Accepted Outgoing Students
- Preparing to go on exchange
- Things to do while on exchange
- Preparing to return to UTC
- After your return to UTC
- Helpful UTC links
Preparing to go on Exchange
- Make an appointment to carefully complete and read the NSE "Placement Acceptance Form" (PAF) as soon as you are placed. Carefully complete and return the PAF to the UTC NSE Office. Pay attention to the “terms and conditions for exchange” listed on the back of the form. You are expected to meet all requirements and abide by all rules listed in order to go and remain on an exchange. In addition, this form is your official acceptance of the exchange. Retain the student copy of the "Placement Acceptance Form" for your files and be sure to have a copy with you while on exchange.
- Once UTC’s NSE Office receives your completed PAF, we will forward copies of this acceptance form to your host school and to the Central NSE Office. Once your host school receives this form, its NSE coordinator will begin to mail you information, instructions, and applications. Retain the student copy of the "Placement Acceptance" form for your files and be sure to have a copy with you while on exchange.
- Return all required forms, documents, and deposits to your host institution in a timely fashion: Your host institution will provide these forms (e.g. housing and admission applications, housing deposits, proof of immunizations, etc.).
- Read each carefully and note the response deadlines. Your response time may affect your housing assignment as well as your ability to register for desired classes.
- Bring a copy of the completed forms, records, and checks to UTC'S NSE Office for your student file.
- Obtain a copy of your host school’s “Campus Detail Sheet” immediately after your placement. Get this from the main NSE Web site for information about deadlines, fees, and contact names at your host campus.
- Contact your NSE host coordinator.
- After you have received correspondence or mailings from your host NSE coordinator, make contact with that person. (If there are classes that you must have while on exchange, let your host coordinator know as soon as possible. This coordinator may be able to help get you in these classes.) If you have completed your placement acceptance form and have not heard from your host campus, ask the UTC NSE Office for this contact information.
- After you have received correspondence or mailings from your host NSE coordinator, make contact with that person. (If there are classes that you must have while on exchange, let your host coordinator know as soon as possible. This coordinator may be able to help get you in these classes.) If you have completed your placement acceptance form and have not heard from your host campus, ask the UTC NSE Office for this contact information.
- If you are participating in a special NSE program or require special accommodations, make all necessary arrangements well in advance.
- The R.A. Exchange and Honors Programs involve separate application processes and approval for participation. Or if you have needs (e.g. physical disability, medical condition, etc.) that will require special arrangements at the host campus, inform both your home and host NSE coordinator as soon as possible.
- The R.A. Exchange and Honors Programs involve separate application processes and approval for participation. Or if you have needs (e.g. physical disability, medical condition, etc.) that will require special arrangements at the host campus, inform both your home and host NSE coordinator as soon as possible.
- If you will be living off campus while on exchange, make housing arrangements well in advance of your exchange.
- For more information about possible off campus contacts at your host school, consult the institution's campus detail form.
- Arrange to meet with UTC's NSE coordinator to discuss the costs of your NSE exchange.
- You have been given a worksheet in your application to begin to figure out your costs for you exchange. Using the "Campus Budget Estimates" on the NSE web site, work through the sheet the best you can and then arrange a meeting in UTC's NSE Office to discuss your financial aid awards and your exchange costs. UTC's NSE Office will provide you with a letter to give to your UTC Financial Aid counselor. This letter will state where and when you will go on exchange as well as the cost of exchange.
- Arrange to meet with and inform your UTC Financial Aid counselor of your upcoming exchange.
- Call UTC's Financial Aid Office (423/425-4677) to set up an appointment with your financial aid counselor. Take the letter from UTC's NSE Office with you and discuss your exchange with UTC Financial Aid. As a result of your exchange, your financial aid award may be adjusted according to the costs noted on this letter.
- Call UTC's Financial Aid Office (423/425-4677) to set up an appointment with your financial aid counselor. Take the letter from UTC's NSE Office with you and discuss your exchange with UTC Financial Aid. As a result of your exchange, your financial aid award may be adjusted according to the costs noted on this letter.
- If you live in a UTC residence hall, contact the UTC Housing Office.
