Graduate Student Exchange Program

Recently CATIE and Cornell University became partners in a graduate student exchange program. Each year up to two students from each institution will study at the partner institution. CATIE will host Cornell students, while Cornell will host students from CATIE.

CATIE—the Tropical Agricultural Research and Higher Education Center—is an international institution devoted to research, graduate education (at both MS and PhD levels) and public service in countries throughout tropical Central and South America. Based in Turrialba, Costa Rica, CATIE has gained international recognition in its fields of endeavor, which include a broad spectrum of topics related to sustainable agriculture and wise use of natural resources in the American tropics.

Cornell University’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, with more than 3,000 students, is the third largest college of its kind in the United States. The College’s educational programs are carefully designed to ensure that every student’s education is geared to contemporary, real-world issues.

Both CATIE and Cornell seek to contribute to the reduction of poverty and the improvement of rural livelihoods through sustainable agriculture and other land-use practices.

Student Selection and Eligibility

Each institution will recommend eligible students and faculty to study at the other institution and may make the final decision of whom is admitted into its own institution under the exchange program.

Up to two students from each institution may participate in each academic year.
Eligible students must have completed at least six months of continuous study at their home institution and have a bachelors degree and, in certain instances, a masters degree or equivalent from a recognized institution.
Students must satisfy the admission and academic requirements of their course of studies.
Upon completion of the exchange, students must return to their home institution.
Students accepted to Cornell must satisfy required TOEFL scores and will be admitted into a graduate field at the Graduate School for the purpose of taking courses or engaging in research.

Student Support

Institutional support will be provided to each student under the exchange program.

The host institution will assign a faculty advisor to the student.
The host institution will provide one transcript of work completed by the exchange student.
Each institution will assist the exchange student to secure accommodations and to achieve his or her study and research goals.
The host institution will provide services for the visiting student comparable to those provided for its regular students (for example, e-mail identification, library resources, etc.).
The host institution will not charge the exchange student tuition or fees for application and registration. Each student will pay the official tuition and fees of the exchange semester to his or her home institution.
CATIE students coming to Cornell must enroll in Cornell’s mandatory student insurance plan or show evidence of adequate health insurance coverage from a US-based insurance company. Housing application and accommodations, insurance, books, travel and personal expenses will be the financial responsibility of the student.

This exchange program is administered by International Programs/CALS at Cornell University.

For more information contact:

James Haldeman
Sr. Associate Director
International Programs/CALS
35 Warren Hall
Cornell University
Ithaca, NY 14853
Phone: (607) 255-3035
Email: jeh5@cornell.edu
Web: ip.cals.cornell.edu

Glenn Galloway
Dean
Graduate School
CATIE
P.O. Box 7170
Turrialba, Costa Rica
Phone: (506) 556-1016
Email: galloway@catie.ac.cr
Web: www.catie.ac.cr