Information for Incoming Exchange Students

Welcome!
We are delighted that you're considering spending a semester or academic year at the University of Missouri-St. Louis. The exchange programs at UM-St. Louis are coordinated by the Study Abroad Office and the Office of International Student and Scholars Services. This page has information and links specifically for prospective exchange students.

Application Process & Forms
Exchange Coordinator Contact Information
After You've Been Accepted

Definitions

International Students (degree-seeking): Students wishing to obtain a degree from UM-St. Louis are considered “degree-seeking, international students” who pay tuition and fees for international students. If you wish to pursue an academic degree from UM-St. Louis, you should visit the Office of International Student & Scholar Services for further information.

Exchange Students: Exchange students plan to study at UM-St. Louis for one semester or one academic year, do not want to obtain their entire degree from UM-St. Louis, and do not pay UM-St. Louis tuition and fees. They are seeking to experience life and culture in the United States as a student, for only a short time. If you are from one of UMSL's partner universities and wish to be an exchange student, you have found the correct website. Read on!

Institution Information Sheet for UM-St. Louis

Application Process for Exchange Students

Does your university have an exchange agreement with UM-St. Louis? You should speak with your home university’s exchange coordinator about your desire to exchange with UM-St. Louis.
Your exchange coordinator must approve you for exchange during your requested semester(s).
Complete the following application materials and have your exchange coordinator mail them to UM-St. Louis before the deadlines:
*April 15 for Fall semester
*October 1 for Spring semester
Click here for printer-friendly application instructions.

Necessary Forms for Admission:

Application Form: Complete pages two and three, available online at http://www.umsl.edu/services/intelstu/prospective/ugradapp.pdf.
Note: Exchange students do NOT pay the application fee.

Exchange Student Information Sheet

Educational Transcripts: Submit official transcripts and English translation of transcripts.

TOEFL Scores: Submit official TOEFL scores or an attestation of English proficiency.

Necessary Forms for Issuing Immigration Documents:

Financial Support Form: You must complete this form with information about your financial support during your exchange program. Exchange students need to show proof of $6,000 US of support per semester. http://www.umsl.edu/~intelstu/prospective/documents/
FinancialSupportForm.pdf

Bank Statement: Please provide an official document from your bank or your sponsor’s bank. The document should certify that you or your sponsor hold an account and have the minimum dollar amount in that account ($6,000 US per semester). The statement needs to be on bank letterhead and signed by a bank official.

Photocopy of Passport: This is to verify spelling of name to ensure the name on the immigration document matches the passport.

Mailing Address
Traci Wilson
Center for International Studies
University of Missouri-St. Louis
261 MSC (MC 221)
One University Blvd.
St. Louis, MO 63121
USA
Telephone 1-314-516-6497 or 1-314-516-5229
Fax 1-314-516-5636
Email tlwilson@umsl.edu or iss@umsl.edu

After You've Been Accepted

Acceptance Packet
After we receive all of your application materials, Traci Wilson, the exchange student coordinator, will email you with more information regarding arrival dates, classes, housing, etc. Make sure to check your email regularly.

It takes several weeks to process your application and to issue the immigration documents. Please be patient. We will mail your acceptance packet to you as soon as possible. Fall semester students should expect their packet in May or June. Spring semester students should expect their packet in late November.

Housing
On-campus housing is available in the form of residence halls and apartments. You can look at the housing websites now to get an idea of which accommodations will best suit your needs. Applications are available online. Most exchange students live in the University Meadows Apartments.

University Meadows Apartments: http://www.campushousing.com/umsl/
Residential Life (dormitories): http://www.umsl.edu/services/reslife/

Insurance
All J-1 students are required to purchase insurance coverage through UMSL. Exchange students may be eligible for a waiver of the mandatory insurance program if your insurance meets strict requirements. You can view the requirements and apply for a waiver here. Please note, you must apply for and be granted a waiver before the deadline (usually 3 weeks after classes start). If you do not apply for a waiver before the deadline, you must purchase the UMSL insurance coverage.

Semester Dates and Orientation
Staff from the Center for International Studies will meet new international students at the Lambert-St. Louis International Airport on the following days. Please try to arrive on one of these days and before 5 p.m. More information will be included in your acceptance packet.

Fall semester 2008: Arrival Dates are August 7-8. International student registration and orientation will take place the following Monday, August 11 - Friday, August 15, 2008. Classes begin on Monday, August 18.

Spring semester 2009: Arrival Dates are January 8-9. International student registration and orientation will take place on the following Monday, January 12 - Friday, January 16, 1009. Monday, January 19 is a holiday (Martin Luther King Holiday) and classes begin on Tuesday, January 19.

The fall semester will end on December 13, 2008 and the spring semester will end May 16, 2009. You will not need to leave the US as soon as the semester ends; you may stay in the US for 30 days after the semester, that is until January 12 or June 15.

You can see the university's academic calendar, including vacation periods, here.

Course Registration
Exchange students are eligible to register for classes before arriving at UM-St. Louis. Registration instructions will be emailed to you when your acceptance packet is mailed. You can check course listings anytime.

University Bulletin (not all courses are offered each semester): http://www.umsl.edu/bulletin/
Course Schedule: http://www.umsl.edu/curriculum/COURSES

More Information
Please visit the "Admitted Students" section of the International Student and Scholar Services website for details about arrival, orientation, health insurance, and St. Louis. Please don't hesitate to contact us if you have any questions.

We look forward to welcoming you in St. Louis!

Transcripts
At the conclusion of your semester or year at UM-St. Louis, you must request that your official transcripts be sent to your home university. To do this, please complete and sign a transcript request form and turn it in at the Registrar's Office. There is a $5 processing fee for each transcript you request. If you have already left UMSL, you can fax the form to the Registrar. Please note: due to US privacy laws, only the student can request his/her transcript be released.