Exchange Destinations
Exchange Program Steps
Step 1: Can I go on Exchange? Eligibility & Application Deadlines
Eligibility Requirement for all:
To go on exchange you must:
- have completed 24 university credits by the time you go on exchange (15 of those credits must have been completed at KPU).
- have a minimum GPA of 2.5
- Return to KPU after your exchange for a minimum of 9 credits*
*May not apply to all students. Exceptions to this requirement may be considered on a case-by-case basis.
Eligible Semesters for Wilson School of Design Students:
- Interior Design (IDSN) : Spring of 2nd year 4th semester or Fall of 3rd year 5th semester.
- Product Design (DEPD) : Spring of 2nd year 4th semester, Fall of 3rd year 5th semester or Spring of 3rd year 6th semester.
- Graphic Design for Marketing (GDMA): Spring of 2nd year 4th semester & Fall of 3rd Year 5th semester.
- Fashion & Technology (FASN): Spring of 3rd year 6th semester.
- Fashion Marketing: Summer 3rd semester or 5th semester.
Meet the Application Deadline
Semester | Application Deadline (Dates are subject to change) |
---|---|
Fall 2025 | February 27, 2025 |
Spring 2026 | June 15 2025 |
Summer 2024 | See Summer School page for more details. |
All components of the application must be submitted for your application to be considered complete! Email a Study Abroad Coordinator for more information and to ask questions at internationalprograms@kpu.ca . We look forward to hearing from you!
Learn More about Exchange
- Hear from Study Abroad Alumni about their exchange experiences
- Consult with a Study Abroad Coordinator and get in-depth answers to your questions. Book through Advisor Connect!
- Check out the Study Abroad FAQ
Connect with KPU Study Abroad through email or social media
Step 2: Deciding Where to Go
Click here for a detailed search of our partner Universities: Outbound Exchange Destinations Home – KPU (moveonca.com)
KPU International has active partnerships with over 40 institutions in Europe, Oceania, the Americas and Asia. We are committed to enhancing our international community and fostering cross-cultural experiences and learning opportunities.
UMAP Partnerships and Opportunities: KPU is a member of UMAP (University Mobility in Asia and the Pacific). KPU students can apply to programs and exchange semesters to our UMAP partners though KPU. However, spaces are limited so it is recommended to not have all your top choices be through UMAP. Go here to see what UMAP partners are available for exchange https://usco2.umap.org and click here to understand a timeline for processing. Canadian students who apply and are accepted for a UMAP exchange are eligible for a UMAP scholarship.
Why Go on an Exchange?
There isn't just one reason why you should go; there are many! Check out the benefits you would get out of going on Exchange.
Tips for Choosing your Exchange Destination
Check out KPU Study Abroad’s tips on how to decide where to go on Exchange.

Choose Where to Go
Oceania
Australia | Rockhampton | Central Queensland University |
Australia | Perth, Mount Lawley, Joondalup, and Bunbury | Edith Cowan University |
Australia | Melbourne | Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology |
Australia | Melbourne | Swinburne University of Technology |
UMAP Consortium | Oceania | Consortium that connects KPU students to 600 institutions via exchange semesters FAQ | List of destinations | |
Europe
Americas
Brazil | São Paulo | Mackenzie Presbyterian University (MPU) |
Brazil | Belo Horizonte | Pontifical Catholic University of Minas Gerais |
Brazil | Porto Alegre | Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul |
Colombia | Cali | Pontificia Universidad Javeriana - Cali |
Colombia | Bogotá | Pontificia Universidad Javeriana - Bogotá |
Dominican Republic | Santo Domingo | INTEC (Instituto Tecnológico de Santo Domingo) |
Mexico | Guanajuato | Universidad de Guanajuato |
Mexico | San Pedro Garza García | Universidad de Monterrey |
Mexico | Jalisco: Guadalajara, Lagos de Moreno, Puerto Vallarta Michoacan: La Piedad, Zamora, Uruapan Queretaro: Santiago de Querétaro Guanajuato: León Colima: Colima Nayarit: Tepic | Universidad del Valle de Atemajac (UNIVA) |
Peru | Lima | Universidad Peruana de Ciencias (UPC) |
Uruguay | Montevideo | Universidad ORT Uruguay |
Uruguay | Montevideo | Universidad Catolica de Uruguay |
UMAP Consortium | Americas | Consortium that connects KPU students to 600 institutions via exchange semesters FAQ | List of destinations |
Asia
China | Guangdong | Guangdong University of Foreign Studies |
