Administration of "Exchange" Programs

PURPOSE

The memorandum outlines the procedures used to select, admit, orient and register students participating in foreign student exchange programs countries.

1. GENERAL PROVISIONS

Institutions sending students on exchange to UNC-CH must have a written exchange program agreement with UNC-CH, that is approved by University Counsel, and signed on behalf of each institution. Exchange agreements may be proposed by any of the UNC-CH Professional Schools, or the College of Arts and Sciences.

All programs in the College of Arts and Sciences are administered (coordinated) by staff in the Study Abroad Office. Under an exchange agreement, the institutions agree upon a specific number of students to be exchanged for that academic year, and how many terms they will stay for. Students pay tuition at their home institution and attend another institution for one or two terms. They exchange places, on a one-to-one basis, with a student coming from the institution being visited. In theory, the departing student is paying tuition for the visiting student.

Students from non-UNC Chapel Hill schools can participate in certain UNC-CH exchange programs as per the agreement with the foreign institution. However, these students must be admitted as special, non-degree transfer students by the Undergraduate Admissions Office, or the Study Abroad Office. They are classified as college of AS, major of EXCH, class of SPU, and degree of NONDG. They will be charged full tuition and fees based on their residency status.

If the visiting student wishes to use federal financial aid, a consortium agreement must be executed between UNC-CH and the student's home college or university to guarantee continued eligibility for U.S. federal student financial aid. The financial aid office of the student's home institution will be responsible for obtaining the letter.

In order that billing for tuition & fees may take place, and eligibility for financial aid and residency credit be maintained, outgoing students participating in the exchange programs will be registered for 15 credit hours of special ISP course work for each term they are away. The course numbers will be assigned to specific locations and the course title will reflect the location.

2. EXCHANGE PROGRAM COORDINATION

An exchange coordinator or coordinators in the sponsoring UNC-CH School or College will be an integral part of the program. The coordinators will oversee all phases of the exchange, providing continuity for students moving between the schools. Coordination will include:

1. organizing a committee for the selection of students
   
   
2. liaising with foreign institution as contact person
   
   
3. providing application forms and registration material for UNC-CH student and foreign exchange students
   
   
4. coordinating provision of registration material between schools, either online or in hard copy.
   
   
5. liaising with housing and financial aid
   
   
6. insuring that students are properly registered while attending other schools, including assistance with pre-registration for UNC-CH students while abroad, for the next term.
   
   
7. providing assistance to visiting students with registration and serving as an adviser after arrival of student on campus
   
   
8. verify continuing full time enrollment of UNC-CH and visiting students for the financial aid offices.

3. SELECTION and ADMISSION

a. UNC-CH Students

1. Students wishing to participate in an exchange program must make an application and be approved by both the home institution and the host institution. The application period will normally be early in the semester prior to the term of participation. The coordinator will determine the application procedures, the number of exchange places available in each program for each semester, and will establish criteria for selection and review the candidates.
   
   
2. Before submitting the completed application, students should meet with their college adviser to discuss possible effects on their date of graduation and meeting other types of requirements for graduation.

b. Visiting Students

1. The student's home institution will screen applicants for the exchange program. The UNC-CH coordinator will mail or make available online the UNC-CH admissions requirements, application forms, visa application forms, medical history forms, medical insurance forms, housing applications and course registration materials to the coordinator at the visiting institution that are necessary to enroll students at UNC-CH.
   
   
2. The completed forms will be returned to the UNC-CH coordinator who will review or have a committee review the student's admission application, and admit or deny admission to the student, informing the sending institution if not admitted.
   
   
3. Visiting students from the foreign countries will be admitted using a school code of "VS", a class of "FX", a degree of "NONDG", and a major reflecting their sponsor. See the attached table for information on coding the student records.
   
   
4. Applications for student visas will be screened by the coordinator, and forwarded to the Office of International Students and Scholar Services (OISSS, formerly the International Center). Only the OISSS has authority to issue United States Immigration and Naturalization forms (IAP-66 or I-20) that the INS requires in order to issue student visas. Visa applications will not be forwarded to the OISS if the student is not admitted.

4. REGISTRATION PROCEDURES

a. Students Going Abroad

1. Once approved by the selection committee in the sponsoring College or School, UNC-CH students should obtain registration forms or online application instructions for the host institution from the coordinator. After completing the forms, they are returned to the coordinator to be forwarded to the institution to be visited.
   
   
2. Each semester, the coordinator will register the students for 15 hours credit for the appropriate exchange program (ISP XXX) at UNC-CH.
   
   
3. The Office of the University Registrar will enter a code of "Y" into flag 7 of the Term Report flags (screen 119) indicating that the student is participating in an exchange program. The University Registrar sets the flags based on the ISP course rolls

b. Visiting Students

1. The coordinator will register the visiting students for UNC-CH courses to the extent possible and notify the student and/or visiting school coordinator of problems in filling the students' requests before their arrival at UNC-CH.
   
