J-1 Exchange Students

A. Eligibility - Your Home Institution

In order to attend San Diego State University on an exchange program, your home institution must have a formal, bilateral student exchange agreement with SDSU. Check with your coordinator in the study abroad office at your university to determine whether such an agreement is in place.

If a valid exchange agreement between the two institutions exists, you must be nominated by your university to participate in the exchange. Meet with your exchange coordinator to discuss your university:

• Requirements for nomination
• Terms and conditions of the exchange
• Selection process and internal deadlines for applying.

If your university does not have a student exchange agreement with SDSU, you are not eligible for this type of exchange program. You may wish to explore other options of attending SDSU without going through an exchange program. Review the Global Campus - International Programs for additional options.  

B. Eligibility - Application to San Diego State University

• Exchange students must have a grade point average (GPA) equivalent to at least 2.5, based on a 4.0 scale. 
• All students must have the approval of their department of study at their home institutions in order to participate in an exchange.

• As an exchange program participant, you will not have to pay SDSU campus fees and/or non-resident tuition.
• You are responsible to pay for living expenses (Food, Housing, Books, Personal Expenses) and purchase the approved SDSU International Student Center Health Insurance. 
• You will be required to submit a financial statement and supporting financial documents verifying that you have the required funds for the duration of your exchange:
  • 1 Semester Exchange for Academic Year 2025-26: USD $14,907
    2 Semester Exchange for Academic Year 2025-26: USD $29,814 

Estimated Expense for Exchange at SDSU

• US J-1 Visa: Added Cost
• Compulsory SDSU Insurance*: $1000
• Required Vaccinations*: Added Cost
• Food/Housing*: Up to $11868
• Transportation in San Diego*: Up to $585
• Personal/Miscellaneous*: Up to $1454
• Class Fees (select classes only): Varies
• ID Card: $25
• Total Range: Up to $14932

*Note: All listed costs are estimates and can fluctuate from year to year

3) English Proficiency Requirements:

• English language proficiency test is required for the application, unless applicants attended secondary or post-secondary institutions where English is the language of instruction for a period of at least two years of full-time study.
  • If the student has attended a secondary or postsecondary institution where English is the language of instruction for at least two years of full-time study upon arrival to SDSU, university coordinators should contact [email protected] for more information.
• English language proficiency scores must be less than two years old at the time of application
  • If a new test is needed, we recommend completing the Duolingo test, as it is affordable, fully online and test results are available after two days of processing
• Participants who do not meet ELP standards are not eligible to participate in the SDSU Exchange Program. They may wish to enroll in a fee-based Intensive English Program with SDSU's Global Campus - International Programs.

• IELTS (International English Language Testing System): 6.5 or higher
• Paper-based TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language): 550 or higher
• Internet based TOEFL (iBT): 80 or higher
• Pearson: 58 or higher
• Duolingo: 120 or higher

C. Application Deadlines

These deadlines have been established to allow sufficient time for the processing of your application so that you can be admitted in time to register for classes along with other SDSU students. In addition, this will also allow for enough time to process your visa and related immigration paperwork. If you are unable to submit your completed application to us by the deadline, we urge you to defer to the following semester.

Impacted Programs

Courses of study (majors) are impacted at SDSU. "Impacted" means that student demand for classes exceeds what can be accommodated. If you want to study Biology, Business Administration (Accounting, Finance, Information Decision Systems, Management, Marketing), Engineering, Speech, Language Hearing Sciences; Journalism and Media Studies; Television, Film, and New Media - Critical Studies, enrolling in upper division classes in your major at SDSU will be challenging. In light of this situation, exchange students must have flexibility with the courses they will select at SDSU and may not enroll exclusively in classes in the impacted programs.

The following majors have restrictions placed on many of their classes, therefore only limited courses are available:

• Biology
• College of Business - All subfields included - The Business department is very strict on prerequisites. Students should be prepared with official transcripts and course descriptions from their home university to prove they have taken the prerequisite courses in their home university.
  • Review this link for a guide on limited Business courses
• All College of Engineering Majors
• Journalism and Media Studies (JMS) 
  
  • Review this link for a guide on limited JMS courses
• Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences
• Television, Film and Media Studies – Critical Studies Emphasis
  • Review this link for a guide on limited TFM courses

• Nursing
• Television, Film and Media Studies – Production Emphasis (select courses available)
• Construction Engineering and Construction Management (Updated Spring 2024)

Special Departmental Requirements

Some departments have special requirements; for example, they may require students to submit a portfolio (as in the case of some Art programs) or audition (e.g., Music, Dance and Theater) before they can be accepted to the major or take classes in that program. Read departmental information carefully regarding requirements and prerequisites for specific courses.

