INI Exchange Program 

    Overview

    The Information Networking Institute (INI) Exchange Program offers second-year students enrolled in INI degree programs at remote partner institutions the opportunity to take courses and/or work on their thesis in Pittsburgh, Pa. for one or two semesters.

    The number of exchange students varies each year and is determined jointly by the INI Director and by remote administration based on capacity and number of students in each program.

    Program Requirements

    • Students must be full-time, second-year students.
    • Students must have good academic standing as defined by the INI Policies and Procedures.
    • Students must have the approval of the local administration.
    • Students must have no outstanding financial obligations to either institution.
    • Students must have submitted the TOEFL or IELTS with their application for program admission or submit results for one of these tests with qualifying scores as a part of their application to the exchange program in order to obtain an F-1 visa through Carnegie Mellon.
    • Students applying to work on their thesis project must have an approved thesis proposal on file at the INI which includes a Carnegie Mellon faculty advisor.
    • Students must submit one Faculty Recommendation Letter Form (PDF).
    • Students must submit an Application Form that includes a statement of purpose with the following information:
      • Briefly state your objective in completing your master's degree at Carnegie Mellon in Pittsburgh, Pa.
        • If your objective is to take courses only offered in Pittsburgh, you must prepare a course plan and list the specific courses you will be registering.
        • If your objective is to complete your graduate project you must identify the project name and the confirmed Faculty Advisor.
      • Length of time studying at Carnegie Mellon Pittsburgh.
      • Include any additional information you wish to supply to the admissions committee.
    • Students must submit the Exchange Program Application Checklist to confirm they have completed all steps of the application process.

    *Important Note: Students may come in the summer only if they are doing research (MS project) under a Carnegie Mellon faculty member who has agreed to advise them and has approved and signed their research proposal prior to applying for the INI Exchange Program. The student is responsible for reaching out to the faculty member.

    Application Process

    1. Students must complete the Application Form and submit the Faculty Recommendation Letter Form to the remote administrator by February 15.
    2. The remote administrator will email all applications and recommendation letters to the INI Admissions Specialist by February 22. The Admissions Office will consult with the remote administration as necessary to complete the submission.
    3. The INI Director will review completed applications and make final decisions by March 1.
    4. The INI Admissions Specialist will email all applicants, copying the remote administrator, regarding their status. Students who have been approved to participate in the exchange program will receive a timeline with specific next steps and contact information (Admissions Specialist, Manager of Enrollment Services for Distributed Programs and Systems Team) to ensure a seamless transition.
    5. The exchange students will then be processed in the same manner as incoming students for the Pittsburgh programs.

    Enrollment

    INI Exchange Students will be processed with our incoming Pittsburgh students for the following: Registration, OIE Meeting, Advisors, INI Orientation, Communication Distribution Lists.

    Students enrolling in courses at Carnegie Mellon through the INI Exchange Program should visit the University Schedule of Classes for course information. 

    Students will Register Online and will be charged an additional per unit tuition rate for all courses (see the table below), including all audited courses. Students will not be charged for their project units.

    Students completing a research project or thesis should consult the guidelines on the INI website.

    Visa Requirements

    • The INI Manager of Enrollment Services for Distributed Programs changes the students program code to reflect that they will be studying in Pittsburgh.
    • The INI Manager of Enrollment Services for Distributed Programs provides the INI Admissions Specialist with the tuition information.
    • The INI Admissions Specialist begins the I-20 Certificate processing by doing the following:
      • Approved students are emailed the International Student Information Form/Affidavit of Support document.
      • Student completes three copies of the form, submitting one hard copy along with the documents requested to the INI Admissions Specialist. The form must be original and include all original signatures by the student and the student's sponsors.
      • The Admissions Specialist submits an online I-20 Request Form once the hard-copy form is returned to the INI.
      • Details for completing the documents will be provided, but note the following points regarding supporting documents needed for the I-20 Certificate: 
        • All financial sponsors, except for the student, are required to complete an Affidavit of Support (provided with the forms). Photocopies of financial documents or affidavits cannot be accepted. All documents (except the passport copy) must be original. Financial documents can be no more than six-months old.
        • Students will need to have three copies of the supporting financial documents: one for OIE, one for their visa interview and a third set to carry with them when they travel. This set of documents should include the INI letter confirming attendance of the program at Carnegie Mellon.
      • Photocopy of passport (Students must submit their name on OIE forms as it appears on their passport. Any discrepancies can cause a delay in approval).
      • It may take up to two months from receipt of the required documents to process and forward the I-20 certificate.
      • Students will receive a SEVIS number in a notification email sent by the OIE. This number will be used to secure a visa interview at the local U.S. Embassy. (The F-1 visa is secured through this interview.)  The student pays the SEVIS fee electronically, schedules a visa appointment at the embassy, and makes his travel arrangements.
      Note:  Students attending under an F-1 visa for at least two semesters may be eligible to apply for Optional Practical Training (OPT) upon graduation. For more information regarding OPT, visit Student Affairs and contact the INI Admissions Specialist. 
    • Please note that students who are not citizens of the country where they are enrolled in the program, they may be required to return to their home country to apply for the F-1 visa. Non-native students should contact the U.S. Embassy immediately upon approval of attendance at Carnegie Mellon to determine the proper visa procedure. Contact the INI immediately for any assistance in providing documentation, etc.
    • Students are required to carry the following documentation with them at ALL times:
      • A copy of the supporting financial documents to carry with them when they travel. This set of documents should include the INI letter confirming attendance of the program at Carnegie Mellon.