   
2. Upon arrival on campus, visiting students will report to the Office of International Students and Scholars for check-in, and for a formal orientation to UNC-CH. Upon arrival, visiting students will receive their Student Personal Data Forms that include the student's class schedule from the coordinator.
   
   
3. Visiting students can register or drop or add in the same manner as other students once they have arrived on campus. Students will be reminded that the U.S. INS requires that all visiting students be continuously registered as full time students, or they will be considered by the U.S. INS to be out of visa status, and may be deported as a result, and future travel to the U.S may not be allowed.
   
   
4. Students will be issued a UNC one card upon arrival and with verification of their student status by the UNC One Card Office.

5. TUITION AND FEES

a. UNC-CH Exchange program participants

Outgoing students will pay the normal full tuition and fees to UNC-CH in accordance with the normal billing cycle by the University Cashier's Office. Students receiving financial aid must inform the UNC-CH Office of Scholarships and Student Aid (OSSA) of their plans to study abroad (see 7.a).

Students may be required to pay additional fees at the visiting school above the regular tuition and fees rate for special courses or optional activities. UNC-CH students should be allowed access to the student health services, libraries, computers, and student activities the same as regular students. The student should be notified of any of these additional charges before accepting an offer to participate in the exchange program.

b. Visiting Students

All arrangements for visiting students will be made by or in coordination with the coordinator(s).

For every visiting student studying at UNC-CH under an approved agreement between their home institution and UNC-CH, tuition and fees will be paid by an outgoing student on the same program. Such an exchange of students does not require students to be exchanged within the same semester or even the same academic year.

6. HOUSING

1. Housing for visiting exchange students is available through the UNC Housing Department. Application forms will be made available to the student by the coordinator. Original contracts must be received by the UNC Housing Department for each student to be assigned a room on campus. Students who apply for rooms before the deadline will be assured of an assignment.
   
   
2. If the exchange agreement includes an exchange of room, then the coordinator will be responsible for transferring to the UNC Cashier's office the amount due for the student's room assignment. Such exchange agreements only cover a double room. Students are subject to and must abide by the rules and regulations covering on-campus housing as established by the UNC Housing Department.
   
   Extra charges for single occupancy or air conditioning will be charged on the students account and be the responsibility of the student. If the student's exchange does not include room, then the student's charges for room will be put on his/her account through the UNC Cashier's office and paid directly by the student upon arrival.
   
   
3. For visiting students who wish to live off-campus, the coordinator is not responsible for finding or securing such accommodations, but may assist in providing information.

7. FINANCIAL AID

a. UNC-CH Students

The following procedures are required of the student by the Office of Scholarships and Student Aid in order to assure prompt delivery of financial aid funds:

1. Apply for financial aid according to established deadlines.
   
   
2. Complete the Study Abroad Enrollment Agreement, specifying program, beginning and ending dates, and hours of course credit to be attempted.
   
   
3. Complete and return all forms sent with the award letter by the acceptance deadline specified on the award letter.
   
   
4. Complete forms required to apply for financial aid for the subsequent year if returning to UNC-CH for further course work after study abroad.
   
   
5. Students who anticipate costs higher than those typically incurred at UNC-CH may also apply for a Guaranteed Student Loan. Information and application forms can be obtained in the OSSA
   
   Students who are eligible for and are receiving benefits from Social Security, Veterans' Administration, Vocational Rehabilitation, or other outside funding sources will need to make additional arrangements with the office concerned for these funds to be made available to them abroad.

b. Visiting Students

It will be the visiting student's responsibility to arrange for all financial aid at the home institution.

8. COURSE CREDIT

a. UNC-CH Students

1. Awarding transfer credit. The Coordinator will provide transfer credit information to the Office of the University Registrar. Students must register for classes abroad with approval of the Study Abroad Office or sponsoring department coordinator. Courses taken abroad on these programs may fulfill elective, perspective, and with the permission of the department, major/minor or foreign language credit.
   
   After the program is completed abroad, an official transcript or grade report from the foreign institution must be received by the Study Abroad office or the sponsoring department, and the student must contact the office upon return to facilitate the transfer of credit. The Academic Advisor in Study Abroad will send this original transcript along with a CREDIT REPORT to the UNC Registrar and a copy to the College of Arts and Sciences (or appropriate school); such report will describe how the credits are to be applied and how many hours have been earned. Neither grades nor course titles are transferred, only hourly credit. On the student's transcript, only "Study Abroad in ______ -- # hours" will appear.

b. Visiting Students

The University Registrar will supply a transcript for each student in the exchange program as requested by the program coordinator.

*Specific majors have been set up to denote the student's sponsoring school or program.