The International Exchange Programs Coordinator at your university must nominate you to participate in an exchange with San Diego State University.

Beginning for Fall 2023, San Diego State University is now able to accept exchange applicants who are US citizens (dual citizens) provided they are a citizen and resident of a foreign country. Review this linked document for more details. 

Once you have been nominated by your university, you will receive an email from the Exchange Team with instructions on how to open an account in the Global Education Portal, and how to begin your application. If you do not receive this within a week of being nominated, please reach out to your home institution coordinator to follow up with us.

Instructions on how to complete your SDSU Exchange application will be provided within your Global Education Portal account. Make sure you read every section carefully and follow the instructions, any significant errors with financial documentation may delay our ability to issue immigration documents in a timely manner.

Please note that incoming international exchange students are eligible to apply for on-campus housing but on-campus housing is not guaranteed due to limited availability each semester. If you are planning on arriving before the Mandatory Check-in/Orientation, please inquire about early arrival options and the associated fees with the Office of Housing Administration at [email protected].

More information about housing options, including resources to assist with finding off-campus housing, will be provided after students have been officially accepted into the exchange program.

Exchange Students are not eligible for any financial support from SDSU.

For complete information about on-campus, off-campus and Academic Training for J1 students refer to: J1 Visa Holders Employment

If you have completed these steps, proceed to our I Have Been Admitted section.

International Students at SDSU are required by law to have health insurance. An F-Hold on your registration prevents you from registering for your classes until you have cleared your health insurance requirement.

Students who will be attending SDSU must meet specific immunization requirements. If you do not provide proof of immunizations at SDSU, you will not be allowed to register for classes.

You do have the option of getting immunizations in San Diego, however we highly encourage you to get as many of the immunizations as possible before arriving at SDSU. Please contact [email protected] if you have questions about exact immunizations needed or would like clarification on the variations of the immunizations available in your home country.

To obtain more information refer to: Health Insurance & Immunization Requirements

Create a my.SDSU account

Please go to my.SDSU

• Your Red ID will be issued to you by SDSU.
• Your password is initially set to your date of birth (MM/DD/YY). Example: if you were born on June 6, 1989, your password is 060689.
• During the account activation process, you will be able to create a more secure, permanent password. Your permanent password will need to contain a combination of letters, numbers, and symbols.

Important instructions in activating your account:

• Password characters have to be in a certain sequence.
• Enter your Red ID anywhere you are prompted for a Social Security Number (SSN). Except for housing use all zeros.

You must have a working email address when creating your my.SDSU account. If you have difficulty setting up your account, a temporary password may be sent to your email address, and you must use this temporary password to activate your account.

Registering for Your Classes

You will register for your courses online in your my.SDSU account. After you set up your SDSU portal, check it regularly for your registration day and time, a detailed guide linked here. More detailed registration instructions will be available 1 to 2 weeks before registration in April for Fall registration or November for Spring semester registration. If you have a Registration Hold, you must clear it at least two business days before your registration appointment so that you can avoid problems with your class registration.

Prerequisites

Lower level coursework must be fulfilled before a student can enroll in a higher level course. The General Catalog and Class Schedule all identify any prerequisites required for specific courses. Exchange students are responsible for reviewing prerequisites for particular courses they are interested in before they enroll in a course. It is necessary to take the time to compare your coursework with the coursework required at SDSU. You can review previous syllabi for courses at the SDSU Syllabi Collection

Exchange students should bring their own copies of transcripts and descriptions of relevant coursework completed (in English) to demonstrate to professors they have completed courses equivalent to required SDSU prerequisites before they will be allowed to enroll in courses with these restrictions.

SDSU course numbering system

1. Courses numbered 100-299: The most basic level of coursework, also referred to as lower division courses. No prerequisites are required. These courses are generally taken by first year (Freshmen) and second year (Sophomore) undergraduates. Example: HIST 116 or SPAN 212.
2. Courses numbered 300-599: Usually taken by third year (Junior) and fourth year (Senior) and sometimes graduate (master’s level) students. These are considered "upper division" courses and generally require completion of prerequisites. Example: SPAN 302 – requires that students must have completed SPAN 202 and SPAN 212 in order to enroll.
3. Courses numbered 600-799: These courses are open only to graduate students and any exchange student wishing to take these courses must first obtain permission from the instructor. Additionally, if a graduate student needs a seat in the class and the class is full, you can be asked to leave the course as graduate students take priority.

