SAN DIEGO STATE UNIVERSITY
BILATERAL EXCHANGE PROGRAM
Useful Information for Exchange Coordinators – Academic Year 2012-2013
General information about San Diego State University: http://www.sdsu.edu/
Information about the International Student Center: http://www.sa.sdsu.edu/isc/
Emergency contacts (after business hours)
General contact information:
San Diego State University
On-campus Emergencies: (619) 594-1991
International Student Center
Off-campus Emergencies: dial 9-1-1
5500 Campanile Drive
San Diego, CA 92182-5101
TEL: (619) 594-1982
FAX: (619) 594-1973
http://www.sa.sdsu.edu/isc
Exchange Coordinator for inbound students
Ms. Jessica Keith
TEL: (619) 594-0770
FAX: (619) 594-1973
e-mail: jkeith@mail.sdsu.edu
Director International Student Center
Dr. Negar Davis
TEL: (619) 594-1982
FAX: (619) 594-1973
e-mail: ndavis@mail.sdsu.edu
Application, course registration questions: Ms. Jessica Keith
jkeith@mail.sdsu.edu / phone: (619) 594-1488 / fax: (619) 594-1973
Housing questions: Luisa Oritcelli
lorticelli@mail.sdsu.edu / phone: (619) 594-1488 / fax: (619) 594- 1973
Insurance questions: Ms. Alison Peppers
apeppers@mail.sdsu.edu / phone: (619) 594-1982 / fax: (619) 594-1973
Application deadlines: Fall & Academic Year: April 1; Spring Semester: October 1
San Diego State University academic calendar:
http://arweb.sdsu.edu/es/registrar/academiccalendar.html
IMPORTANT DATES FOR FALL, 2012 & SPRING, 2013
Fall 2012
Expected arrival date: Monday, August 20, 2012
Mandatory Exchange Student Orientation: Tuesday, August 21 – Sunday, August 26th
First day of classes: Mon., August 27
Labor Day (campus closed): Mon., September 3
Veterans Day Observed (Campus closed): Mon., November 12
Thanksgiving Break: (Campus closed): Thurs., November 22 – Fri., November 23
Last day of classes: Fri., December 7
Final Examinations: Sat., December 8 – Sat., December 15
Winter Break: (Campus closed): December 25 – 28
No late arrivals (due to visa problems or home institution exams) after September 4, 2012
Spring 2013
Expected arrival date: TBD
Mandatory Exchange Student Orientation: TBD
First day of classes: Thurs., January 17
Spring Break: Mon., April 1 – Fri., April 5
Cesar Chavez Day (campus closed): Mon., April 1
Last day of classes: Wed., May 8
Final Examinations: Thurs., May 9 – Thurs., May 16
No late arrivals (due to visa problems or home institution exams) after January 22, 2012
SDSU – Useful information for exchange coordinators
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APPLICATION PROCEDURES
Note: Until such time as applications have been received by the incoming exchange coordinator at San
Diego State University, we would appreciate it if local coordinators would liaise with our office on
students’ behalf, rather than having students contact us directly. We appreciate your assistance!
How to apply for an SDSU exchange program, links to application materials (graduate and
undergraduate) and supporting documents: http://www.isc.sdsu.edu/prospective/iwant_exchange0.html
A completed application consists of:
- Cover sheet/checklist with coordinator’s signature, Application Form, SDSU Course Selection Form,
Exchange Participant Agreement, and Financial Statement Form
- TOEFL or IELTS score
- Transcripts (i.e., marks) of all university coursework completed and in progress in the original
language and in English translation
- Copy of Passport
Graduate students also need to submit:
- one recommendation from a faculty member and a
- 500-word essay addressing how study at SDSU will further their academic goals.
Deadlines - Exchange applications and supporting documents should be received by the SDSU
Exchange Coordinator by:
April 1 for Fall semester – applications may be submitted as early as February 15.
October 1 for Spring semester – applications may be submitted as early as August 15.
ENGLISH LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY REQUIREMENT
The TOEFL or IELTS is required of all applicants who have not attended secondary or post-secondary
institutions where English is the language of instruction (not EFL or ESL classes) for a period of at least
three years of fulltime study.
Required scores:
Paper-based TOEFL: 550 or higher (institutional TOEFL is also accepted)
Computer-based TOEFL: 213 or higher
Internet-based TOEFL: 80 or higher
IELTS (academic version): 6.5 or higher.
Scores should be less than two years old at the time of application to SDSU.
English Language Preparation
SDSU offers no English language preparation classes.
Students who do not meet the English language proficiency requirement described above may want to
enroll in a language program at the American Language Institute (ALI,) an auxiliary unit located on the
SDSU campus, before applying for an exchange placement at SDSU. The ALI offers a variety of classes
for all proficiency levels: http://www.americanlanguage.org/. Consult their website for information about
costs, calendar and length of courses.
