Incoming Student Exchange Program

NOTE: The Fall 2026 and Full Year Exchange Program is now closed.

Why choose Carleton for your exchange?

Carleton’s reputation is built on its strengths in a number of fields such as Business, Journalism, Public Affairs, International Affairs, Architecture and High Technology. Students benefit from the interdisciplinary, active, hands-on approach to teaching. Our beautiful campus spans more than 100 acres, between the Rideau River and the historic Rideau Canal, just a short distance from downtown Ottawa.

We invite you to review our Incoming Exchange Program Brochure and read past testimonials from students who have enjoyed an incoming exchange program with us.

If you have questions about the program, please contact us at exchange@carleton.ca.

Exchange Process

1

Eligibility

Exchange students study at Carleton for a single semester or a full academic year. To attend Carleton as an exchange student, your home institution must have an exchange agreement with Carleton. Check to see if your university is on our partner institutions list.

For students whose first language is not English, they are required to meet the English language proficiency requirements referenced below:

If you wish to study at Carleton but your university is not on our partner institutions list, you may be eligible as a Study Abroad student. It is important to note that Study Abroad students are required to pay international student fees to Carleton University.

2

Nomination by your Home University

Students must be nominated for exchange by their home institution. Partners nominate their students using the Carleton University Exchange Nomination form.

Nomination forms are completed online and a form must be submitted for each student to be nominated.

The following information is required. Nominations submitted without this information will not be accepted:

• Student Last Name
• Student Middle Name(s) (if applicable)
• Student First Name(s)
• Term(s) of Exchange (Fall Term, Winter Term, or Full Year)
• Level of Study (Undergraduate or Graduate)
• Degree/Study Program at Home Institution
• Date of Birth (DD/MM/YYYY format)
• Student Home Address
• Student Email Address
• English Language Test Score, Type & Date Completed (if student’s first language is not English)

Nomination Deadlines

• March 15th for Fall Term (September to December) and Full Year (September to April)
• September 15^th for Winter Term (January to April)

Nominations are reviewed to ensure that students meet the requirements for exchange and can move forward to completing the exchange application.

3

Carleton Exchange Application

Following the submission and acceptance of their nomination, a student will receive detailed instructions on how to complete the exchange application.

Applications are submitted online using the Incoming Exchange Application form.

Within the application, students are required to upload the following documents:

• Official proof of English proficiency (TOEFL, IELTS, CAEL, or Pearson Test of English [Academic] ) – the test report must be in English and the test date cannot be more than 24 months prior to application
• Most recent official home institution transcript in English
• Home institution’s Grading System
• Portfolios must be included when students are applying for courses in Architecture, Industrial Design and Interactive Multimedia Design (IMD)
• An audition is required for students requesting performance courses in Music

Deadlines

• April 15^th for Fall Term or Full Year
• October 15^th for Winter Term

4

Academic Information

5

Exchange Application Course List

On the exchange application, in order of priority, students must list ten (10) Carleton courses they would like to take, including the course title and course code.

Course information is available in the academic calendars provided below:

• Undergraduate Courses
• Graduate Courses

Please refer to the Selecting Courses page for important information on how to select courses.

In addition, please refer to the Courses Not Available page for a list of courses that are restricted and not open to exchange students.

6

Acceptance for Exchange

Following the review of their exchange application, a Letter of Acceptance (LOA) is emailed to the student.

For students studying in the Fall term or a full year, letters are sent in June and for students studying in the Winter term letters are sent in November.

Letters of Acceptance are quite detailed and include information such as:

• Carleton University Identification Number (CUID)
• MyCarletonOne (MC1) username for email set-up and records system access
• Important dates and deadlines
• Visa requirements
• Housing
• Fees
• Orientation

7

Resource: Checklists

Pre-Arrival

A convenient Before You Arrive Checklist (PDF) is provided to students with their Letter of Acceptance (LOA).

Post Arrival

An After You Arrive Checklist (PDF) is provided to students to help them settle in quickly and easily.

Housing

1) On-campus housing -> is not guaranteed. Students apply online using their Carleton University Identification Number (CUID) which is provided in their Letter of Acceptance (LOA).

A $50 non-refundable application fee is required and can be paid by credit card (Visa, Mastercard, American Express or Visa/Debit).

