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Frequently Asked Questions- National Student Exchange
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1. Must I be enrolled at LSU to participate in the NSE?
2. How much does it cost to participate in the NSE program?
3. Do I have to enroll full time at the host school?
4. Can I use my financial aid to help pay tuition and other costs?
5. Does every U.S. university participate in the exchange?
6. How do I apply to participate in the National Student Exchange?
7. How do I register for classes at the host school?
8. How do I pay tuition on this program?
9. What is concurrent enrollment and how can it help me?
10. How do grades transfer back to LSU?
11. I receive National Guard benefits. Can I still participate?
12. Can I work while exchanging to another school?
13. What if I arrive at the host school, decide I don't like it, and want to come home?
14. Does the NSE allow me establish residency at the host school?
15. Can I talk to other students who have participated in the program?
16. What if I need to see a host school general catalog?
17. When will I find out that I am accepted to the host school?
18. Will I have a chance to share my experience with new applicants?
19. Can I bring a friend?
20. How long can I stay on exchange and can I extend my exchange?

1. Must I be enrolled at LSU to participate in the National Student Exchange?
Yes. LSU students who want to exchange to another participating U.S. university must be enrolled full time and be in good standing the semester prior to exchanging. In addition, students must have an overall GPA of 2.5 and 30 hours of credit.
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2. How much does it cost to participate in the NSE program?
Students must pay a one-time application fee of $125. This application fee is not refundable once your application is turned in to the LSU NSE Coordinator. Students must also pay a $100 concurrent enrollment fee for each semester on exchange. Housing, meals, books, insurance, etc, is paid at the host school. Students accepted on Plan A also pay host school resident tuition at the host school. Plan B resident students pay LSU resident tuition to the LSU Office of Academic Programs Abroad for the incoming Plan B students. Plan B non-resident and international students will pay LSU Academic Programs Abroad LSU non-resident tuition and fees.

An important word about Plan B: A student who makes himself available on Plan B , and is accepted by the host school on Plan B, is obligated to pay the LSU Office of Academic Programs Abroad LSU resident or non-resident tuition (whichever appropriate) even if the student withdraws from the exchange (except in the case of serious illness). It is important to understand that LSU does not provide funds to pay LSU tuition for incoming Plan B students, so the money is provided by outbound LSU Plan B students leaving on exchange. <back to top>

3. Do I have to enroll full time at the host school?
Yes. LSU students are expected to maintain full-time status at the host school for the entire exchange.
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4. Can I use my financial aid to help pay tuition and other costs?
Yes. Almost any grant, scholarship, or loan may be used to help pay for tuition and other associated costs. In order to receive the aid, students must concurrently enroll at LSU for each semester exchanged. Contact your advisor in the Office of Student Aid & Scholarships, 202 Himes Hall, to find out how your aid may apply to the National Student Exchange program.
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5. Does every U.S. university participate in the exchange?
No. Currently there are over 177 universities that participate in the exchange from almost every state. For a complete list of participating universities, come by Academic Programs Abroad, Hatcher Hall, for a directory or take a look at the NSE Official Website.
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6. How do I apply to participate in the National Student Exchange?
LSU students who want to attend another school through the NSE program must complete and return applications to the NSE coordinator. Students cannot negotiate their own exchanges and all application materials must go through the LSU NSE coordinator. Applications can be picked up in Room 106 Hatcher Hall, 8:00AM to 4:30PM, Monday through Friday. Applications are being accepted now for the '07-'08 academic year. Once a student is placed at the host site, the host school NSE coordinator will send additional application material, class registration forms, housing applications, etc. Once the material is received, students must follow time schedules and guidelines for registration issued by the host school.
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7. How do I register for classes at the host school?
Once placed at the host school, the NSE coordinator from that school will send a packet that contains instructions, admission forms and class registration material. Read the information packet carefully to ensure deadlines are not missed! Once the class registration material is sent back to the host NSE coordinator, admission to the host school and class registration will be confirmed by the host school. <back to top>

8. How do I pay tuition on this program?
In most cases LSU students have two choices to pay tuition - Plan A where host school resident tuition is paid at the host school or Plan B where LSU resident tuition is paid to the LSU Office of Academic Programs Abroad.

NOTE: some schools only have Plan A and some only have Plan B. The NSE directory shows which plans are available at the host school. On either plan, students are expected to pay housing and meals at the host school.
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9. What is concurrent enrollment and how can it help me?
LSU has in place a system called concurrent registration which means a concurrently enrolled LSU student is enrolled at LSU and the host school at the same time. Concurrent enrollment involves completing a preliminary study schedule, whereby students receive prior approval of classes to be taken at the host school, and paying LSU a $100 concurrent enrollment fee. Once the PACE Form (Programs Abroad Concurrent Enrollment Form) is complete and the fee is paid, the LSU Office of Academic Programs Abroad certifies to the LSU Office of the University Registrar and the LSU Office of Student Aid that all steps for concurrent enrollment have been met.

LSU students who receive financial aid must concurrently enroll to receive the aid. Concurrent enrollment also keeps academic records current in the LSU system so access to REGGIE and other LSU services can be maintained while away. Students who do not receive financial aid are not required to concurrently enroll, but keep in mind that without concurrent enrollment, the student drops out of school at LSU and must re-enroll in time to advance register for classes for the returning semester at LSU. Students also would not have access to any other LSU services, such as the Student Health Center, the Recreation Center, or the LSU libraries.
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10. How do grades transfer back to LSU?
When the LSU Office of Admissions receives the official host school transcript, they will post the LSU equivalent class along with the host school grade to the student's LSU transcript. The grades earned while on exchange are figured into the overall grade average, not the LSU grade average.
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11. I receive National Guard benefits. Can I still participate?
In some cases, yes. To find out if you qualify, contact LSU Veteran's Affairs, 388-1547.
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12. Can I work while exchanging to another school?
Yes, but we advise students not to depend on jobs to fund an exchange. We cannot guarantee that you will find a job or that it will pay you enough to meet your expenses at the host school.
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13. What happens if I arrive at the host school, decide I don't like it, and want to come home?
We cannot force students to remain at the host school, but keep in mind that if a student withdraws from the NSE program after the semester has begun and before it has ended, the student must officially resign from both the host school and LSU. Concurrent enrollment protection is lost and the student must re-enroll at LSU through the LSU Admissions Office.

NOTE: Plan B students who withdraw from the program remain obligated to pay the LSU Office of Academic Programs Abroad LSU resident or non-resident (whichever appropriate) tuition for the entire exchange, unless serious illness occurs. If a student signs up for and is accepted for an entire year on Plan B, and returns home during the fall semester, the student remains obligated to pay LSU resident tuition for the upcoming spring semester.
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14. Does this program allow me establish residency at the host school?
No. Students participating in the National Student Exchange are considered visiting students and cannot establish residency at the host school while on exchange. Students contemplating transfer to the host school must realize that non-resident tuition will be paid at the host site for one year after the exchange is complete along with a host of other requirements established by the state to which the students transfers. Students are strongly advised to check with the host school admissions office to discover all transfer requirements. <back to top>

15. Can I talk to other students who have participated in the program?
Yes! You can find and contact other NSE students, both former and present, on our website by clicking on "NSE Database" in the top-left hand menu, or by clicking on the link below:
http://ocs-web2.ocs.lsu.edu/apa/NSE/int/nse_wcdb_search.asp.
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16. What if I need to see a host school general catalog?
The LSU Office of Academic Programs Abroad keeps on file a general catalog for every school that participates in the program. Catalogs cannot be checked out, but students are welcome to come by the library at 106 Hatcher Hall, 8:00AM to 4:30PM, Monday through Friday, to browse the catalogs and copy necessary pages. It is recommended that you check with the schools' websites for the most up-to-date information pertaining to courses and course availability.
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17. When will I find out that I am accepted to the host school?
The LSU NSE coordinator places and accepts students for top priority at the annual NSE placement conference in mid-March. The coordinator usually faxes the placements to the LSU Office of Academic Programs Abroad before returning to LSU. Applicants are instructed to check with the Academic Programs Abroad office manager on the date specified by the NSE coordinator to find out where they have been placed. Placements are also made throughout the year so check with the coordinator to see what the application process entails.
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18. Will I have an opportunity to share my NSE experience with new applicants?
Yes! The LSU NSE office is always looking for volunteers to help recruit students into the program. The NSE office participates in many recruiting programs and speaking engagements during the year and former participants are welcome to help. Contact the NSE Coordinator at NSE@lsu.edu for details about this. You can also sign into our online database at http://ocs-web2.ocs.lsu.edu/apa/NSE/int/nse_wcdb_search.asp from which other students can search for contact information of other NSE students and get in touch with those students.
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19. Can I bring a friend?
Yes. Students can be placed in pairs or groups. However, students wishing to be placed this way must realize that we cannot guarantee the host school coordinator will accept all applicants. Paired or grouped students will be placed together on all choices, so we strongly suggested that applicants confer and agree on all of their choices. Paired or grouped students will not be separated - wherever one goes, so goes the other.
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20. How long can I stay on exchange and can I extend my exchange?
Students are allowed to exchange for one academic year - three semesters (Fall, Spring, Summer) for a semester system school or three quarters for a quarter system school. If a student signs up for a one semester exchange and wishes to extend to the following semester, the student must receive permission from both the host school coordinator and the home school coordinator.
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