Rensselaer offers exchange opportunities to students from universities throughout the world. If you attend a partner university, you may apply for a semester or year of coursework at Rensselaer as an exchange student. Please check with the international office at your home university to determine your eligibility.
Eligibility
Rensselaer offers exchange opportunities to students from universities throughout the world. If you attend a partner university, you may apply for a semester or year of coursework at Rensselaer as an exchange student. Please check with the international office at your home university to determine your eligibility. Exchange students must be nominated by their home institution before submitting an application. Final decisions on admission will be made upon review of application materials by Rensselaer. Please click below for a list of current exchange partners.
Rensselaer does not have a visiting student program and does not accept free movers outside of formal exchange agreements.
Application Process & Deadlines
Once a student has been nominated by their home institution they will receive an email with a link to the online Rensselaer application, which they will need to complete by the application deadline. The following application materials will need to be submitted as part of the online application (no hard copies are required):
- Copy of official university transcript and English translation.
- Copy of the identity page of your passport (valid for at least 6 months beyond the program end date)..
- Proof of financial support. At this time the required amount is estimated to be US$11,000 per semester to cover living expenses during the period of the exchange. This amount includes room, board, basic living expenses, and the fees listed below. It does not include international travel or extensive travel within the US, nor does it cover the laptop computer that each student is required to have (please review the minimum laptop specifications that are required at Rensselaer).
Acceptable financial proof would be either:
- A letter from your bank verifying that this amount is available in your account; or
- A letter from the bank of your parent or other sponsor verifying that this money is available, accompanied by a letter from your parent/sponsor which states that the funds are for your support while on the exchange program.
- All amounts must be indicated in U.S. Dollars.
- English Language Proficiency Verification Form and supporting documentation. Students who submit a TOEFL report as proof of language proficiency will need a score of at least 230 CBT, 88 iBT, or 570 PBT.
- Fall Semester or Full Academic Year: March 1st
- Spring Semester: October 1st
*No hard copies are required
Preparation & Arrival
Course descriptions can be found in the Rensselaer catalogue. Not all courses listed in the on-line catalogue are offered each semester. The actual semester class schedule can be accessed by visiting the Rensselaer Student Information System website, and clicking on the “Class Hours Schedule” link. Students should refer to the same semester of the previous year to get an idea of what will be offered when they plan to study at Rensselaer.
A normal full-time course load is between 14-18 credit hours per semester. A minimum of 12 credit hours is required to maintain full-time status. Although students may enroll in a maximum of 21 credits, they are discouraged from taking more than 17.
Incoming exchange students are expected to attend the orientation that will take place prior to the start of the semester and remain in residence at Rensselaer through the end of the academic semester, through all regularly scheduled final exams.
Course registration for exchange students will take place on-line prior to your arrival. Detailed instructions and log-in information will be e-mailed to you shortly after you have been accepted. You will also have the opportunity to make changes to your course selection during the first two weeks of the semester, although it is recommended that students take care of their registration prior to arrival.
If you would like to apply for on-campus housing you may do so online through the Office of Residence Life’s application portal, StarRez. You can find information about the different housing options, furnishings, meal and housing rates, etc. On-campus housing is not guaranteed. Please note that room rates do not include meals. Meal rates can be found in the box in the lower right corner of the rate sheet. All room and meal rates are indicated for the full academic year. Semester students should expect to pay half of the published full-year rate.
Please note that the housing contract is a binding legal document that you will be expected to honor. You may not break your contract in order to move into non-university housing. When you sign up for campus housing you are expected to remain there for the duration of your stay at Rensselaer.
If you wish to investigate off-campus housing, please follow the links to Off Campus Housing found at the Office of Residence Life website.
All incoming students are required to complete and submit a Medical History Form directly to the Student Health Center. This form can be accessed via the Student Health Center Portal. Accepted students will still need to send paper verification of immunization signed by your family physician.
All incoming exchange students will be required to enroll in the Rensselaer Student Health Plan, known as the RPI/CDPHP plan. Exchange students planning to study at RPI should not purchase or renew a Travel Insurance Plan. Exceptions will be considered only for students who have comparable health insurance from a U.S.- based insurance company.
The living cost will vary according to lifestyle and travel. The figures below are meant as a budgetary guide and may vary for individual students.
| Cost of Living (Spring 2024) | Per Semester |
| *Rensselaer Housing & *Rensselaer Meal Plan | ~$8,700 |
| Health Insurance (mandatory) | $1,000 |
| Health Center Fee (mandatory) | $375 |
| Student Activity Fee (mandatory) | $387 |
| Books, Course Materials and Stationeries (estimated) | $700 |
| **Miscellaneous living expenses | $800 |
*Based on campus housing/meal plan; off campus housing is generally less expensive
**Varies according to lifestyle