Incoming Exchange

To become an exchange student at Washington State University, you must be nominated by your home university or receive placement from ISEP first. Please contact your home international/study abroad office or ISEP to inquire about deadlines, required documents, cost estimates, and other details.

The Program

Deadlines

Program	Nomination	Application
Fall. Academic year exchange	April 1	April 15
Spring. Calendar year exchange	October 1	October 15

Academic calendar

Find an academic calendar.

Application process

During the nomination process, provide a passport or ID copy that includes a signature; it can be submitted to your home coordinator or to the WSU Exchange Coordinator. The passport or ID signature is used to verify your identity and enables access to sign documents digitally.

After nomination is received and accepted, you will complete the Washington State University application and submit the following documents to the WSU Exchange Coordinator via email.

1. Certificate of Finances & verification of funding
   1. Submit an English bank account with the full name of the account holder, balance, and account number that aligns with the information filled in the Certificate of Finances.
2. Copy of transcripts
   1. Submit an official English transcript from your home university.
3. Copy of valid passport
4. Course selection form
   1. To explore the course offerings at WSU, refer to the WSU online course catalog. Select the Pullman campus and the correct term.
   2. Fill in the form and list all the prerequisites (if applicable).
5. English Language Proficiency Exam score
   1. See the English tests we accept and the requirements.
   2. If you were schooled outside the United States at a school where the language of instruction was English, please provide an official letter from the school stating English was the language of instruction while you attended as a waiver.
   3. Citizens of Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, British Overseas Territories, British Virgin Islands, Cameroon, Canada, Cayman Islands, Dominica, Gambia, Ghana, Grenada, Guyana, Ireland, Jamaica, Kenya, Montserrat, Nigeria, New Zealand, Rwanda, Saint Lucia, Saint Christopher and Nevis, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, South Africa, South Sudan, Tanzania, Trinidad & Tobago, Turks & Caicos Islands, Uganda, United Kingdom & Northern Ireland, Zambia, Zimbabwe do not need to submit an English proficiency test.
6. Letter of recommendation
   1. Ask your home coordinator or reference to send a letter of recommendation directly to our office or your WSU Exchange Coordinator.

The general process on your WSU application is Application Phase > Accepted > Committed.

Complete your application and submit all the required documents by the deadline to ensure your admission and visa process.

Two weeks after applications are in the committed phase, exchange students will receive an acceptance letter with links and instructions for

• Activating Okta and myWSU
• Selecting room and board
• Submitting immunization requirements
• Signing up for airport pick-up

Room & board

Exchange students are not allowed to live in off-campus housing arrangements.

Exchange students can choose from any of the residence halls unless otherwise instructed (limitations apply to ISEP students and certain scholarship recipients). Single-semester exchange students can terminate their contract without penalty by doing so in their housing application 1 month prior to their program end date.

Meal plans are recommended as there are no kitchens in rooms in residence halls. There are shared kitchens on each floor.

Exchange students may apply for apartments as well, but furnished apartments are extremely competitive. Students are recommended to apply for a residence hall and apartment (two different applications) and choose their ideal placement of the two. Any payments submitted in the application will be applied to future housing fees.

Feel free to explore WSU residence halls, apartments, and rates.

Courses

Exchange students do not have the authority to enroll and drop courses in myWSU. If any adjustments are needed, please contact your WSU Exchange Coordinator.

Use the course catalog to fill out the Course Selection Form and send it to your WSU Exchange Coordinator. We recommend you have backup options if certain courses have filled up or are unavailable. The WSU Exchange Coordinator will help you enroll in classes and will reach out if more classes are needed. Please check emails regularly.

• WSU has expansive course offerings in over 200 fields of study spanning most subjects.
• Undergraduate fields of study are open to students – dependent upon meeting prerequisites. WSU cannot guarantee enrollment in preferred courses but will help facilitate registration.
• Course levels:
  • Undergraduate courses, 100-200 (lower division) and 300-400 (upper division)
  • Graduate courses are 500+; these are unavailable to undergraduate and exchange students.
• View the catalog of courses and study options available at WSU Pullman; visit the online course catalog, and the Pullman course catalog for specific courses.
• Visit the schedule of classes to see which courses are offered for the desired term on the Pullman campus. It is important to take note of any prerequisites.
• All courses are taught in English.
• The minimum workload for an undergraduate student is 12 credit hours (credits) per semester. One credit corresponds to 15 hours of in-class work. Most courses are three (3) credits.
• Exchange students enrolling in more than 18 credit hours must pay an additional pre-credit charge (approx. $577.75 per credit as of 2023).
• WSU uses a 4.0 grade point system.

Immunization

Exchange students will need to provide evidence of measles (Rubeola) immunity and COVID-19 vaccination records before arrival.

We strongly recommend that students also obtain a vaccine for meningococcal disease (meningitis). Immunity is particularly important for students who will live in densely populated settings such as residence halls, fraternities, or sororities. More information about immunizations is available at WSU Cougar Health Services

If you do not have access to the patient portal yet, please send the completed Immunization Records Form (pdf) to: cougar.health@wsu.edu

Visa

As an exchange student, you will be applying for a J-1 visa. Washington State University will issue a DS-2019 needed for the visa application. A scanned copy of the DS-2019 will be to you and your study abroad coordinator or international office at your home university. You will need this document to apply for a J-1 visa at the embassy/consulate.

Before you receive the emailed copy of the DS-2019, the WSU Exchange Coordinator will send out the SEVIS ID and Program Number and you will will be able to make an appointment at your nearest consulate before having the DS-2019 in hand. Appointments fill quickly so be sure to make a reservation as soon as the SEVIS ID is received.

To make the appointment, you will need to complete Form DS-160 online. Please read the DS-160 FAQ pages on the consulate/embassy’s website before starting.

Additionally, the SEVIS fee needs to be paid at least 3 days before the visa appointment. Pay the fee here.

J-1 applicants will need a bank statement, transcripts, and WSU admissions letter for the interview. Original copies of the bank statement and transcripts, and a printed admissions letter are recommended.

If you have more questions about the J-1 visa and its processes, please reach out to your WSU Exchange Coordinator.

Visa resources

• Estimate the visa appointment wait time at your nearest consulate/embassy
• More information about the J-1 visa
• 10 important reminders for your visa interview

Traveling to campus

Prepare for your travel to the U.S.