Doha to Pittsburgh

Semester Dates

Fall Semester (2013)

  • August 26 - December 17
  • On Campus Housing Move-In: Friday, August 16, 2013
  • Mandatory International Student Orientation: Saturday August 17, 2013

Spring Semester (2014)

  • January 13 - May 13
  • On Campus Housing Move-In: TBD
  • Mandatory International Student Orientation: Friday January 10, 2014

Application Procedure

  • Attend an information session and visit the Office of International Education.
  • Meet with your academic adviser(s) regarding your course plan--make sure they approve of your participation in campus exchange.
  • Get approval for courses from your advisor after a course list is available.
  • Submit all application materials on or before the deadline(s).

Application Deadlines

All applications and documents should be submitted to the Office of International Education (OIE) Qatar, unless otherwise indicated.

Stage One:
OIE-Qatar Application Form - This is an online application form.  Fill out the form, upload requested documents and submit electronically.

    • Fall 2013: Deadline passed
    • Spring 2014: Saturday, February 9, 2013
  • Take the time to work on your essay!  The prompt questions are:
    • Why are you interested in participating in the campus exchange program?
    • What do you hope to gain or achieve from this experience?
    • What will you contribute?

Stage Two:
These documents should be given to the Office of International Education, which will send them to Pittsburgh on students' behalf.  Note: If you are a U.S. citizen or green card holder, you do not need to submit these documents.

Fall 2013 Deadline: Monday, April 1, 2013

Spring 2014 Deadline: Tuesday, October 15, 2013

  • 2013 - 2014 Information Form
  • 2013 - 2014 Affidavit
  • Supporting Financial Documents
    • Depending on each student's individual situation, these documents could include, but are not limited to: original bank statements, letters of sponsorship from government offices or businesses, and/or copies of financial aid or scholarship packages.
  • Copy of TOEFL scores
    • You can obtain a copy from Enrollment Services.  Please allow at least 2 business days for processing.

Stage Three:
These documents should be sent via express mail or inter-office mail to the appropriate office, listed on each application, unless otherwise noted. These applications are dependent on offices in Pittsburgh, therefore the links will be updated as they become available.

 

Fall 2013/Spring 2014 Deadlines: see dates below

  • Health History
    • You can obtain a copy of your health history and immunization records from the Office of Health & Wellness.  You can request this through a written (email) request to ymalek[at]qatar.cmu.edu.  Please allow 2 business days.
    • You will need this information to complete CMU-Pittsburgh's health history forms online.  You will need to log in to this site with your Andrew ID, provided to you on the cover letter attached to your I-20.
    • **The online submission of this information must be done by the time you arrive in Pittsburgh.
  • Housing Application 
    • We recommend that you strongly consider completing this application for CMU-affiliated housing, just in case your plans for living off-campus fall through.  You can always cancel your contract if you don't need it.
    • Take a look at CMU housing options online.
    • **Spring Exchange: Students should submit this housing application as soon as possible after submitting their documents for I-20 review, but no later than November 15.
    • **Fall Exchange: Students whose housing applications are received by July 1 are guaranteed housing.
  • Complete the application for health insurance [Online enrollment should be available to you]
    • Health insurance is mandatory for enrollment at CMU-Pittsburgh, just as it is for enrollment at CMUQ.  However, the insurance you use to meet CMUQ's requirements is not approved by CMU-Pittsburgh.  Therefore you will need to show proof of insurance that meets their requirements or--most likely--purchase the university recommended insurance.  
    • If your financial sponsor (employer/government) provides you with insurance while abroad, you have the option of submitting the Insurance Waiver (link to come). You will need to check with your sponsor and/or the insurance provider to make sure that your policy meets all the requirements listed on this page, in order to NOT purchase the CMU insurance policy.  Follow all directions on this page carefully.
    • This insurance enrollment and/or waiver forms must be submitted to Health Services in person or via mail.

Stage Four:
Once you have received your I-20 document from the Office of International Education, you need to apply for your student exchange visa.  This involves several steps, which is outlined on the U.S. Embassy of Doha website.  An overview of the steps is offered below, but you must follow the directions stated on the U. S. Embassy website.

  • Pay the SEVIS fee online.
  • Complete the visa application online.
  • Pay the visa application fee at a Commercial Bank location.
  • Go to U.S. Embassy for visa interview.  

Once your student exchange visa has been placed in your passport, please provided a scanned color copy to the Office of International Education Qatar.  You must also inform OIE of  your travel arrangements before the end of the semester prior to your exchange.

View Background