The University of Illinois at Chicago has established exchange partnerships with a number of universities around the world. Exchange programs give UIC students the chance to study at a university outside the United States and, in return, give a student at a partner university a chance to study at UIC. The information provided below is intended for incoming exchange students, or students at a partner university who would like to study at UIC. Outgoing exchange students, or UIC students who would like to study at a partner university outside the U.S. should consult the UIC Study Abroad Office website.
Application Process
The application process for
incoming exchange students is a collaborative effort. Various UIC units are
involved including the Office of International Services, Academic
Departments, and UIC Admission. General questions about the application
process, however, can be directed to the Office of International Services at
oisexchange@uic.edu.
- Nomination: To begin the
application process, an authorized coordinator at the home institution
must nominate the interested student(s) for the UIC Exchange Program through a nomination form. The coordinator should download and complete the fillable pdf form, sign [hard or digital signatures are acceptable], and return by email attachment to oisexchange@uic.edu with 'Exchange Nomination' in the subject line. UIC does NOT accept self-nominations for exchange.
- Application: The Office of International
Services will provide the home institution coordinator and
student with the UIC Exchange Program Incoming Exchange Nomination &
Application Directions. This document will explain the application process
in detail.
- Admission: After the
student submits a completed application to the Office of International
Services, it is forwarded to the relevant academic department for
consideration. If the academic department agrees to host the student, UIC
Admissions will conduct a final review of the application, and, if
approved, issue the official admission letter.
- Deadlines: Nominations and
applications must be received by the following deadlines to be considered
for the corresponding study terms. Applications received by the Early
Action Deadline will receive advanced notification of admission and
priority consideration for on-campus housing, course selection, and
immigration document processing.
Study Term
|
Nomination Deadline
|
Early Action
Application Deadline
|
Final Application
Deadline
|
Fall Semester
August - December
|
February 1
|
March 1
|
May 15
|
Spring Semester
January - May
|
June 1
|
July 1
|
Oct 1
|
Summer Session I
May-June
|
November 1
|
December 1
|
February 1
|
Summer Session II
June - August
|
November 1
|
December 1
|
February 1
|
- Immigration & Visa Requirements:
After admission to the UIC Exchange Program, students must submit
documentation so that OIS can issue a Form DS-2019 or Certificate of
Eligibility for Exchange Visitor Status. The DS-2019 allows the student to
apply for a J-1 visa at their nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate.
Prospective exchange students can
read more about the OIS Documents and how to submit them on the
OIS website. Required evidence of funding amounts for exchange students is
listed in the financial section of this page.
Academics
Exchange students at UIC study
alongside regular UIC students in lectures, classes, discussion groups, labs
and studios. The language of instruction is English and regular attendance and
active participation is expected by the faculty.
- Length of program: The
academic calendar at UIC is based on semesters. The fall semester runs
from August to December, the spring semester runs from January to May. In
addition, there are two summer sessions, summer session I which runs from
May to June and summer session II which runs from June to August. Exchange
students may apply for one or two semesters/sessions.
- Learning Agreement: Prospective
exchange students should outline their intended field of study and a list
of desired courses in the Learning Agreement which is included in their
application to the UIC Exchange Program. This allows the Office of
International Services to forward the application to the appropriate
academic department for review. Students and their home institution
coordinators can refer to the UIC
course catalog for a list of classes generally offered at UIC. Please note that not all courses
listed in the UIC course catalog will be offered during the exchange
student’s chosen term of study and some courses may be full by the time an
exchange student arrives on campus and registers for courses. Therefore,
it is highly recommended that prospective exchange students and home
institution coordinators remain flexible in this regard and prepare a list
of courses that includes several options which would be acceptable by the
home institution.
- Course Registration: Exchange
students will register for courses directly with their hosting academic
department at UIC. In general, course registration can only be completed
after the exchange student has arrived in Chicago and completed the Immigration
Check-in with the Office of International Services. OIS will
communicate directly with incoming exchange students regarding their
specific plan for course registration.
