Université Laval Travel report spring 2016 239114
Table of contents 1. Preparing for the exchange semester... 3 1.1. Application process... 3 1.2. Housing application... 3 1.3. Learning agreement... 3 1.4. SF/Q4 form from KELA... 4 1.5. Travelling to Québec City... 4 1.6. Possible problems... 5 2. Exchange studies... 5 2.1. Welcome week... 5 2.2. Courses... 5 3. Free time and other information... 7 3.1. Housing... 7 3.2. Cost of living... 8 3.3. Free time... 8 3.4. Travelling during the semester... 9 3.5. Good to know about Québec City... 9 4. Final comments... 10
1. Preparing for the exchange semester Preparing for the exchange semester at the Université Laval is rather easy for Finnish citizens, and the International Students Services of the host university are really helpful with everything. I started preparing for my exchange at the end of September after Université Laval contacted me. 1.1. Application process The International Team of Université Laval contacted me at the end of September for the first time. Usually they contact incoming exchange students earlier but this time they had a slight delay due to some adjustments to their systems. I received an email with instructions for the application process and a link to the actual application form. At this point I was required to submit a motivational letter, an official transcript of records and a proof of language proficiency in case I wanted to study in French. Everything was filled and submitted online which was really convenient. The deadline for the application was on October 15th. I received an admission letter after Université Laval had processed my application. This took approximately two weeks. 1.2. Housing application The email also had a fact sheet attached. This fact sheet included useful information about the studies and most importantly a link to the housing website. Usually during the spring there are more rooms available but I recommend submitting the housing application as soon as possible. I received a room confirmation at the end of October. The housing website had links for the applications both in French and English. The application had to be filled and signed and it was also required to attach a passport photo to the application. In order to confirm my room I had to pay the rent for the first month in advance. I did that by providing my credit card details but nowadays the rent has to be paid by a bank transfer. The application can be sent to the housing services (Service des residences, SRES) either by mail or email. The housing services are also really helpful if you have any questions regarding the residences. 1.3. Learning agreement The learning agreement had to be approved by the International Student Services at Aalto before it could be submitted to Université Laval. I received an email with an application for credit transfer and a link to the learning agreement at the end of October. The learning agreement could be submitted only once so it was important to familiarize myself with the courses offered by Laval before submitting the agreement. The learning agreement had to be sent to the International Student Services while it was still possible to make changes to the course selection. The application for the credit transfer had to be printed out, signed and attached to the learning agreement. I received the learning agreement from Université Laval on the same day than from Aalto. Even though I was required to take only four courses (12 credits = 24 ECTS), I had to choose seven for my learning agreement in case of possible cancellations or modifications to the courses. Some courses had prerequisites so I was required to list some courses from Aalto which enabled me to take the course. Since I wanted to take a French language course, I was asked to indicate my interest while submitting the learning agreement. The deadline for the course selection was at the end of November and the courses were confirmed at the beginning
of December. I was assigned to four business courses but since I wanted to study one course of French, I was able to drop one of them at the beginning of the semester. Since I showed interest in taking a French course as a foreign language, the language school contacted me at the beginning of December. I was asked to take a placement test online in order to assign me to an appropriate course. The test took approximately one hour. The language school contacted me again one week after completing the placement test and assigned me to a course based on my score. However, I felt that the course could be slightly too challenging for me since I had not studied French for years so the language school was nice enough to put me on another course. The placements usually work rather fine so I would advise you to go to the first class of the course to check whether it is appropriate level for you or not. If you feel that you should be in an easier or more challenging course, you can always ask your professor to evaluate whether you should change to another class. 