St. Edward's University
Austin, Texas, United States

Capitol - Made of pink granite quarried outside nearby Marble Falls, the Capitol dome is the second-largest in the country. But it’s what happens under that dome that shapes life for Texas’ 28 million people. Take a tour, join a rally for the cause of your choice on the south steps or get involved during Texas’ every-other-year legislative session. If you’re interested in political science, among other relevant majors, it’s a great place to intern. (But anyone can have an impact by signing in for a bill you support or stopping by representatives’ offices to make your case.) 

Zilker Park - A 351-acre gem in the middle of town, Zilker is Austin’s Central Park. Home to the iconic music festival Austin City Limits, Barton Springs pool, sand volleyball, canoe rentals and an entrance to the hike-and-bike trail. Its magical great lawn is perfect for dogs, picnics with friends and everything you need for stress relief against the backdrop of Austin’s gorgeous and ever-changing skyline. 

Lady Bird Lake - Get a different view of Austin by renting a kayak on Lady Bird Lake! Enjoy the lush green hills as you paddle upstream. Once you hit Red Bud Isle, try to spot all the cute pups on the island's dog park! If you crave a more urban view, cruise through the heart of downtown, checking out one of Austin’s most popular lakeside parks, Vic Mathias Auditorium Shores. Life on land more your thing? Take a stroll through the new boardwalk trail that lets runners and walkers go over a portion of the lake. 

Pfluger Pedestrian Bridge - This bridge is like an outdoor living room in the middle of the city. Yes, it can get you from one side of the river to the other (if, for example, you’re heading from the Seaholm District to Barton Springs) and help you complete the 3-mile hike-and-bike trail loop between Mopac and Pfluger. But it’s also a prime spot to people watch, take photos with downtown as a backdrop (hopefully the train runs by for the perfect shot), listen to a random musician play guitar for tips, or, on a cooler day, sit and read.

Austin Murals - The quintessential Instagram and TikTok spot, this mural captures iconic scenes like the State Capitol, the Barton Springs diving board, and the Congress Avenue bridge. Take your photo in front of the mural for a digital postcard you can treasure forever. Then grab some good food from the plethora of options on South First Street. 

Barton Springs - This natural spring-fed pool measures three acres in size! That’s plenty of room to enjoy yourself alone or with a group of friends. All year long Barton Springs stays a cool 68-70 degrees. Beautiful grassy areas encapsulate the pool if you just want to take a blanket and some snacks to hang out. Be sure to enjoy a lovely Austin sunset on these grounds. 

Bat Watching - If you’re not convinced that seeing a giant cloud of bats fly by your face is awesome, you have to try it. Free, unique and mosquito-killing, the nightly flight of 1.5 million bats who live in the crevasses of the Congress Avenue bridge is a must-see. As the city’s unofficial mascot, you’ll also see art with bats and references to Bat City around town. 

Tip: Park your kayak near Congress Avenue bridge for a prime spectator spot to watch the bats. 

Music Venues - Exploring live music has never been so easy! Austin is the Live Music Capital of the World, an identity that seeps through to every part of the city. You’ll never know if a beloved artist is stopping by soon! We’ve compiled a shortlist to get you started: 

• ACL Live at the Moody Theater 
• Waller Creek Amphitheater at Stubb’s 
• Antone’s 
• Emo’s 
• Moody Amphitheater at Waterloo Park 

Ballet East Dance Company

Urban Cultural Fest

Cosmic Coffee - Our Hilltoppers love Cosmic Coffee. It’s outside. It has coffee. It has amazing food truck options and is only a short walk from campus. Equipped with big chairs and shade, you can spend time however you want. It often has live music, markets and trivia nights. Cosmic is also a dog-friendly space! Take your dog there (or pet someone else’s dog). 

Amy’s Ice Creams - Amy’s Ice Creams is an iconic gem that is local to Austin. There are over 300 flavors in rotation at each location. Grab a cup, a cone, a pint, or even a cake! The South Congress location is not far from campus, and once you pick up your treat, you can explore the shops and murals up and down the hill. 

