Learning Abroad

Music-Specific Official Exchanges

• The Hague Royal Conservatory, the Hague, The Netherlands
• Norwegian Academy of Music, Oslo, Norway
• The Sibelius Academy, Helsinki, Finland
• Queensland Conservatorium, Griffin University, Brisbane, Australia
• Royal Northern College of Music (RNCM), Manchester, United Kingdom
• Central Conservatory of Music(CCOM), Beijing, China

Visit the McGill Abroad website to obtain details on the conditions to apply for an exchange program.

General Official Exchanges

For most Music Exchanges, we encourage students to apply for the full year, i.e. both fall and winter terms. There is no summer exchange program.

Music-Specific and General Exchange Checklist:

1. To be eligible to participate, you must be currently registered as a full-time, degree-seeking McGill student, and have a minimum CGPA of 3.0. Students mostly participate in an exchange program when they are entering U2 or U3 in the bachelor or licentiate program.
2. Submit a Request for Exchange online through MINERVA within the application period. NO LATE APPLICATION WILL BE ACCEPTED.
3. If you are applying for a full-year exchange, you must fill out this webform in addition to submitting an exchange application on Minerva. On the Minerva exchange application form, you will select FALL as the exchange term, while indicating on the MINERVA application form you would like to participate in a full-year exchange.
4. You are required to email studentaffairs.music [at] mcgill.ca a video-taped audition of 10 minutes duration before the application deadline, with the email subject line: Exchange Application – taped audition, Preferred Name Family Name.  The taped audition must be recorded within the last three months.
5. You may list up to four host universities in the application, in order of preference. Listing only one host university does not increase your chance in being nominated for exchange.
6. If you have been nominated to participate in an exchange program with a host university, you must accept or decline the nomination before the acceptance deadline which will be communicated to you by Service Point.
7. Guaranteed financial aid and need-based Mobility bursary are available to McGill students who will be participating in an exchange program.  Explore funding opportunities to learn more about available funding for exchange programs.
8. If you receive student aid from the government, verify with the loan provider if you are eligible to receive funding if you study at an institution outside McGill.
9. There is a second application process with the host university. You will receive further instruction on how to complete the exchange application with the host university once you have accepted the nomination.
   Note: McGill’s nomination for an exchange program does not guarantee your acceptance at the host university. This generally depends on the availability of openings in the program for which you would like to study.
10. You will pay tuition fees directly to McGill during your exchange program, not to the host university. Students are billed an equivalent of 15 credits for one semester regardless of the number of credits you plan to take at the host university. Europe usually follows the ECTS system. Two ECTS credits are equivalent to one McGill credit. In other words, you are allowed to take up to 30 ECTS credits if you attend one semester exchange, or up to 60 ECTS credits for the full year.
11. There are other expenses that you should take into consideration when planning your budget, such as airfare, accommodations, visa application fees, health/travel insurance and other daily living expenses.
12. Research the visa requirements of the country where you will participate in an exchange program and follow the guidelines for visa application if applicable.
13. You will have to attend the Pre-Departure Orientation. 
14. You are required to adhere to the registration deadlines of the host university.
15. You must complete a Travel Registry before you leave for the exchange. Ensure you have the proper travel and health insurance coverage during the exchange program.  Visit McGill Abroad for more information on safe travels.
16. For most host universities, you will be asked to fill out a Learning Agreement detailing the list of courses you plan to take which must have sign-offs from your faculty advisor at McGill and the international exchange program administrator at the host school. Email sign-offs from the two officiates mentioned above on an approved list of courses will also suffice if the host school does not have a Learning Agreement on its application form. Courses approved on the Learning Agreement will be credited towards your degree as long as you receive a passing grade for the courses. Inform your faculty advisor of any course plan changes in advance to re-assess for transfer credits.
    Note: Students who receive credits for courses obtained while on exchange at other universities do not qualify for McGill in-Course awards. See Student Aid for more information.
17. All non-music courses must be evaluated and approved for McGill equivalencies on the Minerva transfer credit assessment form. This form must accurately reflect the courses you are registered for at the host university. You may access the list of approved courses from the course equivalency system. If you cannot find a course there, submit a new course equivalency request. To do so, click on "login" on the top right hand corner of the course equivalency system webpage and sign in with your McGill username and password.
18. Take advantage of your exchange program, stay safe and keep an exchange journal so you can share your experience with fellow students and the Schulich School of Music community. We would love to hear your exchange experience!
19. Once the exchange program is completed, you must make arrangements with the host university to send the official transcripts to the attention of:

Adelina Lameiras
Student Affairs Office,
Schulich School of Music of McGill University
527 Sherbrooke Street West, Room A720,
Montreal, Quebec,
Canada, H3A 1E3

E-transcripts can be emailed to adelina.lameiras [at] mcgill.ca
The official transcripts must include all final grades, and be received within 30 days after the end of your exchange program.

