The International Center is not allowed to pre‐register exchange students or short-term sponsored students because of security clearance and system requirements. Research MU courses online. If you are able to navigate the MyZou system prior to arrival, you can place your desired courses in your "wish list." Then enroll in the courses you choose. You must make final changes after you have arrived in Columbia. Check in at the International Center before you register for courses.
By the end of the first two weeks of classes, your schedule must show enrollment in at least 12 undergraduate credit hours or nine graduate credit hours. Enrolling in courses at MU often requires patience and perseverance. Attempting to enroll in certain courses may require meeting individually with professors to discuss courses that you have completed at your home university that may serve as prerequisites for the MU course in which you wish to enroll. You should have alternate selections for each course you wish to take.
Some MU colleges, schools and/or departments, such as the College of Business, may require you to seek permission from academic advisers or professors at MU to enroll for courses in particular academic disciplines. Please note that the Masters in Business Administration Program will not allow exchange students to enroll in their courses, and courses in some of the applied health sciences and the medical school also may be restricted due to limited availability and the competitiveness of admission. In addition, journalism courses are not open to exchange students, with the exception of students participating in exchange programs facilitated by the MU School of Journalism.
The International Center encourages non-degree exchange and sponsored students to be flexible and take a multidisciplinary approach to course selection. With more than 100 degree programs at MU, students can find courses to meet their needs and interests in many fields.
After your arrival on campus you will need to obtain a University of Missouri student identification card. The International Center staff will help you. Keep your MU student ID card with you at all times. Your MU student ID enables you to:
If you lose your student ID card, you may get a replacement for $20.
When you have completed a short-term exchange program and all bills to MU have been paid, an official transcript of coursework undertaken at MU will be sent to your home university or sponsoring agency. If you want a personal copy, request a transcript online, or:
The International Center will send a transcript to your sponsor at the end of each semester. You must complete and submit a transcript request form for each semester you will be at MU. These are available at the Registrar's office or at the International Center front desk. If we do not have a transcript request form on file for each semester, you will need to request a transcript personally at the Registrar's office and pay the fee to have it shipped to your sponsor.
You will find many activities available to you as a student at MU. Many of these are posted in the Maneater, the student newspaper, or student activity calendars.
An activities mart is held at the beginning of every semester. Many of the campus organizations are represented.
A number of activities for international students are also offered through the International Center, which is also located in N52 Memorial Union.