Before Registration Time Opens

• Choose your courses by reviewing the Class Schedule and the General Catalog. You may start selecting your courses before your registration appointment and add them to your shopping cart selecting "Accept" next to the appropriate course. Guide linked here
  
  • The Class Schedule lists all courses offered each semester.
  • The General Catalog and the Graduate Bulletin describe all programs of study and courses available at SDSU.
• Exchange students are required to register for a minimum of 12 units to be considered enrolled full-time at SDSU. 

After Registration Time Opens

• At the time of your registration appointment, simply click on the courses in your shopping cart and select enroll. Guide linked here
• Courses fill up quickly, so it is wise to register as close to your time slot as possible.

Important Notes Regarding Registration

1. Please note that as an exchange student, you do not pay standard SDSU tuition, the intent to enroll fee, and registration fees. However, you may be required to pay lab fees, sports fees etc. for specific classes. You will receive a bill for any miscellaneous fees after you have registered for your classes.
2. CSU-IP Students: If you are attending SDSU through the exchange program coordinated by the California State University International Programs (CSU-IP) Office, you are required to pay campus-based fees. These cover activities and services offered at SDSU.

On-Campus

On-campus housing is not guaranteed. If you are interested in pursuing on-campus housing, we encourage you to review the links provided below for additional details and application instructions.

The SDSU Office of Housing Administration offers on-campus housing for single undergraduate and graduate students. Over 3500 students live on campus each year. They choose to live on campus for a variety of reasons including convenience, proximity to campus, meeting friends and fully experiencing the US college tradition.

On-campus residences do not provide:

• Linens
• Towels
• Bedsheets
• Pillow

Students should be prepared to provide their own, bringing these items with them from home, or purchasing them upon arrival.

Off-Campus

There are also many options for students to live off-campus in the communities surrounding SDSU. Near SDSU there are several apartment complexes located on campus, but are not affiliated with SDSU. Some of these complexes offer a special short-term lease ending, if you only come for one semester.

Resources:

• Facebook Group: 
  • Take over a lease from an outbound SDSU study abroad student. Link to Facebook housing group will be shared with you after confirmation of program attendance.
• International Student Discord Channel:
  
  • Find housing options from other international students at SDSU. Link to Discord channel will be shared with you after confirmation of program attendance.

Housing Scams:

• Housing scams can occur. Review this link for tips on how to avoid scams. 
• If you are using the facebook group or Discord server, make sure to check that the person you are talking with is a real student, for example you can ask to zoom with them so you can see them on camera and so they can show you the available room for rent.

It is very important to report to the International Student Center (ISC) to complete the check-in process upon your arrival in the US.

This is mandatory, and failure to check-in at the ISC could result in termination of your SEVIS record and loss of your J-1 status. For more information refer to: International Student Orientation.

Pay SEVIS fee and obtain your visa

 A valid student visa is required for entry to the U.S. (Note: Canadian citizens do not require a visa, but must pay the SEVIS fee prior to entering the US).

Before applying for the visa, you must pay the SEVIS Fee. The easiest way to pay the fee is online. If you are outside the U.S. and do not already have a valid student visa, you must apply for one at the nearest U.S. Consulate for information about your consulate's process for non-immigrant visa applications and to download the visa application forms.

When you apply for your visa, you will need to show your valid passport, DS-2019 form, proof of sufficient funds available to meet all expenses, and proof that you have paid the SEVIS fee.

You will receive an I-94 (small white card) on the airplane that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) official will staple into your passport next to your visa. Please safeguard your I-94; you will need this document to prove your legal status in the U.S. When you enter the U.S., you will present your valid visa and DS-2019 to the DHS official. Canadian citizens must present the DS-2019, financial documentation, and proof of SEVIS payment.

Required Document: DS-2019

The form DS-2019 serves as your residence permit during your stay, and allows you to apply for your J-1 visa to enter the United States. As an exchange student, you will enter the US on a J-1 visa and should familiarize yourself with the rules and regulations of this visa category. 

When you receive this form from your home coordinator, please check that all of your biographical information on the DS-2019 is correct and do not lose this form, you will need it to apply for a visa and enter the US. (Canadian Citizens do not need to apply for the visa but do require a DS-2019)

In order to enter the US for your exchange, you will need a DS-2019 form issued by the International Student Center (ISC) and sent to you by the SDSU Exchange Team. You are responsible for reviewing that all information on your form is correct. 

The Home-Country Residence Requirement

After studying abroad in the United States, some J-1 exchange students will be required to remain in their home country for two years before they are allowed to return to the US. (This is so the student’s country might benefit from the exchange experiences.) Not all exchange visitors are subject to this requirement. If you have questions about the requirement, ask the consular officer when you apply for your visa. The “annotations” section on the visa stamp in your passport will tell you whether or not the requirement applies to you.

