Exchange Students

As a J-1 exchange student to Plymouth State, you must purchase the minimum requirement for health insurance coverage for the entire duration of your program in the USA. This is required by the United States Department of State.

• Medical benefits of at least $100,00 per accident or illness
• Repatriation of remains in the amount of $25,000
• Expenses associated with medical evacuation of the exchange visitor to his or her home country in the amount of $50,000
• A deductible not to exceed $500 per accident or illness

Plymouth State University does not offer insurance for any of its students. You are free to to purchase an insurance plan from any provider or carrier that meets the above requirements. PSU exchange students to our overseas university partners purchase travel insurance with CISI, which also provides insurance plans  for J-1 exchange students to the USA. Learn more at the CISI site: http://www.culturalinsurance.com/

NOTE: Upon your arrival at Plymouth State, please ensure you have evidence of sufficient health insurance coverage (In English) for your entire length of the program. If you do not have coverage upon your arrival, you will have to purchase health insurance in order to remain at Plymouth State University as an exchange student.

Generally speaking, exchange students have the option to take most courses at Plymouth State. Certain restrictions may apply if students do not have the appropriate background or if a class is reserved for students in a particular major (e.g. PSU Students in the Graphic Design major have priority in registering for Photography 1). The Global Engagement Office works closely with you, the faculty/advisors and the registrar’s office to ensure you are registered in suitable courses for your major at your home institution. Not all courses are offered every semester, so when picking potential courses you would like to take at PSU, make sure you also have substitute options.

Academic Course catalog (Links to course options by dept., semester and full PDFs of the course catalog)

Academic Calender  (Important Dates for both Fall and Spring semesters)

NOTE: If English is not your first language, be sure to include with your application some documentation of your English language ability  that ensures you will succeed taking university courses in English (e.g. TOEFL score, IELTS score, etc.)

In order to come to PSU as a J-1 exchange student, you must be able to provide  financial evidence (bank statement, scholarship letter, etc.) to cover the minimum associated costs with your stay:

• Housing
• Meal Plan
• Living Costs ($800/semester, $1600/year, this an estimate, costs will vary)
• Health Insurance ($320/semester, $640/year, this is an estimate, costs will vary)
• Minimum** total to be shown as financial evidence  ($6,074/semester, $12,048/year)

*These are 2018/2019 prices and are subject to change.
**Please note tuition fees may be included if the exchange ratio is uneven. Please inquire (blopezmayhew@plymouth.edu) before applying.

Plymouth State offers on-campus housing to all students, including exchange students! Here are some basic need-to-knows:

Traditional Housing:
A very important consideration is to understand what “traditional” housing, res hall or dorm means, which is common in North American universities. Traditional housing is very much like a hostel, where the rooms are shared with roommates who sleep and live in the same space (double means 2 beds, triple means 3 beds). In traditional housing, the bathrooms and showers are shared with the entire floor of rooms and there is only one kitchen that the entire building (300+ students) share. Because the kitchen space is not ideal for daily cooking, it is a recommendation (and sometimes a requirement based on the res hall), to purchase a meal plan that allows you to eat your meals in the dining hall. Also note, many 1st year and 2nd year students (18-19 years old) will live in traditional housing. That said, traditional housing is a great way to experience the American college culture. You will meet many new friends, enjoy really fun res hall programming, and have the quintessential US college experience.

Non-Traditional Apartment Housing:
PSU also offers housing in student apartments (White Mountain Apartments) and non-traditional apartments, where a kitchen and bathroom and common space (salon) are only shared with maximum 4 people that either have their own rooms, or share with one other person. Please also note that the semester price of an apartment is significantly higher than the basic double option in a traditional residence hall (which is what we use for the basis of your financial evidence in order to issue your visa). However, you do not need to purchase a meal plan as you can easily have access to a kitchen for daily cooking.

Housing Application
An application process is necessary to apply for on-campus housing and can only be completed after your acceptance to the exchange program and when your MyPlymouth account is created. Our housing coordinator will place you in the best housing option possible with your housing application that lists your age, gender, your interests, whether you are a day person or night person, etc. Complete the Housing Application here.

Dining Options at Plymouth State

More Information:

Plymouth State Residential Life Home Page

Plymouth State Residential Life Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Fall 2019 

• Arrival Day: August 19, 2019
• Orientation: August 19-August 25
• First Day of Classes: August 26
• Finals Week: December 9-13

Spring 2020

• Arrival Day: January 17 (subject to change)
• Orientation: January 17-20 (subject to change)
• First Day of Classes: January 21
• Final Exam Week: May 4-8
• Graduate Student Commencement: May 7
• Undergraduate Student Commencement: May 9

Other Important Dates (including holidays) are on the Academic Calendar 

If you are interested in coming to PSU with an exchange program, first visit your exchange office at your home university and follow their application/nomination procedure. If your home university accepts and nominates you for exchange you can then apply for the exchange program at PSU. To apply, please fill out the following forms. Send legible scans in an email attachment to blopezmayhew@plymouth.edu and/or mail originals to: Plymouth State University, Barbara Lopez-Mayhew, Global Engagement Office, 17 High Street, MSC 62 Plymouth, NH, USA 03264-1595

• Exchange Application (PDF) Read carefully, fill out and submit with ALL supporting documents
• Physician’s Report (PDF) Print and have your family doctor fill out

Once your completed exchange application and all supporting documents are received, it will be processed in a timely manner. If you meet the requirements for the exchange, you will receive an acceptance package which will include an acceptance letter, additional instructions on applying and obtaining your J-1 visa and additional pre-departure information including instructions on entering the United States, arrival to PSU campus and orientation. If at any time you have questions, please contact Barbara Lopez-Mayhew, Director of Global Enagagement, blopezmayhew@plymouth.edu, 603-535-3372.