Upon its establishment in 1883, Stetson became Florida’s first private university in 1962. Originally known as the Deland Academy, named for its founder, Henry Deland, Stetson was renamed after a generous gift from John B. Stetson (the creator of the famous hats!). Over the course of its existence Stetson has continuously pushed the boundary of student success, promoting academic pursuit and campus vibrancy along the way. Stetson has four campuses across Florida; DeLand (main campus), Tampa, Gulfport and Orlando.
Stetson University ranks No. 5 on U.S. News & World Report’s 2020 Best Colleges list of Best Regional Universities and The School of Business Administration is accredited in accounting and business by AACSB. Stetson University was the first educational institution to receive a Year 2000 Sustainable Florida Award honoring the university's implementation efforts and community involvement with recycling and energy conservation.
Stetson student and campus life has a reputation of being an all-inclusive, welcoming and tight-knit community where more than half of the students live on campus. With over 125 student organisations and associations, you will experience the full immersion at Stetson.
DeLand is a quintessential college town, and has been recognized as one of the top small towns in America by Parade Magazine, CNN and the Orlando Sentinel. Founded in 1876 and centrally located between Orlando and Daytona Beach, DeLand offers visitors and students the chance to explore museums, shopping and a variety of excellent dining options. The town’s surrounding area provides easy access to numerous natural springs, state parks, world-class beaches and a variety of boating and outdoor activities that can be enjoyed year-round in the warm climate of Florida.
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 Semester (SP5)
August to December
Spring Semester (SP2)
January to May
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:
Students who come from non-English speaking countries must show that they have received at least an 80 on the TOEFL iBT exam, or a 6.5on the IELTS exam.
Students who study in degree programs entirely in English or are already native English speakers are exempt from this requirement.
If you come from an English-speaking country, you may simply write “N/A” in the application question which asks for English proficiency.
August 1st to go on exchange in SP2
January 11th to go on exchange in SP5
Weather
Autumn/Winter: 10°c to 28°c
Spring/Summer: 16°c to 32°c
Currency
$ US Dollars
Local language/s
English
Stetson University does not offer airport pick up. You will need to make your own way to the campus from Daytona Beach International Airport (recommended) or Orlando International Airport or Sandford International Airport.
More information on how to get to the campus can be found here.
Stetson University's accommodations are all inclusive, in that all students from various places, spaces and backgrounds have the opportunity to live together and reside together. However, there are also certain residence halls that are pet-friendly, gender neutral, and/or gender specific.
List of available on-campus residence can be found here. Should you require more detailed information about housing forms, deadlines, options, and accommodations please see here.
As an exchange partner with the University of South Australia, you do not have to pay tuition fees to Stetson 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 | $4000 |
Health Insurance | $150 per month |
Accommodation | $1300 per month |
Health Insurance (USD$980 approx.) | $1450 per semester |
Accommodation | $5565 per semester |
Meals/Groceries | $740 per month |
Transportation | $80 per month |
Entertainment and incidentals including phone, laundry etc. | $1000 per month |
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 Stetson 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.
Stetson 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
Stetson 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.