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Semester Exchange and Direct-Enroll Programs

What exactly is an exchange program?

An exchange program is where a student from NC State and a student from a partner institution trade places for a semester or academic year. NC State students pay NC State tuition and fees and become a visiting student at the international university. Some of the benefits of going on an exchange program include, but are not limited to:

  • Low cost (especially for in-state students)
  • A more independent, immersive experience with the host institution and country
  • Taking classes with other international students
  • Wide range of course options

How is this different from a direct-enroll program?

The major difference is that for exchange programs, NC State students will pay NC State while for direct-enroll programs, students will pay the host institution tuition and fees directly to that institution. Some of our partner institutions have both exchange and direct-enroll options (also known as free mover options), while others do not.

Direct-enroll programs have all of the same benefits as exchange programs with the main difference being that they can be more cost-effective for out-of-state students, as tuition and fees from the host institution may be cheaper than paying out-of-state tuition and fees.

PLEASE NOTE: If you are choosing to direct-enroll, you still have to complete a PackAbroad application.

List of Exchange and Direct Enroll Institutions

CountryUniversityExchange or Direct-EnrollSpecial notes
ArgentinaUniversidad de San AndresExchange and Direct-Enroll
AustraliaMonash UniversityExchange and Direct-Enroll
AustraliaRMIT UniversityExchange and Direct-Enroll
AustraliaUniversity of AdelaideExchange
AustraliaUniversity of Western AustraliaExchange and Direct-Enroll
AustraliaUniversity of WollongongExchange and Direct-Enroll
AustriaVienna University of Economics and BusinessExchange
BrazilPontificia Universidade Catolica do ParanaExchange
ChileUniversidad Adolfo IbanezExchange
ChinaHong Kong Polytechnic UniversityExchange and Direct-Enroll
Czech RepublicCharles UniversityExchange
Czech RepublicCzech Technical UniversityExchange and Direct-Enroll
Czech RepublicPrague University of Economics and BusinessExchange
DenmarkCopenhagen Business SchoolExchange
DenmarkTechnical University of DenmarkExchange
DenmarkUniversity of CopenhagenExchange and Direct-Enroll
EcuadorUniversidad San Francisco de QuitoExchange and Direct-Enroll
EcuadorUniversidad San Francisco de Quito (Galapagos Extension)Exchange and Direct-Enroll
EgyptThe American University in CairoExchange and Direct-Enroll
FinlandJyväskylä University of Applied SciencesExchange
FinlandUniversity of JyväskyläExchangeCollege of Education only
FinlandTampere Polytechnic University of Applied SciencesExchange
FranceNEOMA Business SchoolExchange
FranceNorth Carolina in Paris Consortium ProgramDirect-Enroll
FranceUniversité Catholique de LilleExchange
Germany Reutlingen UniversityExchange
GermanyUniversitat FreiburgExchange
GermanyUniversitat HeidelbergExchange
GermanyUniversitat HohenheimExchange
GermanyKIT Universitat KarlsruheExchange
GermanyUniversitat KonstanzExchange
GermanyUniversitat MannheimExchange
GermanyUniversitat StuttgartExchange
GermanyUniversitat TubingenExchange
GermanyUniversitat UlmExchange
GermanyWHU - Otto Beisheim School of ManagementExchange
IrelandUniversity College CorkExchange and Direct-Enroll
IrelandUniversity College DublinExchange and Direct-EnrollPer UCD guidelines, students completing the majority of their coursework in the Arts, Humanities, Social Sciences, and Engineering can study on exchange. All other majors can study through direct-enroll and pay tuition directly to UCD.
ItalyAccademia ItalianaDirect-Enroll
ItalyUniversità Cattolica del Sacro CuoreExchange and Direct-EnrollExchange only in Piacenza, Direct-Enroll only in Milan
JapanHiroshima Shudo UniversityExchangeSpring or Academic Year only
JapanKwansei Gakuin UniversityExchangeSpring or Academic Year only
JapanNagoya University (NUPACE)ExchangeAcademic Year only
JapanSophia UniversityExchange and Direct-EnrollSpring or Academic Year only
JapanWaseda UniversityExchangeSpring or Academic Year only
KoreaHanyang UniversityExchange
KoreaSeoul National UniversityExchange
KoreaUniversity of SeoulExchange
MexicoUniversidad de las Américas PueblaExchange
NetherlandsTilburg UniversityExchange
South AfricaStellenbosch UniversityExchange
South AfricaUniversity of Cape TownDirect-Enroll
SpainSemester in Spain: Language and CultureDirect-EnrollFall only
SpainUniversidad del Pais VascoExchange
SpainUniversidad Politècnica de ValènciaExchange
SpainUniversidad Pontificia Comillas ICADEExchangePoole College of Management only
SpainUniversidad Pontificia Comillas ICAI-SAPIENSExchangeCollege of Engineering only
SwedenLund UniversityExchange
SwedenSwedish University of Agricultural SciencesExchange
SwitzerlandZHAW Zurich University of Applied SciencesExchange
TaiwanNational Taiwan UniversityExchange
United KingdomLancaster UniversityExchange and Direct-Enroll
United KingdomSwansea UniversityDirect-Enroll
United KingdomUniversity of the Arts London & London College of FashionDirect-Enroll
United KingdomUniversity of AberdeenDirect-Enroll
United KingdomUniversity of DundeeExchange and Direct-Enroll
United KingdomUniversity of SurreyExchange
United KingdomUniversity of LeedsExchange and Direct-Enroll
United KingdomUniversity of ManchesterExchange and Direct-Enroll