Global Skills Opportunity FAQ

The Federal Government’s Global Skills Opportunity program helps you gain international exposure and develop valuable intercultural skills.  The University of Lethbridge has received $500,000 to increase participation of traditionally underrepresented students in study and work abroad experiences.  This funding will allow us to create exciting education abroad opportunities for many eligible students in the next four years.  Through this program, students who face barriers to participation, especially Indigenous students, students with financial needs and students with disabilities, are funded to participate in international learning opportunities both at home and abroad.

Funding is open to all Canadian students registered full time in undergraduate programs at the University of Lethbridge, but will prioritize underrepresented students (Indigenous students, low-income students, and those with disabilities). 

If you meet these requirement you are eligible.

• Canadian citizen or permanent resident
• Registered in full-time studies and in good academic standing
• 18 years of age or older

International students are ineligible for funding.

Our goal is to increase access and equity to participation in outbound student mobility opportunities. The following three groups have traditionally faced barriers to participate in student mobility, so they are underrepresented when it comes to work and study abroad experiences:

• Low-income students: students who report to be in receipt of Canada Student Grants or loans.
• Indigenous students: students who report being an Indigenous person, that is, First Nations, Metis or Inuk (Inuit).
• Students with disabilities: students who report to have a difficulty or impairment due to a long-term condition or health problem and/or experience a limitation in their daily activities.

• Most in-person study abroad experiences are eligible for funding. These include faculty-led programs, semester exchanges, and short-term study abroad programs.
• Most in-person work integrated learning experiences abroad are eligible for funding, including student-initiated experiences. These consist of co-op, applied studies courses, internships, and work-study programs.
• Virtual exchanges
• Some uLethbridge courses with an international component.
• Additional programs may be created. Check back often for updates of qualifying programs. 

Yes! Work with Career Bridge to build a work-integrated learning opportunity abroad. Select your country of destination, length of stay, and study focus, and they’ll help build your course. 

The program seeks to diversify study/work-abroad destination countries. Most destinations are eligible, but priority and higher funding will be given to students participating in experiences in non-traditional countries. Non-traditional countries refers to all countries other than the United States, the United Kingdom, France and Australia, where many Canadian students already opt to work and study. You would be eligible to receive more funding if your international experience takes place in a non-traditional destination. 

If you are an indigenous student, a low-income student or a student with a disability, you can go anywhere, including non-traditional countries, and be eligible for the maximum available funding.

The amount of funding you could qualify for depends on the length of your experience, your destination, whether you belong to any of the underrepresented student groups, and the number of applicants. You can receive up to:

Short-term experiences: less than five weeks

Long-term experiences : five weeks or longer

No, after you receive GSO funding for one experience, you are ineligible to apply for the funding a second time.

After you have been accepted to participate in an international work or study experience, you can apply for funding on the Bridge.

1. Login to the Bridge and click on Student
2. Click Apply for uLethbridge Scholarships, Awards and Bursaries and Sign In
3. Complete and submit the General Application (make sure to answer YES to the question "Do you intend to travel for academic purposes (e.g. Internships, Exchanges, Workshops, Conferences) in the upcoming/current academic year?").
4. Complete and submit the GSO Application

For in-person experiences to occur in the:

• Fall term: June 1
• Spring term: November 1
• Summer term: March 1.

For virtual experiences to take place in the:

• Fall term:  September 15
• Spring term: January 15
• Summer term: May 15.

You need to complete the application form in the Bridge and include a 300-word short answer to this question: How will this award benefit your personal, academic and/or career goals?

Preference will be given to underrepresented students who identify the experience benefits to their personal, academic, and career goals.

You will hear back from Scholarships and Student Finance within four weeks of the application deadline for the term you are applying for.