Exchange & Double Degree Policies

Tulane welcomes international exchange and double degree students from our partner institutions worldwide. Each student must be nominated by a partner institution in order to participate in these programs. Please read below for more information on our policies and procedures. 

Spring 2024 Incoming Exchange Orientation Group Picture
Spring 2024 Incoming Exchange Group Orientation 
Eligibility

Exchange 

Students must:

  • Have successfully completed 1-2 years of full-time study at the home institution;
  • Be in good to excellent academic standing at the home institution;
  • Meet all admission or specific requirements of their home institution;
  • Be proficient in English (TOEFL minimum of 90; IELTS minimum of 6.5)

Double Degree

To be eligible, students must:

  • Have successfully completed at least one year full-time study at the home institution;
  • Be in good to excellent academic standing at the home institution;
  • Be proficient in English (TOEFL minimum of 90; IELTS minimum of 6.5)
Application Procedure

Exchange 

Once the home institution nominates a student via e-mail (including name, gender, e-mail address, date of birth, study period at Tulane and level of study), students will then receive an email from Freeman with instructions to submit application forms via the online application system. All required application forms and documents must be received by the deadlines.

Documents required as part of the Freeman application include: 

  • Tulane Exchange Application
  • Academic Objective Form
  • Copy of Passport
  • TOEFL or IELTS Score Report
  • University Transcripts in English
  • Proof of Financial Support
  • Course Preference Form
  • Proof of Immunization Compliance (completed and uploaded to Tulane Student Health online portal)

Double Degree

Freeman Application
To access the Freeman semester abroad application, students must first be nominated to the program by their home university. The coordinator at the University sends student nomination via e-mail (including name, gender, e-mail address, date of birth, study period at Tulane and level of study). 
Nominated students will receive an email with instructions to submit application forms via the online application system. All required application forms & documents must be received by the deadlines.
Documents required as part of the Freeman application include:  

  • Double Degree Application
  • Academic Objective Form
  • Copy of passport
  • University transcripts in English
  • TOEFL or IELTS Score Report
  • Proof of financial support
  • Course selection form
  • Immunization form (completed and uploaded to Student Health online portal)
Registration

Since exchange students are unable to register themselves, the student will need to submit the course preference form so the Freeman SA office can register them for classes. Students can access the course preference form by logging into the Freeman Abroad Application. Please remember: Our office is only allowed to register students for courses in the A. B. Freeman School of Business.

The departments in Business include the following:

  • Accounting (ACCN)
  • Energy (ENRG)
  • Finance (FINE)
  • Legal Studies in Business (LGST)
  • Management Communication (MCOM)
  • Management (MGMT)
  • Management Science (MGSC)
  • Marketing (MKTG)

If a student request courses outside of the A. B. Freeman School (e.g., ECON, SOPA, POLC), these will require special permission from the department. These requests will take more time to approve than requests within the Freeman School. Courses outside the Freeman School are not guaranteed. Courses in PECN are off-limits.

Program Fees and Payment

The requirement to pay tuition and fees is waived with the exception of the health center fee and health insurance policy, plus any supplemental course fees used to support additional costs of instruction, supplies or materials. Participating students under the terms of the exchange agreement continue to pay 12 tuition and fees to the home institution. The home institution has the discretion to impose certain nonacademic fees on its students, in order to facilitate the student exchange program. The costs of food, accommodation, travel, books, transportation, passports, visas, insurance, and personal expenses shall be borne by the participating students.

Paying Fees

To pay your fees:

  1. Login to Gibson (https://gibson.tulane.edu)
  2. Click on “Billing”
  3. Click on “View Online Payment”
  4. Click on “Make a Payment”

Students can pay with credit card (for a convenience fee) or via international bank transfer. Students can pay with an international credit card – follow the process to pay with credit card and make sure to select the “foreign address” option. Payments are due by the deadlines indicated in Gibson. Students can view a billing and payment schedule online at the Accounts Receivable Billing Dates Website.

Student and Academic Code of Conduct

The Code of Student Conduct sets forth rules by which students must abide regarding academic and personal integrity. Students should familiarize themselves with the content of the Code of Student Conduct and The Undergraduate Code of Academic Conduct. Students will be asked to read both Honor Codes and acknowledge with a signature. Graduate students are also required to review and abide by the Unified Code of Graduate Student Academic Conduct.

The Code of Student Conduct and the Code of Academic Conduct apply to all students enrolled at Tulane University. If a visiting student is charged with a violation of the Code, his/her home university will be notified. He/she may have to resolve the charge(s) before registering for a subsequent term or receiving a transcript or diploma.

Housing

Exchange students are responsible for arranging their own accommodations. It is an independent process. Students may arrange housing after arrival, however, some students prefer to arrange housing in advance. Keep in mind, if a student chooses not to arrange housing in advance other exchange students may already have roommates.

On-Campus Housing

On-campus residence hall space is extremely limited. Exchange students are not guaranteed accommodations on-campus. Information can be found on Tulane University’s Housing and Residence Life website. Important: If a student decides to submit a Tulane Housing Application form, he/she is signing a binding contract declaring that they will live in Tulane’s residence halls and pay for the room even if the student decides not to accept his/her housing assignment. If a student later decides not to live in Tulane housing, he/she is not able to decline this application/contract and the student will still be responsible for paying the full cost of housing for the semester plus a non-refundable application fee. There is no way to cancel a housing application form. Please do NOT complete a Housing Application form unless absolutely sure you wish to live in a dorm or apartment on campus.

Off-Campus Housing

The large majority of exchange students live in off-campus apartments located in the neighborhoods around the university. Costs vary but can be less expensive than living on-campus. It normally takes at least 4 to 5 days to finalize setting up an apartment/house if a student does not have housing when they arrive. Be sure to make a reservation at a hotel, hostel or Airbnb for the first few days in the city. If a student is considering living off-campus, be sure to visit the Tulane Housing Off-Campus Housing Page.

Where to Look

Most students who choose to live off-campus reside in the Uptown area. The most popular zip codes designating these areas are 70118, 70115 and 70125.

Applying for Student Visa

To obtain a visa, students must visit a United States Consulate or Embassy in their area, presenting all necessary documents. As requirements can change or vary, please refer to the acceptance packet received from Tulane or visit US government website for the latest information. Upon receiving the Tulane acceptance packet, please check that the personal details on the DS-2019 form (or I-20) are correct. Any mistakes should be reported to our office immediately so we can update the information accordingly and re-issue your DS-2019 if necessary.

ACADEMIC EXPECTATIONS, ATTENDANCE, & INTEGRITY

Attendance

Students should expect to attend all classes. Missing classes, in many cases, will cause students to earn a lower grade. Excessive absences may result in failing the course (receiving a grade of "F") and may jeopardize a student's J-1 or F-1 visa status.

Grading, Exams and Transcripts

Exchange students will be given letter grades and GPA points according to the Tulane guidelines at www.tulane.edu.  Expect each class syllabus to describe the grading system for that particular class.

Exam week is indicated in the academic calendar each semester. Students should not make travel plans until certain of the date of his/her last exam. To be safe, exchange students should plan to travel the day after the last day of exams. Each student's official Tulane transcripts will be sent to his/her home university a few months following the end of each semester. If the student needs additional copies of the official transcript, he/she can request one on Gibson.