Fareground Austin

For hockey fans, our downtown location is beside the Tribute Communities Centre, the home arena for the Oshawa Generals. Even for those who aren't fans, it can be a fun night out—inside there is a restaurant that sells delicious food, so you can get something to eat while watching the game!  

Toronto - The capital of Ontario is Canada’s largest city and a world leader in such areas as business, finance, technology, entertainment and culture. Its large population of immigrants from all over the globe has also made Toronto one of the most multicultural cities in the world. Toronto is about an hour by train from the Oshawa GO station.

• Check out the Festivals & Events Calendar 
• Check out Toronto's sports teams
• Toronto's top sights: CN Tower, Royal Ontario Museum, Casa Loma, Ripley's Aquarium of Canada, St. Lawrence Market, Hockey Hall of Fame

Ski Hills - Dagmar Ski Resort, Ski Lakeridge, Brimacombe

Ottawa - The capital of Canada is in the east of southern Ontario, near the Quebec and U.S. borders. Declared the country's capital in 1857 by Queen Victoria, Ottawa's broad avenues and historic buildings make it fun to explore on foot.

• Ottawa's top sights: Parliament Hill & Parliament Buildings, Canadian War Museum, National Gallery of Canada, Rideau Canal, The National War Memorial

Niagara Falls & Niagara-on-the-Lake

Canada's Wonderland - Canada's amusement park is a 134-hectare amusement park located in Vaughan, Ontario.

Montreal, Quebec - About a 45 min train ride from Oshawa is the city of Montreal, Quebec, Canada's second most populous city. Founded in 1642, it is named after Mount Royal, the triple-peaked hill around which the early city of Ville-Marie was built. The official language of the city - and the province of Quebec - is French, and the city city hosts major sporting, comedy, and cultural events throughout the year. It is also home to the Montreal Canadiens hockey team.

New York City, Buffalo, & the United States - North-eastern and Eastern U.S. cities are accessible via train, bus, or plane.

Campus Recreation Centre (CRC) memberships are available for exchange students at no additional charge.  

U-Pass: All full-time students at Ontario Tech University receive a Universal Transit Pass (U-Pass), which provides you with unlimited access to Durham Region Transit during the academic year. The cost for the U-Pass is included in your full-time student fees. 

Join an intramural team: This is a fun way to make friends while getting plenty of exercise! Come out every week and play your favourite sport, meet new people and get active. Find the list of available sports through the Campus Recreation and Wellness Centre. 

Join an extramural team: Extramural sports are a bit more competitive in nature, but aren't as competitive as varsity sports. You will need to try out for the teams and you will compete against students from other universities. Sports range from hockey and flag football, to badminton and basketball. (Extramural sports have an additional cost, but it's totally worth it for the new, fun experiences you'll have — and the friends you'll doubtless make along the way.)

Ice skating: Our Campus Ice Centre has student skating for free, from noon to 2 p.m. every weekday. Don't have any skates? No problem! When you present your campus ID card, you can rent a pair of skates for free. 

Students clubs: At Ontario Tech, students are represented by the Ontario Tech Student Union (OTSU). The Student Union is an organization on campus that is dedicated to the enhancement of the student experience. Its mission is carried out by both full-time staff and elected student representatives who support the student experience.

You can always check out a Ridgeback game.

If I wrote the school motto: ‘Better than you think’ 

Best place to live: University Studios 

Best place to study: Campus library 

Best campus events: Campus Cup 

Best cheap lunch: Personal pizza from the cafeteria; just $6 and made to order!  

