Program Overview

The University of Wisconsin Oshkosh ~ Fachhochschule Osnabrück exchange is a program through which a UW Oshkosh student "trades places" with a student from the state of Osnabrück in Germany. This type of exchange decreases costs by allowing students to pay tuition to their own university while studying at UW Oshkosh.

Students from Osnabrück are enrolled at UW Oshkosh for a semester or year and attend classes with other U.S. and international students while enjoying the local culture and experiencing the U.S. educational system.

The University of Wisconsin Oshkosh offers undergraduate and graduate level study to approximately 11,000 students in four professional colleges: the College of Business Administration, the College of Nursing, the College of Education and Human Services and the College of Letters and Science. It was built in 1871 as a small teacher's college and is now the third largest of the 13 public four-year Universities within the University of Wisconsin System.

Over 35 buildings on campus house the four colleges, classrooms, computer labs, a swimming pool, three gymnasiums, numerous residence halls (dormitories), a music hall, a theater, a bowling alley, a ceramics lab, a library, a planetarium, a student health center, and much more.

Click here for a virtual campus tour!

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Important Dates

At UW Oshkosh, there are two semesters each academic year, each of which is followed by an interim period. Fall semester begins in early September and ends in mid-December. Winter interim runs for three weeks in January. Spring semester begins in early February and ends in mid-May. Spring interim begins in mid-May and ends in early June. Fall semester tuition, meal and housing costs include the winter interim period, so there are no extra costs (besides personal spending money) if you choose to stay through winter interim. Spring semester tuition includes spring interim, but housing and meal fees do not. If you choose to stay through spring interim, you will need to pay for the extra housing and meal costs.

• Each applicant must submit the following COMPLETED documents (click to download; provided in Adobe Acrobat Portable Document Format [PDF]*):
  • UW Oshkosh Exchange Student Application
  • TB Screening Report Form and Questionnaire
  • Academic Transcripts in English Transcripts in English are required in order to enroll in courses with prerequisites. See "Courses and Course Registration" for details.
  • Copy of the biographical data page of the passport (if you do not have a passport now, please send a copy as soon as you receive it)
  • A copy of your passport biographic information page and photograph.
  • Copies of any previously issued U.S. visas.
    
• In addition, the U.S. government requires all applicants to apply for a J-1 student exchange visitor visa before traveling to the U.S.

Completed applications must be returned to Britta Horstmann, International Office, Faculty of Business Management and Social Sciences, Fachhochschule Osnabrück, University of Applied Sciences. Do not submit these documents to UW Oshkosh.

*Click here to get Acrobat Reader for free. menu

• Choose "UW Oshkosh" for the institution and click on the magnifying glass to choose a subject area. The code for the Fall 2008 semester is "0630".

To view the schedule of classes, click on "View Schedule of Classes" :

• Choose "UW Oshkosh" for the institution.
• Click on the magnifying glass and then on "Lookup" to choose a term.
• Click on either "Basic Search" or "Advanced Search."
• To check on seat availability and dates/times for all courses within a subject, choose a "Subject" and click on "Search."
• To check on seat availability and dates/times for specific courses, choose a "Subject," type in the catalog number (from the course catalog) and click on "Search." To see only those courses which still have seats available, check the box next to "Open Only."

• Password: your password is the first two letters of your first name plus the first two letters of your last name plus the last four numbers of your student ID
• Term: click the magnifying glass to the right of the "Term" box to search for the correct term code
• The first time that you log in using your student ID, you will be asked to change your password. Type in a new password.
  • Passwords are case-sensitive. Note: ABC123 and abc123 are NOT the same password.
  • Use a password that is a minimum of 6 characters long.
  • Use at least one number (e.g. 1, 2, 3).
  • Password cannot match your User ID.
• Click on "Confirm Password field"
• Logout and then log back in using your new password.

