FAQ

• There are no direct flights from Switzerland to Ottawa

• Other cities in Europe (Frankfurt, Paris…) have direct flights 

• Or you fly to Montreal and take another flight or the train (it runs every hour or so) to Ottawa
  Do not take a taxi/Uber from Montreal (we speak from experience…)

• Either way, plan enough time for the immigration process once you land in Canada, especially if you have a connecting flight to Ottawa

• Adapter (Type A or B)

• Ngl it does get cold in winter...but do not panic! You do not have to get an entire new wardrobe equipped to explore the arctic ;) Just pack your usual winter stuff as if you were going on a ski trip (thermo underwear, hat, gloves, scarf, sweaters, long socks, good jacket and shoes/boots) and you will be fine! Layering is the answer.

• IF you want to go skiing/snowboarding you can still rent ski pants and other warmer stuff on site. You always have to consider that you are going to carry all that stuff around with you…

• Summer gets quite warm over there (up to 30 degrees celsius) so also bring your shorts, dresses and bikinis!

• You do not have to pay Canadian tuition!
  You keep paying the Swiss one. However, there are several other expenses you should keep in mind: 

  • Application fee for Carleton University: 120 CAD

  • UHIP (= the mandatory (meaning you cannot drop out) health insurance for students): 500 CAD

  • UPASS (public transport card which is automatically on your student ID): 230 CAD

    • Once for the winter term 

    • Once for the summer term 

    • You will find your current account balance under: Carleton Central → Registration → Calculate Amount to Pay.
      That is also where you can pay your bills

    • Plus costs for your study permit: 235 CAD

    • Total: 1300 CAD (approximately) 

• Public transport is bad. It makes no sense to check the official timetable just get yourself the “Transit” app https://transitapp.com/  It live tracks busses, trains and trams in all of North America and shows delays and estimated arrival times. That being said, the O-Train runs on pretty reliable intervals.

• When it gets warmer, you can also get yourself a cheap bike from re-cycle or Facebook marketplace.

• The easiest way to get around is by car…on Turo you can rent cars from private individuals (just like AirBnB) which is usually cheaper and also a lot easier than from a rental company. We did this for daytrips or longer trips.

• Uber is pretty cheap.

• Most of us opened a Revolut or Neon account. They offer prepaid options for multiple currencies and have no fees while paying.

• Canada is basically cashless. But it is always useful to have some cash at hand.

• Whether you want to reach your loved ones, check how late the bus is again, or look up your classroom, you're going to want to have mobile data. 

• If you do not already have roaming data for Canada in your mobile plan you might want to look out for Black Friday offers. Swiss mobile providers often have special offers around that time of the year. 

• The other option is an eSIM. Revolut or Airolo are some possible providers.

• You can either live on campus (with or without the meal plan) or you look for a place off campus. 

• If you are looking for a place off campus, check out 

  1. Airbnb

  2. Facebook marketplace

  3. Zumper

• There’s also University adjacent accommodations like Revalie. Revalie is a Student Housing dormitory independent from Carleton University. It offers frequent transport to and from Carleton, and is 35 minutes walking distance from Uni. 

• If you're coordinating with the other Dual Degree students from your year, it might be cheaper to share a flat off campus.

• All options have their advantages and disadvantages. Choose whatever suits you:) 

• If you are interested in on campus Student Housing, research at housing.carleton.ca

  1. Masters Students must stay at Leeds House, which is the only building with rooms containing kitchens. Thus allowing you to avoid paying the campus meal plan. 

  2. Each housing has a shared kitchen and restroom, with two or four individual, private rooms. Each room has a bed, desk and closet. However, for hygiene reasons, each student is asked to bring their own bed sheets. Walmart at Billings Bridge has a 100% return policy and sells a variety at reasonable prices. 

  3. The kitchens include a refrigerator and stove, but for hygiene reasons, all other kitchen utensils, including pots, pans, knives, cutlery, are not included. Every student must provide their own. Sharing between roommates is allowed and encouraged.

  4. Without a Meal Plan you are still allowed to eat at the Dining Hall (for a price, approximately 10 CAD) and Students with a Meal Plan have a right to invite guests every semester. Students are presented with a buffet, featuring every kind of meal. Some days feature “traditional” meals from all over the world. Breakfast is always the same, with lunch and dinner having the most innovation. Socialization tends to happen in the Dining Hall. 

