Inbound Exchanges
This section of the website is designed for exchange students from outside of the UK who wish to study at the University of Chichester, usually as part of a degree at their home university.
US Students
We are a Title IV approved foreign school.
Information on inbound exchanges
Choosing your exchange
- You can study with us for one or two semesters (half an academic year or one full academic year).
- Look at our subject areas to decide which topics interest you.
- Check there is a valid exchange agreement for your course. You will need to make sure that your university has an agreement set in place with the University of Chichester before you can proceed. Please speak to your International Office at your home institution for further details.
- Please note, medium of instruction is wholly English and if English is not your first language you will need to provide evidence of your language level. A list of our recognised English language tests can be viewed on our requirements page.
- If you have any questions regarding our courses or the university, please contact us at exchange@chi.ac.uk or speak to your International Office at your university.
How to apply
Exchange nomination and application process
- Speak to your international office and ask them to nominate you by sending a nomination email to exchange@chi.ac.uk.
- If your nomination is successful, the University of Chichester will send you the link to our application portal.
- When selecting your modules, check that they are available in the semesters you wish to study here and the credits for these modules add up to the recommended total for the time you will spend at Chichester. Your home institution will need to approve your module selection, if you have any questions about these modules please contact exchange@chi.ac.uk.
- Complete your application on our portal here. Once you have registered on our platform as an incoming exchange applicant, you will be able to upload your supporting documents, including a recent transcript, evidence of suitable English language qualifications (for students whose native language is not English), your personal statement and an academic reference for international exchanges. If applicable to your subject area, you will also be able to provide us with your audition video.
- The exchange tutor at the University of Chichester will consider your application and if you are successful, the University of Chichester will email you with your offer.
Our BePrepared website is all about international students, and contains useful information on life in the UK and visas and immigration
Application and nomination deadlines
Our deadlines for incoming student nominations and applications are as follows.
Fall semester 2026 (semester 1) or full year 2026/2027 exchange:
- Nomination by 22 March 2026
- Application by 26 April 2026
Spring semester 2027 (semester 2):
- Nomination by 4 October 2026
- Application by 1 November 2026
All nominations must be sent to exchange@chi.ac.uk with the following details:
- first name
- surname
- pronouns
- nationality
- email address
- course name
- course level
- current year
- exchange period
Students must complete at least one year at their home institution before studying at the University of Chichester.
You must be nominated by your home university before you apply. All applications will be reviewed after the application deadline.
Programmes at Chichester
You will join our British and international students taking full degree programmes and you are sure to have an immersive, exciting and rewarding experience.
Our course search shows the range of departments available and you can discover the wide range of classes available in our module guide.
Do I need a visa?
If your exchange will be one semester (less than 6 months)
If your exchange is for one semester only, you may be able to come to the UK as a visitor depending on your country of nationality.
- If you are considered a non-visa national because you hold nationality of a country not listed in the visa national list (for example if you are a citizen of a European Economic Area / European Union nation, Canada, the United States of America, Japan, South Korea, Switzerland), you do not need to apply for any visa.
You will be able to come to the UK as a visitor by purchasing the electronic travel authorisation (£16) prior to your travels.
- If you are a visa national and your country is listed in the visa national list, you will need to apply for a visitor visa. Find out how to apply here, on the government website.
Visitors are allowed to complete a study exchange for up to 6 months. However, they are not allowed to work or complete any work placement.
If your exchange will be less than 6 months but you would like to complete a work placement, you can choose to apply for a student visa. However, applying for one will cost £524.
If your exchange will be one year (more than 6 months)
You will need a student visa to come to the UK. You can find all the information you need on our BePrepared website for new international students here.
IMPORTANT – please read the following:
You may be asked to show additional evidence at the border and should carry the following documents in your hand luggage just in case:
- Evidence of the purpose of your stay in the UK i.e. your offer letter from the University of Chichester.
- Your bank statements to show that you have enough money to cover your living costs during your stay.
- Your return ticket to show that you intend to leave the UK at the end of your stay.
- When you arrive at the University of Chichester, we will need to check your passport and date of arrival in order to register you as a student. Make sure you keep your electronic ticket or boarding pass.
- Student visa for a programme lasting less than 6 months: your visa will usually be valid 7 days before the official start date of your course and 7 days after its official end date.
- Student visa if your exchange is longer than 6 months: your permission will usually be valid 1 month before your course start date. Your permission will normally remain valid for 2 months after your course and date (if the exchange is longer than 6 months but under 12 months long.)
If you need a visa, we recommend waiting until you have obtained it before booking flights. If you wish to book flights in advance of your visa decision, make sure you purchase a travel insurance policy which covers you in case of visa refusal or delay obtaining a visa.
If you are an exchange student already in the UK and you wish to extend your stay and your visa, you will need to leave the UK to apply for a new visa.
Please note that it is not possible to switch from the Visitor Route to Student Route visa inside the UK.
If you need visa advice, please contact international@chi.ac.uk.
