Planning Your Experience

Participating students’ study at host partner universities from one term to one full year. Students earn a transfer credit, are eligible to receive funding, and gain valuable international experience.

University of Toronto, Faculty of Arts and Science courses taught in destinations around the world during the Summer term are designed to enrich students’ academic lives by providing an exciting and educational international experience. Please visit the Summer Abroad website for more details. 

Research placements are available at international partner universities during the summer term where students earn a credit, receive funding, and gain valuable international and research experience

Allows science students to complete a research course at one of several prestigious research facilities located overseas.  Students will collaborate with colleagues from other countries and explore problems of a global nature.

Co-op programs give you on-the-job learning within full-time, salaried work terms in industries, organizations and businesses relevant to your field of study. Students gain unique work experiences with top employers across the globe.

Provides $6000 for senior undergraduate and graduate students, and postdoctoral fellows in Canada to conduct 12-24-week research projects at universities overseas. Students will be working closely with professors at both host university and at UofT to gain valuable experience.

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"Participating in the Research Abroad was a unique experience. I gained value people skills. I learned a lot about cultural diversity and how to communicate professionally with people. Coming back home, I also felt like I was more confident in terms of being myself and living on my own. It allowed me to explore myself and discover what other fields I was interested in, and such discoveries has given me the skills and competencies to be resilient in an ever-changing environment.”

- Helen Ki: Summer Research Exchange Program – University of Hong Kong

Live, work, and study among entrepreneurs in Asia’s hottest innovation ecosystem. This program provides mentorship for aspiring student entrepreneurs by providing them with access to entrepreneurship-focused courses and resources and by facilitating work experiences with start-ups.

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“I spent this summer in Nairobi, Kenya, working to develop a retinoblastoma educational tool for affected families, through the Queen Elizabeth Scholarship (QES) program. Working and living in Kenya for three months has allowed me to grow personally and professionally, all whilst exploring a new city, making new friends, and engaging in thought provoking dialogue. Although challenging at times, this experience has been incredibly eye-opening in regard to how global health issues are tackled, the challenges that are often encountered along the way, and what can be done in response.”

- Ashna Hudani: Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Scholarship Program – Nairobi, Kenya

Supports undergraduate travel for a field course, exchange, summer abroad course, language course, internship, research or community-engaged learning. The fund provides financial assistance to students to undertake a credit-bearing global learning experience. (Up to $2500 per student per award)

Supports students to undertake an experience that contributes to the individual’s academic direction towards research, graduate school, engaging with the academic community, or community-engaged learning. The fund provides financial assistance to students to undertake a non-credit-bearing academic travel experience. (Up to $2500 per student per award)

The IE Awards are assessed based on your financial needs. These awards cannot cover the whole cost of your learning abroad experience but aim to support those in financial need with contribution toward their return flight and some living costs (where applicable). Please remember to budget carefully and plan in advance to make the most of your experience! IE awards are calculated based on your final destination, the duration of your stay, an average return airfare, and the difference in the cost of living between your destination and Toronto (where applicable). Please note that CIE is able to grant only one award per student and per year, with a maximum of $8000 over two years.

Students who decide to go on a learning abroad activity, such as research, courses, or professional experience, organized or coordinated by any division at UofT, will be able to be considered to receive an IE Award+. These awards are based on financial needs and adhere to the same conditions as the International Experience (IE) Awards. Please note that the IE Awards+ are not intended to cover program or tuition fees. Please note that CIE is able to grant only one award per student and per year, with a maximum of $8000 over two years.

Successful applicants under the Summer Research Program will receive funding to cover basic costs at the host institution. Funding is guaranteed for all students going under this program (up to $3000). When applying for SREP, applicants can opt to apply for an IE Award as well. If your application is successful, the IE will complement the fixed SREP award. Please note that CIE is able to grant only one award per student and per year, with a maximum of $8000 over two years.

All course and other fees for the Summer Abroad programs are subject to Governing Council approval. A detailed breakdown of these fees is available in each program section of this site. The incidental fees charged for participating in a Summer Abroad program will be charged to each student’s ACORN account (not the Professional and International Programs office). To review your fees invoice, log into your ACORN account and click on “Financial Accounts”. The fee amount will vary according to each student’s enrolment status. For more information on bursaries available for each program, please visit https://summerabroad.utoronto.ca/costs/