A Comprehensive List of All the Ways you can Go Abroad at UVic

Throughout my past five years at UVic, I was always frantically researching all the ways I could go abroad and get credit for my studies. Like many people, ever since I was little I’ve had this deep urge to travel, to get out of my city and go somewhere new. It’s part of the reason I left Vancouver to come to UVic for university. 

So if you’re like me, and are desperate to get off Vancouver Island but don’t want to take a semester off to travel and can’t afford to skip a summer’s worth of paychecks, this is the blog post for you! 

I’ve done all the research into ways you can take your degree abroad, so you don’t have to, and put it one big comprehensive list below. If I miss anything, leave it in a comment below!

International Exchange

One of the easiest ways to go abroad is to go on an international exchange! I did my exchange in 2017 at Utrecht University in Utrecht, the Netherlands, and it was truly an experience that shaped my personal, academic, and professional life.

Some programs, like BComm or Economics, have their own exchange programs or exchange requirements, but for students in faculties of Humanities, Science and Social Sciences, look to the International Student Services Exchange Program.

Students in the Faculties of Education, Engineering, Fine Arts, Human and Social Development, Law, and Graduate Studies can also go on exchange, but need to work with their academic advisors to plan one.

To be accepted on an exchange, you just need to be in good academic standing, registered as a full-time student, have completed one year at UVic, have a couple of academic references that can vouch for you, and submit an application form. Applications are due in January for the Fall exchange term (Sept-Dec of the same year) or August for the Spring term (Jan-April of the following year).

Here are only some of the places you could go:

• Australia
• France
• The United Kingdom
• Brazil
• Chile
• Korea
• Japan
• Singapore

International Co-op

Another great option to go abroad is by doing an international co-op term. This way, you can get co-op credit, live abroad, and get paid to do it. To do an international co-op, you must first be accepted into the co-op program. The next deadline for applications is in January. 

The co-op program itself is such a fantastic resource that will help you build skills and get job experience alongside your degree, but adding an international term can help you develop intercultural skills and a host of other skills that employers really like. 

Here are some of the jobs that you could get as an international co-op:

• Events Management Trainee with the Canadian Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong
• Commercial Coordinator Internship with the Canadian Chamber of Commerce in Bangkok, Thailand
• Graphic Design Intern with SOLS 24/7 in Malaysia
• Community Engagement Intern with the Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
• Language Interpreter at the Canadian National Vimy Memorial in Vimy, France

Field Schools

Many faculties and programs at UVic have optional field schools. Sometimes you have to be a registered student of the department or have taken the proper prerequisites, but oftentimes you don’t have to be! Check out the field schools below, open to all UVic students:

• Urban Sustainability Field School (Northern Europe, run by Dept of Geography, application deadline Nov 28, 2019 for the 2020 program)
• Cuba Ethnographic Field School (Cuba, run by Dept of Anthropology, application deadline Nov 15, 2019)
• Semester in Greece 2021 (Greece, Dept of Greek and Roman Studies, application deadline October 15, 2020)
• Eastern Boeotia archaeological project in Greece (Greece, Dept of Greek and Roman studies)
• I-Witness Holocaust Field School (Central/Eastern Europe, Dept of Germanic and Slavic Studies, application deadline Nov 1, 2019)
• EU Study Tour (Europe, Dept of European Studies, application deadline Dec 13, 2019)
• Intensive Italian language course (Recanati, Italy, Dept of Hispanic and Italian Studies)
• Paris Field School (Paris, France, Dept of French, runs every two years)
• Colonial Legacies in South Africa (South Africa, Dept of History, not offered every year)

CAPI Internship

Right now, I’m writing this blog from Yokohama, Japan, where I’m working as a CAPI intern. Last January, I seized an opportunity and applied for the Centre for Asia-Pacific Initiatives (CAPI) Internship Program, delaying my graduation a year to take on this amazing experience.

CAPI offers funded internships for UVic students to work with non-profit organizations across Asia (and sometimes Africa). The program challenges you, makes you think about your place in the world, and encourages you to be a leader and a global citizen. This year, my intern cohort is in Zambia, Thailand, Malaysia, India, Indonesia, and more! 

Applications for the 2020 intern cohort are due January 24, 2020. To apply, you must be a current, full-time UVic student, in your third year of undergrad or higher, a Canadian citizen or permanent resident, and available to complete all program requirements. If you’re interested, pop into an info session on November 21, 2019, or January 22, 2020, from 12:30-1:30 pm in Sedgewick room C168.

Department-based opportunities

Finally, some departments have separate study or work abroad programs for their students, particularly language departments or regional studies departments. These include:

• Semester in Spain or Ecuador for students studying Spanish,
• China and Taiwan exchange program for Pacific and Asian Studies students,
• Exchange in Indonesia for Pacific and Asian Studies students,
• Japanese language program for Pacific and Asian Studies students, and
• Study and work abroad program for Germanic and Slavic Studies students.

Additionally, some programs, like Social Work, require students to take practicums. Consider doing your practicum abroad!

• Social Work international practicum info (bottom of page)
• Child and Youth Care international practicum info (bottom of page)

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So, hopefully after reading this big list you have a better idea of all the international opportunities you have as a UVic student. If you’ve decided to apply for some, or maybe already have, don’t forget to apply for funding! UVic has scholarships specifically to encourage students to go abroad: the Student International Activities Fund.

Happy travels!!