Drexel University
Philadelphia, PA
University Info | Exchange Student Info
College of Engineering | School of Biomedical Engineering, Science and Health Systems | College of Computing and Informatics
Fast Facts
- Drexel University was the first university to operate a fully wireless campus in 2000.
- Before Drexel’s sports teams were known as the Dragons, they were called “The Engineers.”
- Before Washington, DC was the United States capital, Philadelphia served as the nation’s capital.
- Philadelphia was the first world heritage city in the United States.
- Philadelphia’s Italian Market is the oldest outdoor market in the US.
Introduction
Drexel's 60-acre University City Main Campus is located in the University City district of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, about a 10-minute walk from Center City, Philadelphia's downtown neighborhood. Drexel enrolls approximately 15,000 undergraduates and 6,100 graduate and professional students. The university offers approximately 200 degree programs across 15 colleges and schools. Students can choose to join more than 300 cultural, media, social, service, and professional organizations.
Terms of Exchange
Study Level
- Undergraduate students: Accepted
- Graduate students: NOT Accepted
- Computer Science majors: Accepted
Eligibility Requirements
Drexel cannot accept any students interested in completing their final/senior projects.
English Proficiency Requirements
- Mininum TOEFL iBT score – 80
- Minimum IELTS score – 6.5
Study Period
Students may come for a combination of some or all of Fall, Winter, and Spring quarters.
Academic Calendar | Semester Dates (including exam period)
Drexel divides the school year into quarters (terms), not semesters.
Drexel has 4 quarters per year: Fall, Winter, Spring and Summer. Exchange students may begin their stay at Drexel during Fall, Winter or Spring terms. There is no exchange program during the summer term.
In general, the terms follow this calendar below. Please check our academic calendar for exact dates.
- Fall term: Mid-September to Mid-December
- Winter term: Early-January to Mid-March
- Spring term: Late-March to Mid-June
Before you book your plane ticket, please make sure that you understand not only our academic calendar but when the residence halls open and close (if you plan on living in the residence halls) and when final exams take place. Do not book your plane ticket before the last day of final exams.
Academic Information
Disciplines Available
- Architectural Engineering
- Biomedical Engineering
- Chemical Engineering
- Civil Engineering
- Computer Science
- Cyber Security & Information Tech
- Data Science
- Electrical Engineering
- Engineering Technology
- Environmental Engineering
- Information Science & Technology
- Information Systems
- Materials Science & Engineering
- Mechanical Engineering
Course Contents
Course Descriptions | Schedule of Classes
Enrollment Requirements
- Students need to present proof of course pre-requisites where applicable
- Students must take 50% of courses in their assigned major
Workload per Term
You must take a minimum of 12 credits per term and may take no more than 20 credits. Most Drexel students take about 16 credits, 4-5 courses. We suggest that you select 10 courses that you would like to take for each term you are at Drexel. This means that you will not be disappointed if a class in cancelled or if a class is full
Additional Application Materials
Students nominated by IIE to Drexel will also be required to complete Drexel’s on-line application and submit supplementary materials.
- Official University Transcript
- Copy of Passport
- Copy of TOEFL score (if applicable)
- Course Selections
Recommendation letter from a professor or academic staff:
Acceptance packets will be mailed to students’ home school advisors approximately 8 weeks after receiving a complete application, including J-1 visa application.
Housing
On-campus accommodation is available to exchange students, although it is not guaranteed. Accepted students who wish to live on-campus housing should be sure to apply early to reserve their space. Please note: all rooms in Drexel residence halls are double rooms, meaning that you will be sharing your bedroom. If you choose to live on-campus, you will be directly billed by Drexel.
Students also have the option of living off-campus.
Estimated Cost of Living
Budget per Quarter
Public transportation is cheap and affordable. A subway ride costs $2.25 and a bus or train to New York City, Boston, or Washington D.C. can range from $30 -$120 dollars.
- Meals: $1,000-2,000/quarter
Exchange students are not required to purchase a Dining Plan even if you choose to live in the residence halls. Dining Plans are best for students that prefer the convenience of on-campus dining locations. There is a large variety of food trucks, pizzerias, take out restaurants, and other low cost food options available throughout campus and in the immediate area.
- Housing:$3,000-4,000/quarter
- Textbooks:$300-500/quarter
- Mandatory Health Insurance:$800-900/quarter
- Immunization processing:$35 (one-time fee)
- Immunizations:$0-300
- SEVIS & Visa Fees:$450 (one-time fee)
- Personal Expenses: varies
*Total does not include airfare or personal travel expenses
Although exchange students will not be billed tuition costs, students will be billed lab fees as well as activity fees. Visit the tuition breakdown page for more details.
Contact
Office Responsible for International Exchange Students
Office of Study Abroad | inboundexchange@drexel.edu
City Info
Philadelphia is the largest city in Pennsylvania and the fifth most populous city in the United States. A commercial, educational, and cultural center, the city was once the second-largest in the British Empire (after London), and the social and geographical center of the original 13 American colonies. It was in this city that many of the ideas, and subsequent actions, gave birth to the American Revolution and American Independence, making Philadelphia a centerpiece of early American history. It was the most populous city of the young United States, and served as the nation's first capital during much of the Revolutionary War and after. Following the ratification of the U.S. Constitution, it was the temporary national capital from 1790 to 1800 while Washington, DC was under construction.
Philadelphia contains many national historical sites that relate to the founding of the United States. Independence National Historical Park is the center of these historical landmarks. Independence Hall, where the Declaration of Independence was signed, and the Liberty Bell are the city's most famous attractions. Other historic sites include homes for Edgar Allan Poe and Betsy Ross and early government buildings like the First and Second Banks of the United States.
The city also contains many art museums such as the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts and the Rodin Museum, the largest collection of work by Auguste Rodin outside of France. The city’s major art museum, the Philadelphia Museum of Art, is one of the largest art museums in the United States.
In terms of cuisine, the city is known for its hoagies, soft pretzels, water ice, and is home to the cheese steak. It is also known for its many fine restaurants as well as a large selection of international and ethnic restaurants.
