Your stay at Université Laval : a glossary
Below is a list of key words for your stay at Université Laval and an overview of the services that will be available to you during your stay.
Université Laval in a nutshell
The Université Laval campus offers an outstanding and safe study and living environment. For more information
Quebec City is steeped in history and European charm. Situated along the St. Lawrence River, it is recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage City. For more information
As the first French-language university in North America, Université Laval offers a majority of courses in French.
Non-French-speaking students can take French as a Second Language (FSL) courses at Université Laval’s École de langues during the summer term preceding their exchange or during the fall or winter terms. There are language support fees for these courses.
Calendar and organization of the academic year
Université Laval’s academic calendar is available here.
The academic year consists of 3 terms, usually 15 weeks each.
Fall term: September through December
Winter term: January through April
Summer term: May through August
Reading week is a week when classes are suspended to allow students to progress with their reading and academic work. The fall and winter terms each have 1 reading week.
The dates for reading weeks are shown in the academic calendar.
A week at the end of each term reserved for exams that cannot be completed at the regular time schedules and locations.
The dates for the exam week are shown in the academic calendar.
Please make sure to book a return flight that leaves room for all your exams.
Applying for a student exchange
The form is sent by the International Office to students selected by their university.
Your application file consists of the MoveON online form that you will receive after your nomination. You must attach the following documents to the form:
- all your academic transcripts
- a cover letter (general agreement and BCI)
- a letter of recommendation (BCI)
- your French test results, if required
A letter (1 or 2 pages in English or French) in which you must express your interest in the program of studies you have selected.
The duration of the exchange can be one or two terms. The duration must be the one authorized by your university. No extensions are possible.
To be reviewed and signed by the host faculty once registration to your selected courses is complete. The address to which you must send your study contract is included in the email confirming your admission.
Before your departure
An admission document sent by email by the International Office to candidates whose application has been accepted.
After receiving your admission letter, you will receive a second email entitled Your ULaval login info. It contains the information you will need to log in to monPortail, Université Laval’s digital learning environment:
- your identification number (NI)
- your Université Laval login ID (IDUL)
- your Université Laval email address.
If you are not a Canadian citizen, you must complete some immigration formalities before coming to study at Université Laval. For more information
Coverage under Université Laval’s group health and hospitalization insurance plan is mandatory unless your country of citizenship has signed a reciprocal social security agreement with Quebec. If your country has such an agreement, there are certain things you need to do before leaving your country. For more information, visit our webpage on the health and hospitalization insurance plan.
If you do not qualify for an exemption, no action is required on your part to register for Université Laval’s insurance plan. You will be automatically covered and you will receive an invoice at the beginning of the term.
The Bureau de la vie étudiante provides you with the International Student’s Handbook. This guide is full of information and tips to help you adapt to your new environment.
Have a look at the reports of international students who have carried out a stay at Université Laval and read their testimonials to learn more about their experience and life in Quebec City.
At least one to two weeks before classes begin.
Registration and course selection
Registration for courses is done by the host faculty. Exchange students cannot self-register via monPortail.
Teaching formats may vary and include lectures, seminars, presentations, teamwork and written exams.
A course that you must have completed successfully before enrolling in another course.
You must be registered for a minimum of 12 ULaval credits or a maximum of 15 ULaval credits per term.
1 credit corresponds to approximately 45 hours of work. Work hours can take the form of individual study, class attendance or participation in a lab, workshop or internship.
European universities generally recognize that 1 ULaval credit corresponds to 2 ECTS.
Most courses are 3 credits, but some may be 2 or 4 credits. See the official course descriptions for the number of credits awarded for each course.
|
Pass |
A+ = 4,33 |
A = 4,00 |
A- = 3,67 |
|
|
B+ = 3,33 |
B = 3,00 |
B- = 2,67 |
|
|
C+ = 2,33 |
C = 2,00 |
C- = 1,67(*) |
|
|
D+ = 1,33(*) |
D = 1,00(*) |
|
|
Fail |
E = 0 |
|
|
(*) Grades C-, D+ and D apply only to credited undergraduate activities. They cannot be awarded for graduate-level activities. In this case, the passing grade is C.
