Off-Campus Study in the USA
The National Student Exchange

The National Student Exchange (NSE) is an undergraduate exchange program that allows students to study for up to one calendar year at one of almost 200 colleges and universities in the United States, Canada, the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico. This domestic exchange program offers Skidmore students a variety of unique and challenging possibilities: access to courses with a different perspective; exploration of new areas of study or a subfield within a chosen major; experience in a different academic and cultural environment; or investigation of graduate or professional school opportunities. By studying at an institution different than their own, students have the opportunity to gain insights into the historical and cultural makeup of different regions of North America and to interact with and learn about individuals from diverse backgrounds. Students choose their host campus by working closely with their academic advisors and the NSE Coordinator in Off-Campus Study & Exchanges, who will help them find the campus with the right combination of courses, facilities, and environment to meet their academic and personal needs.

Why The NSE?

• explore new areas of study
• access courses with different perspectives or courses not offered at Skidmore
• investigate graduate or professional schools
• explore future employment opportunities
• benefit from NSE Coordinator support services
• discover and appreciate new cultures
• broaden personal and educational perspectives
• become more independent and resourceful

The Program

Students work closely with their academic advisors and the NSE Coordinator in Off-Campus Study & Exchanges to find the campus with the right combination of courses, facilities, and environment to meet their academic and personal needs. NSE schools are located throughout the United States, Canada and the U.S. territories, including Puerto Rico. A complete list of universities and colleges that participate in the program can be found on the NSE Web site.

Over 97 percent of all National Student Exchange applicants have been placed, with 83 percent of these placed at their first choice college or university. We recommend that students research options that will provide learning opportunities that will supplement and complement those at Skidmore College. There are a number of resources available to assist students in this process. The NSE Web site provides links to member campuses, campus catalogs, and detailed information on each member institution. Students can search for institutions by academic area of interest or geographic region. Students are advised to select three campus choices as their first choice cannot be guaranteed.

Courses and Credits

Once you have selected and been placed at a host college or university, you enroll in courses offered at the host campus. Your academic advisor at Skidmore and the NSE Coordinator will help you select courses. With careful planning and appropriate academic approvals, students may receive credit for up to18 semester credits for courses taken through NSE. Credit earned through NSE counts as transfer credit and may be applied toward major, minor, and all-college requirements with the approval of the student's major or minor department and the Registrar's Office. Courses taken at the 300 level will fulfill Skidmore’s all-college maturity-level requirement. We cannot guarantee transfer credit for coursework that has not been pre-approved.

Support

While each campus determines its own parameters and procedures for the program, students are treated as host institution students and are able to participate fully in all aspects of campus life. To help students navigate the process and the campuses, each NSE campus has an NSE Coordinator who is responsible for administering the NSE program at that campus. The NSE Coordinators are your guide through the exchange experience and are the best source of advice about the NSE program as it relates to your participation on your host campus. The Skidmore NSE Coordinator, located in Off-Campus Study & Exchanges in Starbuck 202, helps with campus selection, preparation for the experience, and reintegration back to Skidmore. Your host campus coordinator facilitates your enrollment at the host institution, provides academic and social support, and may provide an orientation to the campus or hold other NSE events throughout the semester.

Housing

Housing options vary by campus. On-campus housing is available at most NSE schools; some NSE members may strongly encourage or require students to reside in on-campus facilities. Some campuses are able to provide only limited assistance in securing off-campus housing, particularly on campuses where there are no on-campus housing facilities. If students choose to live off campus, they do so at their own discretion and risk. The NSE Coordinator in Off-Campus Study & Exchanges can advise students regarding housing options at their campuses of choice.

Requirements

Preference will be given to students with at least second-semester sophomore standing who meet the following requirements:

• A minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0;
• Full-time enrollment;
• Good academic, financial and social standing at Skidmore; and
• Ability to demonstrate, through personal essay and recommendations, the level of maturity and self-motivation needed to succeed off campus.

To Apply

Please note that there is ONE DEADLINE for the following academic year. Applications may be accepted after the listed deadline on a case-by-case basis. However, availability will be limited.

FALL semester –February 15
SPRING semester –February 15
ACADEMIC YEAR – February 15

Applications are available in Off-Campus Study & Exchanges or download the application below. 

If you are a student receiving academic or physical accommodations you should be aware that the program may or may not be able to provide the same accommodations oversees. The Office of Off-Campus Study & Exchanges staff is available to discuss your current accommodations to determine what accommodations can be provided.

Meet with the Coordinator for Students with Disabilities in Student Academic Services before you go away. The Coordinator can provide you with a statement of approved accommodations that would be granted at Skidmore during the time you will be in the foreign country. Feel free to discuss any disability-related questions related to study abroad with the Coordinator for Students with Disabilities. Students from other colleges/universities who apply to the Skidmore in Paris program should speak to the disabilities coordinator at their home campus.