1.4. SF/Q4 form from KELA Finland and Quebec have a social security agreement which covers medical treatment and health insurance. In order to be able to benefit from this agreement, Finns are required to do some paperwork. First I informed KELA about my exchange in Quebec online by signing in to KELA s eservices. After that I contacted the Centre for International Affairs by calling the service number which can be found on KELA s website. I asked for the SF/Q4 form which proved that I was eligible for healthcare in Quebec. I recommend ordering this form early enough because processing the request and receiving the document by mail may take some time. After moving to Quebec I was still required to get some more paperwork done. First of all, while registering to Université Laval, I informed the registration office that I was eligible for an exemption from the health insurance. I also asked for the so- called attestation from the registration office in order to prove that I was studying in Quebec. After having all the required documents (SF/Q4, attestation and passport) with me, I went to the RAMQ office that was located approximately one hour from the campus. At the office I had to show my documents and get a photo taken for my health insurance card. The card itself was free but RAMQ charged $10 for the photo. I received the card later by mail. I recommend visiting the RAMQ office as early as possible in order to avoid extra costs and hassle. Emergency rooms in Quebec can often charge over $1000 from foreigners that do not have a health insurance card with them. Also medical clinics can be rather expensive and for example getting a few stiches can cost over $200. All these costs can be reimbursed later by showing the RAMQ card but everything is definitely easier if you have it with you in the first place. 1.5. Travelling to Québec City The easiest way to travel to Québec City is probably via Montreal which is located only three hours away. There are a lot of flights to Montreal with transfers in New York or Reykjavik. I booked flights via Amsterdam and New York for 800 euros after I received the confirmation from Laval. If you are flying via New York, remember to apply for ESTA in advance and make sure that you have plenty of time at the airport before your connecting flight. It often takes a significant amount of time to pass the ESTA process and the customs at the airport and it is
rather easy to miss your flight to Montreal if you haven t reserved enough time for your transfer. The immigration process in Canada was rather straightforward. After passing the border, I went to the immigration office at the airport. I was required to show the officials my passport and the admission letter from Université Laval, and it took me only a few minutes to get the stamp on my passport. If you are staying in Quebec for more than six months, you may need some other documents in order to pass the immigration. Nowadays Canada also requires an ETA (similar to the ESTA in the US) for entering the country so remember to apply for it online before travelling to Canada. There are several ways to travel to Québec City from Montreal. Some of the exchange students took a flight but I decided to take an Orléans Express bus from the Montreal bus station to Sainte- Foy station in Québec City. The student ticket for the bus was less than $50 and the campus was only a short taxi ride from Sainte- Foy bus station. 1.6. Possible problems I encountered some problems with my application form but the International Team from Laval was really helpful and solved all of my problems. Also my buddy answered all of my questions regarding the exchange. 2. Exchange studies The exchange semester started on January 4 th with an optional Welcome Week which I highly recommend. The semester ended at the end of April. I had my last exam on April 19 th and I only had to finish my final papers after that. 2.1. Welcome week Laval emailed the program of the welcome week and the registration form at the beginning of November. The cost of the welcome week was $150 which was rather expensive. However, the welcome week is a great way to get to know other exchange students and take care of all the official paperwork. Welcome week gave me a good overview of the university, Québec City and the local culture, and obviously it was also fun. All the exchange students were assigned to local students who were called buddies. My buddy contacted me already before my exchange and answered all of my questions. He also went shopping with me when I arrived in Quebec and showed me around the campus. During the welcome week our buddies organized us different activities and made sure that everything was going well. 2.2. Courses The course selection is rather good if you are able to study in French. However, the selection is more restricted in English especially during the spring semester when there are fewer exchange students than during the fall. As a master student I had to take four courses with three credits each. One credit from Laval corresponds to two ECTS and therefore four courses
gave me the required 24 ECTS. I decided to take three graduate level (deuxième cycle) courses from the business school (FSA) and one French course from the language school. None of the courses was very difficult and in my opinion it was easier to get good grades in Laval than in Aalto. However, some of the courses required a significant amount of work due to the several group projects. Most of the students that I worked with were rather ambitious which meant having a lot of group meetings. Next I will cover all of my courses in more detail. FLE- 2215 Langue orale et écrite intermédiaire II (Undergraduate) / 3 credits Professor: Christiane Légaré This course was a good recap of French grammar. We covered different topics quite thoroughly, and Christiane was a great professor. The course was really useful for revising the grammar and practicing my comprehension skills since the class was taught entirely in French. However, if you want to practice your spoken French, I advise to take also another French course or participate actively in the activities organized by the language school. Test oral 1 (comprehension) 15 % Test écrit 1 20 % Test oral 2 (expression) 20 % Test écrit 2 25 % Homework 20 % MNG- 6059 Dynamics of Global Strategy (Graduate) / 3 credits Professor: Yan Cimon The course covered a wide variety topics related to strategy ranging from topics such as value creation and marketing strategies to networks and alliances. I expected to acquire a rather extensive understanding of strategy but I ended up learning nothing during the classes. The course lacked structure and the professor had