- Let UTC Housing know when you will be moving out of the residence halls and when you will be returning to the residence halls after your exchange. Pay all necessary deposits by the deadlines to insure that you will have a room when you return to the UTC campus.
- Let UTC Housing know when you will be moving out of the residence halls and when you will be returning to the residence halls after your exchange. Pay all necessary deposits by the deadlines to insure that you will have a room when you return to the UTC campus.
- Visit your host school's Web site.
- To find out more information about your host school’s NSE program, check to see if they have a Web site. You may find information about exchange activities, program size, etc. To access these sites, visit the following link and look for the schools that have "NSE Page" listed beside them: NSE pages from member schools.
- To find out more information about your host school’s NSE program, check to see if they have a Web site. You may find information about exchange activities, program size, etc. To access these sites, visit the following link and look for the schools that have "NSE Page" listed beside them: NSE pages from member schools.
- Pick up a copy of your "academic advising agreement worksheet" as well as a blank, green "academic course approval form" from the UTC NSE Office. Use the worksheet to assist you in completing the green "academic course approval form."
- Consult your host school’s catalog for its upcoming course offerings (online if available) to finalize the list of classes that you would like to take while on exchange. Follow the instructions on the UTC "academic course approval form" and obtain approval from your advisor and each appropriate department head. Take your completed advising agreement worksheet and copies of course descriptions with you when meeting with these individuals. If you are going to a school that is on the quarter system, please make sure that you discuss how those hours will be counted at UTC with each department head and make sure that those quarter hour courses will allow you to meet your course requirements for your major or that department.
- Bring the completed "academic course approval form" to UTC’s NSE Office.
- Keep a copy for your own records and remember to take it with you on your exchange. You may need to refer to it when registering or making alterations to your schedule.
- If you want to change or add additional classes to your schedule prior to or during exchange, contact your academic advisor and/or appropriate department head for approval.
- While on exchange, you may get approval by e-mail if necessary. Be sure that you save documentation of this approval, and be sure to send a copy of the course approval to UTC’s NSE Office.
- Make arrangements for your financial aid check to be picked up or mailed to you.
- Regardless of your exchange plan (A or B), all students with financial aid will be receiving their awards through UTC Financial Aid Office, not their host schools' financial aid offices. If necessary, make arrangements for award checks to be prepared for you before you leave on exchange. By consulting early with the UTC Financial Aid and Bursars Offices, you can schedule a time for your award checks to be ready to pick up before your departure or make plans to have your check sent to your home or host campus address.
- Make sure that you meet the terms of agreement in order to remain eligible for exchange.
- For example, the NSE Conditions of Placement state: “I understand that my acceptance to participate in the National Student Exchange is contingent upon my maintaining all eligibility requirements (academic, financial, and social/behavioral) as defined by NSE and my home and host campuses. My exchange may be terminated by either my home or host campus if I fail to maintain these eligibility standards or if I fail to remain enrolled full-time at my host campus. I further understand that failure to enroll as a full-time student may affect my financial aid, housing, or NSE program eligibility at my home campus.” Consult the terms and agreements on the back of the Placement Acceptance Form for the complete list of NSE “Conditions of Placement”.
- For example, the NSE Conditions of Placement state: “I understand that my acceptance to participate in the National Student Exchange is contingent upon my maintaining all eligibility requirements (academic, financial, and social/behavioral) as defined by NSE and my home and host campuses. My exchange may be terminated by either my home or host campus if I fail to maintain these eligibility standards or if I fail to remain enrolled full-time at my host campus. I further understand that failure to enroll as a full-time student may affect my financial aid, housing, or NSE program eligibility at my home campus.” Consult the terms and agreements on the back of the Placement Acceptance Form for the complete list of NSE “Conditions of Placement”.
- Notify host and home NSE Offices as soon as possible if you won't be going on exchange.
- If you become ineligible for exchange or for some reason cannot carry out your exchange, you must send a written notification declining your placement to the NSE Offices at both your host and home campuses. Not only is this courteous, but it is a condition that you agreed to when signing the "Placement Acceptance" form. Failure to contact these offices could lead to a hold on your academic records, could jeopardize your future exchange placement attempts, and may keep another student from being offered your exchange spot.
Things To Do While On Exchange
- Make contact with your host coordinator.
