2. Your full name and if you are an incoming or outgoing exchange student in the body of the email

Go Global Vancouver

go.global@ubc.ca

Telephone: 604 822 0942

Fax: 604 822 9885

UBC Life Building
6138 Student Union Blvd
Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z1
Canada

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Hours

Mon
9:00 am - 4:15 pm
Tue
9:30 am - 4:15 pm
Wed
9:00 am - 4:15 pm
Thu
9:00 am - 4:15 pm
Fri
9:00 am - 4:15 pm
Sat
Closed
Sun
Closed
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