1. Stats:

Student Population: 36,000 Total (Undergraduates 26,000/Postgraduates 10,000). Located about 140 miles (3 hours drive) south of Chicago, the University and its surrounding communities offer many of the social and cultural resources typical of a larger metropolitan area.  For further information see: Champaign-Urbana

The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is a comprehensive, major public university, which is ranked among the best in the United States. There is a significant international population of approximately 2,500 graduate students and 500 undergraduate students. Many of these students attend the university through exchange programmes from many countries.  

2. Dates 2009-10

Fall Semester 2009	Dates
Orientation	TBA August
Classes Begin	24th  August
Thanksgiving Break	21st-30th November
Semester Ends	9th  December
Spring Semester 2010	Dates
Classes Begin	19th January
Spring Break	20th-29th March
Semester Ends	5th May

•  Academic Calendar

3. Orientation:

Students must arrive in time for the orientation session. This is mandatory and there is no charge for the session, but you will be expected to pay approximately $30 per night for temporary accommodation during this period. Information will be forwarded to students in the welcome/orientation packet following acceptance.

4. Application Form:

Deadline for submission to the American Studies Exchange Office is 27th February. If you need another copy click here: application

5. Housing:

Neither University housing nor a meal plan are included in the Exchange programme but you can apply to live in halls or apartments.  University residence halls are located at points convenient to most areas of the main campus. To find out more information, check out the following website: housing

If you are over 20 years old, you can apply to live in graduate halls, such as Sherman Hall, where you do not have to buy a meal plan and rent is continued through holiday periods.  If you choose to live in an undergraduate hall, you will be required to purchase a meal plan. Check out the website for rates: costs.

Formal applications and instructions for university housing will be provided with UI acceptance materials. You must complete the contract card and return it to the American Studies Exchange Office with a bankers draft for $100 made payable to the University of Illinois . The Study Abroad Office at Illinois will return this to you later in the semester. It is extremely important that you complete and return your contract cards immediately after receipt!

All undergraduate students are required to share a room (double or triple). Should you wish to have a single room, you will be responsible for paying the difference in cost, approximately £900 per academic year.

Undergraduate halls will close during vacation time so students will have to find alternative accommodation during this period. Guest housing will be offered in Sherman Hall for an approximate cost of $50 - $350 per break. Be sure to book early as there are a limited number of rooms.

Student comments: (2003-04) Recommend applying for a hall with kitchen facilities, eg., Sherman Hall.  Even though kitchens are open from 7pm- 11am and you have to sign up on the list at the front desk to use them, weekends being the busiest times, it works out cheaper buying your own food and cooking for yourself than buying a meal plan.

Forbes Hall is part of the “six pack” and not recommended because there are no kitchen facilities and therefore necessary to buy a meal plan which was expensive. 

Garner Hall has all exchange students on the same floor, which was not very good for mixing with Americans.  Snyder Hall has mostly freshmen.  Living with roommates can be good or bad.  Sometimes the food was bad, but there are good specialty restaurants.  Sometimes the halls are noisy so you have to make a habit to study out of your room.  Try to get into an upper class floor.  Work problems out with the Resident Assistant (RA).N.B. RA’s are students who are employed to patrol the dorms. British students have found it frustrating to be told off by peers! Do not expect the same element of freedom in halls, you must respect the rules!

Off-campus housing is available and the Study Abroad Office can give advice but not make arrangements for you.  You are expected to arrive early and look around for suitable accommodation.  Bear in mind that most leases run for 12 months and many apartments are not furnished.

6. Medical Requirement:

You are required to complete and have signed by your doctor, the Health Information Form which will be included with your acceptance materials.  You must take it with you to McKinley Health Center at UI.   You require proof of two immunisations against measles and one against german measles and mumps.  Immunisations at UI will cost about $5 each.  You will have a TB skin test (no charge) at UI after you arrive. You may wish to start getting this information together now in the event that you require additional inoculations.

7. Medical Insurance:

Details to be confirmed.

8. Financial Statement:

You are required to complete the “Declaration and Certification of Finances for Non-Degree Exchange Students” which is included with your application materials. You must prove through original financial statements such as bank statements, letter from bank manager on bank letterhead, student loan statements that you have a minimum of $23,220 (£16,200) for the academic year. N.B. Financial support documents must be no older than 6 months from the beginning of the term for which applying, i.e., before February 2009.

9. What to do on arrival:

Depending on your time of arrival, arrangements can be made for students to be met at the Champaign-Urbana Airport if advance notification is provided. Further information will be provided with the acceptance package.

10. Pre-registration for courses:

It is not possible to pre-register for courses at the University of Illinois, but you are required to select at least eight courses form the catalogue and have them approved by the department.  Take the list with you to UI and refer to it when you enroll.  UI cannot guarantee you will be able to enrol in specific courses and students have complained that the choice is limited because all other students have enrolled beforehand.  This is why it’s important to have plenty of alternatives.  You can enroll for a range of 200 and 300 level courses at UI since some 200 courses are considered to be the equivalent of 300 level.  You will be advised about this further at Illinois.

Even though it is not possible to pre-register, sufficient places are made available to international students.

• Course Catalogue

Students Comments: Exchange students had the last choice of courses, but did eventually get into most areas.

The workload and reading is a lot more frequent than at Swansea.  The main difference was exam technique, especially “Identification Topics”. 

11. Athletics and Student Organizations:

Too numerous to mention!  Click in the home page:  http://www.uiuc.edu/ - to the left of the screen you will find a list of short cuts. Click on Organisation – Units, and all of the clubs and societies are listed for your information. 

12. University of Illinois International Office:

The international co-ordinator at Illinois is Jerome Ng. If you have queries or problems you must make an appointment to see him first of all!

• E-mail:  jeromeng@uiuc.edu
• Phone: 001 (217) 333-1159
• Fax: 001 (217) 244-0249
• Web:  http://www.ilint.uiuc.edu/

Student comments:

• International Office at UI : Staff very helpful and friendly.


• Highlights : Meeting people from all over the world, travelling and being able to experience another culture.
• Least pleasurable: Registration; library was large and found it difficult to use; cold winter!! (-30C).
• Social Environment: A lot of variety in Champaign. Bars are popular, students must be 19 to enter but 21 to drink. However, the rules are relaxed. There are cinemas, bowling and theatre. The International Office organised camping/canoeing trip and to shopping excursions to the malls.
• Cost of Living: Food and clothes cheaper, travelling on Amtrak and international flights are expensive. Needed more money than expected so take as much money as you can!
• Jobs: Jobs are easy to find, but take up time. N.B. You will be allowed to work for 20 hours a week on Campus if you want to earn some extra cash!
• Extra Advice: Make sure you have a warm coat and thermal underwear; go to Chicago as much as possible; meet loads of people – it is important to budget and travel; join clubs and societies; be prepared to work hard; be open against all American stereotypes; take contraception with you as the pill costs $25 per month! Everyone loves foreign students and thus you will be a novelty on campus. Overall, the people are very nice, trusting and friendly. Students received lots of invitations, and lifts to places.

 Travel: Possible to travel to Colorado, New York, Chicago, Las Vegas, California