About the Buddy Program

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The Student Buddy Program provides new international students a helping hand at Université Laval. It helps them adapt to the university community during the first few weeks of the semester. Pairing new international students with students already established at Université Laval helps them better integrate and adjust to the university community as well as Québec society. The program also raises awareness of cultural diversity among students already enrolled at Université Laval, enabling them to participate in an intercultural experience.

The pairing take place in the fall and winter sessions only.

Having a Buddy

You can apply to have a buddy if:

  • You are starting studies at Université Laval (degree program or exchange), including distance learning
  • You would like your arrival, settling in, and integration into your new living and study environment to be as easy and pleasant as possible
  • You have questions about how things work in Québec
  • You would like to have an Université Laval student contact who is familiar with campus and Québec City life

The Bureau de la vie étudiante will match you with your buddy when you arrive in Quebec City, or from mid-January if you are studying remotely. As a participant in the Student Buddy Program, you will be matched with an Université Laval student who will be available a few hours a week for the first weeks of the semester to help you settle in and get to know Québec City and the campus.

As far as possible, students will be matched in accordance with the preferences they provide on their registration form and availability of of buddies These are international or Quebec students already enrolled at Université Laval since a semester or more.

Registration forms will be available as from November, 18 for the 2025 Winter semester.

For the Winter semester 2025, you must register before January, 31. The pairing will start on January, 6.

Registration

Becoming a Buddy

You can apply to become a buddy if:

  • You are an Université Laval student and you have completed at least one semester
  • You are interested in other cultures and you would like to be involved in an intercultural project
  • You want to help a new student deal with culture shock
  • You are fluent in french

The Bureau de la vie étudiante (BVE) asks buddies to be available for a few hours a week until reading week.

As far as possible, students will be matched in accordance with the preferences they provide on their registration form. Buddies must attend a training session before they begin.

What you gain from the experience:

  • A rewarding encounter with people from other culture
  • A useful opportunity to prepare for your own international studies or internship project
  • A way to act locally and think globally
  • Enhanced awareness of intercultural and international issues
  • A certificate of participation
  • International experience for your résumé
Registration forms will be available as from November, 18 for the 2025 Winter semester.

For the Winter semester 2025, you must register before January, 31. The pairing will start on January, 6.

Registration

Student Buddy training session

As a future buddy, you must take part in a Student Buddy training session. These sessions last about 1 hour and are offered in person in Maurice-Pollack pavilion, room 2113 (Théâtre de poche), or online. Please note those sessions are given only in French, in order to evaluate the ability of our student buddies to speak French.

We also have few students that are looking for a buddy who master English as well as they do. If your level of French is not sufficient to follow a training in French, it is mandatory to read carefully the PDF document on the platform. The document covers all the essential elements of the training.

If you are in this situation, please inform our team by email to ensure that your application can be validated.

SCHEDULE – Winter 2025

Information
programmedejumelage@bve.ulaval.ca