CANADA - ISEP Laurentian University

To be eligible to participate in this program, students must meet the following requirements:

• Good academic and judicial standing during time of application AND time of participation in program
• Undergraduates must have completed at least two semesters of study at Lake Forest College AND have junior status or higher before participation. 
• At least 18 years of age by the program’s departure date. 
• Be able to stay at the host program for the duration of the semester, including through the exam and travel periods
• Minimum GPA of 2.75.  

Bordered by five fresh-water lakes and 35kms of nature trails, Laurentian University’s natural setting is unmatched. The City of Greater Sudbury offers students urban amenities, accessible outdoor recreation, and a friendly atmosphere. It has small-town flavor with a big-city appeal, making it a great city in which to live and study.

Laurentian University has evolved over the past 40 years from a small liberal arts college to a multi-faculty university. Faculty and students maintain close relationships in a classroom environment that emphasizes individual attention. 

Recommended for ISEP students, in addition to the bilingual study, are courses in Canadian studies, French-Canadian literature, folklore, and Native studies. The Native studies program examines the history and culture of the Indian peoples of Canada from pre-Columbian times to present-day and offers instruction in the Cree and Ojibwa languages. 

COURSEWORK

Laurentian is officially a bilingual institution, one of three such institutions in Ontario. Twenty percent of the student population is Francophone. Many subjects in the arts and some in the sciences and professional schools offer instruction in both English and French. 

All applicants can search for courses on the Laurentian WebAdvisor. Under the student’s section, choose Search for Sections, then select the term and subject area. Click on the course title for more details.

The Canadian education system is marked by progressive evaluation. That means that your final grade is not based solely on one major exam or paper at the end of the semester but on an accumulation of grades for periodic (usually smaller) assignments given throughout the semester in combination with one or two larger assignments given halfway through the semester or at the very end. This system also allows you to track your own academic progress throughout the semester. However, you must complete all the assignments (not just the final exam) to achieve a high grade in the end. Consult your course syllabus, which your professor will provide on the first day of class, to determine what percentage each assignment is worth.

Professors present core material during class in the format of lectures or discussions and attendance is mandatory. All students should be present and punctual for class, as their attendance record may actually affect their final grade. Furthermore, Canadian students are expected to take an active role in their own learning: this includes taking notes on the lecture material, joining in the discussion or asking questions during class, making appointments to meet with professors outside class if additional help is needed for any of the material, etc. Your level of participation in class shows evidence you have done the outside reading or assignments, and may therefore also affect your final grade.

In many countries, the academic term beginning in January is termed as the Spring semester, while Canadians refer to it as Winter term.

A full load for a typical Canadian student is 5 courses per term, although if exchange students wish to take only four courses per term, it is sometimes permitted. Each of these courses generally equates to a 3 credit course in the U.S. system. Lake Forest students need to take 15 credits to earn 4 Lake Forest credits.

Some Canadian courses are two terms long and therefore worth double the credit-weight of a semester course. Students may take a combination of one-term and two-term courses which balance out to five courses per term. Exchange students staying in Canada only one semester are obviously not eligible to enroll in the two-term courses.

A (100 – 80%)
B (79 – 70 %)
C (69 – 60%)
D (59 – 50%)
F (49 – 40%)

If a Canadian letter grade is at the higher or lower end of its corresponding percentage range, it may be specified with a “+” or “-”; for example, a percentage of 80 – 84 % is probably considered an A-.

Please review the ISEP country handbook for more information on the education system, grades, class hours, and classroom etiquette.

Laurentian University offers an orientation program for all international students, which usually takes place one week prior to the start of classes in September. Students arriving in January (for the second semester study period) are given a one-day orientation.

Life at Laurentian University is more than classes and exams. It’s about meeting new people, forming new friendships and discovering who you are. There are many social activities to engage in, groups to join and teams to support. To name a few there are the International Student Activities Program (ISAP), Peer Connections and Cultural Connections. ISAP is always planning new and fun social outings in and around town as well as to the other cities of Interest. International Peer Connections is a program where past students will meet with new students to share experiences about program specific information. Cultural Connections is a new program that joins Canadian students with new international students to offer a 2-way cultural exchange.

ISEP Exchange students receive full tuition, room, and meals included in the ISEP benefits. Students are housed in single-occupancy rooms with a shared kitchen and washroom in a university residence hall. ISEP Exchange students receive a combination of a meal plan to be used at the on-campus cafeteria as well as a stipend. 

For all approved programs for guaranteed financial aid transferability, students pay their Lake Forest College tuition plus a program fee. The program fee for a semester with the ISEP Exchange to Laurentian University includes orientation, on-site director, college fees, housing, and the equivalent of 19/meals per week. 

Here is an estimated budget for the Fall 2018/Spring 2019 programs:

Tuition rates and program fees are subject to change each year, but this information was up-to-date as of February 2018. We will notify applicants, and update this page if the program fee or other estimates change.

You can discuss with Financial Aid your specific aid package and your expected family contribution.

Keep in mind that you may spend more or less in certain areas like personal expenses, travel, meals, or airfare, depending on exchange rates and your own spending habits. Classroom or lab fees are not included in this estimate and will depend on your course registration choices.  

Don’t forget to apply for scholarships! A great listing can be found here.