Incoming Exchange Students
Welcome to UTSA, we are so happy to host you in our beautiful city!
UTSA is located in San Antonio, TX, the 7th largest city in the U.S. and home to the Alamo, River Walk, Fiesta Celebration, a world-class NBA team (Go Spurs!) and so much more. UTSA is an emerging Tier One research institution with over 35,000 students. It is the largest university in the San Antonio metropolitan region, yet it offers a true sense of community.
Outside of class, there is a wide range of campus activities and events that will allow you to quickly become part of the roadrunner community. Go wall climbing at the Rec Center, join one of nearly 400 student organizations, or join your fellow roadrunners for a movie at the University Center. Contact us to learn more about studying at UTSA!
Apply Now
Applying
Eligibility
- You must be enrolled as a full-time undergraduate student at an institution that has a bilateral student exchange agreement with UTSA. To find out if your university has an agreement with UTSA, contact the coordinator of exchanges on your home campus.
- You need to be nominated by your home university to participate in an exchange.
- You must have a least a 2.5 out of 4.0-grade point average equivalent in all college hours attempted.
English Language Proficiency
Provide your score from one of the following assessments:
- TOEFL iBT – score of 79 or greater
- TOEFL PBT – score of 550 or greater
- IELTS – score of 6.5 or greater
- Cambridge English Advance – grade C or higher
- PTE Academic – score of 58 or higher
- Duolingo English Test – 95 or higher
Exceptions
Provide documentation showing you:
- Earned a bachelor's degree from a U.S. college or university Earned 45 or more semester hours of transferable credit from a U.S. college or university.
- Earned 30 or more semester hours of transferable credit from a U.S. college or university, including college-level English Composition I with a B- or better grade
- Graduated from a U.S. high school and completed two full years of regular English courses.
- Scored 500 or greater on the SAT critical reading or 21 or greater on the ACT English component.
Once Accepted
Obtaining your Visa
You will apply for a J-1 non-immigrant entry visa. Contact your corresponding US Embassy as early as possible to schedule an interview. Bring the required documentation to your visa interview as required by the US Embassy.
Upon arrival to the United States, you will need to show the following documents at your port of entry:
- Passport
- Entry visa
- Original DS-2019 (no copies)
Immunizations
Upon acceptance, you will receive further information on immunizations that you must receive prior to your arrival at UTSA. You can find more information here.
Health Insurance
You are required to maintain comprehensive health insurance while enrolled at UTSA. Enrollment in the UTSA Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP) is automatic and is charged to your tuition account when you register for classes. More information.
While we encourage students to remain enrolled in SHIP, you may be eligible to waive the policy and its cost if you are able to show that you have found a comparable insurance plan. See here for the waiver requirements, process, deadlines, and more.
Housing
There are a variety of on- and off-campus housing options for you to choose from. You are welcome to contact us if you have any questions regarding your housing options.
On-Campus
There are several on-campus living facilities, both residence hall and apartment style, including Alvarez Hall, Chaparral Village, Laurel Village, University Oaks, and Chisholm Hall. See here for more information.
Off-Campus
You may choose to live off-campus. There are several apartment complexes and communities close to the UTSA campuses and accessible by shuttle, VIA city bus, or car. Though off-campus housing is common, UTSA is not affiliated with third-party, off-campus providers, so students should be attentive to details and do their due diligence.
Finances
The costs for your time at UTSA will vary based on your housing and personal spending habits. We ask exchange students to provide at least $1500 per month of stay, or $6,000 a semester to cover living expenses. The below offers an estimate for one semester at UTSA:
- Housing and meals (on-campus): $7,456
- Housing and meals (off-campus): $5,962
- Transportation: Price varies - VIA bus services are free to UTSA students
- Books (based on 5 classes): Price varies, however, $100-$150 per class can be expected
- Health Insurance: $1,428
- Personal/Miscellaneous: $1,080
- Course related fees: $500-600
Estimated cost of attendance.
Important notes on estimated costs:
- UTSA covers tuition, differential tuition, and mandatory fees
- Some courses have additional required course fees, such as departmental fees, which exchange students are responsible for paying.
- These are indicated in the course-specific information here under the "fees" column.
- For health insurance, see the above Health Insurance and Immunizations section for more information.
