Galapagos Program (USFQ)

Students on the USFQ Galapagos Exchange select courses from one of four Academic Tracks in the biological and social sciences:

(1) Evolution, Ecology and Conservation
(2) Marine Ecology
(3) Sustainability and Resilience
(4) One Health

Each academic track consists of four or five intensive 3-credit courses taught in 3-week modules (worth 12 or 15 credits in total). For details about courses/modules, click here. 

While exchange students usually commit to one track, it is possible to take up to 2 courses from different tracks, assuming that you meet any necessary prerequisites and spaces are available (see Academic Tracks). Students in all tracks also take a required Spanish conversation class, worth 1 credit. Volunteer placements (non-credit) in San Cristobal are also available to interested students.

Course Information: Exchange students must take at least 16 credits. The maximum number of credits is 27, but students may request extensions up to 28 credits. While Ecuadoran credits are 4 per course, your transcript will be translated to the North American equivalent of 3 credits per course, so it is a 1:1 conversion with UCalgary.

Note: Students interested in other academic subjects are encouraged to check out USFQ's exchange at their main campus in Quito! It is not possible to combine studies on the main exchange program with the Galapagos program; students must choose one or the other.

The first semester runs from mid-August to mid-December and the second semester runs from early January to May. 

The Galapagos Program runs one 3 week module at a time for a total of 5 over the semester. The first module will take place on the USFQ main campus in Quito, the middle 3 modules take place on San Cristobal Island in the Galápagos, and the final module returns to the mainland with an excursion to the Tiputini Biodiversity station in the Amazon Rainforest.

Students stay with carefully screened host families in Cumbayá (Quito) for the first and last modules and with host families in San Cristobal Island for the remainder of the semester. During overnight excursions, students stay in hostels or hotels. All of the host families speak some level of English and USFQ undertakes a matching process to ensure that students have a host family that can accommodate their lifestyle (e.g. vegetarian diet or animal allergies). 

See accommodation details online or watch a video explanation of the homestay.

This exchange is open to regular, full-time students in any faculty at UCalgary, who have completed at least 1 full year (10 courses) at the post-secondary level, with a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0. 

The Galapagos Program is offered entirely in English.

View the Galapagos FAQs from USFQ online.

Please note that a yellow fever vaccination is required. Students do not need to have this vaccination prior to applying to UCalgary; it is possible to wait and obtain a vaccine in the months prior to the semester start.

Since this program is mostly located in less-developed areas, students must have a flexible and adventurous attitude and understand that services (internet, phone, student services) will not be to the same standard as they have at home.