Outgoing

Download your Transcript of Records

You can download your academic record from your personal lfu-online account. It’s important that the record is in English and complete, meaning all grades must be listed, including failed exams. Only the most recent attempt counts. Master's students also need to include their Bachelor's or diploma examination certificate, which must be translated if necessary.

Compose a Letter of Motivation

The letter of motivation may be written in German or English and should be one to two pages long. It should illustrate both personal and academic interest in studying abroad, in New Orleans, at UNO, in the USA, or in North America in general.

Take the Proof of Immunization Compliance to your doctor

UNO requires proof of the following vaccinations:

• Measles, Mumps, Rubella
• Tetanus-Diphtheria
• Meningococcal*
• Covid-19**

The proof of immunization must be completed by your primary care physician, who will confirm whether the above vaccinations are present or not. It is up to you to decide if you want to update any missing vaccinations. If you lack one or more vaccinations or doses, the Request for Exemption section at the bottom of the form must be completed. In this case, additional forms will be required after registration at UNO, but your student exchange will proceed unimpeded.

*This vaccine is typically administered as a single dose in Austria rather than two. In this case, the second date can be left blank, but this should be noted in the Request for Exemption section.

**Covid vaccination or boosters are no longer required for entry.

Proof of Immunization Compliance
More information under UNO Health Services

Complete the Documentation of Financial Support
Take the Letter from Bank to your bank advisor

To enter the U.S. with a non-immigrant visa and enroll at an American university, you must provide the Documentation of Financial Support and a bank letter confirming the following amounts:

• 1 semester: $14,500
• 2 semesters: $29,000

The amount depends on the duration of stay and is adjusted regularly (as of Spring 2025).

Documentation of Financial Support

Visa Information: You will study at UNO under the J-1 Student Visa, which is first applied for by the university on behalf of exchange students. Students will then receive the DS-2019 form and complete the final step of the application themselves at the consulate (see Preparation > Visa Application).

Address Information: It is important to provide your university email address under Email. The DS-2019 form is being sent digitally via email since 2023.

Financial Information: The official name of the program is Joint Study Partnership UIBK-UNO. No specific amount is required in the Cost field; it simply confirms that applicants have considered financing the stay. Possible expenses include:

• Application fees and visa
• Tuition fees
• Books and course materials
• Rent and utilities
• Food and groceries
• Leisure activities
• Travel expenses, public transportation, or taxi/Uber
• (see also Student Mobility > Costs)

Finally, indicate how your budget for the stay abroad is structured by checking applicable options from the list. This selection may even inspire new ideas to help with planning!

Letter from Bank

The Letter from Bank should confirm the amounts listed in the Documentation of Financial Support. The specified amount must be verified by the bank based on the source of funds. If funds come from scholarships or grants, the respective notices must be attached.

Example: The Documentation of Financial Support indicates that the confirmed amount is composed as follows:

$1,500: Own funding
$13,000: Funding from parent, relative, or sponsor

Therefore, the following confirmations must be submitted:

$1,500: Letter from Bank (own account)
$13,000: Letter from Bank (parent's account)

The Letter from Bank must be issued in English, in dollars, and include the bank’s logo, watermark, or stamp. This does not mean the stay abroad will cost exactly this amount or cannot exceed it; it simply assures the U.S. government that entrants have sufficient financial means.

This is not a confirmation of account balance, but a verification that the specified amount or more was available in the account at the given exchange rate at the time.

If any difficulties arise at this step, please inform us immediately.

Documentation of Financial Support
Letter from Bank

Scan your passport

The passport must be valid for 6 months after the end of your stay or at least until the date of return. If this is not the case, you should apply for a new passport immediately. Processing times can be very long depending on location, and a visa will not be issued without a passport. In the worst case, this could prevent your stay abroad.

Take a Language Proficiency Test

American universities generally require a language test at a B2 level or higher for admission of international students.

Accepted language certificates:

• TOEFL
• TOEFL IB
• IELTS
• Duolingo
• Language proficiency test (see below)

For more information, see UNO Admissions below (note: for language certificate requirements information only).