• Most, but not all, courses offered during the regular semester meet either for one hour on Monday, Wednesday and Friday (listed as Mon Wed Fri) or for one and a half hours on Tuesday and Thursday (listed as Tue Thu).
• Most, but not all, courses offered during the interim period meet for three hours per day, Monday through Friday (listed as Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri ). Section numbers for these courses all begin with a "3." You can view a list of all of the interim courses by choosing "3WI - 3 Week Interim" under "session" on the class search criteria page.
• You must enroll in at least 12 credits (usually, four courses) during the semester (including interim) in order to be considered a full-time student and remain in the U.S. on a student visa. The column labeled "Min-Max Units" on the course schedule will tell you how many credits each course is worth. You enroll for all regular semester courses and all interim courses before coming to UW Oshkosh.
• The Office of International Education suggests taking no more than 15 credits total during the regular semester (not including interim). You may also take up to three credits (one course) during interim. Your total number of credits, including interim, may not exceed 18. Courses in the U.S. generally involve a lot of outside reading, paper writing and group work. The rule to follow is: for each hour you spend in class you will spend three additional hours outside of class doing classwork. For international students, the number of outside hours is usually much higher.
• You will only be able to register for courses for which you meet all enrollment qualifications. In order to register for courses with prerequisites, you must submit your official academic transcripts, in English (see "Application Process" for details.). An academic advisor at UW Oshkosh will then determine whether or not you are qualified to enroll in the course.
• If a course is full, the exchange program liaison at Osnabrueck, can contact the exchange program liaison at UW Oshkosh and request that your name be added to the course waiting list. In some cases this is possible, in others it will not be possible.
• You will not be able to enroll in two or more courses which meet at the same time.
• If you enroll in a course and decide after the semester begins that you would prefer to take a different course, you may add and drop courses during the beginning of the semester provided that there are still seats available in the courses you want to take.
• It is to your advantage to enroll in courses as soon as you receive your student ID. The longer you wait to enroll, the fewer seats there will be left in the classes you want to take.

• UW Oshkosh tuition, including the interim period
  
• local transportation on the Oshkosh city bus system   

Fachhochschule Osnabrück exchange students are required to pay for the following :  

• Segregated Student Fees
• 14- or 21- meal plan (fall semester plans include interim, but spring semester plans DO NOT INCLUDE interim)   
• Housing in a student residence hall, double occupancy, including interim periods
  
• UW Oshkosh international student health insurance (may be waived if proof of adequate alternate coverage is provided)
  
• travel expenses to/from UW Oshkosh
  
• textbooks, passport and visa fees
  
• official UW Oshkosh transcripts
  
• food and beverages purchased off campus
  
• any other expenses of a personal nature  

Your budget should include, at a minimum, the following costs. ( *Indicates the expense will appear on your UW Oshkosh student account. All other costs are approximate.)

NOTE: This is a relatively conservative budget for a student who budgets carefully and is willing to share living quarters with another student. While some students may need less money, many students find that they spend more than this amount. This estimate does not include the cost of international travel or keeping an automobile. Expenses may vary from estimates. Click here for today's rate of exchange.

Fee Payment

A bill for all payments due to UW Oshkosh will be mailed two to three weeks before classes begin to your permanent address in your home country. Payments may be made by cash, check (made out to University of Wisconsin Oshkosh), credit card or wire transfer. Your bill should be paid in full before arriving at UW Oshkosh.To send your payment by wire transfer, please give the following information to your local bank.

1. Request a letter from the OIE stating that the student is permitted to work.
2. Request a letter from the employer stating that the student has been offered employment on campus.
3. Visit the Social Security office to obtain a Social Security number (the OIE can help with this). The student should receive a Social Security number in about two to three weeks but may be able to begin working sooner than that.

