Everything You Need to Know About NSE
The National Student Exchange was one of the most transformative experiences of my college journey, and it can be just as impactful for you. If you’re ready to explore new places, step outside your comfort zone, and make college unforgettable, here’s everything you need to know about NSE.
What Is NSE?
What is National Student Exchange? I remember asking myself that same question about three years ago when my friend Tessa first mentioned it to me. If you’ve never heard of it before, you’re not alone.
The National Student Exchange (NSE) is a study away program that allows college students to attend a different university for a semester or academic year ,without going overseas. Through NSE, students can study at participating colleges and universities across the United States, Canada, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
It’s similar to studying abroad in the sense that you experience a new campus, new environment, and new community, but it’s typically much more affordable and keeps you closer to home. One of the biggest benefits of the NSE program is the tuition flexibility. Most schools offer either a “home pay” option, where you continue paying your in-state tuition to your home university, or a “host pay” option, where you pay the tuition rate of the school you attend for the semester. This can make studying away significantly more accessible compared to traditional study abroad programs.
With around 170 participating campuses, students have a wide variety of options to choose from, whether you’re looking for a big university, a smaller campus, a beach setting, or somewhere completely different from home. Each campus has its own eligibility requirements, but every participating school has an NSE coordinator who helps guide students through the application process and answers questions about qualifications, housing, and academics.
If you’re looking for a more affordable way to experience a new place, meet new people, and step outside your comfort zone while still earning credits toward your degree, NSE is definitely worth considering.
Application Process
If you’re considering the National Student Exchange (NSE) program, it’s important to plan ahead. The application process takes time, and most schools recommend starting about one year before your intended exchange semester. Preparing early will give you enough time to meet deadlines, secure approvals, and avoid unnecessary stress.
While the NSE application process is detailed, it’s not complicated. It simply requires organization and consistent communication.
Typical Steps include:
- Submitting your official NSE application
- Meeting multiple times with your NSE coordinator
- Consulting with academic advisors to ensure credits transfer properly
- Completing the course approval process at your home institution
- Registering for classes at your host institution
One of the most important parts of the process is communication. Staying in contact with both your home and host universities in the months leading up to your exchange will help ensure everything,from course approvals to housing, runs smoothly.
Although the preparation phase can feel long and sometimes overwhelming, the experience of studying away through NSE is absolutely worth it. If you ever feel stuck or unsure, your campus NSE coordinator is there specifically to help guide you through each step. Don’t let the paperwork discourage you — with early planning and good communication, the process is completely manageable.
My NSE Experience:
The Semester that Changed everything
My NSE Experience
I could explain every detail about the National Student Exchange (NSE) program, how to apply, how tuition works, and how credits transfer, but honestly, the best way to understand why you should do it is through my story. It’s still my favorite one to tell.
About three years ago, my friend Tessa casually mentioned NSE to me. She told me it was possible to spend a semester studying in Hawaiʻi through the program. From that moment on, I was completely sold. Like a lot of girls, I had dreamed about living in Hawaiʻi since I was probably 12 years old — I just never knew how that dream would realistically happen.
Once I realized NSE could make it possible, I started researching everything. I completed the application, attended the required meetings, worked through course approvals, and handled all the planning that comes with studying away. It was a process, but I stayed focused on the bigger goal: spending a semester in Hawaiʻi.
During the second semester of my sophomore year of college, I made it official. I said goodbye to my family and friends for four months and boarded a plane to Hilo, Hawaiʻi, filled with excitement and high expectations. It felt surreal that something I had once thought was just a dream was actually happening.
Thankfully, I wasn’t completely alone. Tessa was also going, which made the transition less intimidating. Along with us were two other girls from South Dakota, Noelle and Reagan, who started as strangers but would quickly become a huge part of my experience.
That semester through NSE changed everything for me, and it all started with one conversation and the decision to apply.
The First Few Weeks: Adjusting to Island Life
The first few weeks of my semester in Hilo were harder than I expected. When you imagine studying in Hawaiʻi, you probably picture white sand beaches, nonstop sunshine, and instant adventure. I definitely did. So when I arrived and reality didn’t fully match the picture I had in my head, I felt disappointed.
Hilo is quiet. The campus is small. We didn’t know anyone. The beaches on that side of the island are mostly black rock and lava shoreline — beautiful, but very different from the white sand beaches most people imagine. On top of that, we didn’t have a car or any form of transportation, which made us feel stuck. Trapped on a beautiful island… but still trapped.
To put it into perspective, my roommate Reagan, who is now one of my best friend, called her mom crying almost every morning for the first two weeks. Meanwhile, Tessa and I had an ongoing bet about how long she would last in Hilo. We can laugh about it now, but at the time everything felt overwhelming and uncertain.
But something shifted as the weeks went on.
