Frequently Asked Questions from Exchange/Study Abroad Students

If you are an Exchange/Study Abroad student you are exempt from paying the deposit for any term at SFU. Visiting Non-Degree students who are admitted to SFU outside formal exchange/study abroad agreements are required to pay the $250 confirmation/tuition deposit at all times.

You will receive an email about your computing ID from our information technology department.

Once your SFU computing ID account is active, you will be able to access the Student Information System (http://sis.sfu.ca/). On the SIS site you will be able to access your SFU student data, including class timetables, contact information, and academic record.

The Student Information System (SIS) is your access to your SFU student data, including your class timetable, contact information, student account, and academic record.  It is important to periodically check your SIS information for deadlines and updates from Student Services.

If you are an Exchange or Study Abroad student, the International Services for Students office will manually enroll you into your first term's courses.  When you applied to SFU, you were asked to list your course preferences on your exchange/study abroad application form. International Services for Students will seek permission to enroll you in courses from the appropriate departments.  If permission is not granted, you will be notified by International Services for Students to provide alternative courses. For your second term at SFU you will receive detailed information about how to enroll in courses part way through your first term. Note: SFU is not able to guarantee access to courses as they are subject to approval from the departments.

Most students have most of their courses at the main Burnaby campus however, individual courses may be offered at Vancouver and/or Surrey. If your courses are from the School of Interactive Arts all of your courses will be offered at the Surrey campus.  It is fairly easy to commute by public transit between campuses by using your Upass (transit pass issued by SFU), but please allow a minimum of one (1) hour in transit between classes of different campuses.

Your U-Pass is a transit card that shows your name, photo, and expiration date of the card. The U-Pass is funded in part by a mandatory student fee $120 per term ($30.00 per month). The U-Pass fee is automatically added to your student account and must be paid to Student Services. All exchange and study abroad students are required to pay this fee. Once you have your U-Pass, you will have:

• unlimited access to TransLink Bus (including Community Shuttles and West Vancouver Blue Buses), SkyTrain and SeaBus services (all zones),
• a discount on a one-way fare, a return trip fare, a weekly ticket, or a 28-day ticket on the West Coast Express.

More information can be found online at http://students.sfu.ca/upass/eligibility.html.   Card production locations and times are listed at students.sfu.ca/deadlines/.  Frequently asked questions about the U-Pass can be found online at http://students.sfu.ca/upass/faqs.html.

If you are an exchange student or study abroad student, we recommend that you obtain a Study Permit. If you are studying at SFU for only one term (less than 6 months), you are not required to have a Study Permit. However, without a Study Permit, you cannot accept employment (either on or off campus) and health care costs may be significantly higher. By obtaining a Study Permit ahead of time, you can also request to extend your stay for an additional term without having to leave Canada to apply for a Study Permit. More information can be obtain on our website at:

Immigration in Canada

Depending on where you’re from, you may require a Temporary Resident Visa (TRV)—in addition to a Study Permit—to enter Canada. A TRV is a stamp or sticker placed in your passport to show that you have permission to enter Canada for a specified period of time, and occasionally allows for more than one authorized entry.

Go to www.cic.gc.ca for detailed immigration information.

Please check your housing application status online at http://students.sfu.ca/residences/ and check your contact email address frequently for any messages from Residence and Housing, International Services for Students, or other Student Services units. Generally, you will receive an email notification from the Residence and Housing Office at least two months prior to your exchange term. If you are assigned a room on-campus, you will be required to sign a residence license agreement and pay a deposit by an assigned deadline to Residence and Housing. It is important to pay the deposit and return the agreement by the deadline, or you will risk having your room re-assigned to another student. On-campus housing is very limited and it strongly recommended that you follow all residence application procedures, deadlines, and guidelines very carefully.

It is recommended that students arrive prior to orientation activities.  Students with confirmed on-campus residence are required to sign up for residence orientation in order to move-in on the first day of residence orientation. Students who plan to live off-campus are advised to arrive in Vancouver early in order to ensure their off-campus housing arrangements are secure. For the Fall term, orientation activities generally occur during the final week of August. For the Spring term, orientation is generally after New Year’s Day and before the start of classes. For the Summer term, orientation generally takes place in the week prior to the start of classes.

International Services for Students does not normally provide airport pickup service (shuttle service).

Please refer to our website at Arriving in Vancouver

Information can be found on our website at Arriving in Vancouver.

Take advantage of your early arrival to explore the campus and city.  Here is a useful website to find information about what you can do in Vancouver http://vancouver.ca/visitors.htm.