1. You must complete the UW Oshkosh Exchange Student Application.
2. The University of Wisconsin Oshkosh determines acceptance of your application for one academic semester or one academic year.
3. The University of Wisconsin Oshkosh fills out form DS-2019, Certificate of Eligibility for Exchange Visitor (J-1) Status, and mails it to the exchange program liaison at APU, along with a University acceptance letter for each accepted applicant. Form DS-2019 is the official U.S. government form which you must use to show that you are eligible for a student visa. You must present your DS-2019 form issued by UW Oshkosh, your UW Oshkosh acceptance letter AND a receipt showing proof of payment of the SEVIS/I-901 fee (see below) at the US Embassy or Consulate Office.

• On the next page, check 'DS-2019' and click on 'OK'.
• Enter your name, date of birth, and SEVIS identification number on the next screen. Your number is located on the upper right-hand corner of the DS-2019 form that you received from UW Oshkosh.
• Enter your address.
• Fill in the "Exchange Visitor Program Number" for UW Oshkosh. Our number is: P-1-03885 (P-one-zero, 3, 8, 8, 5).
• Click on the 'I Accept' button.
• Enter your credit card information on the following pages and read the information on how to print out your receipt after you have made payment.

According to the US Department of State: Certain "J" exchange visitors who participate in programs which are financed in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, by an agency of the U.S. Government or by the exchange visitor's government, or who are nationals or residents of a country which has been designated by the Exchange Visitor Program and Designation Staff as requiring the skills of the exchange visitor, must return to their country of nationality or last residence after completing their program in the United States, and reside there physically for two years before they may become eligible to apply for an immigrant or temporary worker visa.

Transcripts

A transcript is the official record from UW Oshkosh which states which courses you took while enrolled here and which lists your grades after you have completed your courses. Your exchange liaison will probably request a transcript from you in order to verfiy courses taken and grades.

To obtain your University of Wisconsin Oshkosh transcript, you must submit a signed, written request. You can either go to the Records Office (first floor, Dempsey Hall room 130) to complete a transcript request form or download the form and send your request to the Records Office. Transcript requests should be placed well in advance of date needed to insure adequate time for processing.

Payment for transcripts must be received before the transcript request will be processed. Transcripts will not be issued to students who have any outstanding financial obligations to the University.

Click here for more information on requesting transcripts or to download a transcript request form.

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• UW Oshkosh homepage
• Academic Departments (faculties)
• Advance Titan (student newspaper)
• Athletics
• Bookstore
• Calendar of Events
• Credit Union (like a bank)
• Directory of Students and Staff
• Fredrich March Theater
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• Orientation (this follows the international student orientation)
• Oshkosh Student Association
• Reeve Student Union
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• Student Organizations (clubs)
• Titan TV

Contact Information for Parents and Friends

There is a telephone in every student's room and access to a personal mailbox for every student at UW Oshkosh. To contact a student in a non-emergency, use the telephone and address given you by the student.If you don't have this information, you can contact your student by calling the University's help number at 1(920)424-1234 between 7:45 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. except weekends and holidays. To write a letter, address it to:

Student's Name
c/o Office of International Education
University of Wisconsin Oshkosh
800 Algoma Blvd
Oshkosh, WI 54901
U.S.A.

If there is an emergency and you cannot reach a student, call the Office of International Education at 1(920)424-0775 (fax: 1-920-424-0185) between 7:45 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. except weekends and holidays. Between 4:30 p.m. and 7:45 a.m., on weekends and on holidays, call the University Police at 1(920)424-1216.Remember that students will be in class, at club meetings or socializing and may not be reachable when you call. There may also be a large time difference between your hometown and Oshkosh. Click here to see what time it is in Oshkosh. Be prepared to leave a message when you call.

Information for New Exchange Students

FALL 2008 New Student Information - NEW!

Pre-Arrival and Orientation Information

SEVIS FEE INFORMATION FOR CANADIAN CITIZENS

UW Oshkosh Virtual Campus Tour - NEW!

Campus Housing

Meal Plans

Registration and Advising

Countries Represented at UW Oshkosh - NEW!

Visa Tips

US Department of State

US Department of Homeland Security

Requirements at the U.S. Port-of-Entry

Oshkosh Community Information

State of Wisconsin Information