Incoming Exchange FAQs

In order to participate in the exchange program at the University of Miami, you must currently be enrolled as a student at one of our partner institutions. Please verify that your school is on the list of UM partner institutions.

If your school is on the list, you should contact the Office of International Relations, Mobility, or Education Abroad at your home university for application information.

Students who do not attend one of UM's exchange partner institutions may contact UM's Division of Continuing and International Education for information on the  Miami Visiting Student Program to study at UM as a visiting undergraduate student. Miami Semester is a full-fee program. For undergraduate tuition and fees rates, visit the Office of Student Account Services. 

Financial documents are required by the U.S. federal government for universities to grant admission. We will not be able to issue your visa documents until you have uploaded proof of adequate funds.

Issuing your immigration documents from UM will take several weeks and visa processing times vary by US consulate location. Please contact your UM Study Abroad advisor to request an extension if you expect or experience delays in providing your financial documents.  

Tuition and Fees: Participating in an exchange program means that tuition costs at your host university (UM) are waived, and you continue to pay tuition to your home university. Exchange students remain responsible for mandatory fees and living costs at UM. For more information review UM Tuition and Fee Rates.

Scholarships: The University of Miami does not provide scholarships for incoming exchange students. Check with your home university exchange coordinator to find out if any scholarships are available from your home institution/country.  

If you have a U.S. passport, you are required to enter the U.S. with your U.S. passport.

Please upload a copy of your U.S. passport to your application. You will still be required to complete all questionnaires in your application.  

Exchange students can study at UM in a non-degree seeking student status through our exchange program for a maximum of 2 semesters. This is subject to availability and is not guaranteed. Students should contact their home university for additional information.

University of Miami incoming exchange students are required to live off-campus. Please visit UM's Housing & Residential Life Living Off Campus page or more information on off-campus housing options.  

You should not make plans to come to Miami until you have received acceptance notification directly from your UM Study Abroad advisor. Then, you will be able to find your arrival date on your acceptance letter. As a reminder, students must attend the compulsory Exchange Student Orientation session during ‘Cane Kickoff.  

Students entering the U.S. on an F-1 visa can arrive no more than 30 days prior to the start date listed on their I-20.  

Yes. We are unable to accept any outside insurance policies. Waivers are not permitted, regardless of additional or existing coverage. You can find more information about the policy on our Insurance Plan page.  

Yes, you can find information on the required immunizations, the process for providing proof of immunizations, and deadlines on the Student Health Service Immunization page.  

Once you have submitted all application documents to the Study Abroad office, we will review and send your documents to International Student & Scholars Services and they will make the final decision and issue the I-20.

Usually I-20s are issued within 2 months of the application deadline, however it may take longer if there is a high volume of applications or if you do not submit a complete application by the application deadline.

You should not make travel plans to Miami until you have received an acceptance notification directly from your Study Abroad advisor. 

Students should use the Academic Bulletin for academic planning purposes until the courses for your exchange term become available on Class Search.

The Academic Bulletin is subject to change and may not reflect the course offerings during specific exchange periods.  

Yes, there are some course restrictions that apply to exchange students:

• Exchange students are not permitted to enroll in: Music performance, Medical School, Law School, or 600+ level classes.
• Students can only enroll in 500-level classes with special permission of the instructor and department.
• Special restrictions apply to courses within the College of Engineering and Miami Herbert School of Business.
• Neuroscience classes may not be available to exchange students due to limited space.

Academic advisors at your home university can help you plan your course enrollment in advance.

• Students must assume the responsibility, in conjunction with their home academic advisor, of selecting courses that are at the appropriate level for the your corresponding year.
• UM advisors are not familiar with the degree requirements at our partner universities, which places responsibility for finding a curricular match on the student and their university.  
• Exchange students and their home university advisors should keep in mind that an important benefit of studying abroad is to experience a new educational system and to have the opportunity to take courses different from those taught at home. 
• Within the U.S. higher education system, students are encouraged to take classes outside their major field of study.   

This information is available on the UM Academic Calendar. Please be sure to refer to your acceptance letter for your arrival date. 

• Undergraduates must stay enrolled in a minimum of 12 credits and a maximum of 20 credits throughout the semester (9 credits for students coming to UM on a graduate exchange).
• Most courses are 3 credits
• Undergraduates typically enroll in four to six courses a semester. Six courses is considered a heavy course load.
• Exchange students usually enroll in five courses which is equivalent to 15 credits per semester. 

Space in a specific course is not guaranteed. Please note:

• Not all classes listed in the academic bulletin are offered each semester.
• You should not rely upon any specific UM course being available, as there are many variables to enrolling, for example: course availability, room capacity, course time, pre-requisites, and course restrictions for UM majors only.
• Students should prepare alternative courses options for each subject you are required to take.

If a class is full, you should find an alternate course option that is open. You may be added to the waitlist, but this does not guarantee a spot in that course and is subject to space becoming available.   

Registration takes place one semester at a time. You can view your specific enrollment appointment (the date you may begin registering for classes) in CaneLink:

Go to your Student Center and look in the box named “Enrollment Dates” in the bottom right-hand corner of the screen to find the specific dates.

More information on the Exchange Student Registration process can be found in the Exchange Student Handbook.

No, the course must be open to exchange students and have available seats at the time we attempt to enroll you in the course.

If the course has pre-requisites listed, you must receive approval to enroll in the course.

For additional information, please see the Exchange Student Handbook.  

Yes, you can modify your schedule upon arrival. Pay attention to the “Last Day for Registration and to Add a Course” and the “Last Day to Drop a Course Without a ‘W’” according to the Academic Calendar.  

• Payment to the University of Miami should be made after registration in the minimum credit load (12 credits for undergraduates and 9 credits for graduates). 
• Payment is due by the beginning of the semester.
• Do NOT pay the tuition fee if it appears on your bill. Exchange students do not pay UM tuition. You should pay UM fees, including UM health insurance. 
• More information can be found in the Exchange Student Handbook.  

F-1 students are generally only permitted to work part-time on the premises of the university that issued their I-20, while they are attending that school and maintaining their F-1 status.

For more information, visit ISSS’s employment page. 

To extend your exchange for an additional semester, you must ask the exchange coordinator at your home institution for their approval. If you are approved to extend your time at UM, they should to send an email to your UM Study Abroad advisor to request an extension.

If your extension is then approved by UM, you must submit the following documents:

• The Academic Advisor's Recommendation for Program Extension Form—completed and signed
• An updated proof of funding
• Your I-94 and original I-20 to the ISSS office (located in the UC room 2275) no later than 14 business days before the expiration of your current I-20 

If you do not have a hold on your account, we will order and send your official transcript to your institution automatically. The typical timeline is:

• Fall semester: late January/early February

• Spring semester: by the end of June. 
   
  Note: A hold on your account prevents us from obtaining your transcript; our office is not able to intervene to override holds. If you have any questions about the holds on your account, please contact Cane Central.  

If you need additional copies of your transcript, now or in the future, you can order official copies through through your CaneLink portal or from the Office of the Registrar for a fee.  

Please review the UM Academic Calendar for specific dates on when grades will be released in CaneLink. Once they are released, you can access your grades in the Student Center under Academics.