Applying to Rhodes

International students at Rhodes fall into two categories: Degree-Seeking and Exchange.

Degree Seeking Students

Degree Seeking Students are either first-year, first-time students (often called Freshmen at other institutions) or transfer students (students who have been in college at another institution and who have decided to transfer to Rhodes to finish their degree).  Simply follow this link to our Admission Page to help you know how to apply to Rhodes.

Exchange Students

Exchange Students are essentially "studying abroad" in the U.S. for either a semester or a year, while remaining enrolled at their home institutions.  These students are either from one of Rhodes′ ten Bi-Lateral Exchange Partners (Antwerp, Belgium; Nebrija, Spain; Poitiers, France; Lima, Peru; Aberdeen, Scotland; Tuebingen, Germany; Koblenz-Landau, Germany; Puebla, Mexico; Koc, Turkey; or Grahamstown, South Africa), or they are studying at Rhodes through ISEP (the International Student Exchange Program).

How To Apply to be an Exchange Student

After consulting with your home school′s Study Abroad Office, submit an Exchange Student Application to Rhodes.  To be considered, your application must contain each of the following:

• Exchange Student Application Form 2012-13 (PDF)
• Proof of English Proficiency
• Letter of nomination from your home university
• An official transcript from your home university indicating your past and current courses
• 1 (One) Passport-quality photograph
• Photocopy of the identification page of your passport

Submit complete application to by the deadline below to:
Rhodes College
Buckman Center for International Education
2000 North Parkway
Memphis, TN 38112
USA

The deadline for this complete application is:

• April 1: For Fall Term (August—December) and Academic Year (August—May)
• September 15: For Spring Term (January—May)

Incomplete or late applications may not be considered.

Acceptance

Once your complete application has been received, our Exchange Coordinator will mail you the necessary documents for your visa application to study in the United States. You should expect to receive your packet of materials within two months of our receiving your complete application.

Academic Information

Exchange students will review courses from the online class schedule prior to application. Course selections are not guaranteed, though effort is made to accommodate specific course requests. Students will meet with an Academic Advisor during the Orientation prior to the beginning of classes.  It is STRONGLY recommended that Exchange Students provide at least 8 (eight) courses of interest on their application.  When you are ready to review the course options for your semester at Rhodes, email the Exchange Coordinator to request specific instructions.

Students will enroll for a minimum of 12 hours, and in most cases, will have 16 hours. This generally consists of 4 courses. Courses are taught in English, with the exception of most of the classes from the Modern Languages and Literatures department.

Final grades will be sent to your home institution on your official transcript following the end of the semester*. Students can expect to find the following symbols on their transcript, indicating the official record of their academic work at Rhodes: A = Excellent, B = Good, C = Satisfactory, D = Passing, F = Failure. A, B, C, D are employed with plus and minus notations.  *NOTE: Transcripts are not released until all charges in the student′s billing account have been paid in full.

Housing and Meals

You may read more about your dorm and meal plan on the Residence Life website. Exchange Students will be placed in shared rooms with either a US student or another international student.  Single rooms are not available.  Rhodes attempts to take your preferences into consideration when placing you with your roommate(s), though we can not guarantee that preferences will be honored.

Meals are offered in two dining halls on campus, plus a quick-service counter at the Barret Library.  Menu options are varied and include fresh salads with vegetarian options, traditional American dishes, fruit, and dessert.  Students love our self-serve ice cream stations!

Our exchange agreement with your home university mandates that the you, the Exchange Student, will be billed for the cost of your dorm room and meal plan (with the exception of Rhodes University and ISEP, as those agreements are for Room, Board, and Tuition). Payment for all charges must be made prior to Rhodes releasing your transcript. 

Frequently Asked Questions (PDF). This document will answer questions you may not even know that you had!