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 UMSL 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.
- If you are an Exchange Student: (semester or year, non-degree seeking student)
- Exchange students plan to study at the University of Missouri-St. Louis for one semester or one academic year, do not want to obtain their entire degree from UMSL, and do not pay UMSL tuition and fees (for up to 15 undergraduate credit hours). 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. Keep reading...
(To jump ahead to Application Process, click here.)
| GENERAL INFORMATION FOR: EXCHANGE STUDENTS | |||
| Areas of study open for Exchange students | accounting, area studies, anthropology, art, art history, astronomy, biochemistry, biology, biotechnology, black studies, business administration, languages, communication, education, economics, English, graphic design, history, interdisciplinary studies, international business, international relations, music, legal studies, philosophy, physics, political science, psychology, public administration, public law, social work, sociology, tropical ecology, urban studies, women's and gender studies, writing | ||
| Areas of study not open for Exchange students | Engineering, Optometry, Nursing | ||
| What graduate programs are open to exchange students? What are the conditions? Can advanced undergraduate exchange students take graduate level courses? | Some graduate programs are open to exchange students. Please inquire BEFORE nominating any graduate level students. Additonal materials are required, and graduate applicants should apply as early as possible. | ||
| Student Contact person(s) | Liz Shabani International Exchange Coordinator International Studies and Programs University of Missouri-St. Louis One University Blvd, 261 MSC St. Louis, MO 63121-4499 (314) 516-6983 (314)516-5636 (fax) e-mail: ShabaniE@umsl.edu |
||
| General university web site | http://www.umsl.edu | ||
| International Students & Scholars Website | International Student & Scholars Services: www.umsl.edu/international |
||
| Academic Calendar/Arrival Dates & Info: |
Click here to view full Academic Calendar ARRIVAL: Fall semester 2012:Arrival Dates are August TBA. Some welcome activities and shopping trips will occur Aug. TBA. International student registration and orientation will take place the following Monday- Thursday. Classes begin on Monday, August 20. All students must attend orientation. Spring semester 2012: International student registration and orientation
will take place the following Monday - Thursday, January TBBA. Classes begin on Tuesday, January 17. All students must attend orientation. The fall semester will end on December 15, 2012 and the spring semester will end May 18, 2013. 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 15 or June 18. |
||
| Examination Period(s) |
|
||
| Orientation session(s) | A one-week mandatory orientation session is held before classes begin in the Fall and Spring semesters. There is no charge. Fall semester 2012:Arrival Dates are August TBA. Some welcome activities and shopping trips will occur Aug. TBA. International student registration and orientation will take place the following Monday- Thursday. Classes begin on Monday, August 20. All students must attend orientation. Spring semester 2012: International student registration and orientation
will take place the following Monday - Thursday, January TBBA. Classes begin on Tuesday, January 17. All students must attend orientation.
|
||
| Application
deadline(s) for admission |
Please have your home university coordinator check for availability of space before applying! April 15 for Fall semester. |
||
| Application procedures: web site or mail | See process far below on this page: Application Process. First, contact the UMSL coordinator to nominate the student. Then, Scan and email documents, and then post originals directly to Liz Shabani. *Please note: Some graduate programs are open to exchange students. Please inquire BEFORE nominating any graduate level students. Additonal materials are required, and graduate applicants should apply as early as possible. |
||
| Course registration deadline(s) | Once accepted, students will be assigned an on-site Academic Advisor to email their course choices to for registration. Students should register via email before coming to St. Louis, as courses may fill up. *Exchange students are provided a scholarship that covers up to 15 credit hours of courses. Students who wish to enroll in more than 15 credit hours/semester will be required to pay any additional tuition and academic fees associated with the credit. In some cases students will need to demonstrate pre-requisites. Students will receive registration instructions after they have been accepted by UMSL. Course Listings: University Bulletin (not all courses are offered each semester, you will need to check the Course Schedule for the annual listing): http://www.umsl.edu/bulletin/ *Please note, the upcoming year will not be posted until late March/early April. But you can reference the courses that were offered this year to give you an idea of what is likely to be offered next year. In addition, you can search the specific department's page for the 3-year course plan to see what they will be likely offering. |
||
| Language requirements | TOEFL Scores: Submit official TOEFL scores. Undergraduate: TOEFL minimum iBT score: 61 (PBT: 500, CB: 173). Graduate: TOEFL minimum iBT score: 79 (PBT: 550) ITP score is acceptable for an Undergraduate student but not acceptable for a Graduate student. IELTS minimum score: Undergrad: 5.5 Graduate: 6.0 Please note: ALL Exchange students who are not native speakers of English will be given a placement test upon arrival and may be recommended to take ESL courses during the semester, depending on the results of their English placement exam. The ESL classes are not required, but they can be taken under the Exchange Program. |
||
| Language test certificate required? | TOEFL score; placement test given during orientation before classes begin. | ||
| Preparatory language course for new exchange students | None. ESL courses offered during the semester.
