National Student Exchange (NSE)

Students

UNO Students may participate in the National Student Exchange (NSE) for one or two semesters with non-resident fees waived. Students may choose to pay either their home tuition or the host campus tuition. Students awarded TOPS funding would typically pay UNO’s tuition. Applicants must be at least sophomore level (30 credit hours) with a minimum 2.5 GPA at the time of the exchange.

Eligible students meet with their UNO advisers prior to the exchange to assure that all credit completed while on exchange will transfer toward their UNO degree program. Information and applications for the exchange are available at the Bachelor of General Studies Program Office in Room 214 of the Bicentennial Education Center.

Students can participate for up to one academic year.  For some students, it will be their first time away from the New Orleans area and their first time in a residence hall.  Since the majority of UNO students are in-state residents, it is a great benefit for them to have exposure to other areas of the country and to other academic settings.  UNO students utilize NSE to:

• broaden personal and educational experiences
• explore and appreciate new cultures
• take courses not offered at our campus
• learn from different professors
• explore new areas of study
• break out of their comfort zones
• expand academic program options
• access courses with different perspectives
• investigate graduate schools or employment opportunities

Many returning students describe NSE as a life-changing experience which has made them more independent, self-confident and resourceful; expanded their risk-taking capabilities; and helped them better define their academic and career objectives.

Eligibility requirements include:

• 2.5 cumulative GPA
• full-time student status
• good standing – academically, financially, and socially

 The application and placement process includes:

• recommendations
• academic and personal goal statements
• interview
• written advising agreement

NSE operates with tuition reciprocity and federal financial aid portability.  Placements at the host campuses are made on a space available basis.  With placement rates of 97 percent, our students can generally find a location to meet both their academic and personal objectives.

Faculty

The network and process of NSE on the UNO campus can be utilized to develop informal or formal programmatic partnerships with other NSE member universities allowing the department to address the academic details while the BGS office handles the enrollment procedures

If you would like to bring to the attention of your students the opportunities available to them through the National Student Exchange, a domestic parallel to study abroad programs, please contact Dan Harper to arrange a time to visit your classes, organization, or departmental meetings. Also feel free to encourage students to come directly to the BGS office in ED 214 to pick up a brochure and receive additional information.