outgoing participants
National Student Exchange
A world of opportunity awaits.
Thank you for taking this first step toward adding a study-away component to your experience at Purdue Fort Wayne. As the next step in the process, please review the information provided here to guide you in the National Student Exchange program selection and application process.
Eligibility and Timeline
Do your homework.
- Full time, undergraduate, degree-seeking student
- Completion of one term of full-time attendance (12 semester) at Purdue Fort Wayne prior to application
- Completion of one academic year (24 semester hours) at Purdue Fort Wayne prior to participation
- Minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5 (4.0 scale)
- Good academic standing as defined by your home campus
- No incomplete grades from previous terms
- No outstanding financial obligations to your home campus
- No current or pending campus academic or disciplinary probation
- No current or pending noncampus-related disciplinary action due to civil or criminal misconduct
No more than one academic year (two semesters or three quarters and a summer session) may be spent at one National Student Exchange school. After completing one year, you may select a different National Student Exchange member institution for exchange. Exchanges in different academic years will incur additional application fees.
With the exception of campuses in Puerto Rico and Quebec (see the following information), the language of instruction at all National Student Exchange campuses is English. Students for whom English is not their first language must demonstrate proficiency as part of the home-campus application process. Some host campuses my require TOEFL, IELTS, or other language tests.
The language of instruction at all National Student Exchange campuses in Puerto Rico is Spanish. Students must demonstrate Spanish-language proficiency as part of the application process.
The language of instruction at several schools in Quebec, Canada (Université de Montréal, Université de Sherbrooke, and Université du Québec à Montréal), is French. Students must demonstrate French-language proficiency as part of the application process. Following placement, students may also be requested to complete a language placement test.
Where do I start? (9 to 12 months before departure)
- Apply for a passport (if needed for your program).
- Research types of programs. Ask yourself, What type of program is right for me? Pay close attention to program-application deadlines, eligibility requirements, dates, etc.
- Schedule a meeting with the study abroad director.
- Discuss your plans with your academic advisor to discuss which classes you should take and what term to go.
- Create an account in ViaTRM to receive information tailored to you. ViaTRM is the university’s database platform for study-abroad and National Student Exchange applications. Use your Purdue Fort Wayne username and password to access the site. Complete and submit a Purdue Fort Wayne National Student Exchange application in Via TRM. Be certain to complete the entire application, all information, and all required forms.
- Complete the National Student Exchange application. The Study Abroad Program does not guarantee acceptance into any program or institution, but we’re happy to help you have a more competitive application.
Important Notice about Program Placements
The National Student Exchange conducts priority placements in the month of March prior to the fall and spring semesters. Priority placement is your best opportunity to secure your first choice of programs. In order to be approved to participate in priority placement, your Purdue Fort Wayne National Student Exchange application and National Student Exchange application must be completed no later than February 15.
After the priority-placement period, additional applications are still accepted for participation, but placements are based on availability of positions and not all partner universities will be available to accept students.
Here are your next steps:
- Once placed and accepted into your program, get a program budget from the Study Abroad Program and meet with the Office of Financial Aid to discuss financial aid options.
- Provide the list of courses to the director of study abroad to facilitate course approvals.
- Attend any required predeparture meetings and complete your online predeparture orientation.
- Prepare to leave. Arrange for your visa, flight, etc. Students are responsible for ensuring they have all correct admission and travel documents, and for reserving their flight. Be aware of all deadlines; the Study Abroad Program and National Student Exchange are here to help.
Study at Host University
Complete review and check on credit transfer upon return.
Registration and Credit
Everything you need to know.
All National Student Exchange programs are credit bearing, but the way the credit is awarded and how it appears on your transcript differ according to the type of program you pursue.
All credits from your program with a grade of C or above will return to Purdue Fort Wayne as transfer credit and will not be factored into your cumulative GPA. In addition, all credit will come back as elective credit unless you have obtained all the necessary preapprovals from departments.