The ESL classes are classes included under the exchange if the student decides to take them.
|
||
| Internships available | Possibility of students locating their own internship. Internship must be unpaid and done for academic credit. | ||
| Student jobs available/allowed? | Yes, on campus up to 20 hours each week. | ||
| Housing assistance | Yes; Housing available in on-campus apartments (University Meadows)
or on-campus dormitories. Applications are available online at: |
||
| Housing options | There are two on-campus options: residence/dorm hall or apartments. A Residence hall option is most convenient because it is fully-furnished and comes with a required on-campus meal plan. There are many facilities available to students. Many international students choose the on-campus apartments (University Meadows) because they have self-catering kitchens. Prices for all housing options will vary. Students can find apartments off-campus, if they are willing to take public transportation. It is possible to have temporary housing for the first week while looking. Unfortunately, the staff members are unable to assist in the search for off-campus accommodation. |
||
| Housing application deadline(s) | Assignments are made on a first-come basis. However, housing is limited so students are encouraged to apply as early as possible. | ||
| Cost
estimates per month -Housing -Meals -Books -Local Transportation -Health insurance |
International
students should budget a total of $12,000 per year. Estimates
per MONTH: |
||
| Comparable health insurance coverage from abroad allowed/not allowed | Insurance |
||
| Health facilities at the university | Health Services offers minor clinic service and referral. | ||
| Additional information | Transcripts At the conclusion of your semester or year at UMSL, 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. |
||
| Summer Courses available under Exchange Agreement? If so, please list | No, exchange students may only study here in the summer after the spring semester if they are a fee-paying student. | ||
Application Process for Exchange Students
- Does your university have an exchange agreement with UMSL? You should speak with your home university’s exchange coordinator about your desire to exchange with UMSL.
- Your exchange coordinator must first approve you for exchange during your requested semester(s) and email the UMSL coordinator to nominate you and receive approval that there is space to apply.
- Once you have been nominated, please complete the following application materials and have your exchange coordinator mail them to UMSL before the deadlines: (Please EMAIL the scanned documents first, and then post the originals to our office)
- DEADLINES:
*April 15 for Fall semester or Academic Year
*October 1 for Spring semester (Limited spaces for Spring)
Application Materials to be Submitted: (materials must be in English or accompanied by official English translation)
- Application Form: PLEASE TYPE your information (if possible) Select either Application form below and complete: (exchange students don't pay the application fee)
Undergraduate Application
Graduate Application
Note: Exchange students do NOT pay the application fee.
Exchange Students should select J-1 status for visa on the application.- Exchange Student Information Sheet: Exchange Info Sheet-Word Document version or Exchange Info Sheet-PDF version
- Educational Transcripts: Submit official transcripts in English (or with the English translation of transcripts.)
- TOEFL Scores: Submit official TOEFL scores. TOEFL minimum iBT score: Undergrad: 61 and Graduate: 79. ITP score is acceptable for an Undergraduate student but not acceptable for a Graduate student. IELTS minimum score: Undergrad: 5.5 Graduate: 6.0
- Graduate Students: In addition to the above materials, must ALSO submit:
- CV/resume
- Statement of purpose
- 2 letters of reference
- official TOEFL scores
- Undergraduate AND Graduate official transcripts
- Proof of bachelor's degree or equivalent (copy of diploma, etc.).
- *Note: If language score is not high enough, a writing sample may be requested to help support application.
*Admission for Graduate Students is contingent on approval by Graduate School and Faculty Department. This process takes awhile so APPLY EARLY!
6. All students must submit these 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-FILLABLE.pdf
- Official Financial Documentation/Bank Statement: Please provide an official document from your bank or your sponsor’s bank or your scholarship donor. 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. Financial documentation can no older than six months.
- Photocopy of Passport: This is to verify spelling of name to ensure the name on the immigration document matches the passport.
ALL Materials need to be EMAILED first and then posted to the address below:
Mailing Address
Liz Shabani-Exchange Coordinator
International Studies and Programs
University of Missouri-St. Louis
261 MSC (MC 221)
One University Blvd.
St. Louis, MO 63121 USATelephone +1-314-516-6983 or +1-314-516-5229
Fax 1-314-516-5636
Email ShabaniE@umsl.edu or iss@umsl.edu
Acceptance Packet
After we receive all of your application materials the exchange student coordinator will email you with more information regarding arrival dates, classes, housing, etc. Make sure to check your email regularly.
*Please Note: 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.
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.
Also, check out our international student photo gallery!
We look forward to welcoming you in St. Louis!