MonPortail is a digital learning environment that provides centralized access to course sites, your grades, and communication tools for interaction with professors and other students. With a personalized interface optimized for mobile devices, it also provides services and information pertaining to your academic career.
Costs and financial support
To help you plan your stay at Université Laval, here are a few tools to assess how much your trip will cost.
For more information on the possibility of working during your stay, see our Working during your studies webpage.
Upon arrival and during your stay
Some of our faculties hold a welcome day the week before the term begins. We strongly recommend that you attend.
When you arrive in Canada, you must submit as soon as possible all documents attesting to your legal status to the Registrar’s Office by following this procedure.
You will receive a confirmation email once your documents have been reviewed.
This procedure is mandatory. Students who do not provide all required documents will be disenrolled.
Essential information about your new university, how it works and the various services available to you. For more information
Coverage under Université Laval’s group health and hospitalization insurance plan is mandatory unless your country of citizenship has signed a reciprocal social security agreement with Quebec. If your country has such an agreement, there are certain things you need to do before leaving your country. For more information, visit our webpage on the health and hospitalization insurance plan.
If you do not qualify for an exemption, no action is required on your part to register for Université Laval’s insurance plan. You will be automatically covered and you will receive an invoice at the beginning of the term.
This virtual card allows you to access on-campus services such as the library and the PEPS (sports complex). For more information
Attendance certificates and scholarship forms that do not require proof of enrolment may be completed at the host faculty.
You can request an official enrolment certificate via monPortail and obtain a digital copy immediately.
However, if you need an individualized enrolment certificate (i.e., to have a specific form completed for your home institution or an organization), you must file a request with the Registrar’s Office and allow 5 business days for the document to be prepared.
In both cases, fees apply.
The Laissez-passer universitaire–LPU (U-pass) is a public transit pass available only to full-time students at Université Laval (12 credits or more). It offers unlimited access to the regular services of the Réseau de transport de la Capitale (RTC) and the Société de transport de Lévis (STLévis) for the fall and winter terms.
• Fall term: valid from September 1 to December 31
• Winter term: valid from January 1 to April 30
Exchange students do not automatically receive the pass, but can request it using the certificate of enrolment that they receive at their ulaval.ca email address a few days after their registration. Bring your certificate of enrolment to one of the RTC’s service centres or to STLévis’s administrative centre. A membership fee applies.
If you cannot take your exams for medical reasons, be sure to obtain a doctor’s note justifying your absence.
On-campus services
Contact the Centre d’aide aux étudiants to learn more about the services offered to disabled persons.
The Student Buddy Program helps international students settle in and adapt to their new environment at Université Laval. For more information
A limited number of rooms in Université Laval’s residences are reserved for exchange students. Selected students will receive a specific exchange student reservation form with their admission letter.
Note that the rental period is 8 months and students who come for one term only will have to terminate their rental agreement, as provided for in their contract. The additional costs specified in the rental agreement are to be expected in such cases.
Learn about Quebec and Quebec culture with students from abroad and from Quebec by participating in the Discover Quebec activity program. There is a registration fee for these off-campus activities (transportation to and from Université Laval included). For more information
After your stay at Université Laval
Your original transcript will be sent to you free of charge to the mailing address provided on CAPSULE—our web-based student self-service.
Please note that your transcript will not be sent to you if you have any outstanding balances on file.
To have an official transcript sent directly to your home university, you must follow this procedure.
For more information, please read the section Working or doing an internship in Canada after your student exchange program.
Interested in continuing your academic career at Université Laval? Check out our graduate programs and research projects (often with research scholarships), or contact our information team at the Future Student Welcome Centre.