Established in 1899 with only 23 students, Northern Arizona University (NAU) has experienced World War II and the Great Depression. The University President at the time believed that higher education is a critical service that would overcome the adversity. Proven to be true 120 years later, with Flagstaff Mountain Campus as its main campus, NAU has over 29 extended campuses across the state of Arizona, offering many the opportunity to access higher education.   

NAU has much to be proud of, including nationally ranked programs, high-research status, and emergence as a leader in sustainability, science, business, green building, and cultural arts. The University is committed to building green, with multiple LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design)-certified buildings on the Flagstaff campus. One of NAU’s green initiative is that the university composts over 120,000 pounds of material, which prevents 100 metric tons of carbon dioxide from entering the atmosphere. 

NAU has a active campus life, with more than 400 student clubs and organisations with activities extending off-campus to rafting the Colorado River to skiing the black diamond run on the San Francisco peaks.  

Flagstaff borders the Navajo Nation, the USA’s largest American Indian tribe covering over 17.5 million acres, and home to Antelope Canyon, Monument Valley, Canyon de Chelly, and other iconic natural wonders. The city is located two and half hours north of the Arizona state capital Phoenix. Flagstaff is situated near the base of the San Francisco peaks and is surrounded by a series of canyons, including the Grand Canyon, as well as the largest ponderosa pine forest in the world. With low humidity and an altitude of 2,134 metres, Flagstaff experiences relatively mild weather conditions all year round. This city is a dream for outdoor and nature lovers, offering outdoor activities such as hiking and skiing in all seasons.

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!

All students must meet standard exchange selection criteria and any host institution restrictions. 

• UniSA academic transcript 
• Passport 
• Evidence of English proficiency (if applicable) 

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: 

• 15 US credits = 5 US courses (@ 3 credits each) is equivalent to 18 UniSA units 
• 12 US credits = 4 US courses (@ 3 credits each) is equivalent to 13.5 UniSA units 

The minimum requirements for university admission are; 

• IELTS 6 
• TOEFL 70 IBT (School code 4006, MyBestScore accepted) 
• PTE 56 

Find courses at NAU

Northern Arizona University does not offer airport pick up. You will need to make your own way to the campus from Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport.  
 
More information on how to get to the campus can be found here. 

You can apply for on-campus accommodation once you have been accepted at NAU. International House (I-House) community is the recommended on-campus residence for international students. The Campus Heights Apartments is a residential college located in the heart of the university campus.  

More information on accommodation can be found here. 

As an exchange partner with the University of South Australia, you do not have to pay tuition fees to Northern Arizona 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: 

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 Northern Arizona University, you must purchase compulsory additional health insurance. See here for more information.