Upon arrival at SFU, you may be moving into residence if you have confirmed on-campus accommodation.  We strongly encourage all exchange/study abroad students to register for Campus Orientation, and for the recommended Exchange/Study Abroad Orientation Sessions. You are welcome to drop by the International Services for Students office located in Room 1200 of the Maggie Benston Centre, Monday to Friday, 9:00 am – 4:30 pm.

You will be attending classes (lectures mostly, and check with instructors if tutorials are scheduled).  If you need to make changes to your class timetable, please visit International Services for Students in MBC 1200 at the Burnaby campus. Do not attempt add or drop classes on your own from your timetable on the Student Information System. You will also need to pick up your SFU student ID card and U-Pass. Student Services issues these cards at all three campuses. Card production locations and times are listed at students.sfu.ca/deadlines/. You will also need to purchase your course textbooks and you may do so at the SFU Bookstore located at all three campuses.  If you have any questions, please drop by International Services for Students during the week Monday to Friday between 9:00 am and 4:30 pm.  Email <exchange@sfu.ca> or phone 778-782-4232.

It’s important that you know where you are going once you arrive in Vancouver. Plan ahead for the trip to the SFU campus, and make sure you have everything you’ll need for your first few nights in Canada. If you have a confirmed place in residence but are arriving in Vancouver before the move-in dates, or if you will be looking for off-campus housing upon arrival, you may need to stay in temporary accommodation for a few days.

More information can be found on our website at Arriving in Vancouver.

Take advantage of your early arrival to explore the campus and city.  Here is a useful website to find information about what you can do in Vancouver http://vancouver.ca/visitors.htm.

Please contact International Services for Students <exchange@sfu.ca> if you plan to arrive after classes begin. If you have confirmed on-campus housing, please also contact Residence and Housing housing@sfu.ca. It is recommended that you arrive no later than the first week of classes. If you arrive later than this you will have missed lectures for your classes and it will be difficult to catch up. If you still plan to arrive late please contact your instructors directly to determine any missed readings, assignments, and lecture notes.

Yes, you are required to have proper health insurance. You must ensure that you have coverage for your entire stay in Canada. More information can be found on our website at

Insurance

To ensure a smooth start to your exchange or study abroad term, we strongly recommend that you register for the appropriate orientation sessions. If you have an assigned room in university residences, please register for Residence Orientation. This allows you to move in on the first day of residence orientation and to participate in fun and informative activities to help you settle in comfortably.  All students should register for Campus Orientation including the Exchange/Study Abroad Orientation Session. To register online, visit this website http://www.sfu.ca/studentlife/orientation/.

Most exchange students are exempt from tuition and related student fees, but must pay residence fees, books, supplies, health insurance and the U-Pass.  Study Abroad students, and fee-paying exchange students, are required to pay tuition, related student fees, residence fees, books, supplies, health insurance and the U-Pass.  You can pay your SFU charges by cash, cheque, and debit card (Canadian bank account), at the Registrar and Information Services - General Enquiries counter on any of the three campuses.

• Burnaby campus, Registrar and Information Services - General Enquiries counter, MBC 3000, Monday –Thursday, 9:00 – 18:00, Friday 10:00 - 16:30
• SFU Surrey, Registrar and Information Services, Mezzanine Level, 13450-102 Avenue, Surrey, Monday – Friday 09:00 – 16:30, Phone 778.782.7400
• SFU Vancouver,Registrar and Information Services, 515 West Hastings Street, Vancouver. Monday – Thursday, 10:00 – 19:00 and Friday 10:00 – 17:00

The SFU Global Partnering System (GPS) is a student volunteer program, which matches new exchange and study abroad students with SFU students who have recently returned from an exchange or field school. Newly admitted exchange and study abroad students will receive an email with more details approximately 2 months prior to the start of your exchange/study abroad term.

Course textbooks can be purchased through the SFU Bookstore located in all three campuses (Burnaby, Surrey, Vancouver). They can also be purchased online. For supplies, there are several shopping centres in Burnaby within commuting distance by public transit (use your Upass):

• Metropolis Metrotown: http://metropolis.shopping.ca/
• Lougheed Mall Town Centre: http://www.lougheedmall.com/
• Brentwood Town Centre: http://www.brentwoodmall.com/

SFU is committed to the full participation of students with disabilities in all aspects of academic life. If you are a new student or prospective student, we recommended that you meet with a CSD Learning Specialist as soon as possible to discuss your disability needs. The Centre for Students with Disabilities (CSD) can provide information to help inform your decision to attend SFU. If you have just been admitted CSD can introduce you to resources and services around campus, and begin the process of registering you with their office. Even if you are determined not to be eligible for academic accommodations or disability related services, they can direct you to other helpful resources around campus. Please note: This service may have additional costs for non-Canadians. Ask CSD for details. Contact information can be found online at http://students.sfu.ca/disabilityaccess/about/contact.html.