Essex is a member of the International Student Exchange Program (ISEP).
ISEP is a US based organisation offering alternative study abroad destinations, and a wide variety of universities which are not directly partnered with Essex Abroad.
Have you browsed our Exchange Finder but wish to study at a particular state or destination which is not available? ISEP could have a partnership for you. Their network comprises of over 200 participating universities.
ISEP is an organisation which offers a wide network of exchange partners all over the world. Essex is a member of ISEP, which means that you could choose to study abroad through their programme, rather than the standard exchange programme at Essex.
If you study abroad with ISEP Exchange, you pay your tuition and fees to Essex, which opens up a spot for someone to come and learn at Essex on their exchange whilst you're abroad. You will pay Essex for the food and accommodation costs of the exchange student taking your place at Essex whilst you are abroad and, in return, get free food and accommodation at your host University (or a bursary to cover those costs). You will be invoiced for this amount shortly before you depart on your exchange.
You will still apply to study abroad through Essex Abroad (see more below). You can choose up to 10 universities and ISEP will place you at the best option depending on exchange spaces and your academic needs. Further information about the ISEP exchange programme on their website, don't forget to check out their partner universities.
Whilst we recommend all students to consider ISEP when researching and planning for studying abroad, we particularly recommend students to consider this option if:
If you choose to study abroad through ISEP, you will pay a non-refundable application fee of $100, and a $450 placement fee when you accept the University you have been offered. You may also be obliged to take out ISEP’s Health Insurance which currently costs $28 per week (approx. $120 per month) for individual participants. If, after you have accepted the offer, you then decide to withdraw this fee will not be refunded.
ISEP offer a number of scholarships which you must apply for directly. You can find out more on the ISEP scholarship webpages.
Here's a handy table detailing the fees and costs for 2025-2026 (for 2026-2027 you can expect up to a 5% increase)
Fee Type | Amount | Information and Refund Policy |
ISEP Exchange Application Fee | US $100 | When applying for ISEP Exchange, a non-refundable application fee of US $100 is due with your application |
ISEP Exchange Placement Fee | US $450 | This non-refundable fee is due at the time when you accept your placement. This fee covers the cost of customized matching and placement conducted by ISEP staff. |
ISEP Exchange Program Fee (for a full year or term) | £10,015.98 for the full year and £3,158.28 for one term (Autumn Term). | This fee is paid directly to Essex and is based on the cost of living at Essex. It covers housing, 20 meals per week, pre-departure orientation, arrival orientation and general student services at your host institution. This must be paid to Essex by 30 June 2025. |
ISEP Exchange Placement Extension Fee | US $100 | Payable if you decide to extend your ISEP Exchange placement from a semester to a full-year placement. The fee should be submitted with our request for extension documentation, which can be found in your student portal. |
Academic Training Processing Fee (for J-1 visa students only) | US $150 | Payable if you decide to participate in Academic Training. The fee is submitted with your request for a J-1 Academic Training Authorisation Form. Requests received by ISEP Central 2 weeks prior to the end date on the DS-2019 or 2 weeks prior to the start date of your employment, whichever is sooner, will incur a $100 processing fee. Requests received between 1 and 2 weeks prior to the end date on the DS- 2019 or 1 to 2 weeks prior to the start date of your employment, whichever is sooner, will incur a $150 processing fee. Applications received within 1 week of the deadlines stated above will not be processed. |
The deadline to apply for ISEP for studying abroad is 1 March each year. You must have already applied through Essex Abroad to be eligible to apply for ISEP (please note the Essex Abroad application deadline is 17 January 2024).
More information about the ISEP Exchange programme, the cost and fees is on ISEP Exchange website
In preparation of your travels, Essex Abroad will issue you with an invoice, which will detail the costs of your ISEP meal plan and accommodation fees. You are required to pay for accommodation and a meal plan at your home institution in order to be eligible for your ISEP Exchange. If you do not make this payment by the stated deadline, you will not be eligible to complete your exchange.
Should you decide to withdraw from your ISEP year abroad, please read our policy on refunds below.
If you decide to withdraw from your ISEP Exchange before making a payment against your invoice, you will not be charged any of the required fees by Essex Abroad (meal plan and accommodation). This policy does not apply to the fees that you have already paid to ISEP directly. For information on the ISEP withdrawal and refund policies please refer to their website.
If you have paid your accommodation and meal plan fees, and decide to withdraw from your ISEP Exchange, you will not be entitled to a refund. Refunds will only be considered in line with the University of Essex’s Compensation and Refund Policy (.pdf), which states (Section 8): “In all cases, where the University is able to provide continuity of study leading to a University of Essex Award, the University will not normally refund any tuition or other fees, or offer any compensation, except where there are exceptional circumstances.”
In the case of exceptional circumstances, each refund request will be considered on a case-by-case basis. If you wish to make a case for exceptional circumstances, please submit a request to essexabroad@essex.ac.uk, including supporting evidence.
ISEP have various advisors to guide you through the process from application to arriving in your host country.