Domestic Exchange Programs
Purpose
The UCSC/University of New Hampshire (UNH) and UCSC/University of New Mexico (UNM) exchange programs offer students an opportunity to enhance their academic majors—or investigate other fields of study—while experiencing a year or a term in a different educational environment. The experience also provides students with another perspective—an expansion of social, cultural, economic, and political horizons.
History
UC Santa Cruz and the University of New Hampshire formalized a student exchange program in 1983, and the first exchange occurred during the 1983–84 academic year. The University of New Mexico was added in 1992, with the first students participating in 1993–94. The program is administered at UCSC by the Office of the Registrar.
Program Features
The program limits 10 students to UNH and five students to UNM each year. Priority is given to students who plan to participate in the exchange program during their junior year. Selection is based on class standing, UC Santa Cruz academic records, the application essay, and relevance to your academic program at UCSC.
Both UNH and UNM follow a semester calendar. UCSC students may enroll in the exchange program for a semester or a full year. Most students choose to participate for the full year or the fall semester only.
During the exchange, students remain registered at UC Santa Cruz and pay their regular UCSC fees. No tuition or registration fees are paid to UNH or UNM.
UNH and UNM guarantee on-campus housing for exchange students. Students contract directly with UNH and UNM for specific room and board plans. Room and board costs for a semester are slightly more than for a quarter at UCSC; expenses for a full year are much lower than for three quarters at UCSC.
UCSC students are eligible for all student services and programs at UNH and UNM except financial aid and competition in intercollegiate athletics. Students receiving UCSC financial aid continue to do so during the exchange. However, work-study awards cannot be earned through employment at UNH or UNM.
Participants are responsible for transportation costs and arrangements to and from New Hampshire or New Mexico.
Transfer Credit
A normal program of studies on exchange is four 4-credit classes each semester or 32 semester credits for the year. These transfer to UCSC as 48 quarter credits towards the 180 credits required for the degree. The Office of Admissions will review proposed coursework to determine if it is transferable. Liberal arts undergraduate academic courses are transferable; however, vocational, technical, applied, and personal development courses are not transferable (e.g., nursing). Each department of study determines the applicability of UNH and UNM courses toward requirements for the major. Letter grades earned while at UNH and UNM will not be calculated into the UCSC GPA or the UC GPA.
Academic Requirements
The University of New Hampshire study requires that all applicants for exchange meet eligibility standards to participate. Included in this is a requirement for a declared major and a cumulative GPA of 2.5 or above to participate.
Academic Calendar
Each semester at UNH and UNM includes 15 weeks of instruction and a week of examinations. Fall semester begins in the last week of August and ends during the third week of December. Spring semester begins about the third week of January and extends through the third week of May.
Further Information and Applications
Applications should include a brief essay and a proposed course plan approved by your college, your department, and the Office of the Registrar. Selected applicants must have the approval of their department adviser and college academic preceptor or adviser in order to participate in the exchange. All applicants will be notified about their status before the quarter break. Successful applicants will be expected to confirm their participation at the beginning of spring quarter.
University of New Hampshire
UNH is a medium-sized land-grant institution founded in 1866. It enrolls about 12,000 undergraduate students, with 50 percent living in on-campus housing. Student involvement, undergraduate research, and recreational and intercollegiate athletics all play important roles in campus life. The campus retains the look and feel of a small New England liberal arts college in a rural setting, with a faculty dedicated to teaching and engagement. UNH prides itself on small residence halls with strong and active communities, dedicated to sustainability and activism. The university is located in Durham, a small New England college town, just 20 minutes away from Atlantic beaches and the small seaside city of Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Boston is one hour to the south; Portland, Maine, is one hour to the north. Both are accessible by public transportation.
University of New Mexico
UNM is a state supported university founded in 1889. It enrolls about 30,000 students; about 80 percent of whom are undergraduates. Distinctive educational programs include business and management, communications, architecture, and environmental design. UNM offers nearly 100 fields of study in the arts, humanities, engineering, social sciences, and natural sciences. The campus is situated on 645 acres in the city of Albuquerque. Albuquerque, the largest city in New Mexico, has a population of 400,000 and is situated in the center of the state.
(831) 459-4412
Office of the Registrar
190 Hahn Student Services
sp-regis@ucsc
(831) 459-4682
Revised: 12/16/16