- Additional Considerations:
While studying at UIC, exchange students should take at minimum 75% of
their courses in the field of study indicated on their application.
Students may take additional courses outside their intended field of study
at the discretion of their home institution. Please see the Maintaining
Status section of this page for additional course selection
considerations.
Financial
Preparing for the financial
aspects of the UIC Exchange Program is important. This includes understanding
responsibilities regarding tuition and fee payment, how to view and pay your
UIC student account, and how much money to budget for living expenses while in
Chicago.
- Tuition: Exchange students
pay tuition to their home institution and are not charged UIC tuition
during their time in the UIC Exchange Program. Please consult your home
institution coordinator for details on how to pay your tuition bill while
you are in Chicago.
- Fees: Exchange students are
charged some UIC fees as outlined in the appendix of the Memorandum of
Understanding (MOU) between the home school and UIC. For example, most exchange students pay a
one-time Orientation /Arrival Fee ($149 as of fall 2018) to UIC unless it
is specifically waived in the MOU.
- Student Accounts & Billing:
Student billing and payment at UIC is handled by University Student
Financial Services & Cashier Operations. Exchange students can pay for
applicable fees and CampusCare health insurance coverage (if
not waived by deadline) via the USFSCO
website.
BILLING DISCLAIMER:
All UIC students, including exchange students, are automatically charged
tuition and all fees upon registering for courses. Exchange students will see
this bill shortly after confirming their course registration - don’t panic! OIS
will notify USFSCO to waive tuition and the fees specified by the MOU for each exchange
student. However, there can be a delay between the date USFSCO is notified and
the date the fee waiver is reflected on the exchange student’s account.
Exchange students should be mindful of any payment deadlines and communicate
questions about the student bill to OIS in a timely manner.
- Additional Estimated Expenses:
In addition to tuition paid to the home institution and fees paid to UIC,
exchange students should plan funding for additional costs such as living
expenses and books/supplies. Below are estimates of these expenses based
on living in Chicago and studying at UIC for one year. These are also the
amounts exchange students must show as evidence of funding to qualify for
a DS-2019 form.
Estimated Expenses
|
Undergraduate
|
Graduate
|
Living Expenses
|
$14,450
|
$16,046
|
Books
|
$1,400
|
$1,400
|
Orientation
|
$149
|
$149
|
TOTAL for 1 semester exchange
|
$7,999
|
$8,797
|
TOTAL for full year exchange
|
$15,999
|
$17,595
|
Housing
Exchange students may choose to
live on-campus with UIC Housing or off-campus in private accommodation. It is
recommended that students select UIC Housing.
Selecting private off-campus housing could result in unforeseen costs,
unreliable maintenance, difficult commuting and lessened access to university
services. It is the responsibility of the
exchange student to secure his or her own accommodation as housing is not arranged
by the UIC Exchange Program.
- On-Campus Housing: Campus
Housing provides a variety of convenient, secure, and socially-engaging residence
halls right on the UIC campus. Exchange students interested in immersing
themselves in the UIC college experience can visit the Campus Housing website for more
information on residence hall options, pricing, and application deadlines.
- Off-Campus Housing: Exchange
students interested in living off-campus can find resources on the OIS
website and the Commuter
Student Resource Center website.
Health Insurance
Exchange students on a J-1 visa
are required to maintain health insurance for the duration of their stay in the
U.S. The level of coverage must meet requirements set by the U.S. Department of State.
- Campus Care: Exchange
students, like all registered UIC students, are automatically enrolled in UIC’s student health benefit
program, CampusCare. CampusCare provides some, but not
all, of the health insurance coverage required by the U.S. Department of
State. Exchange students may choose to stay enrolled in CampusCare and purchase
supplemental health insurance coverage to meet the DOS requirements.
Alternatively, exchange students can waive CampusCare if they are
able to present evidence of equal or better health insurance coverage.
Please note that waiving CampusCare coverage
and corresponding charges must be done directly with CampusCare and by their deadlines. Presenting evidence of
health insurance coverage to OIS during Immigration
Check-In does not waive CampusCare.
