Details

• Canada
• MAEXINT-24
• Graduate
• WS 2025
• Time spent at the partner university: 4 months

1. Preparation

If someone else from WU is doing a semester abroad there as well be sure to connect, it helps a lot. Furthermore, read through the factsheet provided by ULaval that is available through the WU partner university map. Additionally, be sure to carefully read through all the emails sent by the university. Also, I would suggest registering for the Welcome Days organized by the FSA (Business Administration) Faculty. It's a great introduction and a perfect chance to meet people there.

2. Accommodation

I applied for the university residences. You will receive an email with a link, where you can apply - if you are interested, be sure to register as soon as possible as it is first come first serve. I have no experience with off-campus housing, but it is generally more expensive. In my opinion the two major advantages living at the university residences are the cheap rent (427 CAD) and the close proximity to the university campus. I was situated in the Pavilion Alphonse-Marie-Parent, the biggest one, where I think around 900 students are living. However, there are smaller ones as well. You will be sharing a bathroom (two toilets and two showers) with around 20 other people on your floor - they are being cleaned every day. There is also a huge shared kitchen, that is shared among all the students in your building. Be aware that you have to bring or buy your own kitchen utensils. The same applies for your bedsheets, blankets and towels. The residences offer a bedding package containing the just mentioned items (you will receive blankets not a duvet) - it’s convenient to buy it there but maybe a bit pricey for what is offered (120 CAD). You can also rent things like fridges, microwaves, electronic kettles etc. for your room. On the ULaval residence website you can find more detailed information. Regarding the rooms themselves, they are not very modern and unfortunately also often not perfectly clean. Furthermore, the rooms are not very soundproof, you will hear everything happening in the hallway.

3. Academic life at host university

Compared to my experiences at WU, you will have way more assignments at ULaval. While each of those assignments might not be as difficult or time intensive, the amount of assignments adds up and therefore the time needed to finish them. Many courses will have weekly forum posts or weekly quizzes, one or two term papers with presentations, and one or two exams (one final and/or one midterm) - be mindful, exam week can get busy. Be sure to read through the course syllabi to find the best mix of courses that suits you and your interests. To conclude, in my opinion from a difficulty perspective single assignments might be easier than at WU, however the overall workload is higher (especially when doing 5 courses) at ULaval.

5. Every day life in the host country

Especially at the beginning of the semester there will be a lot of events organized by the BVE (Bureau de la vie étudiante), such as playing football, hiking, canoe tours etc. It's a great opportunity to meet people there, e.g. after attending the BVE organized football game I met a few people with whom I then played football regularly. In general, the sports facilities are exceptional at ULaval - they have great indoor (basketball, volleyball, running track, swimming pool, gym etc.) and outdoor facilities (mainly football pitches). You can use everything free of charge, except the gym and the indoor TELUS-stadium. There is also a student association called Globe FSA, which organizes some events that are worth attending in my opinion. The American football games played by the university team are also great events (tailgating beforehand and the game itself), even if you are not particularly fond of American football - it's a great overall experience. If you are a lot into clubbing, I heard there is not a big clubbing scene per se, but there are some opportunities to go out near the university or maybe in town as well - there is also a university pub. The university is located around 30 mins outside the city center by bus. You can buy a city bus pass for around 150 CAD (for the whole semester), however if you do not take the bus frequently I think it's not worth it financially. A one way trip normally costs 3.7 CAD. It's definitely worth visiting the city.

6. Testimonial

Overall it was a great experience, even though sometimes stressful. You will get to know many people from all over the world and hopefully make long lasting friendships. You will make great memories when exploring the beautiful nature, Quebec City and other cities such as Montreal, if possible (I did not include that in my budget outlined before).