Dates & Deadlines
The Office of Residential Life offers a “Living at Haverford” calendar with the most important dates and deadlines.
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Exchange Students
The Haverford Experience
Haverford College is a coeducational liberal arts college located outside of Philadelphia. It is nationally recognized for its strong academic program and student-run Honor Code. Haverford's size (about 1,200 undergraduate students) fosters close relationships between students, faculty, and staff.
Although students choose Haverford for its academic excellence, a sense of community participation informs all aspects of the Haverford College. Students work together through the arts and cultural activities, self-government and service programs, athletic programs, and day-to-day campus life.
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Academics
Exchange students are required to take all of their courses at Haverford College. Students are accepted as exchange students to Haverford College and we expect them to enrich our classrooms with their presence. Unlike degree students who are here for 4 years, exchange students cannot take courses at our partner institutions in the Quaker Consortium—that is, Bryn Mawr College, Swarthmore College, and the University of Pennsylvania. No exceptions can be made to this policy. For a full list of Haverford departments, please check the Course Guide. Nota Bene: Courses listed in the catalog are not offered every year. The catalog should be used only as a general reference.
- Students should indicate their top two Haverford department preferences on their applications. A faculty adviser from one of the preferred departments will be assigned to the exchange students but not until they arrive on campus. The faculty academic advisers assist students in the course selection process. It is expected that students will take at least one course in the department. Students will not register for their classes until they arrive on campus and meet one on one with the faculty adviser.
- Students may not take more than three (3) courses in any one department and must meet the prerequisites for all courses.
- Students need some flexibility in course selection as acceptance into specific courses cannot be guaranteed. Some classes are restricted and available only to Haverford majors. If a class is over-subscribed, students enter a lottery.
- Not all departments (Biology and English) may be in a position to accept exchange students every year. Students should check the website for departmental availability before submitting their applications.
- Students are graded in class on a traditional American 4.0/A scale. Find out more about grades at Haverford.
- A full course load at Haverford is 4 credits. To maintain F-1 status, students are required to enroll in a full course load.
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The Honor Code
Haverford is distinct from many schools in that it is governed by an Honor Code. Not a list of rules, the Code is a philosophy of conduct designed to promote community through honesty, integrity and understanding. Self-scheduled, take-home, and/or unproctored examinations are a routine part of the Haverford experience. In the social realm, it is expected that students will show concern for others and that problems, when they arise, will be dealt with in a spirit of mutual respect. Exchange students are expected to adhere to the Honor Code while at Haverford.
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The Philadelphia Region
The cultural and educational resources of Philadelphia are just ten miles away and easily accessible by public transit. The trip into town takes about 20 minutes. The city and surrounding area combine a unique blend of old and new. The history of the nation is relived at Independence National Park, the Liberty Bell, and Valley Forge National Park.
Downtown Philadelphia offers theatre, ballet, symphonic orchestras, and restaurants. The Philadelphia area offers more than 100 museums, including the Franklin Institute and the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Philadelphia International Airport is also easily accessible by rail from the College. New York City, Washington, D.C., and the New Jersey seashore are all easy day trips from the Haverford campus.
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Residential Life
The vast majority of students (and many faculty) live within the grounds of campus. Transfer and Exchange students are housed together in an on-campus dorm. Students are typically placed in a suite of singles with a communal bathroom for the floor. Rooms are furnished with a bed, desk lamp, shelves, dresser, closet/wardrobe, and desk. Housing assignments are done automatically for exchange students, so no extra forms are necessary.
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Student Life
Haverford has a number of political, religious, artistic, and cultural clubs and organizations. Many exchange students participate in activities sponsored by the International Students Association and volunteer for social service opportunities. The college also sponsors a variety of events (concerts, dances, movies, etc.) which are open to all students free of charge.
Haverford's athletic facilities include an indoor track, weight and fitness room, athletic fields, basketball courts, fencing and squash courts. Students may also use the swimming pool located at nearby Bryn Mawr College. Exchange students may participate in club and intramural (basketball, soccer, softball) teams.
Haverford has a single dining hall where all students on the meal plan eat their meals, making it a very social place. Food is also available for purchase outside the meal plan at the Coop or in Lunt Café, open in the evenings.
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Student Resource People (SRPs)
Exchange students arrive in August approximately a week before the start of classes for the International Student Orientation and Customs, an orientation program which acquaints new students with the college and surrounding areas. In order to facilitate an easier transition to life on campus, exchange students are required to attend the International Student Orientation and Customs. Several Student Resource People (or SRPs) are assigned to the exchange students and help with academic registration, student services, banking, shopping, and day-to-day questions about living within the college community.