There are two major international airports near New Brunswick, NJ: Newark International Airport (EWR) located in New Jersey and John F. Kennedy (JFK) International Airport located in New York. Students also sometimes fly into La Guardia Airport (LGA), a smaller airport also located in New York City. You may choose to fly into any airport, but we strongly suggest you fly into Newark International Airport, as it is much closer and students have said it is much more convenient than flying into JFK or LGA.

Getting to Campus from Newark Airport

http://www.panynj.gov/airports/ewr-ground-transportation.html

From Newark Airport, the easiest and cheapest way to get to New Brunswick is to take the train. An air link train from Newark Airport will take you right to the New Jersey Transit Newark Airport train station. You will then take the New Jersey Transit “NE Corridor” train destined for Trenton, NJ, which stops in New Brunswick. (You should purchase a one-way ticket before boarding the train, as tickets purchased on the train are more expensive.  NJ Transit tickets can be purchased in Newark Airport before heading up the escalator to the air link train.) You can view the NJ Transit train schedule and ticket information at the following address:  http://www.njtransit.com/


Getting to Campus from JFK Airport

http://www.panynj.gov/airports/jfk-ground-transportation.html

More info can be found here: http://www.panynj.gov/airports/jfk-airtrain.html

And here: http://www.mta.info/mta/airtrain.htm

Rutgers Global-Study Abroad requires that exchange students live on campus. Incoming exchange students will usually be housed in Easton Avenue university apartments. In the university apartments, students will have access to shared kitchen facilities. Please make sure to check the facilities and amenities included in your dorm room. You can read International FAQ for Housing here.

Please note that the majority of on-campus residences at Rutgers are shared rooms. We are not able to request a single room for incoming students, unless they have a documented disability. If this is the case, then please let us know early in the application process so that we can send you the necessary disability accommodation forms.  

If housing is not included in your exchange agreement, you will be responsible for the cost of housing. Payment in full is due during the first two weeks of the semester; students also may have the option of paying online before they arrive. For a list of estimated prices as well as a description of some of the options, please visit the Rutgers University Housing and Residence Life web page.

Incoming exchange students who are placed in a university apartment can choose to have a meal plan.  There are quite a few options for meal plans, and more information about these plans can be found on the Dining Services web page. You are also able to opt out of a meal plan after your arrival to campus. 

When you arrive at Rutgers you will receive a digitized student ID card and your meal plan will be encoded into your card. You will swipe your ID card every time you go to the dining hall for a meal. There are four dining halls at Rutgers, and all of them will be available to you.

Students can also use their Rutgers ID cards as a debit card at participating locations.  These include on-campus eateries, local restaurants, and shops.  More information about this program can be found on the RU Express web page.

Rutgers Global–International Student and Scholar Services hosts a mandatory International Student Orientation the beginning of the fall and spring semesters to welcome international students to Rutgers University. The program is filled with activities and events that will help you get acquainted with Rutgers and the United States.

Cost of Living

In order to obtain the J-1 Exchange Visitor Visa for the Rutgers exchange programs, students must be able to show the ability to pay for your travel costs. Please visit Rutgers Global- International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS) for additional information here on the visa information.

 

Rutgers Term Bill

In mid-July and late December, Rutgers Global-Study Abroad will email you instructions about your Rutgers term bill. Based on the agreements with our exchange partner universities, Rutgers Global-Study Abroad covers the following: 

• Tuition
• Student fee
• School fee
• Technology fee

Exchange students are responsible in covering the remainder charges as applicable:

• On-Campus Housing (Exchange students are usually housed in Easton Avenue Apartments.)
• Course Fees/Others Fees (Certain courses may have additional fees. Other fees include your SEVIS fee.)
• Student Health Insurance (This is mandatory unless you are approved for a waiver.)
• Meal Plan (This is not mandatory. It will appear on your term bill initially, but you have the option to change or cancel upon arrival.)

The costs exchange students cover typically range from $7,000-$8,500 per semester depending on meal plans and course fees. For exact details, please check the links above. 
 

Visiting students have access to the majority of classes offered at the Rutgers–New Brunswick. To find classes, you should use the official Rutgers Schedule of Classes. The online Schedule of Classes for the fall semester will be available by mid-March and the spring semester schedule will be available by mid-October. 

Finding Courses

• Click on (New Brunswick), level (undergraduate) and semester (Fall/Spring).
• Once you enter in this information, you can search for courses. Searching by 'Subject' or 'Keyword' is recommended. 
• Courses are listed by title and number. An example course number looks like this: 01:090:210
  • The first two digits indicate the School. For example, 01 = School of Arts and Sciences
  • The second three digits indicate the department/concentration. For example, 090 = Political Science
  • The third three digits are the actual course number and level. For example 210=an introductory/lower level course
• You will then see a list of each class in that subject offered that particular semester.
  • When viewing classes, please be sure to notice the meeting time and place.
  • The different campuses are College Avenue (Coll Av); Cook (D/C); Douglass (D/C); Livingston (Liv); and Busch. There is a staggered class schedule for each campus. Please make sure that you have sufficient travel time between classes on different campuses.  

Limited Courses

Some Rutgers Schools limit courses available to non-matriculating (exchange) students. It is important to be aware of this limitation and only submit 1 or two requests for the following:

• Computer Science and Computer Engineering (courses that start with 01:198: ###).
• Business  (33:###:###).

Restricted Courses

The following Schools are not open to exchange students:

• School of Communication and Information Technology (courses that start with 04:###:###). 
  • Note: a few 100 level classes (i.e., 04:###:100) may be an option.
• Mason Gross School of the Arts (07:###:###)
  • Note: a few 100 level classes (i.e., 07:###:100) may be an option.
• School of Pharmacy (30:###:###)
• School of Nursing (77:###:###)

Internships and Independent Study Courses

Internships and Independent Study courses are only available to Academic Year exchange students during their Spring semester. It is the student's responsibility to find an internship placement or arrange an independent study with Rutgers faculty. Students who want to participate in an internship are required to work closely with Carissa McCarthy in the ISSS office for immigration purposes. 

Course Levels

• 100-200 level courses are often lower level, more generalized courses. They are primarily for 1st and 2nd year students.
• 300-400 level courses are upper level courses usually only available for 3rd and 4th year students and often have prerequisites for enrollment.
• 500 level courses and above are graduate level courses, and are not available to exchange students.

Pre-Requisites

When choosing your courses please check to see if you have the necessary prerequisites. These must clearly appear on your transcript. 

Course Schedule

A typical class load for one semester at Rutgers is four or five classes at three credits per class, or 12 to 15 credits total. You must be enrolled for a full-time course load while you are at Rutgers. How your credits from Rutgers translate back to your home university should be discussed with your study abroad adviser at your home university.

Add/Drop Period

During the first week and a half of the semester there will be an “Add/Drop” period where students will have the opportunity to change their schedules; classes that were closed during the initial registration period may open again. 

Rutgers Global-Study Abroad, the arm of the Rutgers Global that facilitates study abroad programming, will guide you with course registration, housing, meal plans, and coming to Rutgers. Once you arrive on campus, you will be assigned an international student adviser at Rutgers Global–International Student and Scholar Services to help you with immigration and visa processing questions and issues. 

At Rutgers, it is required for all staff, students, faculty, and scholars (and their families)—including international students, faculty, scholars, and their families—to have at least a minimum level of health insurance coverage. For more about coverage options, alternate coverage, and costs, visit our health insurance page.