STEPS TO APPLYING and STUDENT VISA INFORMATION

Congratulations! You’ve decided to apply to be an exchange student at the University of South Carolina. In this section, you will find the steps you will need to take in order to apply and be admitted, including the required forms. In addition, you can find information on visas, housing, course selection and health insurance.

1.            Admissions

       In order to apply as an exchange student, you must submit the following application 
       materials:

1. Special Application for Non-Degree Students

2. TOEFL official scores (USC code – 5818)

3. Application for Immigration Document

4. Photocopy of official transcripts

5. Financial certification - Exchange students must certify:

$5,209 US per semester (4 months)   

$11,721 US per academic year (9 months)

$15,217 US per calendar year (12 months)

    for living expenses (housing, food, books, health insurance,

    miscellaneous) while at USC.

Please mail completed forms to the Study Abroad Office:

            Study Abroad Office

            University of South Carolina
            902 Sumter St.
            Legare College, Suite 321
            Columbia, SC  29208
            USA

2.             Visa/Immigration

         In order to study as an exchange student at the University of South Carolina, you will need
         to apply for an F-1 Visa (student visa) at the nearest U.S. Embassy in your home country.

You will need to schedule an in-person appointment in order to apply for the F-1 Visa stamp. You can check the waiting times for appointments by going to the U.S. Department of State Visa Wait Times web site. In order to be able to apply for the visa you will need the following documents:

            1. Passport
            2. SEVIS I-20 document (this document will be issued by the USC

 International Programs Office once you have been accepted to the

 University of South Carolina)

                            3. Receipt showing SEVIS fee payment. You will receive instructions

 on how to pay the SEVIS fee with your SEVIS I-20. You can pay the   

 SEVIS fee on-line or through the mail.

            4. Completed DS-156 (visa application form)

            5. Pay the visa application fee (see this site for more information on fees)

            6. Original financial documents showing the amount listed under number

                seven on your I-20 document

            7. Plans to return to your home country upon completion of your exchange

                program in the U.S.

For more information on applying for your visa, please refer to the section labeled Future Students on the International Programs for Students web site.

3.             Post-Acceptance Forms

Once you have been accepted as an exchange student at the University of South Carolina you will be contacted by one of our study abroad advisors who will help you with course and housing selection.

 You will need to also submit the following forms:
             1. Immunization form (If students need a PPD vaccination, MMR

 vaccination, etc., they are available on campus at a reasonable cost and may be
 administered during orientation week)

  **As classes fill up quickly, it is very important that you submit your
 immunization form as soon as possible. This will help ensure that you can get 
 into the classes that you need to take.

                             2. Arrival assistance request online (optional, free airport pick-up)

4.             Housing

Once you have been accepted by USC, a study abroad advisor will help you request housing. Exchange students have the option of living in South Quad, on-campus university operated apartments, where they may choose to take part in the Carolina Global Community (CGC).  Students also can request to live in Bates West, another alternative for on-campus apartment-style living. You could also choose to live in the French House or the Spanish House, provided that you meet the language pre-requisite.

Exchange students are not required to pay the $100 housing deposit.  Students should inform the Study Abroad Office of their housing preferences as early as possible in order to help guarantee housing in their residence hall of choice. A study abroad advisor will then complete the housing application process for you.

5.             Registering for Classes

Students may enroll in any undergraduate course for which they meet the prerequisite(s).  Courses are offered on a per semester basis only. Courses available during the fall semester (August-December) will be posted on-line in mid-March. Courses available during the spring semester (January-May) will be posted on-line in mid-November. Undergraduate exchange students are not allowed to take any courses at the graduate level. Exchange students should

e-mail their study abroad advisor with four course selections along with at least two alternate choices.

6.             Insurance

Compulsory medical insurance may be applied for prior to, or upon, arrival on campus.  Fees are approximately $500 US per semester and are automatically charged to your USC student account.

If a student can provide proof of requisite health insurance coverage, this fee may be waived by completing a hard waiver form and providing documentation of insurance coverage upon arrival. The hard waiver form and documentation of insurance must be submitted within the first two weeks of the semester to the USC Student Health Center. See the Health Matters portion of the Before You Arrive section for further details.

7.             Arrival

Please also notify the study abroad office of your date of arrival as soon as possible.