Exchanges
Students Participating in an Exchange Term
Students can apply for government-issued student aid, including loans and grants, to participate in a Study Abroad-Exchange term. Eligible Exchanges must be at least 12 weeks in length, offered as a formal exchange through International Services for Students (ISS), with payment of your tuition and fees directly to SFU.
We will confirm your study period dates, including mandatory orientation at your host institution with ISS.
Students participating in an Exchange who require govenrment student aid must:
- Submit a Student Aid Mobility Contract with a copy of your SFU Nomination Letter to Financial Aid and Awards prior to the completion of any student aid documents.
- Submit a completed Student Aid Completion of Studies Contract within 45 days of the end of the exchange study period to Financial Aid and Awards to avoid being reported as withdrawn from full-time studies. This may impact future student aid funding that you may be eligible to receive.
StudentAid BC applicants (BC residents)
To receive StudentAid BC funding for your Study Abroad - Exchange term, in the StudentAid BC application system, you will need to select your undergraduate degree path instead of your intended or declared major. For example, as a student in Interactive Arts and Technology working towards a Bachelor or Arts, you would select Arts (Bachelor of Arts) *including Exchange Terms and students with no declared major instead of Interactive Arts and Technology *(Bachelor of Arts or Science) as your program. You will then need to check the box next to "Your study dates are not listed". Provide your study period start date, including mandatory orientation, and your study period end date (normally official last day of exams at your host institution).
You will then need to provide the following documents to Financial Aid and Awards by email so we can complete a Program Information Request on your behalf after evaluating your Study Abroad - Exchange study period:
- Completed Student Aid Mobility Contract
- Copy of your Nomination Letter
- Your StudentAid BC application number
Once we have confirmed your official study period dates with International Services for Students, we will complete a Program Information Request on your behalf. This will allow your application to continue to process. In order to receive your funding, this is a reminder that you will need to log in to your StudentAid BC new student account and "accept your assessment".
At the end of your Study Abroad - Exchange experience, we will request a completed Student Aid Completion of Studies Contract to confirm your successful completion of studies.
Canadian Student Aid applicants (Outside of BC)
To receive government student aid from a province or territory other than BC, please reach out to Financial Aid and Awards.
You will need to provide the following documents to Financial Aid and Awards by email so we can complete a Program Information Form (if needed) on your behalf after evaluating your Study Abroad - Exchange study period:
- Completed Student Aid Mobility Contract
- Copy of your Nomination Letter
If you do not require a Program Information Form to be completed in support of your government student aid application, please ensure that your study period dates match the period starting with your mandatory orientation through the official last day of exams at your host institution.