Language Proficiency Test @ Language Center

Thanks to the partnership, an exception applies to students from Innsbruck: instead of a costly, complex certificate, they can take the Language Proficiency Test at the LFUI Language Center. The exam fee is €65, with €30 reimbursed by the International Relations Office upon completion of the study abroad program. To claim this reimbursement, simply send by post/bring personally:

Language Proficiency Certificate (Copy)
Receipt (Original document)
Confirmation of Pay (Original document; credit card receipt/bank transfer receipt, etc.)
Request Refund Form (see below)
...to IRO.

As the test usually occurs after the application deadline, but is the most affordable option, you can upload a Declaration of Intent (see below) in My Mobilities instead of the certificate and submit the test certificate later. However, if no language certificate is provided within two weeks of the test date, participation in the exchange is not permitted.

Neither a high school diploma (Matura/Abitur) nor a degree in English or American Studies (BA or MA) can replace this requirement,
Cambridge Language Certificates might be converted to a IELTS score upon request by Cambridge itself.

UNO Admissions
Language Centre/Language Proficiency Exams
Request Refund Form
Declaration of Intent

Compile a Preliminary Course Selection

Both students and universities need to know which courses will be taken during the semester abroad. Unfortunately, only the general course catalog of UNO is publicly accessible, and the actual course offerings for the semester are only available after successfully applying to UNO. To determine whether UNO truly offers the necessary courses that each candidate still requires to complete their degree, a preliminary course selection must be submitted. This way you can be sure you do not fill out forms and pay fees only to find out later that a semester abroad at UNO is not an option for them.

This preliminary selection does not need to be set in stone, which wouldn't make sense, as changes are expected at this stage. Students should select more courses than they actually plan to take to accommodate potential changes later.

The goal is to fit UIBK courses you need to complete your degree with UNO courses you want to take. The necessary information should include: course title, course description, and ECTS/credits. (A template can be found below.)

Course Selection

All UNO courses are generally available; there are no restrictions on specific subjects or institutes. However, the following rules must be followed:

• Accreditable courses worth 16 ECTS must be completed..
  • Undergraduate students must earn at least 12 credits (typically 4 courses).
  • Graduate students must earn at least 9 credits (typically 3 courses).
• A maximum of 6 courses can be taken.
• A maximum of one online course is allowed.

Course Value

There is no fixed conversion rate between U.S. Credits and European ECTS. Each system is based on required workload, and as a tentative guideline we suggest that one U.S. credit is roughly equivalent to 2 ECTS. In the end the conversion rate depends on the specific UIBK courses being replaced:

A 3-credit Spanish course cannot be counted as 6 ECTS if the corresponding UIBK course is only worth 5 ECTS. A 3-credit Cell Biology course might count for a 7.5 ECTS Cell Biology course, provided there is strong justification. (For details, see Preparation > Course Registration and Credit Transfer.)

Course Levels

UNO courses are classified by difficulty and required prior knowledge or prerequisites:

• 1000-4900 Undergraduate
• 5000-5900 Graduate
• 6000+ Capstone/PhD courses

Courses are "downward compatible", meaning Master’s students may take undergraduate courses, but undergraduate students may not take graduate-level courses. Exceptions might be made if Master's students would wish to take 6000+ level courses, but only with good reasoning due to the high difficulty and prerequisites.
If a Master's student selects undergraduate courses only, they could opt to register at UNO as an undergraduate student entirely, which can significantly reduce tuition fees, but has no other consequences.

Most courses require prerequisites, which Advisors will verify during course selection.

The prerequisite for Basic Spanish II (SPAN 1002) is SPAN 1001. If a student has already taken a Spanish course at UIBK, it could count as the prerequisite. If multiple Spanish courses have been taken, the student might qualify for SPAN 2001 or SPAN 2002. Proof of prior coursework is required, such as a transcript of records.

Tuition Fees

Tuition fees vary and are calculated based on multiple factors, including course selection among other factors. Fees increase with the number and level of courses taken.

For more information, refer to the UNO Bursar's Office website under Undergraduate Fee Schedule or Graduate Fee Schedule.

Accreditation

To ensure that the time abroad does not unnecessarily extend the duration of your degree and that the 16 ECTS requirement is met, students must take courses that fit into their UIBK curriculum.
A curriculum consists of modules (subjects), each containing mandatory or elective courses. The goal is to find UNO courses that either match the content of a required course or can replace an elective course.

