Deadlines

We will have two deadlines for submission of USF Incoming Exchange Application Materials.

• For students beginning classes in our Fall Semester, we need completed applications submitted by April 1st.
• For students beginning classes in our Spring Semester, we need completed applications by September 8th.

Application Timeline:

Your USF Program Coordinator will:
1. Receive and review nominated student applications.
2. Review course requests with Academic Departments, as needed.
3. Send Acceptance Notification or Request further details from Applicant.
4. Work with Student to complete the Housing, Meal Plan, Insurance, and Immunization process.
5. Work with Student to confirm schedule of courses.
6. Process DS2019 Visa Form with the USF International Services Office.
7. Upon completion of DS2019, student will be notified of the next steps in the Visa Application Process.
8. Continue to assist student with Preparations and conduct Orientation and Advising appointments after their arrival on campus. 

Course Selections

Keep in mind that at USF, for immigration purposes, 12 credit hours for undergraduate students and 9 hours for graduate students is considered full-time.  This typically comprises of 3 or 4 classes, depending on the number of credit hours associated with the course.

Students can look up available courses at: http://www.registrar.usf.edu/ssearch/search.php.  Select "Tampa" as your campus, and the intended semester of study to review course options.  It is the Student's responsibility  to seek approval from their Home University to ensure that proper credit can later be accepted toward your degree.  A copy of your most recent transcript of grades must also be submitted with your course request list.  

Fall classes will not be posted until late February or early March. Spring courses are not posted until the end of October or beginning of November.

Please note that USF courses listed at the 4999 level and below are intended for undergraduate students, and courses listed at the 5000 level and above are intended for graduate students. 

Levels 1000-1999 are considered first year courses
Levels 2000-2999 are considered second year courses
Levels 3000-3999 are considered third year courses
Levels 4000-4999 are considered fourth year courses, and typically are the most demanding courses. 
*Students are advised to select courses carefully and cautiously, and work with your USF Coordinator, Kim Wood, to ensure that you understand the amount of time and work required for upper level courses. 

  ALL GRADUATE programs must indicate this on the initial application. We must first confirm that the Department will be able to accommodate you, based on space and your course history. We will review the student's academic transcript in order to verify which courses would best be suited for each student before your classes can be confirmed. This is to ensure the most successful academic experience for each student. 

Business:
ALL Accounting classes are not available to incoming exchange students due to the state of Florida testing requirements.
Finance courses are extremely rare to be admitted to since our curriculum requires Accounting and Finance background; students that want Finance classes will need to show any and all prior syllabi for classes they’ve taken in the area and the USF department chair must review. 
Management, Marketing, Entrepreneur, and General Business classes are fine to enroll in as long as intro classes were taken at their home institutions. 

Sciences:
Biology classes fill rapidly, and continuing student at USF are eligible to enroll before exchange students.  We do our best to register you for the requested classes, but if you are Biology students with very specific class requests we need you to complete your application as quickly as possible.
Chemistry department at USF is very hard to permit exchange students since preference is given to degree seeking students.  We cannot promise any classes in the this area due the high demand from pre-med students.

****ALL ONLINE CLASSES WILL BE PROHIBITED FROM FALL 2016 ON.  THIS IS AN IMMIGRATION RULE THAT HAS RECENTLY BEEN ENFORCED***** If a class they need is ONLY offered via online, they will need to register for a 5th class to meet the full-time, in person class requirement. 
 

Health Insurance

USF requires MANDATORY health coverage for Exchange students studying at USF. Students must purchase the USF insurance policy that is guaranteed to fulfill requirements set forth by the State of Florida/USF for immigration purposes. You can find information on the health insurance at http://www.shs.usf.edu/insurance/insurance-forms.aspx.

The only exception to this rule is for those students who are enrolled in an insurance policy that has been reviewed and pre-approved to meet all requirements of the State of Florida prior to arrival at USF. The non-USF Insurance Policy providers will be required to sign the USF Health Insurance Compliance Form which details the requirements for insurance. Inability to prove full insurance coverage by the second week of classes will result in a change of visa status and possible termination of the exchange in accordance with U.S. Department of State Regulations (CFR 22 Sec. 62.14 Insurance). USF Rule 6C4-6.0162

Housing & Meal Plan

The Housing and Meal Plan Applications must be completed as soon as possible upon notification of acceptance.  The USF Program Coordinator will notify students how to apply for housing as soon as the applications are available. We will not be able to guarantee on-campus housing, since the assignments are made on a first come, first served basis; however, we will do our best to facilitate  this process.

Meal Plan Options:  More information about the meal plan options can be found at: http://www.campusdish.com/en-US/CSS/UnivSouthFlorida/MealMemberships/.  After students have been officially accepted and issued a USF ID number, they may submit a contract on-line by going to the website above.
Important Reminder: Make certain to read the detailed contract terms and conditions and the cancellation policy.  If you decide to cancel your housing assignment, you must do so before the deadline listed on your application forms or you will be subject to a strict cancellation penalty.

Estimated Expenses

*Please note that these are estimated expenses and the actual amount which you will spend will depend on your personal spending trends. You must provide proof of funds totaling the amounts above in order to complete your DS2019 visa application process as explained below.

Provide official documentation of liquid assets to cover your period of study.  You must submit ORIGINAL DOCUMENTATION in order for your DS2019 form to be processed. This documentation must be sent along with your application documents.

NOTE:  Liquid assets include money in a banking account, stocks, bonds, or other investments with cash value.  Retirement accounts cannot be used as a source of financial support unless the sponsor can provide evidence that he/she is, in fact, retired and able to access those funds without penalty for early withdrawal.  Real estate or other non-liquid asset such as automobiles, jewelry, or other personal property cannot be used as a source of financial support under any circumstances.

Example Sources of Funding and Documentation

All amounts must be in United States currency or show applicable conversion rate.

Additional Support Needed for Dependents:

If you have a spouse or children that will accompany you to the United States, you must include an additional $5,000 per year for your spouse and each child.  Please note that this estimate for dependents is the minimum amount you must show.  If purchasing insurance in the U.S. for dependents, actual costs will likely increase.

Contacts

If you or your students have any questions, please feel free to contact:

Lauren Strange 
International Exchange Student Advisor, Education Abroad
University of South Florida
4202 E. Fowler Avenue, CGS 101
Tampa, FL    33620-5550  USA
lstrange@usf.edu