The International Student Exchange Program is an international network which encourages student exchanges all around the world. It was founded in 1979 and has enrolled more than 24,000 students.
History
1979-1997
Established in 1979 under authority of the Fulbright-Hays Act as the International Student Exchange Program at Georgetown University, ISEP was supported by a grant from the (former) United States Information Agency (USIA) until 1996.
The first year of exchanges involved Georgetown University and six international universities. However, throughout the 1980’s and early 1990’s there was a focused effort to widen the network. By 1997, there were over 240 US and international institutions.
The loss of funding from the USIA in 1996 led to ISEP’s incorporation as an independent, non-profit membership organization.
1997-Present
After ISEP’s incorporation, the organization refocused its energies on obtaining financial stability while aiming toward continued membership growth and program improvement. By 2003, ISEP achieved these goals through an ambitious evaluation and implementation of new financial structures and program options such as ISEP-Direct (formerly ISEP II). Currently, ISEP has an annual budget over $4 million with a membership base of over 275 universities in the US and 38 other countries.
Membership
Basic information
ISEP is a member-based non-profit organization. Therefore, its success depends on its network of 275 post-secondary institutions in the United States and 38 other countries.
Members are committed to ISEP’s core principles of study abroad: accessibility, affordability and diversity in international education. They cooperate as equal partners in a spirit of trust and mutual support to further the internationalization of their campuses and offer high-quality programs.
In order to become a member or an affiliate, institutions must undergo an extensive membership application process and meet the following criteria:
- Regional accreditation (U.S. institutions) or recognition by their government or ministry of education (non-U.S. institutions)
- Commitment to internationalization and likely to make substantial use of ISEP.
- Dedication of at least one staff member to serve as an on-campus ISEP Coordinator to advise outgoing and incoming exchange students.
- Seeking a wide range of education abroad destinations for their students.
- Offer an addition to the geographic diversity of ISEP destinations and/or increase ISEP’s ability to meet current members’ demand for a particular region or type of institution.
- Offer support services and a broad range of academic programs that meet the needs of incoming students from other countries.
- Have an interest in the campus diversity that incoming international students bring.
Benefits for ISEP Members
As a Member, ISEP provides many benefits in several functional areas: Member Relations, Communication and Information, Placement, Health Insurance and Financial Services.
Member Relations
- Continuously assess member needs and interests and develop programs to serve members.
- Carefully review new member applications.
- Provide stewardship of resources to achieve optimum balance between quality and cost.
- Monitor membership standards to maintain quality.
- Mediate in case of disputes between member institutions regarding benefits or balances.
- Provide training of new coordinators.
- Organize ISEP conferences and annual member meetings.
Communication and Information
- Maintain a website that serves the needs of coordinators and students.
- Provide access to information about programs based on information supplied by member institutions.
- Develop and distribute publications that enable coordinators to recruit and inform students.
- Respond to coordinator inquiries in a timely manner.
- Advise coordinators about programs available, supplementing published information.
Placement
- Review applications in a timely manner and provide information about placement progress.
- Fairly consider all applicants for placement.
- Implement J-1 program.
- Provide assistance when participants experience problems and support in emergency situations.
- Distribute transcripts received from host institutions and help with interpretation and resolution of discrepancies as needed.
Health Insurance and Financial Services
- Offer a quality health insurance program and process student enrollment.
- Maintain contact with insurance providers in medical emergencies.
- Send invoices and record payments in a timely and accurate manner.
Member responsibilities
In addition to ISEP’s responsibilities to its members, Members have their own responsibilities with respect to its relationship with ISEP, their students, and other Members.
Relationship with ISEP-Central
- Monitor ISEP communications.
- Respond to questions from ISEP-Central.
- Notify ISEP-Central of administrative and emergency situations.
- Follow application deadlines.
- Ensure that membership fees are paid by due date.
Responsibilities towards Outbound Students
- Be familiar with ISEP programs and services.
- Guide students through the application process, providing them with accurate information and imparting realistic expectations.
- Ensure that students understand the contents of ISEP placement materials and provide pre-departure orientation.
- Facilitate the integration of returnees into the home institution including credit transfer.
Responsibilities towards Incoming Students
- Update description for the ISEP Directory annually to reflect actual conditions.
- Provide course information on the institution's website.
- Complete the Institutional Information Sheet (IIS) on time, providing accurate information.
- Respond to student inquiries after confirmation.
- Adapt standard information materials sent to visiting students to reflect ISEP conditions (e.g. with regard to payment of rent, tuition, etc.).
- Provide housing that meets acceptable standards for safety and cleanliness.
- Provide orientation and general assistance with integration into the host institution and registration.
- Ensure that coordinator or other designated advisor is available at appointed times and in emergencies and designate a substitute during absences from the office.
- Allow participants to take those courses for which they have pre-requisites unless exceptions are stated clearly in information provided to ISEP.
- Issue transcripts in a timely manner.
Responsibilities toward Other Member Institutions
- Coordinators will observe appropriate lines of communication.
- The ISEP coordinator and/or other institutional representatives will participate in ISEP conferences and annual member meetings.
- The Institution will channel exchanges with ISEP member institutions through ISEP.
Members
- US Members
- International Members
Programs
ISEP-Exchange
ISEP-Exchanges are based on the concept of reciprocal exchange and are open to students at member institutions only. Each outbound participant pays the cost of an academic term (tuition, room, and board) at home while, for every student sent abroad, the institution receives one in return. ISEP facilitates exchanges between U.S. and international members as well as exchanges among international institutions. ISEP-Exchanges allow students from the USA and 36 other countries to exchange places at member universities for a semester or a year. There are two types of ISEP-Exchanges:
- US-International ISEP-Exchanges are between members in the United States and other countries (for example, Texas- France). All ISEP countries except New Zealand and Australia participate in US-International exchanges.
- International-to-International ISEP-Exchanges are between the members outside the United States (for example, Mexico-Finland). Not all international ISEP members take part in International-to-International exchanges.
Exchanges are based on the balance of students exchanging places rather than a monetary exchange, so a university abroad can only accept as many students as it sends out. Students pay a fee to their home university based on the cost of tuition, fees, housing, and a full meal plan at the home institution. This program fee creates a "place" and a set of benefits for an incoming student. Abroad, students receive the same set of ISEP benefits covered by the fees that the outgoing student paid to that university. An application/placement fee is paid to ISEP. Financial aid and scholarships usually apply for US students.
ISEP-Direct
ISEP-Direct is a fee-paid option that was developed as a non-reciprocal alternative to ISEP-Exchange in order to provide more students access to institutions that are in great demand. ISEP-Direct placements are open to students at ISEP Member and Affi
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