All host-university courses should be preapproved prior to departure. Preapproval is provided via completion and submission of a Study Abroad / NSE Transfer Course Approval Form. Please download the form, complete it, and submit it to the Study Abroad Program by following these steps:
- Review and select host university courses. Compare host-university courses with your course needs within myBLUEprint. Select more courses than you intend to take. This step will help guard against problems that could occur with possible course cancellations or schedule conflicts.
- Gather host-university course syllabi. You may use host-institution catalogs, provider websites, and Study Abroad Program staff.
- Meet with your academic advisor to list the host-university course numbers, names, and credits on this form. If this form is not sufficient to list all courses, use a second form. You may staple sheets together.
- Obtain approval for course equivalency. Be prepared to provide course descriptions/syllabi in English to the relevant department chair (or chair designee). Meet with the appropriate chairs to determine PFW equivalencies to meet major, minor, and general education curriculum requirements and electives.
- Meet with your primary academic advisor to review and provide final signature.
- Return the signed form to the study abroad office. To have these courses appear on your PFW record, you must submit the signed form to the Study Abroad Program by the deadline provided to you. Do not register at PFW. This will be done on your behalf.
- Once abroad, if you enroll in overseas courses not approved on this form, it is your responsibility to contact your advisor to approve any changes within five days from the start of classes on-site. You must provide a copy of any new approvals to the Study Abroad Program. Email approvals will suffice. Any courses appearing on the overseas transcript, for which you do not have prior written approval from your academic advisor, will remain as general elective or undistributed credit. You must maintain a full course load (equivalent of 12 PFW credits) during your program participation.
Failure to complete and submit the Study Abroad / NSE Transfer Course Approval Form will result in all host-university coursework being articulated as general education or undistributed credit. If you have any questions or concerns about preapproval, please contact us at [email protected].
Please note that the Study Abroad / NSE Transfer Course Approval Form is valid for only one semester. If you participate for two or more terms of study, you must complete a form for each semester. You are encouraged to work closely with your advisor and to have more courses approved than you intend to take at the host university. In case you opt to change registration once abroad, having additional course approvals will provide you with options.
The study abroad office must receive an original transcript from the program abroad. You are responsible for ensuring that an official transcript is sent to the Study Abroad Program and not to the Office of the Registrar or to your home address. Failure to have your transcript sent to our office will result in delays to credit transfer and possibly graduation.
If you’re participating in a home- or host-payment National Student Exchange program, you’ll automatically be enrolled in a study-abroad placeholder course during your participation in the program.
The course and section number assigned will indicate the total number of credits you originally requested for the program.
The Study Abroad Program will register you into this course. You do not register for PFW courses for your National Student Exchange program. Take a look at the following information:
- All courses will now come in as transfer credit.
- The courses will not be included in transfer-credit institutional limitations.
- You will receive credit for courses equivalent to a C or higher.
- You will not receive credit for less than a C equivalent.
- You will not receive grades on your PFW transcript for your NSE program.
- Your National Student Exchange classes will not count toward your PFW grade point average.
- If you fail coursework and do not make satisfactory academic progress according to financial aid regulations, you may be required to repay financial aid. Please consult with the Office of Financial Aid to understand your obligations if you use financial aid.
Once we have registered you for your program, all other courses you might be registered for that term will be deleted. Thus, if you have been accepted for participation in an exchange program, but you do not wish to participate, it is vital that you let us know immediately. If you do not, there is a good chance we will register you for National Student Exchange and delete all your other courses for that term. Please remember, it is your responsibility to ensure that your status with us is clear. We cannot fix any problems that occur with your courses if you fail to alert us as soon as possible that you do not wish to participate in the program.
All credit earned at your host university will articulate back to Purdue Fort Wayne as transfer credit. Only those courses earning the equivalent of a C grade or higher will come back as credit. Courses that receive a C− or lower will not be brought back here. This can have very serious consequences on your financial aid award, and you may be asked to return all or some of your award if you receive less than full-time credit.
You should contact your departmental advisor to seek approval for any courses not previously approved. It is your responsibility to ensure the study abroad office receives any new course approvals, and confirmation from the department advisor, within one week of the start of classes at your host university.
You should request that host-institution transcripts be sent to the Study Abroad Program at the end of your program.
