Exchange Pre-Departure Session October 23, 2010

Exchange Pre-Departure SessionOctober 23, 2010

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Additional Contacts/Information

• Home institution (SFU)– SFUi: Administrative, central contact– Health & Counselling Services– Financial Aid & Awards– Other departments, advisors

• Your host institution – Accommodation– Arrival assistance– Orientation– Course enrollment

Exchange Pre-Departure

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Additional Contacts/Information, continued

• External bodies– Consulate/Embassy of your host country

(visa)– Canadian Embassy/Consulate – Family doctor, travel health clinic– Insurance provider(s)– Bank(s)– Lawyer, Notary Public– …?

Exchange Pre-Departure

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Exchange: Before you go…

When preparing to travel, lay out all your clothes and all your money.

Then take half the clothes and twice the money. -Susan Heller

You will hear it from [SFU International] over and over and over again, but the more prepared you are, the easier it will be transitioning into your new life. In short, attend the workshops, read the manual, fill

out all the forms, and basically do whatever they recommend.- SFU exchange student

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SFU/Academic preparation:

• Acceptance letter from host institution• Course registration

• SFU: Registered in FEP – 12 units (varies for part-time Summer exchanges)

• Host university: They will inform you of procedure

• Tuition and fees• PAY THEM ALL: 2% monthly penalty

• SFU official transcript • SFU designate (and/or Power of Attorney)• ISIC Card

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• Start early

• Power of Attorney vs. designate

• Financial Aid info session (and/or individual advising)

Student loans and interest-free status

• Full-time Summer and Fall exchanges: Registered as full-time at SFU

• Must also be considered “full-time at host institution (12 weeks of classes, no more than 2 weeks of non-study breaks in term; taking academic course work)

• Apply one term at a time

Financial Preparation: Financial Aid and Awards

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• Bursaries• Financial Aid Info Session (and/or

individual advising)

• Scholarships, awards

• International Mobility Awards• External Funding

Financial Preparation: Financial Aid and Awards

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Financial Preparation: Personal Finances

• Creating a budget• Taking money with you• Sending money (prior to arrival or once you

arrive)• Credit cards• Debit cards• Employment

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Travel-related preparation:• Passport/visa• Family doctor, travel health doctor• Travel arrangements• Insurance

• Travel Health/Medical (handout)

• Cancellation/interruption (with plane ticket)

• Personal contents/liability

• Power of Attorney and/or designate• Copy/back-up important documents• Canadian Customs Certificates

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Research, research, research…

• Canadian Consular Services (www.voyage.gc.ca)– Embassy, High Commission, Consulate– Travel Reports– Travel Warnings– Registration– E-Publications (“Dual Citizenship”, “Her Own

Way”, “Bon Voyage But…”, etc)– Emergency contact (in Canada and abroad)

• www.intercultures.gc.ca• Travel books (Lonely Planet, etc)• Voltage, adaptors, cell phones, etc• Other students

http://www.voyage.gc.ca/

http://www.intercultures.gc.ca/

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Exchange: While you’re away…

The saying “Getting there is half the fun” became obsolete with the advent of

commercial airlines.

- Henry J. Tillman

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Academic and admin-related issues

• Update contact info with SFU • Monthly emails from SFU International• Changing courses

• Procedures vary by university

• Bring the SFU official transcript that you ordered

• Changing length of stay abroad• Leaving earlier than planned, extending your stay

• Exchange credit (start applying while away)• Save everything! (especially syllabus for each course)

• Request a transcript from host university (if necessary)

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Living abroad (safety, culture, etc.) • Personal safety

– Money belt, valuables – Night clubs, date rape drugs– Sun/heat– Wear shoes– Piercings, tattoos– Stray animals

• Getting around safely– Seatbelt, know where you’re going, avoid

motorcycles• Gender issues, LGBTQ, Special Needs• Communication

– Stay in touch, but not too in touch

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Studying Abroad

• Differences in:– Support from “student services”– Procedures for course registration,

changes, etc– Course structure and scheduling (eg:

lectures, tutorials, labs, etc) – Workload and approach to learning– Grading


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Exchange: Coming home…

The whole object of travel is not to set foot on foreign land; it is at last to set foot on one's

own country as a foreign land.

- G.K. Chesterton

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Preparing to come home…

• Academic/admin prep– Register for SFU courses (if applicable)– Order official transcript(s) from host

university– Read our “Returning Students” webpage

• Personal prep– Remind yourself you’re coming home – Research re-entry shock

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Exchange: Coming home…

Administrative / paperwork

• SFU Parking• Write your exchange report and

questionnaire• Photo contest (deadline in Oct)

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Exchange: Coming home

Exchange credit

– Submit to SFU International: • 1) exchange credit application for each course

(online) • 2) syllabus for each course (uploaded to

application online)• 3) official transcript from host university (should

be mailed to SFUi directly)– Max of 30 exchange credits– GPA not affected

• Scholarship students must maintain GPA• Grad school apps will require all post-sec

transcript– WQB– Right to appeal (keep list of contacts at host

university)– Questions about exchange credit:

[email protected]

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Life post-exchange

• Re-entry and reverse culture shock– SFU International’s “Welcome Back”– Health and Counselling Services

• Get involved!– Global Partnering System (GPS)– Share your experience (come out to

events, write an article, etc)• NEW in 2010 SFU-GONE – alumni group• Go away again

Exchange: Coming home

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Wrap-up

Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do.

So throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails.

Explore. Dream. Discover.

– Mark Twain

http://www.cmgww.com/historic/twain/

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Wrap-up

The more research and preparation you do here, the less you have to do there…

We will send you a link for the pre-departure resources on-line

Bon voyage!

GPS Facebook group – connect with other [email protected] (advising)[email protected] (host applications, registration and info)[email protected] (exchange credit)

mailto:[email protected]



Exchange Pre-Departure Session October 23, 2010

Documents

Transcript of Exchange Pre-Departure Session October 23, 2010