a tendency to tell such long examples that he hardly ever was able to finish his actual slides. However, the assignments were good and ensured that the students were able to learn at least something. The take- home exam was based on the required readings of the course so I recommend starting to read course articles already during the course. This way you will learn more during the semester and be able to finish the exam rather fast. Company analysis 20 % Synthesis (reading and case) 10 % Synthesis + case presentation 10 % Take- home exam 40 % Participation 20 % MNG- 6060 Communication in groups and organizations (Graduate) / 3 credits Professor: Olen Gunnlaugson This course was surprisingly interesting and felt more like a psychology than business course. The teachings of the course were based on the book called Theory U which offers an interesting approach to different leadership capabilities. The class was rather small and the professor was really passionate about the topic. The course was a so- called hybrid in which
we met with the professor every second week and had group meetings every other week. It may sound like a cliché but this course changed the way I perceive communication and relationships. Individual Coaching Assignments 30 % Individual Case Study Analysis 20 % Course Participation 15 % Team Book Presentation 15 % Final Project 20 % MRK- 6018 Sports Marketing in the Context of Globalization (Graduate) / 3 credits Professor: Frank Pons This course covered a wide variety of sports- related topics such as sport consumers, pricing strategies and communications and sponsoring issues. Even though I am not a big fan of sports, I found this course interesting. Sports industry is huge and the professor was able to give us a good overview of the business side of the sports industry. Most of the assignments were group work which meant spending a lot of time in group meetings. The professor had really good connections with different players in the sports industry and thus, we were able to have interesting guest speakers and work for a real French company in our final project. Class Participation 20 % Case Analysis 20 % Presentation of an academic article 15 % Presentation of relevant news 15 % Final Project (Marketing Plan) 30 % 3. Free time and other information 3.1. Housing Most of the exchange students live on the campus which has four big residences. All the residences are located close to the university facilities so they are really convenient. However, there are some differences between the residences. Pavillon Alphonse- Marie- Parent is the biggest and most popular one among the exchange students. People often organize dinners and get- togethers in the kitchen so I really recommend this residence if you want to hang out with people. Pavillons Biermans- Moraud and Ernest- Lemieux are more quiet places to live. Pavillon Agathe- Lacerte is reserved only for women but the other residences are mixed ones with separate floors for men and women. You cannot choose your residence in advance but you can state your preference while checking in. If there is something wrong with your room, remember to inform the staff straight away in order to avoid extra charges for changing your room. The rooms are rather small but they have all the basic amenities. The bathrooms and showers are located on the hallway. The kitchen is shared with the whole residence and it is located on the first floor of the building. I wanted have a fridge in my room so I rented one from a company called Location Polar. Their office is located on the first floor of Alphonse- Marie- Parent and they also rent microwaves etc. Residences also have study rooms, laundry rooms
and common spaces for spending time with the other residents. The rent was $333/month and it was paid at the beginning of each month. 3.2. Cost of living The cost of living in Quebec is approximately the same or a bit less than in Finland. There are no school fees in Université Laval except for the language courses. One language course costs approximately $90 but it is worth the money. Two of my courses required buying books and one required buying an access to cases and articles. However, I spent less than $100 in total on my study materials. The living expenses are affordable in Québec City, especially if you live in a residence. The campus area has a free Wi- Fi so there is no need to pay for Internet, and also electricity etc. are included in the rent. Mobile data is more expensive in Canada and there is no unrestricted data like in Finland Food and alcohol are about the same price than in Finland. Cheese and some fruits and vegetables are more expensive in Quebec whereas meat and fish are often cheaper. There can also be some student discounts in grocery stores. For example Provigo used to offer student discounts on Mondays and Tuesdays. It is also good to note that Quebec has a system in which they sell beer, cider and cheap wines in grocery stores but all the liquors and good quality wines are sold in stores called SAQ. Going to restaurants and clubs is cheaper in Québec City but you should bear in mind that you have to tip in Canada. Usually the tip is 15 % of the bill or $1 per each drink. It is also important to note that taxes are usually added to the prices so you end up paying approximately 15 % more on goods and services than the price suggests. 