- Your host coordinator will be your primary contact at your exchange school. Be sure to find out in advance if he/she is an incoming NSE orientation and if so, schedule your arrival so that you will be able to attend. As soon as possible, contact your host school's NSE Office to let it know of your arrival on its campus- especially if you plan to arrive before its housing move-in dates.
- Your host coordinator will be your primary contact at your exchange school. Be sure to find out in advance if he/she is an incoming NSE orientation and if so, schedule your arrival so that you will be able to attend. As soon as possible, contact your host school's NSE Office to let it know of your arrival on its campus- especially if you plan to arrive before its housing move-in dates.
- Send UTC's NSE Office your contact information, class schedule, and course descriptions.
- As soon as you arrive at your host campus, send your new contact information back to the UTC NSE Office. We need the mailing address, phone number, and e-mail address that you will be using while on exchange. Also, send us a list of the classes that you will be taking each semester. For each of these classes, we need the official course descriptions from your host school's undergraduate catalog, or if not available in the catalog, from your course syllabus. If changes are made to any of this information, send us an updated contact form.
- As soon as you arrive at your host campus, send your new contact information back to the UTC NSE Office. We need the mailing address, phone number, and e-mail address that you will be using while on exchange. Also, send us a list of the classes that you will be taking each semester. For each of these classes, we need the official course descriptions from your host school's undergraduate catalog, or if not available in the catalog, from your course syllabus. If changes are made to any of this information, send us an updated contact form.
- Make sure that you have taken care of all financial obligations at your host and home campuses.
- Pay your tuition (to your home campus if on Plan B and to your host campus if on Plan A), fees, room and board on time. As you know, there is a payment schedule for UTC fees. Your host institution will also have a payment schedule. In some cases, your host school may ask for tuition, fee, room, and/or board payment before your financial checks have been issued. Your host school's campus detail form and your host school coordinator can give you more information about the possibility of tuition and and housing fee payment being deferred until your financial aid checks arrive. Be sure to contact your host or home NSE coordinators if you have questions.
- Pay your tuition (to your home campus if on Plan B and to your host campus if on Plan A), fees, room and board on time. As you know, there is a payment schedule for UTC fees. Your host institution will also have a payment schedule. In some cases, your host school may ask for tuition, fee, room, and/or board payment before your financial checks have been issued. Your host school's campus detail form and your host school coordinator can give you more information about the possibility of tuition and and housing fee payment being deferred until your financial aid checks arrive. Be sure to contact your host or home NSE coordinators if you have questions.
- While on exchange, save all class materials.
- If you need help, contact your host or UTC NSE Offices.
- If you have any problems or questions (i.e. regarding travel arrangements, housing, financial aid, academics, etc.) while you are on exchange, your UTC and/or host school’s NSE Office should be your primary contacts. Coordinators and staff in both offices are available to assist in a broad range of areas.
- If you have any problems or questions (i.e. regarding travel arrangements, housing, financial aid, academics, etc.) while you are on exchange, your UTC and/or host school’s NSE Office should be your primary contacts. Coordinators and staff in both offices are available to assist in a broad range of areas.
- Make the most of your exchange.
- Enjoy and make the most of your exchange! Learn about and get involved in your host campus and the town or city that it is in. Research the opportunities available to you by speaking with the NSE coordinator, students, faculty, and staff on your host campus. If you are interested, look into the possibility of becoming involved in athletic, academic, artistic, or social organizations. Like some of our former NSE students, you could join the school newspaper; row for a university’s crew team; become active in a campus religious group; work on or off campus; join the university choir; learn how to sail or surf; explore your new surroundings; or volunteer in the community. Find your niche and cultivate new interests.
- Enjoy and make the most of your exchange! Learn about and get involved in your host campus and the town or city that it is in. Research the opportunities available to you by speaking with the NSE coordinator, students, faculty, and staff on your host campus. If you are interested, look into the possibility of becoming involved in athletic, academic, artistic, or social organizations. Like some of our former NSE students, you could join the school newspaper; row for a university’s crew team; become active in a campus religious group; work on or off campus; join the university choir; learn how to sail or surf; explore your new surroundings; or volunteer in the community. Find your niche and cultivate new interests.
- Maintain contact with UTC.
