National Student Exchange

St. Olaf Colleges uses course credits rather than U.S. semester credits.  One St. Olaf credit is equivalent to 4.0 US semester credits.

At St. Olaf,  full-time status is defined as 3.00 to 4.50 course credits. NSE students will work with their assigned advisor from the Academic Success Center to choose courses for the upcoming semester.  Your Academic Advisor will assist with registration and verifying any pre-requisites.

NSE students register after degree-seeking students.

NSE students may not register for courses in the following departments: Computer Science, Economics, Education, Math, Music, Nursing, Social Work, and Statistics. 

Courses in the following departments will have very limited enrollment options: Dance, Psychology, Studio Art, and Theater. 

Students can find course options on the public class and lab schedule!

St. Olaf welcomes NSE students using the Home Pay model.  Under Home Pay, students continue to pay their tuition (and related expenses) to their home school.

Incoming NSE students will pay St. Olaf’s room, and board while attending St. Olaf College. Review this Comprehensive Fee page to get more information on costs for your academic school year/semester!

Minimum GPA requirement: 2.5

Class standing eligibility: Sophomore, Junior, Senior

St. Olaf is a residential campus that has just over 3,000 students. The liberal arts environment offers opportunities for students to explore their interests, try something new, and create memories of their time on the Hill.

The city of Northfield is a quaint town that is home to two colleges: St Olaf College and Carlton College. It is nicknamed the town of “cows, colleges, and contentment”. Historical Northfield was place of the defeat of infamous robber, Jessie James. The downtown area was even the setting for a Hallmark movie, which speaks to the quaint and homey feeling of the town of Northfield.

Housing:

NSE students are guaranteed placement in one of 12 co-ed residence halls, where men and women are housed on alternating floors.  Gender inclusive options are offered in the New Hall, Rand, the Townhouses and Ytterboe.  Students will live in double or triple bed rooms.

Additional information can be found on the ResLife webpage and within the ResLife FAQs.

Dining:

St. Olaf offers three full meal plan options.

1. 21 Meal Plan: 21 meals per week, no flex dollars. For students that prefer to eat three meals a day in the cafeteria.
2. 17 Meal Plan: 17 meals per week and $380 flex dollars per year. For students who will eat the majority of their meals in the cafeteria, but may miss a couple meals here and there. This plan allows the students to get the bulk of their meals through the cafeteria, but also enables students to occasionally eat meals or have snacks in other locations using their flex dollars. Students receive $170 flex dollars each semester and $40 for January Term.
3. 14 Meal Plan: 14 meals per week and $540 flex dollars per year. For students who only eat two meals a day in the cafeteria. This plan is best for students whose schedules may conflict with the cafeteria hours or who prefer to have more flex spending dollars at locations other than the cafeteria. Students receive $240 flex dollars each semester and $60 for January Term.

St. Olaf offers  three primary dining options, all located in Buntrock Commons.

• Stav Hall is our central dining space with all-you-can-eat service.  Breakfast, lunch/brunch, and dinner are served in Stav.  Stations throughout the cafeteria offer a wide variety of food, from chef-carved meats with home-style casseroles to creative vegan entrees to pan-Asian cuisine. Stav Hall also features two soups made in house daily, an extensive fruit and salad bar, and a selection of outstanding desserts.
• The Cage is our café.  The Cage offers various made-to-order menu options along with a variety of healthy, freshly-made grab and go items. Enjoy coffee and other hot or cold beverages, house-made bakery items, multiple flavors of ice cream, and a vast array of bottled beverages.
• The Lion’s Pause is a student run kitchen.  The Pause serves pizza, quesadillas, hoagies, and other treats.