Hong Kong | North Point | Hong Kong Shue Yan University (HKSYU) |
Japan | Nagasaki | Nagasaki University of Foreign Studies |
Japan | Nagoya | Nagoya Gakuin University |
Japan | Kyoto | Ryukoku University |
Japan | Tokyo | Toyo University |
South Korea | Ansan | Hanyang University (HYU) ERICA |
South Korea | Seoul | Hankuk University of Foreign Studies |
South Korea | Seoul | Kookmin University |
Taiwan | Taipei | Shih Chien University |
Vietnam | Ho Chi Minh | Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology |
UMAP Consortium | Asia | Consortium that connects KPU students to 600 institutions via exchange semesters FAQ | List of destinations |
Step 3: Advising Appointment
1. Make an appointment on Advisor Connect with your academic advisor to best understand what courses you need to graduate with your program and when is best to go abroad. You can also view details for your program on My Action Plan.
2. Attend a Study Abroad Advising Appointment to express your interest in studying abroad, get information, and ask questions to best plan and prepare your application. This is mandatory before the deadline of the application.
For an outbound advising appointment:
- Go to Advisor Connect
- Select "Study Abroad" and "Nicole Shearer" (the Outbound Study Abroad Coordinator).
- Select Location as "ONLINE". Your request will then be reviewed and an email confirmation with an MS Teams link will be provided. Nicole is available on Tuesdays and Thursdays at Surrey Campus in the International Office for the online appointment to be changed to in-person.
Step 4: Submit an Outbound Exchange Application
Application Requirements
Exchange Program Selection
- All Applications must be completed in full and submitted by the deadline to be assessed and accepted.
- Students must pick a 1st AND 2nd choice institution as part of this application.
- If there is competition for a term and destination, application will be ranked according to best fit (determined from the statement of interest and study plan), gpa, and reference letter.
Requirements
If you are unable to meet the requirements for the exchange program, we might be able to figure something out to support you. Please book a Study Abroad Advising appointment with a Study Abroad Coordinator, through advisorconnect.kpu.ca or email internationalprograms@kpu.ca
Application Disclaimer
We recommend you work on your application using a computer rather than a mobile device as it may be difficult to upload the necessary files and complete your application on a mobile device. If you have any questions or issues please email internationalprograms@kpu.ca and speak with a Study Abroad Coordinator not IT as the MoveOn software is managed by our office.
Supporting Documents Checklist
1. References Form(s)
Have 1 Faculty Reference Form completed by a professor at KPU. Kindly ask your professor to email the reference before the deadline to internationalprograms@kpu.ca. WSD students would need permission from their chair to go abroad. Best if your program chair provides the reference or is at least aware of your interest to go abroad. *If you are applying for scholarships please have 2 reference forms submitted. A second reference form could be from another faculty member or from a community volunteer/work supervisor.
2. Study Plan
You will need to be a full time student when on exchange abroad taking and paying KPU fees for about 12-15 credits when abroad. First, look up at least 8 courses you are interested in taking at the partner institutions you identified as your first and second choice. Courses for the given semester may not be posted at the partner institution, but you can refer back to their last year courses of the given semester. The number of courses will be reduced down when it comes closer to the start of the semester abroad and your course enrollment through a Learning Agreement process.
Second, complete this draft Study Plan for Exchange - 2024-2025 or
Study Plan for Exchange - WSD.COHORT - 2024-2025
Save it as a pdf and attach it to your MoveOn study abroad application.
You are expected to visit an academic advisor (or chair if you are a Design student) within the Faculty/program you are enrolled prior to completing this form to determine what courses you have left to complete from your program. Academic advisors cannot tell you how the courses from exchange will transfer but you can use the information about your degree requirements to guide your decisions. Please click here to book an appointment with an academic advisor.
