The University of the West Indies
Enjoy the Crop Over festival in Barbados, the Carnival tradition in Trinidad, Reggae in Jamaica or the 365 beaches of Antigua and Barbuda based on which campus you choose!
The UWI is the premier university in the Caribbean region and the oldest regional university. It has been ranked among the top 5% of universities in the world. (THE) No matter which campus you choose, enjoy the laid-back island culture and multicultural roots that lead to national sports that include everything from cricket and polo to marathons and football (soccer) and any number of water sports. Celebrate Emancipation Day (August 1) in most of the campus countries, Independence Day (Jamaica, August 6; Trinidad and Tobago, August 31; Antigua and Barbuda, November 1; and Barbados, November 30) and enjoy a variety of adventures on land and sea in all the countries.
Key information
Student experience
Kathleen Muir (Barbados)
UWI Promotional Video
Useful links
Program details
The information below was last updated on October 8, 2025
Campuses:
UWI has five campuses – four landed campuses in four different countries, and an online campus. Exchange students must choose the campus to which they will apply.
- The Cave Hill campus is located in the Cave Hill area of Bridgetown, Barbados.
- The Mona campus is located in the Mona area of Kingston, Jamaica.
- The St. Augustine campus is located in St. Augustine, Trinidad which is 15 km from Port of Spain (the capital city).
- The Five Islands campus is the newest campus, established in 2019. It located in Five Islands, Antigua and Barbuda, 8.3 km from St. John’s (the capital city).
- The Open Global campus offers online courses. It may be possible for exchange students to do a full semester of online study, or to take limited online courses combined with your regular UCalgary courseload - please speak with the exchange advisor for details.
Areas of Study:
UWI offers a wide range of programs at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Exchange students can access courses from the faculties of Engineering, Food and Agriculture (based only on the St. Augustine Campus), Humanities, Science and Technology, Social Sciences, and Sport.
Some programs are offered by all five campuses (e.g. Social Sciences), while others are only offered by one or several of the campuses. Use the UWI Program Search to browse the full list of study fields and campus of offer.
Course Information:
Students at UWI must take at least four courses to maintain full-time student status. 3 UWI credits = 3 units at UCalgary (one HCE).
The UWI Academic Year is divided into two semesters: semester one runs from late August to December, and semester two runs from January to May.
For more detailed information, see the academic calendar.
Some faculties also offer courses during the summer break. Exchange students may be permitted to extend their stay and take summer courses.
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Costs
Exchange students pay their tuition and academic fees to the University of Calgary. Other expenses are paid directly to the service provider.
Cost of living varies across the islands. Information about student costs can be found on the relevant UWI campus website:
- Student costs at Cave Hill Campus (Barbados)
- Student costs at St. Augustine Campus (Trinidad and Tobago)
- Student costs at Mona Campus (Jamaica)
- Student costs at Five Islands Campus (Antigua and Barbuda) - PDF, see page 8
Also, remember to include things like visas, insurance, vaccinations etc in your budget planning.
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Funding
Did you know that you can take your UCalgary funding with you on exchange? Since you remain a degree-seeking student at UCalgary while studying abroad, you remain eligible for any awards and scholarships you are otherwise eligible to receive from the university, as well as student loans.
Our office administers several awards, including the Global Access Fund and the Global Learning Award. Students may only receive these awards once. Please see the funding page, linked below, for more information.
The Cave Hill, Mona, and St. Augustine campuses of The University of the West Indies have on-campus student housing. Five Islands (the newest campus) is currently building an on-campus residence, and has various off-campus housing options available. Please refer to each campus website for more information:
This exchange is open to regular, full-time students in any faculty at the U of C, who have completed at least 1 full year (10 courses) at the post-secondary level, with a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5.
There are support services for students with disabilities on the Cave Hill, Mona and St. Augustine campuses. Cave Hill campus has disability support through their Office of Student Services, , the St. Augustine campus has a Student Life and Development Department (SLDD) which assists students, including those with disabilities, and Mona campus offers support through special student services. Please contact study.abroad@ucalgary.ca so that an advisor can arrange for you to speak with the appropriate campus services directly.
Have questions?
The exchange advisor for this program is: Kathryn Bauer
How to Apply
Download the application guide
This PDF contains information on how to complete your application and what to do after you have applied.
Identify three programs of interest
We recommend applying for your top three programs for the priority application deadline, as placement may be competitive. We will assess your applications in ranked order.
Check requirements and deadlines
These may vary by program, so check the individual program pages and make sure that you are aware of any different application deadlines or eligibility requirements.
Start your application
Once you have gathered everything you need, you can begin your application!
Please note: Applications will not be considered complete until all required documents are submitted in full.
International travel presents challenges that may not be found when attending classes on campus. There may be a lack of resources, emergency services, hospitals, accessibility issues and/or demands on the physical and the mental self, all of which can challenge individuals when away from their usual support systems and structures. Adequate preparation is essential.
For this reason, it is imperative that you evaluate all aspects of your own physical, psychological, emotional and spiritual condition against the rigors of the particular global learning program you are selecting. If you are unsure of whether or not this program is a good fit for you and/or if you have any circumstances that could impede your enjoyment of the program, please contact us. Our Global Learning Advisors will be happy to assist in finding the best options for you and arrange any supports or accommodations necessary to ensure your success.
If you have or are seeking a certificate from Student Accessibility Services, you should provide this early to your Global Learning Advisor to ensure that the option that you are seeking can support your needs.
Please note: All participants must adhere to COVID-19 and other vaccination-related requirements for the destinations visited on this program. Failure to do so may have consequences such as being denied access to accommodation/housing, program activities, or to the host country itself.