Legal Requirements: Full Course of Study

All exchange students are required to enroll on a full time basis each semester. For undergraduates, full time enrollment is equivalent to at least 12 units per semester (4 classes of 3 units each.) Courses taken through the College of Extended Studies or Open University do not count toward full time status.

Financial Requirements

Students attending SDSU on exchange do not pay tuition here. However, responsibility for paying other costs varies depending on the type of exchange program (bilateral exchange, ISEP, CSU-IP.) For information about your program, check with the international exchange coordinator at your home institution or contact the Incoming Exchange Coordinator: (619) 594-0770. (Please note: CSU-IP participants are required to pay SDSU campus fees, as discussed in the previous section, "Important Notes Regarding Registration – CSU-IP Students.")

Plan to have funds readily available for your initial expenses - fees, housing, health insurance, books and miscellaneous expenses. Since bank drafts can take several weeks to clear, you will need traveler's checks or World Money Orders. Plan to have at least $2,000 available upon arrival.

Your home institution may have forms that require a signature from SDSU. If you need a signature on one of these forms please upload your form through the J-1 Student Home University Form Submission also found on our Documents and Requests for International Students site.

IMPORTANT TO NOTE:

• Arrival/Departure Document: You may submit this form after attending the International Student Check-In & Reception.
• Learning Agreement: You may submit this form once your schedule at SDSU has been finalized. If you make any changes to your schedule, it is your responsibility to submit an updated request.
  • For this reason, we suggest waiting until AFTER the schedule adjustment (add/drop) deadline to submit Learning Agreements.

J-1 exchange students who have entered the U.S and are traveling internationally during their program must ensure they have a valid travel signature on their DS-2019 prior to re-entry to the U.S.. The travel signature is located at the bottom right corner of page 1 of the DS-2019 and it is valid for 12 months. This means you can use the same signature to travel multiple times as long as you reenter within 12 months from when your travel endorsement section was signed on your DS-2019. Please note a travel signature is not required if traveling within the U.S. Please also read the Traveling Outside The United States site to learn about the other documents required for re-entry to the U.S.

How do I request a travel signature on my DS-2019?

To request a travel signature on your DS-2019 must submit a DS-2019 Replacement/Update Request Form and under reason for request select “Travel Signature”. The ISC will then print a new DS-2019 for you that will include a travel signature and notify you through email when it is ready for pick up. Make sure you use the most up to date DS-2019 with the travel signature when traveling internationally.

IMPORTANT: Plan early if you will be traveling outside the U.S., processing times are 7 business days.

*ISEP Exchange Students: Your DS-2019 will be collected during the first week of the semester to send to ISEP for signature. Once we receive your DS-2019 back from ISEP with a travel signature, we will notify you via email to pick up your DS-2019 at the ISC.

As an exchange student on J-1 status you are eligible for the following employment options:

1. On campus employment: Once you arrive on campus you will be eligible to work on campus for the duration of your SDSU program. Authorization must be given by the ISC before you can begin a campus job. Read our On-Campus Employment site for more details.
2. Off campus employment through J-1 Academic Training: You are eligible to apply for a benefit called J-1 Academic Training (AT) which allows you to work or intern off campus during or shortly after your program of study in work that is related to your primary major at SDSU (the major indicated on your DS-2019). Please read the information on the J-1 Employment site to learn about the eligibility requirements, duration and application process.
   1. IMPORTANT: Academic Training must be approved before starting employment.

*ISEP Exchange Students: Please contact ISEP directly to ask what their on campus and J-1 Academic Training requirements are.

Exchange students are admitted for 1 or 2 semesters. Exchange students are not allowed to participate for more than 2 semesters. Students who were admitted into only 1 semester may be eligible to extend for a second semester, however in some cases it isn't possible to extend due to impaction of the exchange balance.

If you were only admitted for 1 semester and you are interested in extending please consider the following:

• • Submission of this request starts the process of receiving approval from both your home university coordinator and the SDSU Global Education Office. If approval is granted from both your home institution and Global Education Office (GEO), you will receive an approval email notification from the Global Education Office. Please note that the exchange program is based on a balance between SDSU and your home institution. If the balance is impacted, it will not be possible to allow for the extension. 

• The form must be submitted at least 30 days prior to your current end date.
• You will need to submit an updated Exchange Financial Statement Form along with proof of funds in order for the extension to be approved.
• If approved and your DS-2019 is extended, an ISC advisor will reach out to you to review details of your J-1 status extension. 

*ISEP Exchange Students: Please contact ISEP directly to ask if an extension is possible.

If you need to withdraw from the exchange program before your original end date you must meet with an ISC Advisor and notify your home university of your early withdrawal plans.