Incoming Exchange Guide
Request Exchange
Requirements:
- You must be registered in a degree program at a university that has an official exchange agreement with McGill.
- Architecture, Education, Law, Music, Management and Nursing students (applicants to the School of Nursing must be from a U21 partner) must already be registered in the same degree program in their home university as they will enter as an exchange student at McGill.
- You must be nominated by your home university to participate in the exchange.
This guide does not apply to the Master of Business Administration (MBA) program, which does not participate in the university exchange agreements. Rather, the MBA program has established a number of its own exchanges: www.mcgill.ca/desautels/programs/mba/academics/curriculum/experiential/exchange/going
The academic year: Most Fall lectures begin on September 3, 2013, and most Winter lectures begin on January 6, 2014. Most faculties allow students who are coming for only one term to start in either the Fall term or the Winter term. However, the Schulich School of Music strongly recommends that exchange students start in the Fall term (September).
Deadlines: We encourage you to submit your request in the spring preceding your desired exchange term. Your request for exchange is reviewed by McGill when your home university has nominated you as an exchange student and your supporting documents, if applicable, are received.
Reference: Full list of deadlines and a timeframe of when to expect a response from McGill
Your home university's study abroad office is responsible for sending us:
- Your nomination on your institution's letterhead for each application indicating the student's full name, the faculty to which the student has approval to apply, and the period of exchange (Fall term, Fall and Winter term, or Winter term);
- Your official transcript of record to date;
- Additional documents may be required for certain programs. Refer to this list
- If you are under 18 prior to the first day of classes at McGill there are additional requirements. Your home university should advise us as soon as possible.
- If you are a French national applying to Graduate Studies only: proof that the Maîtrise has been obtained or shall be obtained before registering at McGill;
- Proof of proficiency in English (See below)
| Level of Study | For applicants who come from a university whose primary language of instruction is not English: |
|---|---|
| Undergraduate Studies | • a letter signed by an official at the home university indicating proficiency in English Note: TOEFL is not required. However, if you provide TOEFL scores, you must meet McGill’s minimum requirements listed in Proof of Proficiency in English, available here. |
| Graduate Studies |
• a TOEFL score of 213 computer-based or 550 paper-based or 86 and 20 on each component for the TOEFL (IBT). However, some departments have a higher minimum score requirement. Note: If you are applying from a university in France, you are not required to provide TOEFL scores. |
Mailing address for supporting documents: Service Point/Student Exchanges and Study Abroad (SESA); 3415 McTavish St.; Montreal, Quebec;H3A 0C8; Canada; Tel.: 514-398-7878| Fax: 514-398-5268;studentexchanges [at] mcgill [dot] ca
Apply to McGill
In addition to your home university sending us the nomination package above, you must officially apply to McGill University using the online application at www.mcgill.ca/applying. Normal admissions standards for applicants to McGill, available online at www.mcgill.ca/applying, will apply even if you have been nominated by your own university. Nomination by your university is not a guarantee of acceptance by McGill. Note: You will not be required to pay an application fee.
Refer to this guide when applying: www.mcgill.ca/applying/admissionsguide.
If you encounter difficulty with the online application, refer click on the HELP button on the top right corner of the online application.
Tip: On the Program Choice Selection page of the application, indicate "Exchange" for the Program and Major or Subject fields.
Tracking the status of your application and confirming your offer:A notice acknowledging receipt of your application to McGill will be sent to you by email. If you have not provided an e-mail address you will receive an acknowledgement letter in the mail. This notice will contain a McGill identification number and PIN, which you can then use to log onto Minerva, McGill's self-service web-based administrative system.
- Go to Minerva
- Click the Login icon on the sidebar.
- Log in using your McGill ID and PIN.
- Select Applicant Menu > View Application Status.
- Click on your application(s) to display information, including the status.
Once your offer appears on this status page, please confirm or decline our offer of admission using Minerva. After you have confirmed, you will be able to register for your courses during the regular registration period for newly accepted students.
Once a decision is made on your application, an email will be sent to the email address you indicated on the online application. It is very important that you keep checking this email address and follow the instructions you receive to print out your McGill decision letter. No hard copy of the decision letter will be sent.
Register for courses
Student records and registration: The McGill program calendars are available online at www.mcgill.ca/students/courses, and include a full description of courses available and university regulations which will govern your stay at McGill.
The courses listed on your exchange application serve only as a guide when evaluating the application for admission. Most courses have limited enrolment, and course access and registration to any given course is not guaranteed, but is subject to availability, and may be subject to the approval of a McGill adviser. It is your responsibility to register for courses (both Fall and Winter) using Minerva during the registration period. It is also your responsibility to ensure that you have the required prerequisites for courses.
Successful completion of courses does not guarantee entrance into a future degree program at McGill. It is understood that limited enrolment, normal timetabling and scheduling constraints apply to all students, including exchange students.
The following courses, among others, are not open to exchange students: •courses offered at McGill University by some professional faculties that are restricted to degree candidates in their programs; •research project courses and thesis courses; •special topics courses; •courses in the Centre for Continuing Education.
A student exchange period at McGill University covers course work during the regular academic year, namely the Fall and Winter terms, including the exam period at the end of each term.
Students are responsible for their course registration during the registration period indicated in the Welcome Book.
The schedule of courses for a term is available at www.mcgill.ca/students/courses. Remember to specify which term (Fall or Winter) when you look up a course.
Refer to these notes for certain faculty requirements.
Need to know
McGill transcripts show only letter grades (not numeric grades). Descriptions of the grading system are available on the reverse side of official transcripts
An official transcript is sent to your home university in February (Fall term exchange) or June (Winter term exchange), provided a HOLD does not exist on your record, which means that you may have fees outstanding such as library fines or that you have not provided all the required documentation related to your registration
Group advising sessions are organized in August or September (or January if you arrive in the Winter term) by your faculty. There is also a university-wide orientation called Discover McGill held in August to help you find your way around McGill. Refer to the website for new students for more information www.mcgill.ca/newstudents
Information on the compulsory McGill University student health insurance plan is available here: www.mcgill.ca/internationalstudents/health. Full-time students from Denmark, Finland, France, Luxembourg, Norway, Portugal, Sweden, Belgium and Greece may qualify for an exemption from this compulsory health plan. Follow the information on the website to register or request an exemption. Before leaving, consult with the Ministry of Health in your home country.
Housing: While priority for residence accommodation is given to first year students, some places may be available for exchange students at the start of each term. If you are interested in on-campus housing, indicate "Yes" under RESIDENCE ACCOMMODATION in the online application.
Refer to the Residences and Student Housing about the downtown campus' residences www.mcgill.ca/residences. The Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences tries to accommodate all exchange students accepted into the Faculty. Visit their website www.mcgill.ca/macdonald-residences for more information.
The McGill Off-Campus Housing service publishes online lists of apartments for rent and to share, as well as rooms for rent in private homes throughout Montreal, and may be accessed from the Residences and Student Housing website.