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Home > Leaves of Absence > Academic Leave > Twelve College Exchange Program
Twelve College Exchange Program
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The Twelve College Exchange Program gives qualified students the opportunity to apply to spend a year or a semester at one of the other participating institutions. It is a residential exchange and all students are expected to live on campus at the host institution; students must also observe the social and academic regulations of the host institution.
The Exchange program has been designed to facilitate student mobility while minimizing the red tape required. Its continued success depends on each applicant's cooperation in meeting the deadlines and regulations set by the member schools. Students who have questions about the Exchange are requested to contact Mount Holyoke’s Twelve College Exchange Coordinator, not the host institution.
Specific requirements or limitations are set by the member institutions in October for the following academic year.
Participating Institutions
Note these specific requirements and limitations:
Students applying to enroll at Dartmouth College must enroll for three terms, generally beginning with the summer term. The possible combinations for 2007-2008 are listed below (X=summer, F=fall, W=winter, S=spring). Be sure to specify your preference (if you have one) on the application form.
- X/F/S (Summer/fall/spring)
- X/W/S (Summer/winter/spring)
- X/F/W (Summer/fall/winter)
Study abroad programs or other off-campus programs sponsored by exchange member institutions are not part of the Twelve College Exchange; students should follow the guidelines for study abroad or academic leave of absence, as appropriate.
Requirements
Students must meet Mount Holyoke’s general requirements for academic leave of absence; specifically, they must:
- Be in good academic standing, including a minimum grade point average of 2.7 and not significantly behind in credits
- Have declared a major if they are applying to study away for all or part of junior or senior year
- Present a plan of study that will enhance their academic program at Mount Holyoke and be suitable to our curriculum
- Have obtained the approval of the plan from their major advisor
- Be in residence at Mount Holyoke for four of their last six semesters, and complete a minimum of 64 Mount Holyoke credits (including Five College credits) during that time
Each application will be evaluated on the basis of the student's reasons and motivation for wishing to study on the exchange and the relevance of the plan of study to her overall academic program here. Selection from among qualified applicants is made to fill a quota assigned by each member institution in accordance with any limitations or restrictions it may impose, including limitations on the number of spaces available.
Students must be in good financial standing with Mount Holyoke before they will be allowed to participate in the Exchange: all accounts must be paid in full by the end of the semester preceding the time way.
Academic Program
Exchange students are expected to enroll in a normal full-time course load as defined by the host institution. Students who complete successfully (with grades of C- or better) a normal full-time load of liberal arts courses will receive a full year (32) or semester (16) of credit toward their Mount Holyoke degree. Students may not earn more than a full year or semester of credits, though they may earn less if they complete less than a normal full load. Students may use the ungraded option off campus (if it is available at the host institution) on the same basis as here, for electives only, with a career limit of four courses, and no more than one per semester; they will need to provide documentation upon their return that they completed the course at the C- level or better.
Course load requirements vary. Note in particular that students attending Dartmouth for three terms must successfully complete three courses per term to receive a full year’s credit toward their Mount Holyoke degree.
Credit only (not grades) will be transferred and recorded on the Mount Holyoke transcript for courses taken at all Twelve College Exchange schools, including Amherst and Smith. Students can expect that graduate schools and prospective employers will want to see official copies of both their Mount Holyoke and exchange school transcripts.
Students who wish to use specific courses to fulfill specific requirements (major, minor, or Distribution) must seek the approval of the chair of the appropriate department at Mount Holyoke.
Fees and Financial Aid
Students on exchange pay the tuition and fees of the host school. Mount Holyoke financial aid does not travel, but students who are eligible for need-based financial aid may apply for the Laurel Fellowships for Off-Campus Study, which are awarded on a limited and competitive basis. (Mount Holyoke Leadership Awards and employment-based aid, such as tuition exchange, also do not travel, but students who would be eligible for need-based aid if they were not receiving these awards may apply for Laurel Fellowships.) Laurel Fellowships substitute for the need-based aid that students receive for study at Mount Holyoke. They are the only form of financial aid given by Mount Holyoke for study abroad or for one of the College’s affiliated programs in the US (Twelve College Exchange, the American University Washington Semester Programs, and the Woods Hole Marine Biology Laboratory Program). All Laurel Fellowships, including those awarded for study in the US, are administered by the McCulloch Center for Global Initiatives, and detailed information about eligibility, requirements, and procedures is available in the Financial Planning section of the McCulloch Center's study abroad Web site.
For students who are awarded Laurel Fellowships for study on the exchange, Student Financial Services will calculate their aid on the basis of the cost of study at Mount Holyoke for the period of time away. A student awarded a Laurel Fellowship may not receive more aid for study away than she would have received here, so if the host institution’s fees are higher than Mount Holyoke’s, the student is responsible for covering the difference. Students who are accepted to participate in the exchange but who do not receive a Laurel Fellowship may still use any federal or other outside aid (including parent loans and tuition payment plans) for which they are eligible.
Exchange students are not eligible for any financial aid from the host institution, and cannot assume that they will be eligible for campus employment. International students should note that immigration regulations strictly limit them from working off-campus.
Students who hold scholarships from sources other than Mount Holyoke should check with Student Financial Services regarding their possible use on the Exchange.
If a student transfers to a host school, the grant portion of any financial aid provided by Mount Holyoke while she was attending that school on exchange will become due and payable to Mount Holyoke, or a loan will be required to cover it.
Health Insurance
Massachusetts law requires that all students be covered by health insurance. Students who wish to continue on the Mount Holyoke Student Health Insurance Plan while studying on the exchange must submit a written request to Student Financial Services.
Application Process and Timeline
Applications for academic year 2007-2008, fall 2007, or spring 2008 are due in the McCulloch Center for Global Initiatives, 102 Porter Hall, by 5:00 p.m. on Friday, December 15, 2006; the following documents are required:
- Original and two photocopies of the completed application form, both sides. Be sure that the original has been signed by your adviser before you make the copies.
- Faculty recommendation (ordinarily, the recommendation should come from a faculty member in your major). Faculty should use the same on-line recommendation form as for study abroad.
In addition, students applying for financial aid must also submit:
The following programs have their own application forms that students must complete and submit directly to the program (in addition to completing Mount Holyoke’s Twelve College Exchange application form)
The Twelve College Exchange Coordinators consult early in the spring semester about the number of applicants and spaces available. Students can expect to be notified late in February whether they have been offered a place on exchange (students who apply for Laurel Fellowships will be notified at the same time whether they have received an award). Mount Holyoke will send a copy of the student’s Twelve College Exchange application and official transcript to the host institution. Students must notify Mount Holyoke by March 15 whether they accept their place on exchange; failure to respond by the deadline may result in the forfeiture of their space. Students must also notify the host institution in a timely way of their plans to accept or decline an offer of admission. Any student who is holding a place on exchange after having been accepted may not apply for approval to study anywhere else for the same period of time.
In some emergency circumstances, it may be necessary to withdraw from the exchange after the deadline. Should this occur, the student must write to the host institution informing them of the change in circumstances and asking to be released from her commitment to attend. A copy of the letter must be forwarded to the dean of international studies (who serves as Mount Holyoke’s Twelve College Exchange Coordinator).
Contact Information
Questions? Please contact:
Joanne Picard
Dean of International Studies
McCulloch Center for Global Initiatives
102 Porter Hall
413-538-2072
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