A world-class university. Spectacular views of the Pacific Ocean. A scenic campus forested with giant eucalyptus trees. A renowned faculty (boasting 16 Nobel laureates and a former astronaut in its four short decades). Bright and talented students. State-of-the-art research facilities. An acclaimed six-college system. A tradition of innovation. All make up the University of California, San Diego. The campus is internationally respected for its eminent faculty, highly ranked programs and contributions to global research.

With its family of 6 colleges, UCSD combines the intimacy of a small liberal arts college with the academic resources of a major research university. Each college has its own programmatic theme, general education requirements, housing and staff. More than 130 majors in a range of disciplines are available to students regardless of their college affiliation. Students from all colleges attend classes together.

The serene setting of the UCSD campus, with its stands of giant eucalyptus trees and spectacular views of the Pacific Ocean, strikes a perfect balance with the academically charged atmosphere.

Course restrictions:
Information Management, Journalism and Law courses in all UC campuses are not available to exchange students.

In general, limited engineering, business/management, legal studies and architecture courses are available.

Some majors (fields of study) are not open to Exchange students or have restrictions on enrollment.

Course descriptions:
http://infopath-1.ucsd.edu/catalog/front/content.html

Academic calendar:

• Fall Quarter: end September to mid December
• Winter Quarter: beginning January to end March
• Spring Quarter: end March to mid June

*Note: Students may apply to start their exchange term in the Fall and Winter Quarter only. They may apply for 2 quarters of exchange in either the Winter Quarter (ie to start their exchange in the Winter Quarter and remain at UC for the Spring Quarter) subject to the approval of their faculties/schools.

Application deadlines:
Please obtain information on deadlines and application procedures from your faculty's Student Exchange Programme (SEP) Administrator/Coordinator.

On-campus:
The UC San Diego Housing and Dining Services Office operates several housing complexes, but on a limited basis. Students are strongly encouraged to apply for on-campus housing as soon as they receive an official admission letter from UC San Diego. There is strong demand for on-campus housing, so applications must be received at least 6 months in advance and they may have long waiting lists. For more information, please visit the UC San Diego Housing and Dining Services website at: http://hds.ucsd.edu/housing.

International House: (http://provost.ucsd.edu/roosevelt/ihouse/)
The International House is the primary on-campus accommodation for exchange students. Admission to I-House is competitive and based in large part on the willingness of the applicant to be an active member of the I-House community. Students assigned to any undergraduate college may live in I-House.

In case they cannot be accommodated in I-House, exchange students are encouraged to apply concurrently to On-Campus Housing office by adding their name to the waiting list at http://hds.ucsd.edu/waitinglist.asp.

Off-campus:
Living in San Diego, especially in La Jolla, is very expensive and it is important to set a realistic budget before beginning to look for a place to live. Vacancy rates are very low in San Diego and it may take some time to find an apartment. Be prepared to pay a security deposit equal to one month’s rent (which may be refunded upon leaving) in addition to the first month’s rent.

UC San Diego Off-Campus Housing Office (http://www.ucsd.edu/portal/site/ucsd/
menuitem.a49a5057074b8fa15245209d364b01ca/?
vgnextoid=636333b644d14110VgnVCM10000045b410acRCRD) is a rental referral and housing information resource center with listings of apartment, house, and condominium rentals, available in a variety of areas around campus and the San Diego community. Roommates, room rentals, and work exchange are listed online and in the office. The Off-Campus Housing Office is an excellent resource for waitlisted students.

For other housing options, please visit http://icenter.ucsd.edu/Housing/ltoffchousing.html

Useful Links:

• University website: http://www.ucsd.edu
• UC Education Abroad Programs Reciprocal Exchanges: http://eap.ucop.edu/reciprocity/
  
• Student Handbook: http://icenter.ucsd.edu/pdfs/StudHB2007.pdf
  
• UCSD International Center: http://icenter.ucsd.edu/

Health insurance:
The UC Regents made health insurance a mandatory non-academic condition for enrolment. To ensure all students have adequate health care coverage and to satisfy the mandatory health insurance requirement, UCSD enrols and provides Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP) coverage to all registered students.

The Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP) is a comprehensive health plan that provides a full range of medical services, including in/out patient services, specialty care, emergency care, hospitalization and mental health care, as well as dental and pharmacy coverage.

All students are automatically enrolled in SHIP each academic year. However, students who are able to demonstrate they have comparable coverage may be able to opt out of SHIP. Students who complete a waiver application by the waiver deadline date(s) are not guaranteed to be approved and need to check their UCSD e-mail for notifications regarding their waiver.

Please visit http://studenthealth.ucsd.edu/shipabout.shtml for further information.

Estimated Cost of Living: