UMass Boston

Here you will find information relating to housing, financial documents, activities, semester dates, and how to choose classes.

If you are a matriculated student at one of our exchange partner institutions and you have been nominated and approved by your home institution to study abroad at UMass Boston, then you are at the right place. We look forward to your arrival.

• As an exchange student, you can study for one or two academic semesters depending on the specified agreement between your institution and UMass Boston.
• As an exchange student, that will enter the U.S. on a J-1 visa, the Department of State requires that you study full-time which is 12 credits (4 courses) for undergraduates, and 9 credits (3 courses) for graduate students.
• Exchange students have access to all services available to regular degree seeking students including library, student activities and discounts, and all other student centered services and activities.
• As an exchange student, your tuition and academic fees will be waived (unless the exchange agreement notes otherwise). Although your tuition and academic fees are waived there are other fees that each student are held responsible for. The fees could be higher if the curriculum requires lab fees (see Bursar's Office website for fees). 
• As an exchange student, upon completion you will request a copy of your official transcript and inform the Registrar's Office where to send the transcript or where to pick it up. The transcript will not automatically be sent to you. Our Office does not have authority to obtain your transcript without your written permission. 

Application Deadlines

• Fall semester (Sept. to December) and Academic Year- (Sept. to May): April 1
• Spring semester (January to May)  - November 1

All exchange students must complete a UMass Boston Exchange Student Application in its entirety. This application is now online and the nominated students will be sent a link to apply online.

Instructions for Exchange Partners: 

Please submit the nominations using this Nomination Sheet and emailing it to studyabroad@umb.edu. Once we receive the nominations we will confirm with you the student(s) nominations. After students are nominated by the home institution, the student will receive a link via email to the online application system.  The nomination deadline is 15 days before the application deadline (see below).

• Nomination for Fall semester (Sept. to December) and Academic Year- (Sept. to May): from mid-February until March 15
• Nomination for Spring semester (January to May): from mid-September until October 15 

Instructions for Exchange Students: 

Once you are nominated, you will receive an email from us with the online application link sent to your email (submitted with your nomination). When you receive the email and the link, you can start the the online application. In the online application you will be asked to submit the following documents: 

• A most recent official transcript(s), in English, of courses previously completed
• Proof of English Proficiency: Minimum TOEFL score of 79-80 (Internet-Based) or 213 (Computer-Based) for both Undergraduate and Graduate students; or IELTS score 6 or equivalent scores from J-Check/iTEP. Duolingo English Test: 105+. For the specific scores required by UMass Boston departments and colleges, different than the one posted here, check here.
• Evidence of funding not older than 6 months ($1,500 per month X number of months of intended stay at UMass Boston) that may in the form of a scholarship award letter, or personal bank statement, or an affidavit of support from parents/sponsor accompanied by evidence of that individual’s ability to finance your studies.
• A copy of your Passport page (if available)
• Copies of any previous DS-2019s (if you have participated in an exchange program before)

Course Information: 

You are required to submit the  International Exchange Student Course Registration Worksheet, as soon as possible after your acceptance. This form will start the process of getting you approved into your selected courses. Please look out for emails regarding courses, which will be sent to your UMass Boston email address. To search available courses, the catalog can be accessed here: https://www.umb.edu/course_catalog If you need a course description, a short one is provided on the course search. You can request a syllabi from the faculty directly, by searching their email in the directory: https://www.umb.edu/directory/

Business/College of Management Courses:

If you would like to take courses within the College of Management, the department reviews each students application and previous course work before accepting them into courses. Due to the popularity of their courses, they have strict pre-requisites for enrollment into their courses. You should check to see if you have taken the necessary pre-requisites at your home university before selecting any College of Management courses. Students in Business/Management should consider taking courses in Economics, Math, Communications, and other departments as a back up to your College of Management selections.

Restricted Courses: As an exchange student, you can take courses in all majors at your degree level as long as you meet the required pre-requisite courses. Exchange students are not eligible to take courses in the College of Nursing, all courses designated first-year or intermediate seminar (courses with a "G" next to the course number), ESL, or internship & capstone courses.

J-1 Health Insurance Requirement:

J-1 Visiting Students are able to select an insurance policy that best fits their and their needs. Federal regulations require all J-1 Students obtain health insurance that meets the following requirements:

• Medical benefits of at least $100,000 per accident or illness
• In case of death, repatriation of remains in the amount of $25,000
• Expenses in the amount of $50,000 associated with the medical evacuation of the J Exchange Visitor to their home country
• A deductible amount not to exceed $500 per accident or illness
• Continuous coverage for the duration of the program

If you purchased health insurance in your home country, please ensure that it covers all of the requirements listed above. The regulations state that any exchange visitor (or accompanying dependent) who fails to maintain health insurance coverage as detailed above or who misrepresents such coverage will be in violation of U.S. Government regulations and shall be subject to termination as an exchange visitor.

If you would like to enroll in the UMass Boston student health insurance plan, which does meet the J-1 visa health insurance requirement, see details on cost and how to enroll here: University Health Plans: Enroll in Coverage

Campus Information:

Academic Calendar

• Fall: September- December
• Spring: January-May

Housing On-Campus:  

Housing on campus is very limited, and almost entirely houses 1st year students. Pricing for on-campus housing starts at $4,542 for a bed in a triple unit room, & there is a mandatory meal plan when living on campus (approx. $3,090 per semester). If you would still like to, as soon as you receive your student ID#, you can put yourself on the waitlist for the residence halls through On-Campus Housing: https://www.umb.edu/housing/on_campus 

Recommended: Housing Off-Campus:

We will host an off-campus housing session for incoming exchange students over the winter & summer break, before students arrive. Please join for information on finding housing in the Boston-area. For off-campus housing, there is a gateway portal for students to search through approved listings: https://offcampushousing.umb.edu/ With your student ID# you can register into the portal and search through listings, create a roommate profile to find other UMass students to live with, & find many resources. You can also contact the Office of Off-Campus Housing for assistance in finding a place to live in the Boston-area.

University Fees

Although your tuition and academic fees are waived there are other fees that you are held responsible for. These mandatory student fees are generally between $700-$800.00 per semester. Your fees could be slightly higher if your curriculum requires lab fees. These fees are not waivable and non-negotiable. Your student account will be put on hold if you do not pay your fees during your semester/year at UMass Boston, which will also put a hold on your ability to obtain transcript from your studies at UMass Boston.

Orientation:

The on-campus mandatory international student orientation takes place approximately 1-week before classes start each semester. For Fall, this is typically the last week of August. For Spring, this is typically mid-January. Accepted exchange students will be notified via email with the exact orientation dates.

MBTA (The "T") Discounted Semester Passes: 

The Office of Transportation offers discounted MBTA semester passes, but they are very limited. Please check this website for information on the deadline to apply for a MBTA semester pass. 

Transcripts:

As an exchange student, upon completion you will request a copy of your official transcript and inform the Registrar’s Office at UMass Boston where to send the transcript or where to pick it up. You will need to do this before departing UMass Boston to ensure your transcript is sent to you. The transcript will not automatically be sent to you. Our Office does not have authority to obtain your transcript on your behalf. This is the link to request a transcript: https://www.umb.edu/registrar/records_grades/records

Contact the Office of Global Programs: 

Office of Global Programs Campus Center 2100 
University of Massachusetts Boston,
100 Morrissey Boulevard, Boston, MA  02125
Please direct questions about the exchange program to: studyabroad@umb.edu