If you are unsure about course selection, do not hesitate to contact the CNO. Most questions can be answered quickly, and at this stage, there is no need to involve deans of study or or associate deans of study.

UNO Course Catalog
Template Preliminary Course Selection

Apply to UNO

After all nominations have been accepted we can set a date for the second application.

You have already prepared all necessary documents:
Transcript of Records
Proof of English Proficiency
Passport
Documentation of Financial Support
Letter from Bank

Students apply through a dynamic online form, which means the form changes based on the information entered. Unfortunately, this also means you must be extremely careful with your entries, as previous versions cannot be restored—it is better to leave answers blank initially than to select something incorrectly, have to delete the application and start over from scratch.

Video Guide Application at UNO

Always select non-degree seeking (you will receive your degree from LFUI, not UNO), and Innsbruck Incoming (Academic Information/Major) so UNO knows you are applying as an exchange student, not a regular freshman.
You are applying under a J-1 Exchange Visitor/Exchange Student Visa.
No application fees are required; if you are prompted to pay a fee, pause the application and contact us instead!

After the application deadline, you should receive two emails: one confirming your application, and the other containing the DS-2019 form. Once all candidates have received both, you can proceed to steps 8, 9, and 10.

Create a UNO myapps Account
Complete all open items during onboarding

Once you receive the confirmation of your application, also known as the Notice of Admission, Letter of Acceptance, or Welcome to UNO email, you will have access to UNO systems. Like the University of Innsbruck, UNO has a student portal like lfu:online, myapps, and a learning management system like Olat, Canvas. Myapps provides access to all portals and programs necessary or useful for studying at UNO.

Access

The Welcome to UNO email should have included your username. To find your UNO email address, simply add @uno.edu to your username. 

E.g.: Username: lkaup, UNO Email: lkaup@uno.edu. 

The password is set via the Password Reset page. After enteringyour username, a code will be sent to the email address used for the UNO application. This code must be used within 15 minutes.

Workday and Onboarding

To complete the registration, simply open myapps in your browser and accept the Terms of Use. Through the portal, you will have access to your UNO email address, course catalog, course registration, and Workday and the onboarding process. Workday provides an overview of everything related to your stay at UNO. All tasks listed under Awaiting Your Action should be completed as soon as possible. New students do not have access to all features, as they are classified as first-semester students in the UNO system and have various holds placed on their accounts. To lift these, the documents prepared in the initial application phase must now be submitted to the appropriate offices. Once these documents have been reviewed, you can proceed. Examples of holds include the immunization hold, which will be lifted once the Proof of Immunization Compliance has been verified, and the advising hold, which will be lifted once the responsible advisors have reviewed the requirements for the desired courses (see Step 9).

UNO myapps
Onboarding Guide

Check out the UNO Course Catalog
Speak with your UNO Advisor and have the course registration released
Speak with your Dean of Studies and have the Preliminary Notice of Recognition filled out
Enroll in courses via Workday

Course registration is a very complex topic, be sure to read all the information carefully before you begin.

The public UNO Course Catalog shows all the courses that UNO generally offers; however, the actual course selection for each semester can only be viewed through Workday and may differ. It is advisable to have a preliminary selection, ideally with a few more courses than you actually intend to take to account for changes.

American universities have a somewhat different course system than UIBK. Relevant for the exchange are course levels, credits, and descriptions—so it is wise to examine these aspects closely. Problems can arise in course accreditation,course selection and scheduling, and the final selection must be approved by the Dean of Study/Associate Dean of Study at UIBK and the UNO Advisors, so it is highly unlikely there will be no changes, and time should be made for several meetings.

Rules (revision)

• All UNO courses are open to students (subject to prerequisites).
• Courses worth at least 16 ECTS must be accredited at UIBK.
  • Undergraduates need at least 12 Credits (typically 4 courses).
  • Graduates need at least 9 Credits (typically 3 courses).
• A maximum of 6 courses can be taken.
• Only one online course is allowed.