    Note: Students are responsible for meeting all deadlines for visa processing.

    INI Exchange Program Benefits

    The following benefits are available to INI Exchange Program students attending under an F-1 visa during their stay at the INI:

    1. The ability to take courses with our partner schools: the Tepper School of Business, the College of Engineering, the School of Computer Science and the Heinz College.

      • Enrollment in these courses is not guaranteed.

    2. The opportunity to be advised by a Pittsburgh faculty member in any of the above four colleges. This must be coordinated by the student before he or she arrives in Pittsburgh.

      • This is not guaranteed and is based on the availability and desire of the faculty to supervise the student's work.

    3. Access to personal work space, computer clusters, printers, copiers, fax machine, scanner, wireless Internet and extra-curricular activities.

    4. INI Career Resources

      • On-campus Employment - The Career Center provides listings of employment opportunities available on campus to all students. This includes work-study funded and non-work-study positions.

      • INI Career Consultant – An onsite consultant is available for individual appointments to assist in all aspects of the career decision-making process. This includes two popular resources that can help you determine your academic and career objectives: the Strong Interest Inventory and the Meyers Briggs Assessment. Resume and cover letter review is also provided, along with interview assistance.

      • Career Workshops - The Career Center sponsors or participates in a variety of career workshops and programs. Programs on career opportunities, resume preparation, interviewing skills, cover letter writing, job search strategies, and other topics are scheduled throughout the year.

      • The Resource Center - The Career Resource Center contains over 650 books and other resources relevant to choosing majors, researching careers, searching for jobs, and applying to graduate school. There are also free publications and resources available for you to take home. The Employment Resource Center contains employer literature, videotapes, and information about employers who recruit on campus.

      • INI and CMU Career Center Announcement b-boards - These list all upcoming events, campus interview postings and job fair announcements.

      • On-Campus Recruiting Schedule - On-campus recruiting brings hundreds of recruiters to Carnegie Mellon to interview students for professional openings and summer internships. Other on-campus recruiting opportunities include the Technology Opportunities Conference, Business Opportunities Conference and Employers Opportunities Conference.

      • Network Nights - Network Nights is a series of two-day career-related events for Carnegie Mellon seniors and graduate students designed to help students increase their network of career contacts in public, private and non-profit organizations in the following regions: New York, Chicago, San Francisco, Silicon Valley, Pittsburgh, Boston and Washington, D.C.

      • Information Sessions - On-campus information sessions are provided on a regular basis and are hosted by INI alumni and Carnegie Mellon corporate partners. Companies that have participated in the past include Goldman Sachs, Verizon, General Motors, Bloomberg, Microsoft, Qualcomm, E&Y, Citadel and many more.

    Yearly Student Expenses

    Fees

    Cost

    Activity Fee

    $92.00

    Technology Fee

    $75.00

    Port Authority Fee (Bus & Subway)

    $42.00

    Health Insurance

    (Subject to change) $968.00

    Business Cards (200), optional

    $32.00

    Total

    $1,209.00

    Additional per unit tuition fee
    (i.e. the tuition fee for a 12-unit course is $1,500)

    		 $125.00

    Housing

    Disclaimers

    The INI will not accept students into this exchange program if they do not meet all deadlines for visa processing. Students are responsible for arriving in the U.S. before the first day of classes.

    The INI does not guarantee housing for exchange students. Students are solely responsible for finding housing for their stays in Pittsburgh.

    The INI does not guarantee a thesis advisor. This is based on the availability and desire of the faculty to supervise the student's work. Students are responsible for contacting an advisor and demonstrating the advisor's commitment through his/her signature on an approved project proposal prior to coming to Pittsburgh. 

    The INI does not guarantee enrollment for courses in the Tepper School of Business, College of Engineering, School of Computer Science and the Heinz College.

    Forms

    These are editable forms you can fill out on your computer and print.

    Application Form 

    Faculty Recommendation Form

    Exchange Program Application Checklist

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    The INI is a department of the College of Engineering at Carnegie Mellon University and the educational partner of Carnegie Mellon Cylab.

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