Thinking about Applying for Fall or Spring Exchanges?

Applications for Fall exchanges are due March 15. Applications for Spring exchanges are due October 15.

Below is an overview of the process as well as what you will need to gather to complete your application. It’s never too early to start thinking about an EcoLeague exchange!

PROCESS: 

  • Learn more – Research the six member colleges to decide which institution will best broaden your undergraduate experience, looking specifically at what is offered in your major or track. Attend an EcoLeague info session and/or a tabling session on your campus. There is one scheduled in early fall (usually September) and in early spring (usually February) at each campus. Contact your EcoLeague Faculty Representative to find out when the info session or tabling session is happening:

Alaska Pacific University – Michael Kaplan (mkaplan@alaskapacific.edu)
College of the Atlantic – Ken Hill (khill@coa.edu)
Dickinson College – Jorden Hayes (hayesjo@dickinson.edu)
New College of Florida – Heidi Harley (harley@ncf.edu)
Northland College – Alissa Hulstrand (ahulstrand@northland.edu)
Prescott College – Peter Sherman (peter.sherman@prescott.edu)

  • Apply
    • Make sure you meet the requirements to participate in an EcoLeague exchange:
      • Sophomore, junior, or senior standing at the time of exchange
      • Good academic standing and a career GPA of 2.6 or higher
      • No academic or financial holds on their student account
      • No incomplete grades for the semester prior to the one in which they participate in the EcoLeague exchange
      • An account balance paid in full or covered by verifiable loans, aid, or payment plan
    • Prepare to submit your application. Collect the items needed (see next section), then, fill out the Request to Participate Form, which is linked below. The Request to Participate Form is an electronic form requiring approval from multiple departments and demonstrates that you are in good academic and financial standing at your home college. As part of completing this form, you will need to submit a two-page essay explaining how an EcoLeague exchange to your chosen host/exchange college will advance your academic goals.  The application, consisting of the form and the essay, should be completed by March 15 for Fall exchanges or October 15 for Spring exchanges.
  • Application review and decisions EcoLeague Faculty Representatives review applications immediately after the deadline and send out acceptance notices via email. If a student is accepted for an EcoLeague exchange by their home institution, they are also accepted by the host institution, presuming there is available space at the host college. There are a few exceptions, which include some special programs that require additional steps, such as study abroad programs.
  • Paperwork – The EcoLeague Consortium Director will email accepted students a list of next steps to complete, including information on registering for classes, housing, and other logistics.
  • Course selection – learn how to find each school’s courses and catalog.  Know the EcoLeague Academic Calendars and compare the various school calendars on our calendar map. While waiting for the updated course schedules to be published, you might look at the course schedule from the previous year to get a sense of what classes might be offered that semester or term. Students will also need to set up a time to meet with their faculty advisor to go over exchange coursework and gain approval for their EcoLeague courses.
  • Arrange logistics – The EcoLeague Consortium Director will put you in touch with the Housing and Student Life offices at your host college to enable you to arrange room and board. Students are responsible for making their own travel arrangements to and from their host campus. 
  • Tuition + Room and Board/Student Fees – EcoLeague exchange students pay tuition to their home college and, if eligible, receive financial aid from their home college during their exchanges as they would if they were attending their home college. This means that financial aid packages remain intact and can be used toward your EcoLeague exchange. Room and board plus any additional student fees are paid to the host college. 
  • Have a great exchange!

BEFORE YOU BEGIN YOUR APPLICATION: 

    • The Request to Participate form requires you to fill out a portion of the electronic and officials at your home college to verify that you are in good academic, financial, and conduct standing. You will be required to input names and emails of the appropriate officials at your home college. Make sure that names and email addresses are correct (including your own). If they are not, you will need to start a new application, re-input this information, and the process will slow down. Once you have filled out the required application fields and electronically signed the application, it will automatically be sent to the next signer. There is a particular order to the signatures, so let the representatives you have included know that they will receive an email from DocuSign about your EcoLeague application. Note: If they do not receive such an email, encourage them to check their “Spam” folder in their email inbox.
    • To complete the Request to Participate form, you will need the following information:

1) Your academic (faculty) advisor’s name and email address.

2)  The name and email address for a representative from your home college’s Registrar office, Bursar (Student Accounts) office, and Financial Aid office (if you receive Financial Aid).

3)  Your 2-page essay explaining how an EcoLeague exchange to a particular college will advance your academic career, ideally saved as a .docx or .pdf file.  

Important Forms & Documents: 

Exchange Request to Participate Form
Navigating to Course Catalogs and Course Listings
Academic Calendar Map – Comparing School Calendars