Course Value and Workload

Both U.S. Credits and European ECTS are based on the required workload, we tentatively suggest that one credit equates to about two ECTS, but ultimately, all students must work together with their respective Academic Deans to determine how the intended courses fit into the curriculum and which courses they will replace. Naturally, it is possible to accept less than two ECTS per Credit, and if you want more, you need good arguments:

The distribution of workload at UNO is different:

• Mandatory attendance
• Essays, assignments, and smaller assessments
• Usually two big exams (mid-terms and finals)

The workload at UNO is distributed more evenly throughout the semester, weekly assignments and repetition will keep you prepared for exams.

A 3 Credit UNO Spanish course cannot be accredited for 6 ECTS if the UIBK equivalent course is only worth 5 ECTS. A 3 Credit UNO Cell Biology course could be accredited for a 7.5 ECTS UIBK equivalent course, if you can make an argument for it.

Course Level

By this stage, students should know whether they are registered as Undergraduates or Graduates. The following courses are available:

• 1000-4900: Undergraduate
• 5000-5900: Graduate
• 6000 and above: Capstone/PhD courses

Prerequisites are required for most courses and will be a topic of discussion during course selection by the advisors. (see below)

The prerequisite for Basic Spanish II (SPAN 1002) is the course SPAN 1001. If a Spanish course has already been attended in Innsbruck, it could count as a prerequisite; if multiple courses were taken, they might even suffice for SPAN 2001 or SPAN 2002. This means that proof of these courses must be provided, for example via the transcript of records.

UNO Advisors

UNO Advisors (contact details provided by Center Austria after course registration begins) are responsible for:

• Checking prerequisite availability
• Ensuring no scheduling conflicts
• Lifting the Advising Hold to unlock course registration

To speed up the process, students should prepare:

• English transcript of records
• Matura/Abitur certificate (maybe)

It is generally faster to resolve issues via an online meeting or phone call rather than email. If no response is received within 1-2 business days, students should inform CNO and follow up.

UIBK Dean of Studies (Studiendekan*innen) & Study Advisors

To avoid study delays and ensure the 16 ECTS requirement is met, courses must fit into the UIBK curriculum.

The curriculum consists of modules (subjects), each with mandatory or elective courses. The goal is to find UNO courses that either:

• Match the content of a mandatory UIBK course, or
• Replace an elective course.

Once your Preliminary Course Selection has been discussed with UNO Advisors, students can schedule a meeting with the UIBK Dean of Studies and submit the completed Preliminary Notice of Recognition for review.

The responsible Dean of Studies or Study Advisor varies by department. To find them go to lfu:online > Course Catalog > Your Study Program > INFO. The Curriculum you can find in the tab General Information, your respective Deans of Study/Associate Deans of Study in the tab Contact Information. In many cases Associate Deans of Study handle Bachelor’s students while Deans of Study handle Master’s students, but it is often best to consult your Associate Dean of Study first.

UNO Course Catalog
Course Selection Guide
Preliminary Notice of Recognition

Register for a room at Privateer Place or
Find a private room/apartement

Generally, there are two housing options for LFUI students at UNO: the Privateer Place student dormitory or private rentals. Both options have pros and cons, but the Center New Orleans strongly recommends Privateer Place. While we are familiar with the pros and cons of the P-Place, private rentals can have the same and many additional disadvantages without the possibility of intervention by CNO and Center Austria. Moreover, American cities are not designed for pedestrians or cyclists, and while the P-Place is located directly on campus, reaching the university from an off-campus location can be a challenge. Lastly, when possible, rooms are passed down from returning students to incoming ones, so we have succeeded in keeping good rooms over the years.

Privateer Place offers mixed apartments in various sizes. The rooms are furnished, with washing machines available in the building or optionally in the apartment, and a lake view is an option. The grounds feature a volleyball and basketball court, as well as a swimming pool, a barbecue and picnic area, and of course, there are common rooms with regular events to meet other residents.

Around the time of the application deadline at UNO, the application window for Privateer Place opens. At that time, housing will be discussed, and those choosing P-Place will register during one of the online meetings.

Due to the risk of flooding and the subtropical climate, along with its associated fauna, rooms on the ground floor are not recommended. The ground floor is referred to as the first floor in the USA and can be identified at P-Place by the third digit of the room number.