Best giveaway: The school frequently gives out iPads at campus events 

Best bar for hanging out: St. Louis Bar and Grill 

Best live music venue: There’s no great music near campus, but Simcoe Blues and Jazz is only 10 minutes away by car 

Best place for a nap: Centre for Continuing Education sleep pods 

Best weekend activity: Ontario Tech Ridgebacks athletics 

The thing that surprised me most about the school: How modern the interior designs are 

- Shaun McLeod, 33: Communications and digital media studies

To be accepted to Ontario Tech's exchange program, you must be nominated by one of our partner universities. Please contact your home university for details about the nomination process. Please note:

• The nomination deadline is March 15. Nominations for winter only may be considered later but the recommended deadline remains March 15.
• Inbound Nomination Form to be completed by the partner's International Office representative.
• Course offerings in spring/summer are limited, so an exchange may not be possible.
• Entry to graduate-level courses is restricted. Students wishing to take graduate-level courses will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

English language proficiency

An English language proficiency test is not required. Partner schools must confirm that candidates nominated for exchange meet Ontario Tech's English language proficiency requirements at the time of nomination.

Once you are nominated, please complete the online exchange application. The application deadline is April 15. 

Required documents

Please note that you will be required to upload these documents to submit the online application:

• A copy of your passport
• A current transcript (including courses in progress)

Official letter of acceptance

Undergraduate exchange admissions decisions are normally made in May and June. After we have received and assessed your exchange application, we will send you an official letter of acceptance. You will need this to get a Canadian entry visa/Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) and/or study permit.

Visit our immigration information webpage to learn about the requirements for entry into Canada. 

Before you can register for undergraduate courses, you will need to get approvals from the various Faculties' academic advisors. To help ensure a smooth process, it is important that you read everything in steps three to five carefully.

Quick facts:

• Undergraduate students are not eligible to enroll in graduate courses (course codes beginning with 5+)
• Students can be enrolled in a maximum of five courses per semester
• Not all courses are offered every term: Check the Class Schedule Search for course availability in the term you will be at Ontario Tech
• It takes about 30 minutes (by bus) to travel between the North and Downtown Campuses
• Course descriptions and course codes can be found in the Academic Calendar
• Course registration numbers (CRN) and section numbers can be found using our Class Schedule Search (the term must match your exchange term)
• Some courses have a lecture as well as an associated lab and/or tutorial
• To register in a course with a prerequisite, you must submit the syllabus from a course you have completed at your home institution for an equivalency evaluation

Find courses

You may register for a maximum of five courses per term. However, we recommend taking only three to four courses if your home university will allow. You should apply to take seven courses in case you are unable to take your first choice courses. Course registration is only possible with Faculty approval in courses where space is available. Preference is given to Ontario Tech students requiring the course to graduate in courses with limited space.

Course descriptions can be found in the Academic Calendar. Note the course codes for your study plan.

Check prerequisite courses

If you wish to take a course at Ontario Tech with a pre-requisite, you will need to submit proof of equivalent knowledge from a course(s) at your home institution. Collect course syllabi or course outlines for these courses in English to submit with your study plan.

Note the course codes for Ontario Tech prerequisites for your study plan.

Create your schedule

You can preview available courses any time after June 15 for the following Fall and Winter.

Make sure to review the scheduling information carefully. Choose courses that do not have time conflicts and that are offered in the term when you will be studying at Ontario Tech. Please also note the location of the course. It takes approximately 30 minutes to travel between our North and downtown campuses.

What do the letters mean?

Once you have your course list, fill out a Study Plan for each term that you will be at Ontario Tech. List courses in your order of preference and make sure to clearly indicate prerequisite course information.

 STUDY PLAN FORM

Find the CRNs

Course registration numbers (CRN) can be found in the Class Schedule Search tool.

Submit your study plan

Submit in a single email to internationalexchange@ontariotechu.ca:  

• Your study plan for each term
• Your transcript
• All prerequisite course syllabi

All documents must be submitted in English.

The subject of your email must include your full name, student number and “Study Plan(s).”

Not following these instructions will cause delays in your course registration. Classes can fill quickly, so you are advised to complete this step as early as possible and at least two months prior to your term start date.