When the Study Abroad Program receives your National Student Exchange transcript, we will work with the Office of the Registrar to articulate the host-university coursework onto your transcript.
Preapproval of Transfer Credits Form
Preapproval of Transfer Credits Form
All host-university courses should be approved prior to departure. Approval is provided via completion and submission of the
Study Abroad / NSE Transfer Course Approval Form. Please download the form, complete it, and submit it to the Study Abroad Program.
Finances
Know what to expect.
From how and what tuition you’ll pay to scholarships and other aid options, learn about funding your exchange program.
You should be aware that the application and predeparture process will require a certain amount of money in advance. Some expenses must be covered before loans, scholarships, and grants arrive. Common examples would be the application fees, passport application (if required), plane tickets, and housing deposits. The nonrefundable application fee for National Student Exchange is currently $275. Keep this in mind when planning for your experience. We encourage students to financially plan and look for financial support from many resources.
The program-payment process varies for different types of programs, and you should consult with the Study Abroad Program to ensure that you are aware of how and where your program payments are made.
Home-University Payment Option
If you elect to participate in the home-university payment option (paying Purdue Fort Wayne tuition and fees), you will be billed for PFW tuition and insurance for the semesters in which you participate. You will not pay tuition at your host university.
You will pay for accommodations and meal plans (if applicable) directly to your host university. Your host-university coordinator will advise you on how to secure housing.
Host-University Payment Option
If you elect to participate in the host-university payment option (paying host-university in-state tuition and fees), you will be billed for Purdue Fort Wayne insurance for the semesters in which you participate. You will not pay PFW tuition and fees.
You will pay all tuition and accommodation and meal-plan (if applicable) expenses directly to your host university. Your host-university coordinator will advise you on how to secure housing.
There are many different fee structures and billing arrangements for National Student Exchange programs.
Each student has different financial aid eligibility and options and is responsible for learning whether the aid they have while on campus can be used for National Student Exchange.
If you already receive financial aid for your education costs while studying at Purdue Fort Wayne, you’ll need to work with the Office of Financial Aid to determine the costs that you must pay for your program and which aid opportunities are open to you. If you are not receiving aid currently, you may be able to get loans from the Office of Financial Aid. You must file the FAFSA to take advantage this.
You can get the budgets for your program from the Study Abroad Program; bring this to any meeting you have with the Office of Financial Aid. (The Study Abroad Program is not the expert on financial aid, and they will refer you to the Office of Financial Aid for definitive information about how your aid will cover your exchange-program costs.) These budgets list the education costs of the program and the additional estimated costs that you must pay out of pocket. These additional costs vary from program to program.
Students participating in Purdue Fort Wayne–approved programs are generally eligible for aid through the Office of Financial Aid; many students utilize federal financial aid to pay for their programs. Federal aid can apply for National Student Exchange programs when students have registered for at least the minimum number of credits. Federal financial aid might not apply to non-university-sponsored programs. Please contact the Office of Financial Aid with questions about aid for nonuniversity programs.
If you are the recipient of a Purdue Fort Wayne scholarship, such as the 21st Century or Chapman, the aid can usually apply to your approved program. Always check with the Office of Financial Aid to confirm the dollar amount. The program you select and the number of credit hours you take may affect the value of your award. For example, if you have a full ride at Purdue Fort Wayne, do not assume that all your costs are covered.
Purdue Fort Wayne students are also eligible to apply for any number of competitive international scholarships and fellowships. Generally, a GPA of 3.7+ is recommended.
Finally, always check with your academic department and college for any scholarship opportunities they may have available, and be certain to visit ScholarshipUniverse to see about opportunities available.
Apply
Take a step toward something new.
Before applying, you must meet with John Jensen, director of study abroad and coordinator of NSE, before starting an application. Contact him at [email protected] or 260-481-0322. If you’re ready to submit your application, use the following links. Remember, you need to complete two applications—one for our campus and one for National Student Exchange—before you can be considered.
Contact Us
Have questions?
Contact Purdue Fort Wayne’s National Student Exchange program at [email protected], or find us in the Liberal Arts Building, Room 264.