What is an Exchange Program?

When should I start planning for a university exchange program?

The sooner the better! We recommend starting to plan for an exchange program about 12-18 months in advance of when you want to go abroad.  

Talk to your UO academic advisor early to help you plan what classes you should take before going abroad, during your study abroad or exchange program, and when you return to UO.  Early planning and being flexible with classes you take during the exchange program can help you incorporate a university exchange program into your time at UO without affecting your degree completion. 

GEO staff can advise you on the different university exchange programs, the exchange application process, and other considerations to be aware of with exchange programs.   

What is the application process for a university exchange program?

The application process for university exchange programs involves multiple steps: 

Complete one GEO application to your top choice university exchange program by the published deadline on the GEO program page. After the deadline, GEO staff will review your application. 

• For competitive programs, GEO may invite you to an interview as part of the review process.
• Once GEO's review process is complete, GEO will email you with a decision on your application. It may take up to four weeks after the application deadline to hear back from GEO. 

If you receive a nomination offer from GEO to an exchange program, you will need to accept your nomination offer within one week of receiving the nomination offer. 

After you've accepted your nomination offer, you will need to complete your host university’s application by their deadline. GEO staff or the staff at your host university will email you with next steps to start this process. 

• The host university application typically consists of an application form, copy of passport, official UO transcript, study plan/learning agreement, etc. 
• This process can vary from being straightforward to more complex and time-consuming. Some host university applications may involve submitting hard copies of documents to GEO. 

The final decision regarding acceptance is made by the host university. GEO and the University of Oregon are not involved in the host university’s decision to admit students.

What criteria does GEO use in the selection process?

GEO will do a holistic review of your application to confirm that you meet the program’s eligibility requirements (GPA, class standing, and in some cases, language requirements or coursework requirements) and will weigh your exchange short statements, your academic record (including transfer work, if applicable), and exchange interview (if needed) equally in the selection process. 

Please review the GEO program pages carefully to ensure you understand the eligibility requirements for the exchange you are interested in.

Are exchange programs competitive?

There are a limited number of placements at each university exchange program, which can vary from year to year. It also depends on how many UO students apply to a university exchange program. This means some university exchange programs may be more selective or competitive than others.  

You should identify other university exchange programs, or other GEO study abroad programs, to list as your backup options in your GEO exchange application. If we are unable to offer you a placement at your first-choice university exchange program, we will automatically consider you for the backup programs you list in your GEO exchange application. 

How should I choose the university exchange program that is right for me?

Research, research, research! Each university exchange program has different nuances and experiences for exchange students. You should also consider whether there are any specific requirements for exchange students. For example, will you be required to take most of your classes in one subject area? Will you be required to live in on-campus housing, or will on-campus housing even be available?

Carefully read over the GEO program pages for the university exchange programs you are interested in. You should review the “Host University Resources” links on the GEO program page. These links can help you determine which programs are the best fit for your academic, personal, and career goals. The “Student Guide” and “Course Search” links are some of the most helpful tools that you can use to research exchange programs. 

Participating in an exchange program will require you to demonstrate high levels of independence. You may be one of the only UO students studying at your exchange university, so it’s helpful for you to consider how you will adapt to your new environment and find ways to get connected to your host university and host culture. GEO strongly encourages you to do your own independent research beyond the GEO program pages about the host university and host city/country.  

How do the finances of an exchange program work?

As an exchange student, you do not pay tuition to your host university. Instead, GEO will charge an exchange program fee to your UO student billing account. The exchange program fee is based on your residency status and the number of semesters you spend abroad. The exchange program fee is billed instead of your usual UO tuition. 

Additional expenses, such as accommodation, meals, flights, visa costs, personal expenses, transportation, and more, will be paid by you directly to the organization providing the services. For example, if you live in university residence halls, you will pay the university housing office directly for your housing costs. 

GEO provides a budget on each program page. The budget includes the exchange program fee and the estimated additional program expenses based on the cost of living in your host city. GEO bases these budgets on a mid-range lifestyle, so, depending on your chosen lifestyle and expenses, your actual expenses may vary from our estimate budget. 

Which exchange programs offer classes in my major?

Most likely, lots! You can check which universities offer courses related to your studies by clicking on the “Academics” or “Course Search” links in the host university resources sidebar on the GEO program page.  

Please be aware that courses at the host universities may change from year to year, or they may have restrictions or pre-requisites, just like UO classes do. You need to be flexible with choosing courses and have multiple back-up courses in case you do not get into your top choices. You are responsible for ensuring you meet any pre-requisites for courses at the host university. Ultimately, your host university has the final decision on whether you meet any pre-requisites for course(s) you wish to enroll in.

How do I know what type of UO credit I will receive for the classes I take on exchange?

Each university exchange has a specific credit and grading conversion that the Registrar’s Office will apply once your host university transcript is received.

Each credit-bearing class that you take on a university exchange will earn UO credit, however, GEO cannot guarantee whether those credits will be able to cover specific major, minor, or other degree requirements at the UO.

Some UO equivalencies may be listed on the UO Course Equivalency Database. This will allow you to see how previous courses have transferred to the UO. If you would like to request to apply credits towards major/minor requirements other than what is listed, speak with your academic department and academic advisor. 

Please note that courses from university exchange programs will only appear on the UO's Course Equivalency Database if another UO student has taken that specific class at that specific university in the past.

What if I don't see the course(s) I want to take listed in the UO Course Equivalencies database? 

This means that you will be the first UO student to take the specific course(s) at the host university and a UO course equivalency needs to be established. 

You can read more about the Course Equivalency Process here.

Since there are so many classes to choose from at a host university, it is very likely that many classes listed on the host university website do not appear on the UO's Course Equivalency Database.

What kind of support do I have onsite?

Each university we work with has a designated coordinator for incoming exchange students. They are a great resource for questions you have about your host university. 

You will have access to the same support services and resources that full-time students at your host university have. Please be aware that university systems outside the US may differ from what you are used to at the UO, both in terms of academic structure and student services. Though there is support available, learning how to navigate another university and access that support may take time.

GEO will provide a pre-departure orientation and your host university will provide an on-site orientation upon arrival.

Why is the application deadline so early? Can you accept late applications?

Since exchanges are competitive, we set one deadline early so that all students have an equal opportunity to apply for exchange placements. We cannot accept late applications after the posted deadline. 

If an exchange program has remaining spaces after the application deadline, GEO will re-open Spring applications for any programs with availability. However, we can’t guarantee that the program you are interested in will be re-opened after the deadline, so we advise you to apply by the published deadline to have the most options.

I only want to miss one term at the UO. Are there exchange programs that can accommodate this?

Yes there are! You will have to plan which program to apply to based on the host university’s semester dates. If the semester abroad at the host university overlaps with any part of a UO quarter, you would be considered abroad for that full quarter, even if the overlap is just a week or two.

The naming conventions for exchange terms will help you determine if your semester abroad would overlap with one or two UO terms:

• Fall Semester exchanges = UO Fall term only
• Fall/Winter Semester exchanges = UO Fall and Winter term
• Spring Semester exchanges = UO Winter and Spring term
• Spring Quarter exchanges = UO Spring term only
• Academic Year exchanges = 3 UO Terms: Fall, then Winter, then Spring
• Calendar Year exchanges = 3 UO Terms: Winter, then Spring, then Fall
• Japanese Academic Year exchanges = 3 UO Terms: Spring, then Fall, then Winter
• Summer exchanges = no overlap with the regular UO academic year