- Private Health Insurance:
Exchange students may utilize privately-purchased health insurance
provided that it meets the requirements set by the U.S. Department of State. To utilize health insurance purchased in your home country,
documentation must be available in English and submitted through the CampusCare waiver process and OIS
Immigration Check-In.
Orientation
The Office of International
Services hosts International Student Orientation at the beginning of each fall
and spring semester and during the summer sessions. Exchange students should
attend the ISO offered at the beginning of their program at UIC and plan their
arrival to UIC accordingly. Please see the OIS website for more
information about International Student Orientation.
Maintaining Status
Exchange students enter the U.S.
on a J-1 visa, and therefore, are responsible for maintaining J-1 status for
the duration of their program. Below are some general tips for maintaining J-1
status, however, exchange students are encouraged to connect
with an OIS Advisor regarding any doubts or concerns. Additionally,
maintaining J-1 status is covered during International
Student Orientation.
- Immigration Check-In: Upon
arrival in Chicago all exchange students must complete an Immigration
Check-In with OIS. Along with presenting immigration documents,
exchange students must submit evidence of health insurance coverage that
is in English and meets the minimum requirements set by the U.S.
Department of State for the J-1 Exchange Visitor Program.
- Enrollment: J-1 exchange
students must enroll full-time during the UIC Exchange Program. For
undergraduate students, full-time at UIC is defined as 12 credits or more
per semester. For graduate students, full-time is 9 credits or more per
semester. Additionally, J-1 exchange students are limited in their ability
to enroll in online courses. Please see the OIS website for more
information about full-time enrollment requirements.
- Employment: J-1 visas are
first and foremost student visas. Therefore, regulations surrounding J-1
employment are strict and the consequences for violating them can be
severe. Information
about J-1 employment can be found on the OIS website. However,
please consult
with an OIS Advisor prior to participating in any work or
training activity, paid or unpaid.
- Address Updates: J-1
exchange students must maintain a current local (U.S.) and permanent
(international) address at all times. Exchange students should report
address changes to OIS within ten days.
- Travel: J-1 exchange
students who wish to travel outside the U.S. during their UIC Exchange
Program should confirm that they have valid immigration documents,
including an updated DS-2019 travel signature, prior to departure. More
information about travel and how to update a travel signature can be found
on the OIS
website.
- Departure: J-1 exchange
students have a 30 day grace period after the program end date listed on
their DS-2019 during which they may remain in the U.S. to travel or
prepare for departure. Work, study, and re-entry to the U.S. are not
permitted during the 30 day grace period. More information about departure
procedures, including how to formally notify OIS or your departure, can be
found on the OIS
website.
Getting Involved
Cultural exchange is at the
heart of the J-1 Exchange Visitor Program. Participants in the UIC Exchange
Program are encouraged to get involved on-campus so that they can interact with
UIC students, share their home culture and learn about U.S. culture. Below are
just some of the opportunities for involvement available at UIC.
- OIS Programs & Events:
The Office of International Services hosts a variety of cultural and
social programs throughout the academic year. The majority of these
programs are free of cost to exchange students and provide an opportunity
to connect with the broader UIC international community. For a list of
upcoming OIS programs and events, please see the OIS
website.
- Trade Winds: One of OIS’
signature programs, Trade Winds, is and intercultural friendship program
in which international students and U.S. students are placed in small
groups and encouraged throughout the semester to educate each other about
their cultures, countries, perspectives and life experiences. Trade Winds
is a fantastic opportunity for exchange students to build meaningful
intercultural relationships in their short time at UIC. Learn more on the OIS
website.
- Center for Student Involvement:
UIC has a vibrant student community and the Center for Student Involvement
organizes programming for students throughout the year. Check out their website
for upcoming events and a list of student organizations to join.
- Campus Recreation: Exchange
students who are interested in athletics can visit the UIC Campus Recreation website
for information on their work out facilities, sports clubs, and intramural
sports leagues and tournaments.