3.3. Free time You can find everything either on the campus or next to it. There are cafes, restaurant, grocery store, medical clinic, hairdresser, pub/night club, rental car service etc. on the campus. Next to the campus there are three big shopping malls where you can find everything you need. There is also one smaller shopping center with restaurants, some shops and a movie theater on the other side of the campus. The old town is full of nice restaurants and cafés, and it is only 20 minutes from the campus by bus. Also rue Myrand next to the university is a really nice street with casual bars and restaurants. Sporting facilities are incredible on the campus. The PEPS sports complex has an outdoor stadium, an indoor stadium, indoor swimming pools, basketball and tennis courts, a fitness center, and two ice hockey arenas. Swimming, climbing, skating and using the indoor track for running are for free. The gym costs $66 for one semester, and there are some additional fees for different classes (spinning etc.) and for renting tennis courts. It is possible to rent different kind of sports equipment, such as rackets and skates, from PEPS. The business school FSA has an association called Globe FSA which is responsible for organizing different kind of activities for exchange students. This spring they organized a skiing weekend in Jay Peak in Vermont, dogsledding, visits to a sugar shack and a spa, trips to New York and Toronto and a farewell gala at the end of the semester. Their trips were an easy way to travel around and see places. If you are taking a French course from the language school and are eager to speak French as much as possible, I highly recommend participating also in their activities. The language school usually organizes one conversation class with different topics and two other activities every week. The activities include everything from wine tastings to cooking classes and visits to ice hotels and waterfalls. Most of the activities
are free and the others are subsidized by the language school which means that they are quite cheap. 3.4. Travelling during the semester It is rather easy to travel around in Canada. I visited Montreal several times during the semester and also travelled to Toronto and Niagara Falls. There are several also ski resorts and national parks close to Québec City. Le Massif ski resort had good snow conditions and great views overlooking the St. Lawrence River. National parks are worth visiting both during the winter (cross- country skiing and snowshoeing) and at the end of semester (hiking). For example Jacques- Cartier National Park is only 50 km drive from Québec City and has several great hiking paths. There are several bus companies operating in Canada. I used Orléans Express for travelling between Québec City and Montreal and Greyhound to travel between Toronto and Niagara Falls. Both of the companies worked really well. Trains (VIA Rail) are also a good option to consider if you are planning to travel between bigger cities and find some good discounts. Many people have cars in Canada, and ridesharing is a popular way to earn some extra money. I can highly recommend Kangaride website for booking rideshares. The service is excellent and I never encountered any problems when booking through them. If you feel like having a car just for yourself, there are also many rental car places close to the campus. A company called Discount even has an office on the campus. Rental cars are rather cheap in Canada and 24h rental usually costs around $40-50. Travelling from Quebec to other countries is also quite easy. Globe FSA organized trips to New York and Vermont in the US and often they organize a trip to Boston too. Flights to the Caribbean / South America are also more affordable from Canada than from Finland so they are a good option during your exchange if you need some sun and warm weather. I spent the spring break in Cuba with some other exchange students and travelled in Colombia later during the spring. 3.5. Good to know about Québec City Québec City is a really nice and safe city. It is almost the size of Helsinki in terms of inhabitants but it feels smaller. Especially the old town is beautiful and Québec City is often considered the most European city in North America. People in Québec City are nice and helpful. However, not all of them speak English so it is useful to know at least the basic phrases in French. The transportation works quite well in Québec City, and there are several bus stops on the campus. Tickets for the busses can be bought either from the driver or beforehand from the grocery store on the campus. Usually it is convenient to buy several tickets in advance so that you do not need exact change for the bus. The tickets are also cheaper when they are bought in advance. The weather is cold in Québec City, and the snow does not necessarily melt before April. It is rather windy in Québec City, especially next to the river, which can make the weather freezing. However, the weather should not be too bad if you are used to Finnish winters. Just remember to pack a good winter coat, mittens and a hat to keep you warm. The buildings on the campus are connected with underground tunnels which also help to deal with the
weather. It might not be a good idea to use leather boots in Québec City because the salt stains may ruin them. 4. Final comments I really enjoyed my time in Québec City and I can recommend it as an exchange destination. Université Laval is an international university where you can meet people from all around the world. The courses are interesting and the university has great facilities. Université Laval is great destination especially for people who aim to improve their French. Though some of the exchange students did not know French at all and still enjoyed their time in Québec City a lot. There are two things that I would do differently if I had a chance to go to Laval again. First of all I would participate more actively in the activities organized by the language school and try to speak French more. Secondly I would stay in Québec City also after the semester. Québec City and Canada in general are awesome places to be during the summer and I wish I could have stayed there at least until June. If you have any questions, do not hesitate to ask International Student Services for my contact details.