ALI classes are fee-based and are not part of the SDSU exchange program.
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STUDENT CLASSIFICATION, COURSE SELECTION AND REGISTRATION
Student classification
SDSU undergraduate or bachelor degree programs are four years in length. First year students are
Freshmen, second year students are Sophomores, third year students are Juniors, and fourth year
students are Seniors.
Master degree programs generally require two years of study to complete.
First and second year students who have not yet declared a major program of study typically take “lower
division” (general, or foundation-laying) courses which are numbered between 100 and 299.
Third and fourth year students focus on “upper division” courses in their major which are designated by
numbers in the 300 and 400 range. 500 level courses may be taken by either undergraduate or graduate
students. Many upper division classes have “pre-requisite” requirements, that is, more basic courses that
must be completed before students can enroll in the more advanced ones. Exchange students will need
to demonstrate, via transcripts and course descriptions, that they have completed equivalent coursework
that satisfies the SDSU pre-requisites.
Master’s level courses are numbered between 600 and 799. These classes are not open to
undergraduates.
All incoming undergraduate exchange students are classified as seniors and coded for three
different majors in which they plan to take courses at SDSU. This greatly facilitates students’ ability
to enroll in both lower and upper division courses, exempts them from the Elementary Level Mathematics
(ELM) requirement and English Placement Test (EPT) and gives them a certain priority during
registration.
Courses, classes and majors
The words “courses” and “classes” are used interchangeably on the SDSU campus. Referred to as
“subjects” or “modules” in some countries, courses/classes are the individual study units in which
students enroll. One class/course is generally of 45 contact hours in duration and worth 3 units (credits.)
“Major” refers to the student’s principal discipline or area of study, e.g., Political Science, Linguistics,
Business Administration, Economics, etc.
Selecting courses (http://www.isc.sdsu.edu/Documents/Exchange%20Application%20Packet.pdf, page
5)
Students should meet with faculty at their home institution to plan what courses to take while at SDSU to
ensure that coursework completed here will transfer successfully on return.
Undergraduates should refer to the General Catalog http://arweb.sdsu.edu/es/catalog/ for a description
of courses in their preferred field of study.
Graduate students should refer to the Graduate Bulletin http://arweb.sdsu.edu/es/catalog/bulletin/.
Both undergraduates and graduates should refer to the Class Schedule
http://www.sdsu.edu/schedule.html for schedule information.
If the SDSU Undergraduate General Catalog or Graduate Bulletin do not supply sufficient information
about specific classes, contact the advisor for the program major in the appropriate SDSU department:
Directory of Major Advisors: http://arweb.sdsu.edu/es/advising/directory/index.html
Students are encouraged to list 10 courses that will meet their needs for each semester of placement on
their Course Selection Form
(http://www.isc.sdsu.edu/Documents/Exchange%20Application%20Packet.pdf, See p.6)
Impacted majors
Student demand for classes in these programs is greater than what can be accommodated at the
university (http://arweb.sdsu.edu/es/advising/impaction.html). Biology, all Business-related programs,
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Psychology, Communications, Television, Film and New Media are very highly impacted. Exchange
students may not select courses exclusively from programs that are impacted unless they have
permission from the Exchange Coordinator and the academic department.
Prerequisites
Lower level coursework that must be fulfilled before a student can enroll in a higher level course. The
General Catalog, Graduate Bulletin and Class Schedule all identify any prerequisites required for specific
courses. Please check the notes in these documents carefully. Exchange students should bring their
own copies of transcripts and descriptions of relevant coursework completed (in English) to demonstrate
to professors they have completed classes equivalent to required SDSU prerequisites before they will be
allowed to enroll in classes with these restrictions.
Registering for classes
Once accepted to SDSU, students will receive instructions on how to create a SDSU WebPortal account.
WebPortal is the university’s online student record management system. Students enroll for their classes
through WebPortal. A registration date and time (appointment) will be posted in their account. They are
strongly encouraged to register at that time to maximize their chances of getting the classes they want.
In most cases, students will be able to enroll in courses requiring pre-requisites through their WebPortal
accounts. They will receive a message advising them to take transcripts and descriptions of coursework
completed to class to show the instructor they have satisfied the pre-requisites.
“Crashing” & adding classes
If the WebPortal system does not allow the student to register for a specific class, the student will need to
“crash” the class. Again, the student will need to go to class on the first day and present transcripts and
course descriptions to the instructor. Professors will add qualified students on a space-available basis.
The professor will provide approved students with an “add code” which allows enrollment in the class via
the online Web Portal system.
Dropping or withdrawing from classes
Students must formally withdraw from any class they have registered for, but no longer plan to take. If
they do not, a failing grade will appear on their transcript. Add/drop/withdrawal deadlines can be found in
the Course Schedule for each semester: http://www.sdsu.edu/schedule.html
FAQs
How do professors assess student performance?