Independent Study Away Checklist:

1. To be eligible to participate, you must be currently registered as a full-time, degree-seeking McGill student, and have a minimum CGPA of 2.70. Students mostly participate in an Independent Study Away (ISA) program when they are entering U2 or U3 in the bachelor or licentiate program.
2. Inform yourself of the host university’s Independent Study Away requirements and application deadline(s). Ensure you can secure sufficient funds to cover expenses, such as tuition, airfare, accommodations, insurance and other living expenses.
3. If you receive student aid from the government, verify with the loan provider if you are eligible to receive funding if you study at an institution outside your home university.
4. If you are an international student who is studying at McGill with a study permit, verify with International Student Services (ISS) if you are allowed to participate in an ISA program for the time period you wish to study abroad.
5. If you meet the host university's requirements to apply as a visiting student, you must submit a request for study away on Minerva within the designated application period.
   Minerva > Student Menu > Student Records Menu > Exchange/Study Away Menu > Request for Study Away
6. If you plan on taking performance courses, including private lessons at the host university, you are required to email studentaffairs.music [at] mcgill.ca a video-taped audition of 10 minutes duration before the application deadline, with the email subject line: ISA Application – taped audition, Preferred Name Family Name. The taped audition must be recorded within the last three months.
7. If your ISA application is approved, you must accept or decline the nomination before the acceptance deadline which will be communicated to you by Service Point.
8. Follow up with the host university to complete the application and registration procedures. You will have to adhere to the registration deadlines of the host university.
9. If you receive student aid from the government, verify with the loan provider if you are eligible to receive funding if you study at an institution outside McGill.
   Note: McGill’s nomination for an independent study away program does not guarantee your acceptance at the host university. This generally depends on the availability of openings in the program for which you would like to study.
10. For most host universities, you will be asked to fill out a Learning Agreement detailing the list of courses you plan to take which must have sign-offs from your faculty advisor at McGill and the international program administrator at the host school. Email sign-offs from the two officiates mentioned above on an approved list of courses will also suffice if the host school does not have a Learning Agreement on its application form.
11. Courses approved on the Learning Agreement will be credited towards your degree as long as you receive a passing grade for the courses. Inform your faculty advisor of any course plan changes in advance to re-assess for transfer credits.
    Note: Students who receive credits for courses obtained while on Independent Study Away at other universities do not qualify for McGill in-Course awards. See Student Aid for more information.
12. All non-music courses must be evaluated and approved for McGill equivalencies on the Minerva transfer credit assessment form. This form must accurately reflect the courses you are registered for at the host university. You may access the list of approved courses from the course equivalency system. If you cannot find a course there, submit a new course equivalency request. To do so, click on "login" on the top right hand corner of the course equivalency system webpage and sign in with your McGill username and password.
13. Europe usually follows the ECTS system. Two ECTS credits are equivalent to one McGill credit. In other words, if you take 30 ECTS credits at the host university, you can potentially receive 15 transfer credits towards your program at McGill.
14. There are other expenses that you should take into consideration when planning your budget, such as airfare, accommodations, visa application fees, health/travel insurance and other daily living expenses.
15. Research into the visa requirements of the country where you will participate in an exchange program and follow the guidelines for visa application if applicable.
16. You will have to attend the Pre-Departure Orientation.  
17. You are required to adhere to the registration deadlines of the host university.
18. You must complete a Travel Registry before you leave for the exchange.  You will also have to ensure that have the proper health insurance coverage for study away programs. Visit the McGill Abroad website for more information on safe travels.
19. Take advantage of your term away program, stay safe and keep an exchange journal so you can share your experience with fellow students and the Schulich School of Music community. We would love to hear your study away experience!
20. Once the study away program is completed, you must make arrangements with the host university to send the official transcripts to the attention of:

Adelina Lameiras
Student Affairs Office,
Schulich School of Music of McGill University
527 Sherbrooke Street West, Room A720,
Montreal, Quebec,
Canada, H3A 1E3

E-transcripts can be emailed to adelina.lameiras [at] mcgill.ca
The official transcripts must include all final grades, and be received within 30 days after the end of your exchange program.

Quebec Inter-University Transfer (IUT) Agreement allows you to register at another educational institution in the province of Quebec in addition to your registration at McGill.  With your faculty's permission, you may register at any Quebec university for three or in some cases six credits per term depending on degree residency regulations. 

Tuition is paid directly to McGill.  The host institution will automatically submit your grades to McGill for any completed courses.

IUT Checklist:

1. Visit McGill's IUT website (Inter-University Transfer) to submit an application for "authorization to transfer credits". 
2. Once this application is approved by both the home and host universities, you must register for the course that was approved at the host university.
3. You must adhere to the registration deadlines of the host university.
4. You must also ensure that the McGill Class Schedule permits you to take these courses without conflict.
5. If you decide to drop or withdraw from the approved course(s), you will need to drop or withdraw from the course using the host university's registration method and submit this change on the online IUT application.

An Internship is a great opportunity to build connections.  It is also a wonderful chance to apply the skills you are developing in the Schulich School of Music in a professional setting.

To be eligible to participate, you must be an active student, and have completed 30 credits in a 90-credit program, or 45 credits in a 120-credit program, and have a minimum CGPA 3.00. In adherence to the insurance policies, the internship may not be completed in the last semester of studies in the program. You are required to return to McGill in the semester following the end of the internship to continue with your program. It is your responsibility to find a professor within the Schulich School of Music to supervise your internship.

To take advantage of a Music internship, an internship proposal form must be submitted to the Student Affairs Office before the following deadlines:

Internship Checklist:

1. Find a full-time Faculty Academic from the Schulich School of Music who can co-supervise the internship with the supervisor from the company which you will work.
2. Both you and the Faculty Academic are required to complete an internship proposal form ( Internship Proposal (MUPD 499) form) illustrating the project objectives, learning goals, activities and how this project will contribute to your professional development.
3. The means of evaluation must be clearly described on the application form (e.g. business plan, log of activities, report on what you learned; research paper, composition or recording, assessment of host organization, or some combination, including the relative weight of each component in the grade).
4. Submuit the signed proposal with supporting documents to the Student Affairs Office (7^th floor, Elizabeth Wirth Music Building) before the assigned deadline.

The Scholarship and Student Aid Office offers financial support for undergraduate students who partake learning opportunities outside the traditional classroom environment. These activities may involve national or international travel. Visit the EEO website