- You are not bound to your selections but you should become familiar with the academic program at your partner institution to ensure that your course choices will fit with your academic goals.
- See our partner profile pages for academic information about your study plan options and the transfer credit database for past approved courses.
- As the course catalogue for your intended exchange term may not be published yet, please select your courses based on the most recent course listings available. e.g. If you're applying for a Spring semester exchange, try to find the previous year's courses at the partner institution that have an overlap with KPU's Spring Semester dates.
- Email internationalprograms@kpu.ca if you are having difficulty finding courses at the partner institution.
*NOTE. It is important to understand that direct transfer credit for courses taken abroad may or may not occur. Courses could come back as elective credits for your program, be equal to a course at KPU, or not be approved for transfer. Therefore, it is best to search for a larger number of optional courses to take in the start through this draft study plan. Course approval will be evaluated for nominated students through a learning agreement process before the start of the semester abroad.
3. Statement of Interest
In 500-750 words, please answer the four questions below for your Statement of Interest for Exchange.docx
Save it as a pdf and attach it to your MoveOn study abroad application.
1. Why you have chosen your first and second choice partner institutions for exchange?
2. Explain how this international experience links to your educational and career goals. How will the international experience contribute to your current academic program?
3. What personal qualities and past experience do you have that will help you be successful in your international experience?
4. What do you expect to learn from this international experience, and how will you apply these lessons upon your return to Canada?
Your statement of interest should include both your first and second choice institutions and should be between 500-750 words. Include details about how the institutions and destination countries fit in with your academic, professional, and personal goals. Also outline the skills and experiences you have that will allow you to adapt to change and new situations.
4. Budget Worksheet
Complete this Budget Worksheet for Exchange.docx
Save it as a pdf and attach it to your MoveOn study abroad application.
Use estimate numbers for this preliminary budget sheet, and any additional information should be put into the notes section to explain the amounts. Please put amounts that you are certain of and add in the notes information regarding money you hope to receive ie awards.
Budgeting is an important step in planning your KPU Global Learning Experience. Each person's spending preferences will vary substantially, so it is important for you to work out a budget suited to your goals and needs. The amount of money required for exchange varies greatly from country to country and from student to student. For reference information on costs and money-saving tips, read personal reports written by other students and research the living costs in the cities where your first and second choice institutions are located. You can find more information here: /exchange/go-on-exchange/money/budget
5. unofficial Transcript
You can access your unofficial transcript online for free, and upload a pdf to MoveOn for your application. Go here for a youtube tutorial on how to find and save your KPU transcript as a pdf.
To access your transcript online:
- Log into Online Self-Service
- From the Student menu, choose Records
- Choose Academic Transcript
- Set Transcript Level to "All Levels"; and Transcript Type to "Web Transcript"
- Click Submit
6. Portfolio (Design or Fine Arts student)
If you are a Design or Fine Arts student, please be prepared to provide your portfolio as either a URL weblink or pdf.
FAQs
General Questions
Why should I go on exchange?
Top Ten Reasons to Open Your World:
- Enhance your education
- Increase your employability
- Challenge yourself
- Travel to new places
- Broaden your understanding of the world
- Meet new people and make lasting friendships
- Live in another culture
- Learn or perfect a second (or a third, or a fourth) language
- Learn more about your own culture and how the world perceives Canada
- Build up your exciting story reservoir!
What are the requirements to apply to go on exchange?
To go on exchange you must:
- have completed 24 university credits by the time you wish to go on exchange. 15 of those credits must have been completed at KPU
- have a GPA of 2.5
- be willing to return to KPU after your exchange for a minimum of 9 credits
Do I have to have travel experience in order to go on exchange?
Where can I go on exchange?
What is UMAP?
If I am interested in going somewhere that is not on the list, is this possible?
Can I still take courses in English?
Where do I live when I go on exchange?
What program do I have to be in to go on exchange?
Can I go on exchange to more than one university?