- Keep in touch with the UTC NSE Office. Also, to stay connected with the happenings at UTC, you can read the University Echo online. Remember too that you are required to send a postcard while you are away. We want to know how you are doing, and we would like to share your experience with prospective students. We will even hang your postcard on our “NSE door” and show them at our program information tables for other students to see.
Preparing To Return To UTC
- Register for UTC classes.
- The UTC NSE Office will send you a reminder about registration dates so that you can prepare your schedule for the semester that you return, but you should keep track of your registration time. Be sure to contact your UTC advisor for the appropriate academic advising and to receive your advisement code. After receiving these, register for your UTC courses online. If you have problems or questions during any step of this process, e-mail or call us. (Remember you have access to your own RAP sheet online. You may want to send it to your advisor in the email arranging a time for your advisement discussion.)
- Check on the status of your financial aid.
- If you expect to receive financial aid on your return to UTC, make sure that you have filled out and submitted the appropriate FAFSA documentation and check your MOCS account to ensure that you have met all deadlines. For example, FAFSA forms are usually due in early February. Also, if you are a work study student, check on your status. Verify well in advance that you have a job upon return to campus. If you have a problem, contact your financial aid counselor in UTC's Financial Aid Office.
- Make housing arrangements.
- If you will be living on the UTC campus, contact the UTC Housing Office to ensure that you meet all housing deadlines.
- Pay all UTC fees on time.
- Remember that you can be dropped from classes and not given housing if your fees are not paid.
- IMPORTANT: Arrange for a transcript from your host school to be sent to the UTC NSE Office.
- Also, If you are staying at your host institution for a year's exchange, please send your transcript to us at the end of each semester. (There may be consequences to your financial aid awards if we do not get your fall transcript, for example, early in January.) We also suggest that you bring a transcript back with you when you return to Chattanooga. DO NOT SEND YOUR TRANSCRIPT TO UTC's RECORDS OR ADMISSIONS OFFICES!! If you want your courses to be recorded as pre-approved before your departure, you must have your host school transcript sent to UTC's National Student Exchange Office:
UTC Office of Cooperative Education & International Programs
Dept. 1751, 615 McCallie Avenue, Chattanooga, TN 37403-2598We will work to ensure that your classes come back as they were approved. If you do not send your transcript to UTC's NSE Office, the NSE staff will not be able to help you process your courses and associated credit hours and grades.
After Your Return To UTC
- Before you return from exchange, you should have arranged for a transcript from your host school to be sent to the UTC NSE Office.
- Check with UTC's NSE Office to make sure that the official transcript you ordered has arrived. Also, if you brought an unofficial copy of your exchange transcript back with you, deliver it to UTC's NSE Office.
- Make an appointment with the UTC NSE staff for a post-exchange evaluation.
- WE NEED YOUR HELP! Share your experiences with others.
- After your return, we would appreciate it if you would share your exchange experience with other students. If you are interested, we will include you in UTC's NSE marketing effort. Whether you give an interview to the school newspaper, speak to interested students at an information table, or speak to a freshman seminar class, you can help spread the word about NSE and in turn allow others to explore the possibilities of the program.
- After your return, we would appreciate it if you would share your exchange experience with other students. If you are interested, we will include you in UTC's NSE marketing effort. Whether you give an interview to the school newspaper, speak to interested students at an information table, or speak to a freshman seminar class, you can help spread the word about NSE and in turn allow others to explore the possibilities of the program.
- Participate in NSE activities at UTC.
- When you are back at UTC, we would like for you to be involved in NSE social events. Join current and former exchange students for a Lookouts’ game or attend a NSE orientation session. You will have the opportunity to meet other students with similar interests and experiences as well as serve as mentor to the incoming NSE students. For example, you can use your experiences to assist current exchange students as they adjust to a new university and city.
Helpful UTC Links
- UTC Home Page
- Event Calendar
- Student Handbook
- Student Newspaper "The Echo"
- UTC Records and Registration (UTC One net, Transcript Request, Course Schedule, Graduation Information, Academic Calendar, Final Exam Schedule, etc.)
- UTC Catalog
- UTC Financial Aid
- UTC Housing
- UTC Parking
UTC NSE Office
