Location
Flagstaff, Arizona, USA
Website
nau.edu/cie
Availability
Available university-wide.
Limited exchange places are available.
Established in 1899 with only 23 students, Northern Arizona University (NAU) has experienced World War II and the Great Depression. The University President at the time believed that higher education is a critical service that would overcome the adversity. Proven to be true 120 years later, with Flagstaff Mountain Campus as its main campus, NAU has over 29 extended campuses across the state of Arizona, offering many the opportunity to access higher education.
NAU has much to be proud of, including nationally ranked programs, high-research status, and emergence as a leader in sustainability, science, business, green building, and cultural arts. The University is committed to building green, with multiple LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design)-certified buildings on the Flagstaff campus. One of NAU’s green initiative is that the university composts over 120,000 pounds of material, which prevents 100 metric tons of carbon dioxide from entering the atmosphere.
NAU has a active campus life, with more than 400 student clubs and organisations with activities extending off-campus to rafting the Colorado River to skiing the black diamond run on the San Francisco peaks.
Flagstaff borders the Navajo Nation, the USA’s largest American Indian tribe covering over 17.5 million acres, and home to Antelope Canyon, Monument Valley, Canyon de Chelly, and other iconic natural wonders. The city is located two and half hours north of the Arizona state capital Phoenix. Flagstaff is situated near the base of the San Francisco peaks and is surrounded by a series of canyons, including the Grand Canyon, as well as the largest ponderosa pine forest in the world. With low humidity and an altitude of 2,134 metres, Flagstaff experiences relatively mild weather conditions all year round. This city is a dream for outdoor and nature lovers, offering outdoor activities such as hiking and skiing in all seasons.
The United States of America, commonly known as the United States, US, USA or simply America, is a country in North America. Most of the country is located between Canada and Mexico, but also includes places such as Alaska, Hawaii and Puerto Rico. The capital is Washington D.C., but the most populous city is New York City.
At 9.8 million square kilometres, the US is the world's third or fourth largest country by total area, only slightly smaller than the entire continent of Europe. It is the world's third most populous country, with an estimated population of over 327 million people.
You're likely already familiar with some aspects of the US such as cross-country road trips, hearty food portions and the massive scale of everything. It is near impossible to run out of things to discover in this country! Every one of the 50 states is incredibly different, so depending where you go within the US you might feel you’re in a different country. This a very diverse nation, as people immigrate from all over the world, bringing in different religions, races, cultural traditions, and political beliefs.
You can visit one of over 35,000 museums, check out the major cities, visit small towns and farmlands, and explore the massive and beautiful national parks such as Yellowstone and Zion. You could also visit neighbouring Canada or Mexico if you want to travel more. The US is a hub of industry and culture for nearly every aspect of modern life, so having the chance to study here can really expand your networks and open you up to future possibilities abroad.
Did you know?
A small community in the Grand Canyon still receives their mail via mule service as motorized delivery is not possible. The service runs six days a week with at least two mule trains daily so that animals and riders don’t have to make the trip down to the village and back without an overnight stop. Believe it or not, scientists at the Utah State University have proven at millimetre scale that the topography of the state of Kansas is actually flatter than a pancake!
August 1st to go on exchange in SP2
January 11th to go on exchange in SP5
Fall Term (SP5)
August to December
Spring Term (SP2)
January to June
All students must meet standard exchange selection criteria and any host institution restrictions.
Courses at US partner universities are generally valued at 3 credits each. Students are required to undertake a minimum of 12 credits per semester, equal to 13.5 UniSA units. 15 credits are equivalent to 18 UniSA units.
Therefore we recommend that:
The minimum requirements for university admission are;
August 1st to go on exchange in SP2
January 11th to go on exchange in SP5
Weather
Autumn/Winter: -9°c to 12°c
Spring/Summer: 6°c to 26°c
Currency
$ US Dollars
Local language/s
English
Northern Arizona University does not offer airport pick up. You will need to make your own way to the campus from Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport.
More information on how to get to the campus can be found here.
You can apply for on-campus accommodation once you have been accepted at NAU. International House (I-House) community is the recommended on-campus residence for international students. The Campus Heights Apartments is a residential college located in the heart of the university campus.
More information on accommodation can be found here.
As an exchange partner with the University of South Australia, you do not have to pay tuition fees to Northern Arizona University, instead you will pay tuition as you would normally at UniSA. Travel and living expenses are at your own cost. The table below gives an indication of costs you will incur:
Items | Approximate Cost (AUD) |
---|---|
Return flights from Adelaide | $2500 |
Mandatory Health Insurance | $2373 per semester |
Accommodation | $5415 per semester |
Meals/Groceries | $2452 per semester |
Transportation | $2399 per Semester |
Entertainment and incidentals including phone, laundry etc. | $5500 per semester |
More information can be found here.
You may be eligible to receive additional grants or scholarships to fund your experience. For more information please see the funding and scholarships website.
UniSA offers travel insurance as part of your exchange for up to 270 days (can be extended up to 365 days). For more information please see travel insurance website.
Please click here to read the travel insurance policy.
A list of Frequently Asked Questions can be found here.
If you have any further questions about travel insurance, please contact the UniSA Insurance Office on 08 8302 1678.
As an exchange student at Northern Arizona University, you must purchase compulsory additional health insurance. See here for more information.
August 1st to go on exchange in SP2
January 11th to go on exchange in SP5
It is your responsibility to apply for your visa for your overseas study experience. You can refer to the relevant consulate regarding a specific countries visa requirement. UniSA is legally unable to provide visa advise. Please see below links for more information.
Australian Government DFAT brief on United States is available here.
United States embassy website can be found here.
Northern Arizona University student visa FAQ is available here.
It is important to note that you will be required to travel to a US consulate in either Perth, Melbourne, Canberra or Sydney as part of your visa application.
To participate in an exchange experience, you must register your travel with International SOS (iSOS). We will provide instructions on how to do this throughout the process.
UniSA has partnered with iSOS to offer our students medical, safety and security advice, referrals, emotional support and routine and emergency assistance when travelling or living abroad.
For more information please visit the Travel Health and Safety Webpage.
Before your departure, we strongly encourage you to visit the Smartraveller website.
The website contains important information you need to know about travel documents, up to date travel advisories on destinations you may be travelling to on behalf of the University, travel tips and more.
August 1st to go on exchange in SP2
January 11th to go on exchange in SP5
Northern Arizona University is not an exchange partner for Summer/Winter school.
To see other current short-term opportunities, please click here.
Want to know more about studying overseas? Check out our returned student reports.