Visiting Global ME Students (Non-Partners)

Welcome!

Lakehead Group PicLakehead University welcomes students from non-partner institutions to study with us.

During your time in Canada, the Global Engagement & Mobility team is here to ensure you have a safe, successful, and supported time at Lakehead University. Please review the information below that will outline key information to help you prepare for your upcoming exchange. All nominated students will be provided with a Welcome Package in the months prior to their arrival outlining several important steps they should complete (i.e. Residence application, course registration, Orientation, and more). If you have any questions regarding your upcoming mobility experience at Lakehead University, do not hesitate to book an appointment or reach out to the Global Mobility Programs Coordinator at globalme@lakeheadu.ca for support.

How to Apply

Nomination & Application Process

In order to study abroad at Lakehead University, you must first be nominated by your home institution. The mobility program coordinator at your home institution must contact globalme@lakehead.ca  to have access to the nomination form and complete the nomination process. NOTE: Inbound students wanting to take courses at the Masters or PHD level must first reach out to globalme@lakehead.ca to discuss eligibility first.

Undergraduate Students:
Shortly after being nominated, you will receive an email containing instructions on how to complete the web-based application form through our OUAC online system. When submitting the OUAC application form, you must upload the required supporting documents:

  • English Proficiency Attestation Letter
  • Academic Transcripts (digital copy)

Graduate Students: 
Inbound students who have been previously approved to take courses at the Masters or PHD level must complete and submit the Study Abroad Application Form for Graduate Students to globalme@lakeheadu.ca. Along with these forms, you must also submit two supporting documents to globalme@lakeheadu.ca:

  • English Proficiency Attestation Letter
  • Academic Transcripts (digital copy)

Nomination & Application Deadlines
Fall Semester (September - December)
Nomination Deadline: April 30th
Application Deadline: May 15th

Winter Semester (January - April)
Nomination Deadline: October 15th
Application Deadline: October 31st

If you have any questions regarding the application process, please reach out to globalme@lakeheadu.ca for support. 

Course Offerings for Visiting Global ME Students

Lakehead University is a comprehensive institution with over 57 academic fields of study to explore. For a complete list of academic programs and courses offered at Lakehead University, please visit the Academic Calendar. You can also view a current list of course offerings on the Course Timetables. The academic course offerings for each year will typically be released in June before the Fall semester begins.

NOTE: Restricted programs for inbound exchange students include: Nursing, Law, and most Social Work and Education courses. Students that wish to take courses at the Master's/Graduate level must receive special approval before applying - please e-mail globalme@lakeheadu.ca for more information.

After being accepted by Lakehead University, students will be guided on how to register for courses. Students wishing to take upper-level year courses will be instructed how to request special permission to register and must demonstrate that they meet the required pre-requisite knowledge to join the course(s). Inbound students are welcome to take courses in multiple academic disciplines. 

Student Fees

Students coming from non-partner institutions will be required to pay international tuition fees. For more information, please contact the Coordinator, Global Mobility Programs at globalme@lakeheadu.ca. In addition to tuition, inbound students will be required to pay the following fees:

  • Residence fees vary depending on the choice of residence - please refer to the Residence website for more information about accommodation types and relevant fees. (Please note that inbound exchange students to Thunder Bay will typically stay in the Apartment and Townhouse accommodations, in which a meal plan is not required.)
  • Ancillary fees vary depending on a student's study duration and program and are approximately $65.00-$85.00 per academic course. (NOTE: Students coming to Lakehead on the National Student Exchange (NSE) program will not be required to pay ancillary fees.)
  • Guard.Me health insurance is required for every exchange student studying at Lakehead University at the rate of $1.95 per day. All inbound exchange students will be automatically enrolled in the Guard.Me health insurance plan.

For any questions regarding student fees or instructions on how to make a payment, please refer to this website or reach out to Christopher Gallinger (International Accounts Officer) at clgallin@lakeheadu.ca.

Mandatory Health Insurance

Every inbound exchange student will be automatically enrolled in the Guard.Me health insurance plan. The plan costs $1.95 CAD per day, and the charge for Guard.Me insurance will be placed on your student account. Students will receive their insurance card via email once the term has begun. Exchange students will be enrolled in Guard.Me for one or two terms depending on how long they will be studying at Lakehead.

Please note that even if you are insured in your own country, you still must be enrolled in the mandatory Guard.Me health insurance plan.  Do not purchase extra coverage in your own country unless you plan to travel outside Canada as Guard.Me does not cover you outside Canada. The Guard.Me website gives more information about the policy.

If you have any further questions or concerns regarding Guard.Me please contact Christopher Gallinger (International Accounts Officer) at clgallin@lakeheadu.ca.

Student Accommodations

Inbound students are strongly encouraged to live in one of our on-campus Residence accommodations. On-campus Residence is offered at both the Thunder Bay and Orillia campuses. Living in Residence is a great opportunity to connect with other Lakehead students, experience life on a Canadian campus, and engage in many social activities and excursions. 

THUNDER BAY RESIDENCE

Inbound exchange students to the Thunder Bay campus are strongly encouraged to stay in Townhouse/Apartment-style accommodations. Students are not required to purchase the mandatory meal plan in Townhouse/Apartment accommodations as they have access to a full kitchen. 

ORILLIA RESIDENCE 

Orillia has one style of Residence in which each student will have their own single room with a shared bathroom with only one other person. Each floor houses 40 single rooms, a laundry facility, kitchenette, and quiet study room. 

Orientation & Arrivals

Inbound students are invited to attend our International Student Orientation event which takes place before the beginning of each term. We are also happy to provide inbound Global ME students with a free taxi voucher so they can arrange transportation from the airport to their Residence. We encourage students to refer to the Academic Calendar for detailed information about semester dates.

For more information about Orientation & Arrival support, please refer to the "Before You Travel" section of the International Student Services webpage.

Immigration Matters

Depending on your country of citizenship, you may be required to apply for a Study Permit or Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) to enter Canada. Please refer to the International Student Services Immigration Website for resources and more information.

Global ME Crew

Every semester, inbound Global ME students will be invited to join the Global ME Crew. Global ME Crew is a student-led club that supports and orients new international exchange students to Lakehead University's campus. Throughout the semester, the Global ME Crew will participate in different events and social activities and have the opportunity to showcase their home country and university at the Global ME Study Abroad Fair. Students will be contacted in the weeks prior to their arrival to campus with information on how to register for this club.

NOTE: Global ME Crew is currently only available at the Thunder Bay campus. For students attending the Orillia campus, we encourage you to register for the Peer Mentor Program. 

If you have any questions, please reach out to globalmecrew@lakeheadu.ca for more information.

Completing Documents for Your Home Institution

In the event that your home institution requires you to complete certain documents either before your exchange begins or after you arrive to Lakehead University, please reach out to the Global Mobility Programs Coordinator, at globalme@lakeheadu.ca to complete any required forms. If you need to have your document physically signed and/or stamped, reach out to book an in-person appointment to complete this process.

There are two types of documents that we commonly see:

  1. Learning Agreement: This document typically contains a list of courses that you are registered to take during your exchange at Lakehead University.
  2. Confirmation of Arrival/Departure: This document is typically used to verify that you have arrived on campus, or departed campus by a specific date.