Professors generally assess students based on classroom participation, mid-term and final exams, class
projects, research papers, or some combination of these criteria.
How many classes does a student take per term?
Exchange students typically take 4-5 classes per semester. Most classes are 3 units (credits) in value. 1
credit/unit = 15 hours of classroom instruction.
Be advised that immigration regulations require that undergraduate students take a minimum of 12 units
and that graduate students take a minimum of 9 units. Exchange students cannot take more than 17
units because the workload is too great and it would not allow students to participate in student life.
What is the ratio of ECTS units to SDSU units?
SDSU has determined that the ratio of ECTS (European Credit Transfer System) units to SDSU
(semester) units is 2 to 1. (6 ECTS units = 3 SDSU units) However, conversion of units to credits is up to
the discretion of exchange students’ home institution.
How many hours per week does the typical student spend in the classroom?
Four classes of three units/credits will total 12 hours of class time, five classes of 3 units/credits total 15
hours of class per week
How many weeks are there in a term?
15 weeks per semester (Fall and Spring), plus one week for final exams
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TRAVEL TO SAN DIEGO AND SDSU
Airport nearest San Diego State University
San Diego International Airport (abbreviated SAN, local name is Lindbergh Field.) Arrival at Los Angeles
International Airport (LAX) and ground transfer to San Diego is not recommended, unless necessary, as it
can be expensive
Transfer to San Diego State University
The International Student Center (ISC) at SDSU negotiates a discounted rate with Cloud 9 Shuttle to take
exchange students to the SDSU campus, temporary and permanent accommodations.
Cloud 9 Shuttle - http://www.cloud9shuttle.com/
1-858-974-8885 / 1-800-9-SHUTTLE , 1-800-974-8885)
Approximately $25.00 one way from the airport to SDSU
NEW STUDENT ORIENTATION, TEMPORARY ACCOMMODATIONS
Exchange Students are required to arrive one day prior to the beginning of the International Student
Orientation and attendance at all sessions on all days is MANDATORY. Please do not make any plans
during the orientation dates listed above. The orientation program provides information on housing,
visa/immigration matters, health/safety, academics and registration, getting involved on campus, and
campus tour. Admitted students will be sent a Confirmation Form which they will complete and return to
register for orientation.
Students need to make their own arrangements for a place to stay until they are able to move into their
permanent housing. This International Student Center webpage:
http://www.sa.sdsu.edu/isc/prospective/res_temphousing.html offers tips on how and where to make
these reservations.
HOUSING DURING THE EXCHANGE SEMESTER(S)
On-campus housing
Students may apply for on-campus housing once they have been admitted to SDSU and issued a “Red
ID” (student number.) On-campus housing is the most convenient for exchange students. The
application and procedure for applying for on-campus housing may be accessed at:
http://www.sa.sdsu.edu/housing/howtoapply.html
The International Student Center highly recommends that exchange students apply to live in “Global
Pathways” (Villa Alvarado Apartments), Chapultepec or University Towers.
Villa Alvarado is an on-campus community of furnished apartments with two rooms, a kitchen, a
bathroom and central living space. Each room has two beds so there are four people per apartment.
Both Chapultepec and University Towers are standard, dormitory-style residences with no in-room
kitchen. Students must purchase a meal plan. Both are located in close proximity to the International
Student Center, the Aquaplex and Aztec Recreation Center.
For more information, go to the Office of Housing and Residence Life website http://www.sa.sdsu.edu/housing/
None of the campus residences provide bedding or other linens (towels, etc.) Students should be
prepared to provide their own, bringing these items with them from home, or purchasing them upon
arrival.
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Housing Administration has an official move-in date that is a few days before after the Exchange Student
Orientation Program. It is the students’ responsibility to inform Housing that they need to check in early
and pay the $30 per day fee.
Important Note - Students attending SDSU for 1 semester only: Students wishing to live in an SDSU
residence that will be attending SDSU for 1 semester only need to submit a letter documenting their onesemester-in-residence status to the Office of Housing Administration together with their housing license
agreement.
Off-campus Housing
Students who prefer to live in off-campus apartments or to rent a room in a private home may refer to this
International Student Center webpage for resources:
http://www.isc.sdsu.edu/prospective/res_housing_off.html#housing
ESTIMATED PERSONAL EXPENSES
Students are responsible for room and board, and all other personal expenses such as: fees that may be
associated with specific classes (e.g. computer, language, science lab fees, equipment rental fees for
sports classes) health insurance, books, local transportation, entertainment, etc.
Personal expenses are estimated to be $2,000 USD per semester.
See Section B on page http://www.sa.sdsu.edu/isc/prospective/iwant_exchange1.html for a breakdown of
personal costs.
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