I chose to go on an exchange period as I thought that it would be a great opportunity for me to get some new experiences and to see how it is to live and study in another country. I specifically applied and ventured to Canada as I had never been to North America and had heard of their sociable and welcoming culture. Originally, I applied for the University of Toronto, but as they decided to end the exchange agreement they had with KI (at least for bachelor students) I went to the University of Calgary (U of C) instead, which I am very happy that I did now afterwards. The people at U of C and Hotchkiss Brain Institute (HBI) were very helpful when it came to providing information regarding the exchange. For example, I got the names of professors and lab groups that would probably be interested in taking students and who had previous experience with supervising bachelor and exchange students. However, as the labs they recommended were mostly focused on neuroscience I decided to do my bachelor’s thesis with a lab group that I looked up and contacted myself (which was more focused on research within immunology, i.e. my area of interest).

For Canada and U of C, no vaccinations were required. As the exchange is under 6 months you only need to get an eTA (electronic travel authorization), not a student visa. I personally got a student visa just to be sure that there weren’t going to be any problems, but that was really just unnecessary. Be sure to also have important documents such as the acceptance letter from U of C when flying to Canada, they will probably not ask for it at the airport in Canada but if you are making a stop before, e.g. in Germany, they might ask for them there.

I flew to Canada as soon as I had done my last exam at KI and arrived in Calgary around January 16, about two weeks after the semester had started for the students at U of C. This unfortunately meant that I missed the introduction/welcoming weeks. However, all the clubs and societies were still open for registration and if you wanted to find out more they had representatives for all clubs in the MacEwan Student Centre for at least another week after I arrived.

I applied for housing at the University and lived on campus in a two-bedroom apartment in Aurora Hall, which cost about 6000kr/month. This was a bit more expensive than other options you could find but I found it quite nice to live on campus and to have a fellow student as roommate. As I did not take any courses whilst doing my project I found it quite helpful to have a roomie through whom I could meet lots of other students and friends.

For students at U of C it was mandatory to pay for a public transport chip which is put on your student card. This will allow you to travel with the bus and train how much you like and is quite cheap if you often use the public transport. Almost all students also pay for being able to use all the sport facilities (which are big and awesome; they have swimming pools, squash courts, gyms, etc.). I did not have to pay for this as no costs should be involved in exchange studies arranged by KI, but I was still able to use these facilities almost until the end when they suddenly told me that I had to pay if I wanted to continue to use the facilities. I do not know if you should/must pay for this and advise you to ask the administrators at KI and U of C.

As I mentioned before, I applied for housing on campus and lived in Aurora Hall in a two-bedroom apartment with a kitchen and bathroom which cost about 6000kr/month. Aurora Hall is one of the newer buildings and the apartments there were very clean. However, compared to the other buildings, the apartments in Aurora Hall are quite small. I lived on the sixth floor and my biggest concern was probably the water pressure in the shower (which was quite low). All the housings provided by U of C are right next to the university and are very close to the hospital and the labs (ca 15 minutes’ walk or 5 minutes with the bus).

When you are looking into the aparments I suggest you carefully read what is included. For example, my apartment came furnished but not fully “equipped” (e.g. there were no duvet, bedsheets, kitchen tools, cutlery, etc.). You can buy stuff like this at e.g. Walmart or London Drugs.

I did not take any courses but focused instead on my own project/bachelor’s thesis. I was very happy with my lab group and my supervisors who were helpful, welcoming, and overall awesome. They truly made my time in Canada a joyful experience. Before doing a project or going on an exchange I strongly suggest you try to find out as much as you can when contacting lab groups. The people you work with will most likely have a big impact on your experience, be it good or bad. For example, try to not only contact the professor/PI, but also to reach out to other people in the group and ask how they perceive the lab environment, etc.

English is the primary language and practically everyone speaks it in Calgary. From what I have heard, even in the French parts of Canada (such as Québec) almost everyone can speak English. Funnily enough, even though only a small minority of people speak French in Calgary, almost everything is written in both English and French (e.g. supermarket items).

From my experience, culture wise they are in general relaxed, welcoming, and sociable. Many of the people I met also aspired to do well in their work and studies.

There are plenty of clubs/societies that you can join which organizes all sorts of events. For example, there are several ski trips organized in the winter, a bit expensive but loads of fun. There are many great ski hills in the mountains which are only about two hours away with car (some great hills include: “kicking horse”, “lake Louise”, and “sunshine”). There is also a town with a national park in the mountains called Banff which is worth exploring. If you are going there in the winter it will probably be too cold to do hiking most of the time, but I was at least able to do some hiking in the spring before I went back to Sweden.

As I mentioned previously, the sports facilities there are amazing, and you should definitively check them out if you have the time. There is for example a large indoors rink where you can go ice-skating.

If you are into drinking or just want to meet other students, there are several bars at campus: “The Den”, “Black Lounge”, and “Last Defense Lounge (LDL)”. There is also an area called Kensington near the city where there are plenty of bars.

I definitively believe that the exchange had a positive influence on me. I feel that I have become even more motivated in regards to my goal of becoming a great scientist. Working in a lab for an extended period has given me insight in what it truly means to be a good researcher. I also think that my perspective on biomedical research in general has broadened, mainly thanks to my amazing lab companions. To conclude, I had a great time in Canada and I am very happy I went on an exchange. For me it was a completely new experience to live in another country and to manage on my own, and I am convinced that it has prepared me for any future studies or work experiences I decide to pursue abroad.