INI Exchange Program

Overview

The Information Networking Institute (INI) Exchange Program offers 2nd year students enrolled in INI degree programs at remote partner institutions the opportunity to take courses and/or work on their thesis in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania for 1-2 semesters.

Business and policy courses at Tepper School of Business and the Heinz School of Public Policy and Management may be available as electives to exchanges students while on campus, as well as technology courses at the INI, College of Engineering, and School of Computer Science.

The number of exchange students will vary each year and will be 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, 2nd 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 submit one Faculty Recommendation Letter Form (PDF), located at www.ini.cmu.edu/exchange.
• 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, Pennsylvania.
• 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.
• Any additional information you wish to supply to the admissions committee.

*Note: Students may come in the summer only if they are doing research (MS project) under a CMU faculty 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, 2008. Deadline extended by 2 weeks.
   
2. The remote administrator will email all applications and recommendation letters to the INI Director by February 20, 2008. Deadline extended by 2 weeks.
   
3. The INI Director will review the applications, consulting with the remote administration as necessary, and make the final decision by February 29, 2008. Deadline extended by 2 weeks.
   
4. The INI Director 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 (for the Admissions Specialist, Enrollment Coordinator and Systems Manager) to ensure a seamless transition.
   
5. The exchange students will then receive the same communications as the incoming class of Pittsburgh students.

Enrollment

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

Visa Requirements

• The INI Enrollment Coordinator changes the students program code to reflect that they will be studying in Pittsburgh
• The INI Enrollment Coordinator provides the INI Admissions Specialist with the tuition information.
• The INI Admissions Specialist begins the I-20 Certificate processing by doing the following
• Submits the online OIE Document Request Form
• Sends an email to the student containing the International Student Information Form and Affidavit of Support.
• The student completes the form and affidavit and return to the INI Admissions Specialist with the Supporting Financial Documents as identified on the OIE site at https://www.studentaffairs.cmu.edu/oie/forstu/coming.cfm#proof, under “Document your Financial Support.”
• *Note: All financial sponsors, except for the student, are required to complete an Affidavit of Support (page 4 of the OIE 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 6-months old.
• Students will need to have 3 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 will take up to 3 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 F1 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 should apply for the fall and spring semesters in order to be eligible for Optional Practical Training (OPT) upon graduation and to avoid the difficulty of extending the I-20 for an additional semester if required. For more information regarding OPT, visit http://www.studentaffairs.cmu.edu/oie/forstu/optpt.pdf.
• 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 F1 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 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 School of Public Policy.

   • 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. A personal work space with a PC, desk, whiteboard, filing cabinets and shelving. Students also have access to a printer, copier, fax machine, scanner, wireless Internet and extra-curricular activities.

4. A mentor to communicate with over the summer in preparation for their study at the INI.

5. 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 , which 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

Housing

Students should refer to Community Houseing Service to help them find housing in the Pittsburgh area. The INI is not responsible for providing housing for exchange students.

Disclaimers

The INI will not accept a student 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 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 School of Public Policy and Management.

Forms

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

Application Form

Faculty Recommendation Form