Academics

Exchange students that come to NMSU are particularly interested in Business and Engineering programs, which are some of the best in the region! Many exchange students also take advantage of the bilingual nature of the border region that Las Cruces resides in and will add a Spanish class to their semester! With a few exceptions, the majority of programs at NMSU are available to exchange students, provided they meet any stated prerequisites. Browse the Course Catalog to see what NMSU has to offer! Please refer to Main Campus or Las Cruces Campus when searching for courses. Keep in mind that not all courses are offered in any given semester. To see what courses are currently being offered, you can go to the NMSU Course Look Up. Course schedules are released towards the end of the current semester for the next semester. The courses that are not available to exchange students are all Nursing, CMI (film), and English Literature. English language courses, such as ENGL 111M are available provided students meet the pre-requisites or based on the English Language Placement Test taken during orientation.

Housing & Meals

Exchange students are encouraged to live on campus, as that is the best way to experience life as an NMSU Aggie! For Upperclassmen students, NMSU has three different apartment options for students to choose from. In most cases, students in the apartments share the space with one other student, but there are some quad living options, as well! NMSU offers students a wide variety of on-campus food choices, from an all-you-can-eat-buffet at Taos Restaurant to chain and local restaurants to grab and go items! Many students at NMSU choose to purchase one of the meal plan options. There are options to suit every budget and need.

Student Employment

Per J-1 visa regulations, exchange students can work a maximum of 20 hours on-campus ONLY. Off-campus work, including volunteering, is prohibited and can lead to deportation. For students interested in working on-campus, please contact the Incoming Exchange Advisor for more information.

Health & Wellness

NMSU takes student health very seriously, so we offer a wide variety of resources to help keep students healthy and happy. Aggie Health and Wellness Center is a nationally accredited outpatient ambulatory health care center offering services in acute medical care, mental health, women’s health, immunizations, and health education. The International Health Insurance provided by NMSU includes free use of the Aggie Health and Wellness Center.

International Student Health Insurance

All international students are required to maintain insurance during their time at New Mexico State University. All international students participating in the exchange program with NMSU Education Abroad will be enrolled in NMSU’s insurance plan, via Relation Education Solution. This is mandatory regardless of home university/country insurance requirements. The semester cost of the insurance is billed directly to the NMSU student account at the start of each semester. More information can be found on the NMSU Exchange Students International Student Insurance Plan website.

Student Life

The NMSU Office of the Dean of Students is the office on campus for students to go for any conflicts that may arise that are of either a personal or an academic nature. This office can impose disciplinary sanctions and help mediate between two parties. The Dean of Students Office is part of the larger Student Life Department at NMSU.

Activities

All students at NMSU are invited to take full advantage of campus life as an Aggie! NMSU Student Involvement & Leadership Programs has a wide range of student organizations and Greek organizations for students to choose from, based on academic or personal interest. For those who like to stay active, the NMSU Activity Center has something for everyone. This includes the James B. Delamater Activity Center which offers facilities such as a weight room, elevated indoor jogging track, racquetball courts, aerobics room, cardio room (including exercise bikes and treadmills), and basketball/volleyball courts. Also available for your fitness and recreation needs are our climbing wall, mat room, and ping-pong tables. While it is not common for Exchange Students to participate in the NCAA sports, all students are welcome and encouraged to participate in the Intramural Sports. Do you have a desire to explore New Mexico and all the natural wonder that is to be found in the state? If so, then consider taking one of Outdoor Recreation Service’s many trips offered throughout the semester!