Please visit the housing website for more information..

2) Off-campus housing -> students are responsible for securing their own off-campus accommodations. Visit the Off-Campus Housing website for information and resources..

Students seeking off-campus accommodations are advised to independently verify the suitability and safety of any property. For comprehensive information about tenant rights and responsibilities in Ontario, please consult the Landlord and Tenant Board. We encourage all students to exercise due diligence in their housing search.

Costs & Fees

Exchange students study at Carleton for a single semester or a full academic year and do not pay tuition to Carleton. Students pay tuition to their home institution.

However, there are two fees that all exchange students are required to pay. These mandatory fees include the University Health Insurance Plan (UHIP) and the Transit pass (U-Pass).

Visit Planning Your Finances for estimated costs for on-campus and off-campus living, books, supplies and personal expenses.

Scholarship Opportunity: For Students from Latin America and the Caribbean

Emerging Leaders in the Americas Program (ELAP)

NOTE: The 2026/2027 ELAP Program is now closed

The Emerging Leaders in the Americas Program (ELAP) scholarship provides students from post-secondary institutions located in Latin America and the Caribbean with short-term exchange opportunities for study in Canadian post-secondary institutions.

The Emerging Leaders in Americas Program is facilitated through the student exchange agreements Carleton has established with specific Latin American and Caribbean institutions and is administered by the Global Opportunities and International Student Services Office (GO-ISSO) on behalf of Global Affairs Canada.

Visa

1. If your stay and studies in Canada will be less than 6 months in duration, you have the option to study as a visitor without applying for a Canadian study permit. 

International students — excepting only US citizens and green card holders — need a Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) or Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) to travel to Canada. The Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) website has a tool to determine which travel authorization is correct for your nationality and lead you to the online application.

This letter may be used in a TRV application to explain the purpose of your visit to Canada.

2. If you plan to stay and study in Canada for more than 6 months, you must apply for a study permit. Your Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) or Temporary Resident Visa will be automatically processed as part of your study permit application.

The GO-ISSO’s website tells you how to start the online study permit application process in an IRCC Secure Account and provides helpful tips. Requirements for the application vary by country, but all students will need a valid passport, a Carleton Letter of Acceptance (this letter), and proof of having sufficient resources to cover expenses in Canada. The Government of Canada has established minimum funds for student living expenses: $22,895 per year for a single student. Learn more at the IRCC website.

You will probably have to give biometrics, and may need to get a medical exam and/or police certificate(s). You should gather your documents and submit your application as soon as possible.

Provincial Attestation Letter

During the questionnaire that begins the online application process, you will encounter this question: Do you have a provincial or territorial attestation letter or meet an exception from submitting a provincial or territorial attestation letter?

Select as your answer: Yes, I meet an exception from submitting a provincial or territorial attestation letter.

Your application list will then include a line for proof that you qualify for an exception. This proof may be your own letter of explanation. Use the template below for your letter.

Date

Dear Immigration Officer,

I am applying for a study permit so that I may study as an exchange student at Carleton University in Ottawa, Ontario, according to an agreement between Carleton and my home university [enter name and location of school].

According to information on the IRCC website, my application does not require a Provincial Attestation Letter. Specifically, my situation is this:

I am an exchange student studying under an exchange arrangement between my home institution and Carleton University, a Canadian Designated Learning Institution. I will not pay tuition fees to Carleton while studying there.

I trust that the letter prepared by the Global Learning Coordinator (Incoming) of Carleton University’s Global Opportunities and International Student Services Office (GO-ISSO) and provided as my Letter of Acceptance with this application verifies my claim to the PAL exception to your satisfaction. I hope you will contact me if you require further information to process my application.

Yours truly

[Your Signature]

Travel 

The Government of Canada resources below may be helpful as you prepare to travel to and arrive in Canada. The “letter of introduction” is a document provided by the visa office to students who have applied for a study permit.

            IRCC Student Travel Information

            Canada Border Services Information for Students

Questions: please email an ISSO Immigration Advisor at immigration.advising@carleton.ca

Orientation

An orientation session is offered in late August or early September for students attending in the Fall term and in January for students attending in the Winter term. The session provides information and resources to help students transition successfully to student life at Carleton.

All exchange students are strongly encouraged to participate in orientation.

Students are provided with the session details in advance.