Life at ECU | Student Services

Student Exchanges

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Life at ECU | Student Services

Student Exchanges

Incoming Students Exchanges

Each year, Emily Carr University welcomes exchange students from our partner institutions around the world. As an incoming exchange student, you’ll spend one semester at ECU during the third year of your degree (or the year before your final year), immersed in new creative experiences, courses and community.

Eligibility

A student smiles while looking through the viewfinder of a camera. The student has blond hair and is pointing the camera off to the side.

How to Apply

Your school’s Exchange Coordinator must nominate you before you apply. Once nominated, complete the following steps:

Submitting your Portfolio

Association of Independent Colleges of Art and Design  (AICAD)
Students applying from an AICAD partner (includes art and design colleges and universities in Canada and the US) should follow AICAD instructions and submit portfolios through the AICAD SlideRoom portal.

Other students should submit their portfolios through ECU’s SlideRoom

  • Look for “INCOMING EXCHANGE FALL 2025”
  • Pay the $12 USD SlideRoom submission fee

In SlideRoom, upload:

  • A 300-word statement of intent
  • A portfolio of 10–15 works
  • A nomination letter from your Exchange Coordinator
  • Your preferred course selections (up to 15 ECU credits)
Key Dates + Deadlines

Fall Semester (September–December)

  • Nomination deadline: March 5
  • Application form deadline: March 15
  • SlideRoom open: February 15 – March 15

Spring Semester (January–April)

  • Nomination deadline: October 1
  • Application form deadline: October 10
  • SlideRoom open: September 15 – October 10

Admission decisions are typically shared by email 2–4 weeks after the SlideRoom deadline.

Academic Terms at Emily Carr University

  • Fall Term: early September to late December
  • Spring Term: early January to late April
Student Exchange Program Policies
  • Language proficiency requirements of each institution are generally waived for exchange students, although it is important to caution applicants that the language of instruction at Emily Carr is English.
  • The International or Exchange Office or the Mobility Coordinator at your home institution must nominate you. Only students nominated by officials at a student’s home institution are considered.
  • Students elected for exchange continue to pay tuition to their home institution. No tuition is collected by the hosting institution. However, any studio or material fees incurred through class registration such as art supplies fees or film developing fees are the responsibility of the student.
  • All students are required to pay some student fees, (which includes a semester long Universal Transit Pass Fee) of approx. $570.
  • Students must apply to and receive approval from the appropriate government agency for any necessary student visas and immigration documents to enter the province/state and country of the host institution. Please refer to cic.gc.ca for the most current information.
  • You must obtain and maintain adequate health insurance for the duration of the exchange. You must make your own arrangements for insurance prior to leaving your home institution.
  • You are responsible for finding your own housing for the period of your stay, although assistance with locating housing is provided whenever possible.
  • Although every attempt is made to place each student recommended for exchange, due to space or equipment limitations it may be impossible to accommodate a request for a particular discipline in a given semester.
  • Because of the quickly changing landscape regarding the COVID-19 global pandemic, or other world events it is possible that the program could be suspended at any time.