Outbound Mobility

Tuition: Payable to Okanagan College for any courses receiving transfer credit.
If you choose to receive credits from semester exchange, whether as transfer credit or excess credit, you must pay for a minimum of 9 credits worth of tuition to OC.

Partner Institution Fees: Some partner universities may charge students an administrative fee, such as mandatory student association fees charged to all students. 

Medical Travel Insurance: Guard.me insurance covering your entire exchange period, including all travel days* while you are outside of Canada, must be purchased.

Additional: Living expenses, housing (some host institutions may cover the housing costs with a scholarship), local transportation, meals, textbooks, and personal spending.

*guard.me/oc/department/outbound-students-staff-and-faculty

Internal Resources

All students:

• Airline Travel Grant

  Okanagan College students who have been accepted into an international activity, study tour, or exchange program and are seeking financial assistance for the cost of their airline travel can apply. Please see the detailed eligibility from the button below.

• Extended Mobility Grant

  Students enrolled in a credentialed study exchange program who successfully applied for and received the Airline Travel Grant may also be eligible.

• OC International Study Exchange Awards

  Students who completed the first year of full-time study and will enroll full-time in an International Study Exchange program, which commences the following academic year.

BBA students:

• Derek Cook Memorial Award for Global Exchanges
• Dr. Jayne Brooks International Business Exchange Award

To learn more about the eligibility for each award or grant, please visit the Financial Aid page. 

External Resources

Each partner school offers various scholarships for Okanagan College students. Please visit the partner school’s website for more details on eligibility and how to apply.

The Government of Canada also offers various scholarships for Canadian students. 

BC Scholarship Society offers Oneworld International Scholarship and Premier's International Scholarship.

Visa and immigration rules vary by country and depend on your nationality.

For short-term exchanges, a study permit may not be required, but it's important to check.

It’s your responsibility to find out what you need and how to apply.
We recommend visiting the official government website of your host country for accurate and up-to-date information.

Each partner institution offers different courses to exchange students. It's important to carefully review each school’s course offerings to find the best fit for your academic goals.

To learn more:

• Visit the partner school's website
• Or contact us at mobility@okanagan.bc.ca

Before making any decisions, please speak with an Education Advisor to ensure you have space in your program by reviewing your Course Planning Sheet or Personal Degree Planner.

This will help you:

• Identify which courses you still need to complete
• Understand how an exchange term can fit into your program
• Ensure you have a space for transfer credits (typically elective space)
• Plan your course selection more effectively

This step is essential to ensure your exchange experience supports your academic progress and graduation timeline.

Planning where you’ll live during your exchange is just as important as choosing your destination! Each partner institution offers different housing options for incoming students, so it's important to explore what’s available early.

• On-Campus Housing:
  Many partner schools offer residence or dormitory options specifically for exchange students. These are often convenient, furnished, and located close to campus.
• Off-Campus Housing:
  Some institutions may offer support for students looking to rent shared apartments, homestays, or private accommodations nearby.

How to Apply:

• After you are officially nominated and accepted by your host institution, you’ll receive housing information as part of your acceptance or welcome package.
• Be sure to follow the host school's housing application deadlines; they often fill up quickly!
• Some schools require separate applications for housing, even after your exchange nomination is confirmed.

Before deciding to study abroad, it is important to understand your own vulnerabilities and assess the potential hazards and risks associated with international travel and activities.

It is also important to know that, if accepted into an exchange program, you are required to purchase Guard.me travel insurance for the entire duration of your exchange, including all travel days spent outside of Canada.