When can I go on exchange?
You can go on an exchange after you have completed 30 university credits, fifteen of which must be done at KPU. After your exchange, you must return to KPU for a minimum of 9 credits. Based on these requirements, most students go on exchange in the second semester of the second year, during the first or second semester of the third year or the first semester of the fourth year. Some programs have limitations on when you can go on exchange:
How long can I go on exchange for?
What kind of support is offered by KPU International?
Are there risks involved in going on exchange?
How much does it cost?
Am I still eligible for student loans, scholarships, bursaries, and awards?
Are there any funding opportunities specifically related to exchange?
Yes, there are some specific scholarships available for exchange. Please visit our Funding & Scholarships page for more info.
Application Questions
Is there a fee to apply?
There is no application fee to apply for an exchange. Most field school applications will require a deposit with the application.
How do I apply?
You first apply online to KPU for an exchange through this page.
What does the application consist of?
The application consists of general personal information, a personal statement (300-500 words), a budget worksheet, a study plan for what courses you are interested in taking, and two reference forms filled out by KPU instructors.
Could I not be accepted to go on an exchange based on how much money I have as shown in the budget worksheet?
The budget worksheet is judged by how much research you’ve done into your country of choice, not by how much money you have.
Am I bound to the courses I put down for my study plan?
No. It is however very important to consider what courses you will be able to take at the partner institution to make sure you know that they fit into your program.
When is the application deadline?
The deadline is February 15 for studying abroad in the Fall, June 15 for studying in the next calendar year's Spring, and October 15 for studying abroad in the Summer semester.
Do you accept late applications?
If there are additional exchange spots available after the February 15 and June 15 allocations, late applications may be considered on a case-by-case basis depending on space availability and lead time required for a successful exchange. To have the highest chance of getting a spot at the school of your choice, you should apply before the deadline.
How do you place students in their exchange spots?
Applications are scored and then ranked. The highest-ranked students will get their first-choice placement. We continue down the list until all places have been filled.
Is it very competitive to get a spot?
Some schools and programs are more competitive than others. Even though a spot for each student is not guaranteed, we do our best to make sure that everyone who applies and meets the minimum qualifications gets a spot.
How many students can go to each school every year?
Generally, there are four spots available at each partner school per academic year.
If I am accepted to exchange but need to postpone my departure date, is this possible?
If you would like to postpone your exchange to a semester that falls within the same academic year, there are generally no problems depending on your program. If you wish to postpone your exchange to the following academic year, the situation is analyzed on a case-by-case basis.
If my circumstances change, is it possible to withdraw from the program?
Students may withdraw from the program in writing at any time. Before withdrawing, students should consider the impact of their withdrawal on their current program of study.
Exchange Process Questions
What happens after I’ve been accepted to go on exchange?
You will meet with an International Exchange Coordinator to discuss how you need to apply to the partner institution. Following that, you will attend a pre-departure session which will cover transfer credit, cultural adjustment, insurance, passports, and visas.
How does the partner institution application process work?
After being accepted to the exchange program by KPU, all students must apply to their partner institution. Each institution has a different application process. You will be informed of this process after you are nominated to a partner institution.
Can I be rejected by the partner institution?
In general, students are accepted by the partner institution without any problems. In very rare circumstances KPU applicants can be rejected by the partner institution. Rejection can be based on the timeliness of the application, space in the desired program, and quality of the application.
How do I register for classes while I’m on an exchange?
Each partner has a different registration process. You will be informed of this process after you have been accepted to the partner institution.
What happens if there is an emergency while I am away on an exchange?
Students are informed of emergency procedures during their pre-departure session. Students' first point of contact will be local authorities and the Canadian government.
Do I get credit for all the courses I take while on exchange?
Credits obtained while on exchange transfer back to KPU. We cannot, however, guarantee that the credit applies to your degree. It is the student's responsibility to ensure that they are meeting their degree requirements.
Can you tell me how my courses will transfer back to KPU?
After you finalize your registration for courses at the partner institution, we will prepare a letter of permission for you that outlines how your credit will transfer back to KPU.