Wait for approvals

Once you have submitted your study plan, your academic advisor(s) need to review your documents and add overrides to the registration system which will allow you to enroll yourself into available courses. This process can take several weeks. You will receive an email(s) when your courses are approved.

As you receive approvals, start registering for your courses in MyOntarioTech, Ontario Tech’s student portal.

For courses that have a lecture and an associated lab and/or tutorial, make sure that you are registered in all sections.

If you have any questions about logging in to the portal or have trouble with your log-in/password, please contact the IT Helpdesk at +1.905.721.3333 or by email at servicedesk@dc-uoit.ca.

When you have completed registration for all of your courses in MyOntarioTech, send an email to internationalexchange@ontariotechu.ca to confirm you have completed the process.

Flights

You must be at Ontario Tech from the beginning of MyStart: International, our orientation for international and exchange students, until the end of the exam period. Check the Academic Schedule for important dates. Be sure to plan around the December holiday closure.

Housing

The choice is up to you! See where you will live for information on your options.

Laptops

Ontario Tech provides a technology enriched learning environment. You must have a laptop computer that meets the minimum hardware specifications in the Laptop Standards while you study at Ontario Tech.

Orientation

All exchange students must attend MyStart: International, our orientation program for international and exchange students. You may also register for other optional orientation programs like MyStart: Orientation (for new undergraduate students) or MyStart: Graduate (for new graduate students). Register for each orientation program you will attend.

Events

Bring photos, snacks and little things from home to share with the Ontario Tech community at various events while you are here. All exchange students are encouraged to be exhibitors at two of our big events on campus: the International Exchange Fair (Fall) and Languages of Pangaea (Winter).

As an exchange student, you must pay the following fees each term:

UHIP: The University Health Insurance Plan (UHIP) is a basic emergency health insurance plan similar to the Ontario provincial health insurance (OHIP) that is mandatory for all exchange students. Plan information can be found at uhip.ca. You may want to purchase private health insurance to cover yourself beyond UHIP.

U-Pass: U-Pass is a transportation pass that allows you unlimited access to Durham Region Transit. Current costs can be found on the Ancillary Fees page. 

How do I pay my fees?

Current costs can be found on the Ancillary Fees page for graduate and undergraduate programs. 

The fees you owe are listed on MyOntarioTech. These fees must be paid at the beginning of each term through one of the accepted payment options. Popular options for exchange students are PayMyTuition and Flywire.

Living away from home can be an exciting experience for many students. It’s an opportunity to discover freedom, gain independent living skills and meet new friends.  

Student housing options at Ontario Tech University include: 

• On-campus residences 
• Off-campus housing. 

Explore the links above to see what option is right for you. 

As an exchange student, you will have your tuition waived, but you must pay the following fees to Ontario Tech each term you are here: 

• University Health Insurance Plan (UHIP) 
• U-Pass for local transportation 

Current costs are on the ancillary fees page. You are recommended to pay your fees before or upon arrival. Make sure to factor in the time it takes to process your payment so you do not miss the payment deadline.

Ontario Tech is located in Oshawa, Ontario, about an hour east of Toronto. Our campus is easy to get to from all points in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) and beyond, whether you decide to get here by car or by transit. 

We have two campus locations, one in north Oshawa and another in downtown Oshawa. Travel between the north and downtown locations is an easy 15-minute bus ride or about 10 minutes by car. 

Explore our interactive map to find buildings, residences and parking lots, or map the best route between locations. Select a building to take a look inside. 

Learn how to get here by: 

• car 
• transit 
• train 
• plane 

To learn more about navigating from Pearson International Airport to Ontario Tech, visit the Transportation from the airport page. 

Please note that exchange students are not eligible for the airport pick up program. 

U-Pass 

All full-time students at Ontario Tech University receive a Universal Transit Pass (U-Pass), which provides you with unlimited access to Durham Region Transit during the academic year. 

The cost for the U-Pass is detailed in the 'Fees' tab. 

For more information visit our FAQ page.