  5. There is no deposit required. 

  6. The Raven’s Roost is a student recreational centre at the tunnel level of Stormont House at Carleton University, features gaming consoles, arcade machines, pool, table tennis, and foosball.

• During the month-long vacation period between the Winter and Summer semesters, students are expected to vacate their Housing units (rent is not paid for this period). There is a likelihood you will be asked to move to a different room for the Summer Semester. Contact the Student Housing Office if it is your intention to remain in Ottawa during this month.

• The Student Housing Office allows students to rent their Housing for fractions of the semester during the Summer Semester. Allowing you the possibility of remaining in your dormitory for only the duration of your course. 

Pro: 

• • Close to your classes, gym and most other International and Exchange Students

  • Avoids the need of taking unreliable public transport (especially a problem in winter)

Con: 

• • Might become too reliant on the Carleton Tunnel system and not go outside. 

  • Need to move all your belongings between the Winter and Summer semesters (Clarify with Housing Office)

Pro: 

• • Often cozier and more spacious than student accomodation

  • Sharing a flat (e.g. with the other Dual Degree students of your year) can be cheaper than on campus accomodation

Con: 

• • Travel time to campus can be very long and unpredictable due to public transport

  • More isolated form other international students that mostly stay on campus

  • More unknowns (cleanliness, availability of cooking utensils/cleaning equipment)

These are some good areas to live in based on proximity and connection to Carleton and Centretown: 

• Little Italy/Dow’s lake

• Glebe

• Old Ottawa South

It's best to check out public transport connections and closeness of supermarkets before booking, it makes life easier afterwards.

• You will spend two terms at Carleton: 

  • Winter term (beginning of January - beginning of April)

  • Early summer term (beginning of May - mid of June)

OR 

• • Full/late summer term (until August)

• For a detailed timeline click here

• You have to book 3 courses, in total. How you want to split them is up to you. Just consider that there are way fewer courses offered in summer than in winter, so people are usually taking two in winter and one in summer. Also, you have to spend 2 terms at Carleton (it is not possible to take all three courses in one term). 

• That is how you get to the equivalent of a Vorlesungsverzeichnis: Carleton Central -> Registration -> Build your Timetable/Registration 

• Filter according to your term, course level (Graduate), Subject (Political Science) 

• You might also be able to book courses from other politics adjacent subjects such as International Affairs, Political Economy, European and Russian Studies

• Here you can build a temporarily timetable / make a “wish list”

• It really depends on your lecturer. Generally, the courses are more intensive during the term with presentation, response paper, reading reflection etc. IF they demand a term paper, they are usually shorter than in Lucerne. Most coursework happens during the semester, leaving you the breaks to travel and do other fun stuff.

• While organizing your workload/choosing your courses keep in mind that you might still have to finish seminar papers from Lucerne. 

• The sooner the better! As soon as you are accepted at Carleton and have your login for Carleton Central you can start registering for courses (course registration is already open when you are starting your semester at Lucerne). If it does not work after you have been accepted, there might be a technical issue - let Brookes know!

• Registration in summer usually opens around March 

• Go to Carleton Central → Registration → Add/Drop Classes

• You will get an confirmation email once your accepted for a class

• On Brightspace (= Olat at Carleton) you will receive all the information about the course, including reading literature, information of the course and grades (if your professor knows how to work it).

• You should write two Masterseminarpaper in the first semester and the last in the third semester. 

• It's important that you have two papers submitted and graded before September if you want to register for the Master thesis!

• It is recommended to finish the paper or most of the work before you go to Canada, so you can enjoy your time. However, it's also Christmas time. Choose what suits you best :)

• Since you're away during the second semester, it's worth thinking about possible supervisors during your first semester in Lucerne. 

• If you want to start the thesis in the third semester (the regular study plan), you won't really have time to look for a supervisor before the registration deadline at the end of September.

• Also remember to look for a secondary supervisor at Carleton!

• For Swiss students only: It is not necessary to deregister.  

• However, you might want to change your health insurance since you are covered by the mandatory health insurance from Carleton (UHIP).