Eligibility
- Students must be full-time students at the home campus at the time the application is submitted. Students are also responsible for enrolling in and successfully completing a full-time class load for each term/semester at their home campus.
- Students must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5 on a 4.0 scale at the time of application and at the conclusion of the term prior to the beginning of an exchange.
- Students must meet any other qualifications determined by the home campus.
- The host campus, on a space available basis, determines placement acceptance.
- It is recommended to go on exchange sophomore or junior year.
Informational Meetings
Informational meetings are held throughout Fall Term each year for students who are interested in going on the National Student Exchange. Interested students must attend one informational meeting during Fall Term. Look for meeting days and times under under Free Workshops, in the Oregon Daily Emerald or call the Office of Academic Advising at (541) 346-3211 for more information.
Deciding on a University
Sounds like a great program but you're not sure where you want to go? Students may only exchange to and from campuses that are members of the National Student Exchange. For a complete list of participating campuses, please go to the NSE website at http://www.nse.org.
For more detailed information about the different member campuses, stop by 364 Oregon Hall and check out a catalog for the college or university you are interested in. Small informational packets about the NSE program are also available in the NSE Office in 364 Oregon Hall.
Students may also make appointments to meet with the University of Oregon NSE Coordinator, Andrew Wahlstrom, in the Office of Academic Advising. Please call (541) 346-3211 or email nse@uoregon.edu to make an appointment.
Applications and Placement
Applications for the following academic year will be accepted during the first two weeks of February each year. Placement decisions will be made in mid-March. NSE places approximately 97 percent of it applicants at their first choice schools.
Students must attend a mandatory Application Meeting in late January in order to receive their program applications. You must attend a general informational meeting in order to be on the invitation list to the application meeting.
A non-refundable application fee of $155 is due with the application.
Length of Exchange
Exchanges may be for a single term/ semester or an entire academic year. The UO does not participate in summer term/semester exchanges.
Cost and Payment
Students either pay their normal tuition and fees at the home campus (Plan B) or pay these fees at the host campus where non-residency status is waived for up to one academic year (Plan A). Students pay in-state tuition. Each campus determines the fee payment plan or plans under which it will participate in the exchange program. Participants pay room and meal charges to the host campus.
Financial aid is applied for and awarded by the campus that students are paying tuition and fees for. A Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) must be filled out to apply. When filling out your FAFSA form, list the campus code of any college where there is any possibility to be placed on Plan A as well as the code for U of O. Those students who are exchanging to Canadian member schools will apply for financial aid at the U of O.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Must I be enrolled at UO to participate in the National Student Exchange?
Yes. Students who want to go on exchange to a member campus need to be enrolled full time and be in good standing at the University of Oregon the term prior to exchanging.
- How much does it cost to participate in the NSE program?
Students must pay an application fee of $155. This application fee is NOT refundable once placed at the host school. Housing, books, insurance, etc are paid at the host school.
There are two payment plans for the NSE. On Plan A, tuition/fees are assessed at the in-state (resident) rate of the "host" campus. Plan B tuition/fees are paid to your "home" school at the rate you normally pay.
NOTE: some schools only have Plan A or B. The NSE directory provides information about which schools accept which plans.
Any transportation costs or personal expenses are to be paid by the student.
- Do I have to enroll full time at the host school?
Yes. UO students are required to maintain full time status at the host campus for the duration of their exchange.
- How do I apply to participate in the National Student Exchange?
Students who are interested in an exchange must attend an information meeting held during fall term (see Free Workshops for meeting dates) and an application meeting at the beginning of winter term. Completed applications must be turned in to Karen Cooper. Once a student is placed at their host school, the host coordinator will send application, registration, and housing information, etc to the student. Once information is received, students must follow schedules and guidelines relevant to their host school.
- What happens if I arrive at the host school, don't like it, and want to come home?
If a student withdraws from the NSE program after the term/semester has begun and prior to the end, the student must officially withdraw from the host school. It is also their responsibility to notify UO that they have cancelled their exchange.
- How do I register for classes at the host school?
Once a student has been placed at a school, the NSE coordinator from that school will send them materials that contain instructions about what is necessary to be admitted. The student will also receive information about how to register at their host school.
- How do grades transfer back to the U of O?
After the student sends official transcripts from their host school, the U of O Admissions Office will evaluate it. Credits taken at a semester school will be multiplied by 1.5 to be the equivalent of UO credit. The courses taken while on exchange are considered transfer credits and are not used to calculate your U of O GPA.
- How do I pay for tuition while on exchange?
There are two options for payment while on exchange. Plan A is where host school resident (in-state) tuition is paid to the host school. Plan B is where UO tuition is paid to the UO even though the student is on exchange at another school.
NOTE: some schools only arrange for either Plan A or Plan B payment options. To find out which payment plans the school of your choice contains refer to the NSE Directory.
- What if I need to see a catalog of a host school?
There is a collection of most participating schools in the library at the Office of Academic Advising in 364 Oregon Hall. However, most schools have all of their information posted on their website.
- Can I bring a friend on exchange?
Yes. Students can be placed as "linked" in groups or pairs at the NSE Placement Conference. However, students must understand that they are not guaranteed a placement with their friend. Linked students will be placed together on all choices, so it is recommended that applicants agree on all choices.
- How long can I stay on exchange?
Students may stay on exchange for up to one academic year only. If a student was signed up to go for only one term/semester and wishes to extend their stay, he/she must receive permission from both their home and host schools.
- What about my credits? How do they transfer?
The University of Oregon is on the quarter system, and interested students are advised to exchange for the full academic year. This allows for a full year's worth of credits to transfer smoothly. If the student wishes to exchange for a partial year, we recommend exchanging Fall Semester in order to arrive back to the University of Oregon for Winter and Spring terms. The student will receive 1.5 term credits at U of O per 1.0 semester credit taken at their host school.
After Placement
Placement Acceptance: A signed Placement Acceptance Form confirms the student's intent to exchange and signals the host campus to send necessary materials for admission, registration, and housing.
Financial Aid: Make sure your financial aid package is in order. You will receive an award letter from your host school if you are going on Plan A or from the University of Oregon if you are exchanging on Plan B (pay University of Oregon tuition).
Academic Advising Agreement: Every student must complete an agreement with their home campus regarding how the courses taken on exchange will be applied to the home academic program. UO students will be given a course approval form in which they will need to map out courses they plan to take on exchange. Students will also need to print out host school course descriptions for those courses and take them to their major departments and the Office of Admissions to have them approved.
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