J-1 Exchange Basics

Kennesaw State University has partnered with institutions around the world to offer reciprocal exchange programs. Exchanges are semester or year-long experiences where students from our partner institutions can study at KSU and, in exchange, a KSU student can study abroad at their institution. 

Why Exchange?

If you are a student at a foreign institution and are interested in learning about other cultures while you are earning your degree, an exchange program at KSU might be for you! An exchange semester or year gives students the opportunity to have an educational and cultural experience in the U.S., and then return home to complete their studies at their home institution.

The goal of the U.S. Department of State's Exchange Visitor Program, which oversees exchange programs in the United States, is to promote this cultural and educational exchange between the U.S. and other countries. The hope of the Exchange Visitor Program and KSU as well is that when you return home, you can share your cultural and educational experiences with members of your community so that we can increase global solidarity and understanding.

Exchange Partners

To apply as an incoming J-1 exchange student, your institution must have an established agreement with Kennesaw State University, and your university must have nominated you to participate in the exchange program. Below is a listing of current exchange programs.

    • University of Cape Coast, Ghana
    • Al Akhawayn University, Morocco
    • Chukyo University, Japan
    • Soka University, Japan
    • Hanyang University, South Korea
    • Seoul Women's University, South Korea
    • Soongsil University, South Korea
    • University of Mons, Belgium
    • Anhalt University, Germany
    • Fachhochschule Flensburg, Germany
    • Furtwangen University, Germany
    • University of Paderborn, Germany
    • Universidad Carlos III de Madrid, Spain
    • Linnaeus University, Sweden

Basics Of An Exchange Program At KSU

Certain aspects of the KSU exchange visa program vary based on the exchange partnership with your home institution, so be sure to talk with your exchange program coordinator for the details. However, below is some general information to get you started!

Academics

Students at KSU on an exchange program enroll in KSU courses for one or two semesters. Each semester, exchange students take 12-15 credit hours (about 10-13 class hours per week.) Exchange students study in the same classes as our American students.These courses are taken on-campus and can be in a variety of formats such as lecture, laboratory, seminar, or hybrid (part in-class, part online).  In the U.S., professors encourage active participation and questions!

Exchange students choose their courses from the hundreds that are offered, and should choose at least two or three courses that are related to their major at their home institution. 

Depending on the courses you have already taken at your home institution, you should be eligible to register for most courses. However, courses in certain programs such as Architecture, Art, Business, or Nursing may not be available or might require additional information about the courses you have already taken. This might also apply to certain advanced-level courses.

At the end of the semester, exchange students must request a KSU transcript and have the information sent to their home institution. This is how your school knows the classes you took and the grades you received and can apply the information to your degree at home! Please note that there is a fee required per transcript.

Find out more about choosing your classes!

Student Life

Students in most exchange programs live on campus, which is a great opportunity to have the U.S. college experience. In addition to programming in the dormitories, KSU offers a wide range of extra-curricular activities such as student clubs and sports or university-sponsored events like Homecoming or Owl-O-Ween. There is never a dull moment at KSU! We encourage students to get involved, develop relationships with their classmates and dorm-mates, and make the most of their exchange experience.

Estimated Expenses

In most exchange programs, students pay tuition and other fees to their home institution. These payments will be applied to the expenses of the KSU student visiting your home institution. At the same time, a KSU student has paid tuition and fees to KSU to cover your academic expenses at KSU. A similar process might also apply to expenses like housing and meal plans. Be sure to talk to your exchange program coordinator to learn about what your program will cover.

Apply For An Exchange

Ready to study on exchange at KSU? Here are the basic steps for the application process:


1. GET NOMINATED: Work with the exchange program coordinator at your home institution to be nominated for an exchange at KSU. The listing of schools and programs we work with can be found at J-1 Exchange Basics.

2. COMPLETE THE UNIVERSITY APPLICATION PROCESS: When your nomination is accepted, we will send you information about how to complete KSU's admission application and submit your transcripts.

3. REQUEST YOUR VISA DOCUMENT: Once your admission is processed, you can request a DS-2019 in iStart (third-party exchanges will request their documents through their third-party organization.) The DS-2019 is a U.S. government document issued by KSU for an exchange student to apply for a J-1 visa. Once you are in the U.S., the DS-2019 record informs the U.S. government of your current J-1 status and other important information. To request a DS-2019, you will need to submit these documents in iStart:

  1. Copy of your passport identification page
  2. Proof of English proficiency
  3. Financial documentation showing that you can afford the expenses not covered by your exchange program, please see below for details. 
    1. Financials will be reviewed to determine if they meet the standards. Financials must demonstrate at a minimum the estimated totals for your exchange program. Scans of original financial documents must be of high quality in JPG or PDF format. Please note that Kennesaw State University reserves the right to request original documents if deemed necessary for verification purposes. Dependents will add an additional $7,000 for a spouse and $6,000 per child (for an academic year) to the required amount.
    2. Currency must be clearly marked on financials with English translation if necessary. An online currency conversion can be made if funds are not in U.S. Dollars. Print the conversion and submit with the bank statement.
    3. All statements must show the account holder name(s), the financial institution name, and contact information, such as an address, website, and telephone number. Documents must be verifiable if we need to contact the institution. This means that requesting a document showing the entire account number may be necessary and required.
    4. Account statements need to be within six months of the program start date. Funds may need to be proven that they have been in the account for more than 3 months in some cases. Large sums of transfers not in the account for more than 3 months will need to have a paper trail, proof of transfer, and if necessary an sponsorship letter of support.
    5. No statement will be accepted if it is a retirement account, fixed or frozen account. Any such account will need additional proof that the money is liquid and usable for educational purposes at the time payments are due. We will not accept assets such as a business or property declaration.
    6. Statements from a business account, showing ONLY the business name, require additional proof of ownership and or sponsorship for the student. We may require that the business make a statement that the funds can be used for educational purposes of said student.
    7. All financial statements must also be submitted with a sponsor letter, unless the funds are in the student's name. The sponsor letter must include a signature and contact information. Acceptable affidavits include: a personal letter, a financial guarantee from an institution, a US I-134 form, or the KSU Affidavit Form which is most common. 
    8. We will accept financials from the student and in addition, up to 2 sponsors. If a sponsor document has more than one sponsor listed, then an affidavit is needed from both sponsors to show agreement in educational funding.

4. RECEIVE YOUR DOCUMENTS: Once your DS-2019 is created, it will be shared with you electronically.  You will be able to download it from iStart. 

5. TAKE THE NEXT STEPS: Your next steps will be to apply for your visa and read the information for new students to be prepared for your exchange experience!