Founded in 1883, six years before the state itself was established, University of North Dakota (UND) gave North Dakota its name when the former Dakota territories separated into two distinct states. Today, UND is a busy 550-acre campus, the state’s largest. UND has emerged as an innovator in energy, medicine, aviation, and unmanned aircraft systems. 
 
Increasingly regarded as one of the top academic and research institutions in the nation, the National Science Foundation ranks UND #151 in the nation. UND is fully accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) and positioned with Stanford, Harvard and MIT among the Top 25 Most Innovative Schools. 

UND offers 225+ fields of study and has emerged as an innovator in energy, medicine, aviation, and unmanned aircraft systems. The UND ice hockey team has won eight National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) championship, most recently in 2016 and is considered a powerhouse in the ice hockey arena. 

The city of Grand Forks, established in 1881, was named for its location at the confluence of the Red River and the Red Lake River. The city, which sits on the border of North Dakota and Minnesota, is 2.5 hours' drive south of Winnipeg, Canada. With a population of 70,700 inhabitants, Grand Forks is the third largest city in North Dakota.

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) 
• Health form 
• Medical insurance 
• Statement of financial responsibility 

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 

• TOEFL -5252 (paper-based -PBT); -195 (Computer based - CBT); - 71 (Internet based -iBT) 
• IELTS – 6.0 – Undergraduate / 6.5 Graduate  
• PTE A:50 (Pearson Test of English)  
• Completion of ELS Language Centers’ Intensive Level 112 

Find courses at University of North Dakota

You will be matched with a student peer mentor who will assist you with airport pickup on your arrival at Grand Forks International Airport. You will receive more information once your application has been accepted by University of North Dakota. Should you wish to clarify further, please contact the UND International Centre. 

University of North Dakota encourages all exchange students to reside on-campus as you will be close to all the resources available to you. The residence halls includes the following amenities; high-speed Internet and wireless, laundry and kitchenette, cable TV and streaming movies, microwaves, ResNet computer support and study lounges. To look at on-campus options please see here. 

As an exchange partner with the University of South Australia, you do not have to pay tuition fees to University of North Dakota, 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 University of North Dakota, you must purchase compulsory additional health insurance. See here for more information.