Congratulations on your nomination by Freie Universität Berlin to participate in the graduate exchange program with Indiana University. Your exchange program is administered by the Office of the Vice President for International Affairs (OVPIA) and managed by the international partnerships team. You should send any questions you have to partner@iu.edu.
If you are visiting Indiana University solely for the purpose of conducting research independently, you should follow the instructions to come as a J-1 visiting scholar. As a visiting scholar, you will not apply for admission. In that case, the primary purpose of your visit to Indiana University must be research. However, you may be eligible to audit a limited number of courses. (To audit means to enroll in a course for no academic credit.) If you are interested in auditing courses, you must follow Student Central's instructions for international students. There is a fee to audit courses.
Most graduate exchange participants from FU-Berlin enroll in courses for credit. If you plan to enroll in courses for credit, you must apply for admission to Indiana University as a nondegree exchange participant. Prior to enrollment, you must possess the equivalent of a baccalaureate degree or similar certification.
Before you start the application for admission, identify the academic program in the College of Arts and Sciences that most closely matches your current program of study. You will be asked to select this academic program on your application.
Start your application
You will be required to pay the application fee. An application is not submitted for review until the fee is paid.
After you apply
After you have submitted the online application, your home institution’s exchange coordinator should send the following supporting documents to the Office of the Vice President for International Affairs (OVPIA):
We will then submit your supporting documents to the appropriate department for review. This process can take several weeks.
Financial support and taxation
Graduate exchange participants from FU-Berlin will (1) receive a scholarship that covers tuition and fees up to a maximum of 12 credit hours (if enrolling in courses for credit); (2) receive a fellowship for housing and meals; and (3) be automatically enrolled in a health insurance plan, the cost of which IU covers.
We encourage graduate students to apply for an on-campus apartment through Residential Programs and Services (RPS). You may enroll in a meal plan offered by IU Dining or choose to receive a monthly stipend. If you plan to live off campus, you will receive a reasonable monthly stipend for housing and meals. By August 1, you must notify us at partner@iu.edu about your housing and meal decisions so that the appropriate funding is distributed to your Bursar account for these expenses.
A fellowship award (for anything other than tuition and mandatory fees) is considered taxable income by the state of Indiana and the U.S. Internal Revenue Service. Some students may claim full exemption from taxation under tax treaties between their country of citizenship and the United States. In order to do so, you must file the IU International Tax Questionnaire and complete all other steps required by IU’s tax office.
Initial expenses
Plan to bring a credit card or traveler’s checks to pay initial expenses when you arrive. Some of these expenses may include:
All students can ride Indiana University and Bloomington city buses free of charge with their IU student identification card, called the CrimsonCard.
Health insurance
IU provides a general health insurance plan. Coverage is adequate, but not comprehensive. Participation in this group program is mandatory. Premiums are heavily subsidized by IU.
You may maintain duplicate coverage. Some past recipients have chosen to make separate arrangements, at their own expense, for more extensive health insurance coverage from their home countries.
Learn more about health and insurance
Your IU email account and access to information technology resources
Set up your IU email account after you receive your university ID number. You will need to provide your last name, date of birth, and university ID number.
With your IU email address and passphrase, you can access IU’s many online resources and services through One.IU and selected library resources in IU Bloomington Libraries.
Computing labs and IT support
Wireless internet (“wifi”) access is available across the majority of the IU Bloomington campus.
Computing labs, including many with printing services, are available in multiple locations on the campus.
University Information Technology Services (UITS) offers many other resources and services, including an option for live chat with a staff member to resolve technology issues that arise during your visit.
Planning your travel to Bloomington
You should plan to fly into the Indianapolis International Airport (code IND). Bloomington is located approximately 50 miles (80.5 km) from the airport. Before you arrive in the United States, you should arrange transportation from the airport to Bloomington.
Learn about travel to Bloomington
Orientation
Most academic departments manage orientation for graduate students. Contact your department for specific information. Make sure you bring this required documentation with you to the United States:
Course registration and maintaining your visa status
To stay in status, you must enroll in a full load of classes, at least 8 credit hours, each semester you are studying at IU. Prepare for orientation by looking through the schedule of classes. Some exchange students may be able to pre-register for classes before their arrival on campus; this differs by academic department.