Privateer Place

Receive the DS-2019 Form
Apply Online and Obtain the DS-160
Pay the SEVIS Fee and Obtain the I-901
Schedule an Interview Appointment with the Consulate (if applicable)
Attend the Interview Appointment
Receive Passport Including Visa (if applicable, by post)

Once all documents have been reviewed by UNO and the OISS (Office of International Students), you will receive the DS-2019 form via email. This form is a specific requirement for the J-1 student visa, confirming the planned study stay at UNO. It should be carefully checked for accuracy and signed immediately upon receipt, as even minor errors can lead to rejections in the visa process.

Please prepare the following documents and information:

Biometric passport photo (digital, max. 240KB, 22x35mm)
Credit card (for fees totaling approximately $350 as of 2024, MasterCard/VISA accepted)
Contact information for two non-relatives who can confirm the application details
Personal information (school, education, work, social media, etc.)
Information about the exchange (duration, address, contact person, etc.)
SEVIS ID (top right on the DS-2019)
Program Number (center on the DS-2019)
Patience and about 2-3 hours of your time

DS-160

First, an application must be submitted on the CEAC website. Upon successful completion, the DS-160 form will be issued.

SEVIS

Next, you must pay the SEVIS fee. This fee goes to the Department of Homeland Security, which manages the data of non-immigrant visas. It is paid on the SEVP website, and the I-901 document is issued as confirmation.

US Travel Docs/AIS

Lastly, the online application is done through US Travel Docs for Austria and Germany, and through AIS for Italy. This is where all previously obtained forms come together, and this is also where you can request the interview appointment. Depending on demand, the earliest available visa interview appointments may be very close to or even after the intended departure date. In this case, you have to select the earliest possible date and then submit an expedited request (reason: start of classes). Occasionally, applicants are selected for the Interview Waiver Program, which means that no interview is required. This option saves considerable time and is highly recommended.

Interview Appointment

The following documents must be brought to the interview appointment:

Passport
DS-2019
DS-160
I-901
Passport photo, if needed (original copy)

Consulates

American Consulate in Vienna: Austrian, German, and Italian citizens who are registered in Austria can have their interview appointment in Vienna.

American Consulate in Milan: Italian citizens also have the option to travel to Milan. However, we advise against it due to issues experienced with the corresponding postal route.

American Consulate in Munich: For German citizens, the consulate in Munich is responsible. It only sends passports with visas to German addresses and may have very long wait times.

More information about the exact visa application process, required forms, and fees can be found on the websites of the relevant American consulates.

All instructions for the visa application process should be followed precisely. Ensuring the immediate and correct payment of all applicable fees is especially important, as fees vary by consulate.

Pay Tuition
Pay the ÖH Fee

Tuition fees can be paid either in cash at the Bursar’s Office (no additional fees) or online through Workday using a credit card (MasterCard or American Express). For credit card payments, a transaction fee of approximately 2.5% (around $80–$100) is applied.

Tuition fees also have a specific deadline. If this deadline falls before arrival in New Orleans, tuition fees must be paid in advance, either by credit card or online transfer.

A breakdown of all fees can be found on Workday. Initially, the amount displayed will be quite high, but note that the non-resident fee and insurance plan will later be removed.

Once tuition is paid, you can obtain a student ID on campus. In the U.S., it’s often beneficial to present this ID when making purchases, as many businesses offer student discounts.

Check your credit card limit with your bank before departure, as higher expenses may be incurred in the first days. In the U.S., cash withdrawals from a bank using a credit card are not possible. Cash withdrawals from ATMs (Maestro) are only possible within the set withdrawal limit.

Get the J-1 Insurance Coverage Form Completed

For your stay at UNO, it’s mandatory to have travel and health insurance. This insurance must cover all required items listed on UNO’s J-1 Insurance Coverage Evaluation Form. The form must be completed by your insurance provider, and an official insurance certificate in English should also be carried to the U.S. Without this form, or if any required items are missing, you’ll be required to purchase UNO’s more expensive insurance on-site.

It’s generally advised not to rely on travel and health insurance provided through credit cards, as these typically do not meet the requirements and may be unreliable in case of a claim.

Insurance Coverage Form