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International Student Exchange Program

The Albert Nerken School of Engineering began partnering with international institutions in the early 2000s to offer undergraduate students the opportunity to come to Cooper for a semester or year-long exchange. Exchange students spend one semester (September-December or January-May) or one year (September-May) studying a variety of courses ranging from the four core majors in the School of Engineering (civil, chemical, electrical and mechanical) to various applicable courses in the School of Art or the School of Architecture.

Our current partner institutions are:

Application & Deadlines

In order to apply for our international exchange program you must first consult with your universities’ international programs coordinator. They are the ones that will be accepting your applications to apply for the semester exchange and may have additional requirements that you need to meet before moving forward with this process.

For questions about visa and immigration, please send an email to Hala Alkasm, Assistant Director of International Advisement.

For questions about advising and course selection please contact Associate Dean Lisa Shay, Associate Dean for Educational Innovation.

Beginning in fall 2026, exchange students are required to purchase student health insurance through the Cooper Union, regardless of whether the student or their parents have coverage in their home country that they think would cover study in NY. We anticipate the rates for 2026-2027 will be similar to the 2025-2026 rates, but actual costs will be available in July 2026. For information about the health insurance as well as the 2025-2026 rates, please click here. 

In addition, our website contains information about the cost of attending Cooper. While exchange students do not pay Cooper tuition or registration fees, the information on housing, transportation and book cost may be useful in estimating the cost of living while attending Cooper.

The international student handbook can be found here.

Resources

Engineering Faculty Profiles and Projects

Degree-granting Departments

Engineering course listings

Link to class schedule

 

  • Founded by inventor, industrialist and philanthropist Peter Cooper in 1859, The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art offers education in art, architecture and engineering, as well as courses in the humanities and social sciences.

  • “My feelings, my desires, my hopes, embrace humanity throughout the world,” Peter Cooper proclaimed in a speech in 1853. He looked forward to a time when, “knowledge shall cover the earth as waters cover the great deep.”

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