You will be notified of your acceptance two to three weeks after submitting your application. If accepted, you will be provided with detailed information on the next steps, which include:
The UMass Amherst International Exchange Student Program course on Canvas is mandatory reading for accepted students. Upon acceptance, you will be given access.
Enrollment Periods
Course enrollment opens in April for the fall semester and November for the spring semester. The course catalog is typically available two weeks before enrollment begins, giving you a head start to explore your options.
Key Considerations for Course Selection
- Find Courses: Watch this video for detailed instructions on searching for courses.
- Avoid Schedule Conflicts: Ensure that your selected courses do not have overlapping meeting times. Use the Schedule Builder tool to help create a conflict-free schedule.
- Select University Courses Only: Ensure that you are not searching for UWW/Univ+/U+ courses. Check that the session designation is marked as "University."
- Check for Additional Course Components: Some courses include required discussion or lab sections. If applicable, you must provide details for both the lecture course and the associated discussion/lab components.
- Record Course Details: Note the course name, number, and unique five-digit class number (e.g., Anthro 103 – 56308), as this specifies the course's day and time.
- Review Eligibility: Consult exchange student course restrictions to confirm your eligibility for certain classes.
Courses within the Isenberg School of Management (including Accounting, Finance, Hospitality & Tourism Management, Management, Marketing, Operations & Information Management, and Sport Management) may not be available for enrollment review until at least a month after the enrollment period begins.
Enrollment Steps
Undergraduate Students
Before your enrollment appointment, please submit the Course Review and Enrollment Form to receive prior approval for selected courses. Our team will review your submission and provide you with any additional instructions. Look for an email with a link to this form ahead of enrollment.
Graduate Students
Although enrollment typically opens in April or November, your academic department may have a specific timeline for your registration. Work closely with your assigned academic advisor to adhere to your department’s enrollment schedule.
International students under UMass Amherst sponsorship are issued a DS-2019 to obtain a J-1 visa stamp at a U.S. consulate or embassy. For more information on the process, visit the placeholder and read the pre-arrival course information.
The UCard serves as the all-in-one campus card, functioning as the official campus ID, on-campus debit card, Dining Services meal card, residential and non-residential door access card, 5-College library card, PVTA bus pass (Five College bus system only), and UMass recreational facilities access card.
Students living on campus will pick up their UCard when checking into their dormitory. Students living off campus should arrange pick-up with the UCard office.
Visit the UCard website and follow the steps to request your UCard.
Undergraduate exchange students will follow the same process as Transfer Students for selecting housing using the Residential Life Preference Application. For detailed information, visit the Housing Options for Transfer Students. You will receive an Assignment Notification with their On-Campus assignment and roommate information on SPIRE in a few weeks before arrival.
Typically this process will start in early June for fall semester starts, and early November for spring semester starts.
Residential Life Preference Application Instructions:
- Submit a UCard photo on the UCard website and update your Emergency Contact information in SPIRE.
- Sign the Occupancy License in SPIRE under Housing > Room Selection > Occupancy License
- Submit the Housing Profile in SPIRE under Housing > Room Selection > Housing Profile
- Submit your Preference Application in SPIRE under Housing > New Students > Preference Application
Exchange students are required to arrive on the first day of New International Student Orientation and participate in the presentations and activities.
Details on New International Student Orientation are updated a few weeks prior to arrival.
Visit the Getting to UMass webpage for information on how to travel to campus from the local airports. Please note that ISSS does not provide transportation to or from the airport but you will receive information on transportation options in the Canvas pre-arrival course.
Before the start of the semester, student bills are issued though SPIRE. Once generated, you have the option to modify your meal plan, waive specific fees, and start making payments.
Issues with billing
Often, the initial bill does not accurately account for pending tuition waivers and other payments covered by ISSS on behalf of the student. When this happens, we advise you to wait for a second bill to be issued within a few weeks, as corrections are commonly made during this period.
Once you arrive on campus, you must complete the New Student Check-In to validate your J-1 visa. You will need to update your SPIRE record with a Mailing Address and phone number before completing the New Student Check In form. The following PDF documents are needed to complete the check in:
- DS-2019 (must be signed by the student)
- U.S. visa page in passport
- Admissions/Entry stamp in passport
- I-94 record