Hilo slowly stopped feeling disappointing and started feeling comforting. It became inviting, a place where no one knew us and we had nothing to prove. Instead of focusing on what it wasn’t, we started appreciating what it was. The slower pace, the rain, the greenery, the small-town feel, it began to feel like home.
One of the biggest turning points was taking advantage of the university’s student day trips around the Big Island. The school offered transportation to beaches, waterfalls, and scenic spots, and we signed up for every single one we could. Those free rides opened up the island to us. Every trip felt like a new adventure, just us girls, figuring it out together.
Looking back, those first few challenging weeks were actually essential. They forced us to rely on each other, build real friendships, and adjust our expectations. We used to joke that we were “trauma bonded,” but in reality, we were just growing — together. And that’s what truly made the experience unforgettable.
The Part Where We Bought A Car
Okay, plot twist…
About a month and a half into our semester in Hilo, everything changed, because we bought a car. And honestly, it was the best decision we made the entire time we were there.
To clarify, when I say “we,” I mean two of the girls in our group had very supportive dads who wired money so we could make it happen. We were very aware of how lucky we were. The car was an older Toyota Corolla, which we proudly named Carol. She wasn’t fancy, but to us, she was freedom. Technically, Carol seated five. Realistically? We sometimes squeezed in six… occasionally seven. Safety aside, we made it work.
Having a car completely transformed our NSE experience in Hawaiʻi. Suddenly, we weren’t limited to campus or walking distance spots. Every weekend, we’d make the hour-and-a-half drive over to Kona — the drier, sunnier side of the Big Island with the white sand beaches everyone pictures when they think of Hawaiʻi. It felt like we unlocked a whole new version of the island.
During the weekdays, we explored everything Hilo had to offer. We filled our days with ocean dips, long beach afternoons, spontaneous photoshoots, sunset picnics, and any adventure we could come up with. We said yes to everything.
Some of my favorite memories are the drives back home after long beach days. Windows down, music playing, sunburnt and sandy, talking about how surreal it felt that this was our real life. We constantly said how lucky we were — and how much we already dreaded the day we’d have to leave.
Buying that car didn’t just give us transportation. It gave us independence, adventure, and the ability to fully experience living on the Big Island as college students. Hilo completely won us over, and to this day, it still holds such a special place in all of our hearts.
Island Hopping and More
Looking back, my semester studying in Hawaiʻi through the National Student Exchange (NSE) feels like a blur, but in the best way. Some of my favorite memories came from our weekly road trips to Kona. Almost every weekend, we’d pack up Carol the Corolla and make the hour-and-a-half drive to the sunnier side of the Big Island for white sand beaches and ocean days.
One trip in particular stands out, mostly because Noelle and I underestimated the Hawaiian sun and got absolutely fried. Noelle’s face ended up blistering from sun poisoning, which was not ideal at the time, but definitely a core memory now. We also went to a Thomas Rhett concert in Kona that semester, which felt so random and fun considering we were living in Hawaiʻi.
On one Kona trip, we stayed at an Airbnb on a Kona coffee farm, which felt very “main character energy.” That was also the trip where we discovered Carol somehow had lost all her radiator fluid in her engine and nearly gave out on us. By some miracle, we made it back to Hilo, and she survived the rest of the semester. She was truly built different.
We explored some of the most iconic spots on the Big Island, including Papakōlea (Green Sand Beach), and even went snorkeling with manta rays in Kona, which is just as surreal as it sounds.
For spring break, we flew to Oʻahu for six days. While we were there, my friend Sydney and I went skydiving… and later that same day swam with 30+ Galápagos sharks. That day alone felt like an entire year’s worth of adrenaline.
But if I had to pick my favorite trip of the semester, it would hands down be Kauaʻi. All of us NSE girls stayed in one Airbnb and rented a big van to explore the island together. We cooked meals for each other, spent full days at the beach, toured the Nā Pali Coast, and of course took a million pictures. I even got to celebrate my 20th birthday there, which still feels unreal.
Toward the end of the semester, we made sure to soak up everything the Big Island had left to offer. We drove to Waipiʻo Valley Lookout, jumped off the 6-Ton Bridge, and watched sunset on Mauna Kea, moments that felt almost too beautiful to be real.
I’m sure there are a hundred smaller memories I’m forgetting, but what I do know is that those four months were the most adventurous, freeing, and transformative months of my life. We became family. Somewhere along the way, I found a version of myself that felt fully authentic and completely alive.
Studying in Hawaiʻi through NSE didn’t just give me travel experiences — it changed the trajectory of my life. It showed me a world I always knew existed but never thought I’d get to explore. And the best part? It’s not just something I got to do. It’s something you can do too.
Caitlin Siegfried
Travel Blogger
Hi, I’m Caitlin, a student traveler who studied in Hawaiʻi through the National Student Exchange program and completely fell in love with exploring new places. I share honest travel guides, NSE advice, and real experiences to help you plan your own adventure with confidence.
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