Frequently Asked Questions

About Evansville

  1. What is Evansville, Indiana like?

Academics and Majors

  1. My child is uncertain about a major. Is this a problem?
  2. Does UE accept “dual credits” from other colleges that my child earned while still in high school or in the summer after high school?
  3. Does UE accept the College Board’s Advanced Placement Tests?
  4. What about the International Baccalaureate?

Adjusting to College Life

  1. How much spending money is needed?
  2. Is my student required to have their own computer?
  3. If my student chooses to bring a computer, are laptops or desktops a better option?
  4. How often should students come home?
  5. What are generally the most difficult adjustments for students?
  6. How often should we reach out to our student?
  7. How should we communicate?

Campus Parking and Safety

  1. How does my full-time student receive their FREE parking permit?
  2. How safe is the University of Evansville campus?

Career Development Resources

  1. What should my student be doing to keep on track with their career development?
  2. What does the University do to help my student with career development?
  3. Will my student find a job after graduation?

Financial Aid Information

  1. Where can I find Financial Aid Information?

Harlaxton and Study Abroad

  1. What is Harlaxton?
  2. What other study abroad opportunities are offered by the University of Evansville?
  3. How many undergraduates study abroad?
  4. Can students who study abroad graduate in four years?
  5. When is the best time for my son or daughter to study abroad?
  6. Which majors expect students to study abroad?
  7. How much does it cost for my student to study abroad?

Housing and Meals

  1. Are all students required to live on campus?
  2. How are roommate matches determined?
  3. Can meal plans be changed?
  4. Where can I find out more about living on campus?

Student Activities and Involvement

  1. What clubs, student organizations, and activities are available at UE?
  2. Will participation in extracurricular activities hurt my student’s grades?

About Evansville

What is Evansville, Indiana like?

 Learn more about Evansville, Indiana.

Academics and Majors

My child is uncertain about a major. Is this a problem?
Visit the Undeclared Major area of the UE website.
Does UE accept “dual credits” from other colleges that my child earned while still in high school or in the summer after high school?

View UE's Advanced Placement Exam Transferable Credits.

Does UE accept the College Board’s Advanced Placement Tests?

UE grants credit from an AP test for scores of four or higher.

What about the International Baccalaureate?

Visit the International Baccalaureate landing page for more information.

Adjusting to College Life

How much spending money is needed?

How much money to spend will be different for each student. Spending an average of $140 - $200 per month, or $35 - $50 per week is fairly typical; however, a student will expect to be able to spend what they have become accustomed to spending while at home. It is strongly advised that you work out a budget with your student before the year begins. Some family members find it helpful to set up a bank account for their student to which the parent also has access, so parents may help track spending and add money as necessary. This can be a good way to teach your student about the realities of personal finance, as well, if they have not yet had experience with managing money on their own.

Is my student required to have their own computer?

Students majoring in one of the programs in the School of Engineering and Computer Science have specific requirements for personal computers. While most students have their own computer is may or may not be necessary. The University of Evansville offers numerous computers for student use in labs throughout campus, for students who do not have their own computer.

If my student chooses to bring a computer, are laptops or desktops a better option?

The University has a wireless network throughout campus, making laptops more adaptable to the campus environment. However, students should choose the type of computer that they are most likely to use regularly and with which they are already most comfortable.

How often should students come home?

Students will probably not come home very often, choosing rather to come home during longer breaks such as Thanksgiving and Christmas. As a parent or family member, you can foster and support your student's success in college by actively encouraging them to stay on campus as much as possible and get involved. You will be amazed at how much they grow. Each student will adapt to college life at different times, and it is certainly not uncommon for students to become homesick. Moving to campus is simply the first big step toward a life of their own, and they will need to learn how to adapt and adjust gradually. They should know that they are not alone, but you should discourage frequent visits home.

If your student does become homesick, the University offers this advice:

  • DO stay in touch with your student! Frequent emails, texts, and calls will help.
  • DO encourage the student to get involved socially and academically. With approximately 120 student organizations and clubs on campus, it's easy to become a part of what's happening!
  • DO NOT encourage an early visit back home. Such a visit has been shown to actually increase the feelings of homesickness once the student returns to campus.
  • DO visit your student here on campus early in the semester. Family Weekend is held toward the end of September and is a great opportunity to visit.

If your student's homesickness persists or seems serious or debilitating, inform an Office of Residence Life staff member.

What are generally the most difficult adjustments for students?

One of the most difficult adjustments for students is managing their time. College is very different from high school, no matter how prepared students think they may be. There are always difficulties with adjusting to classes and the time they have to do what they need and want to do. It is important to be open to that.

How often should we reach out to our student?

There is no right or wrong amount of communication; however, we generally suggest you plan a weekly call or daily email, but let the student ultimately discover the frequency with which they are comfortable contacting you. Remember that students should be busy making friends, studying, finding their place on campus, and adjusting to newfound independence. As they become more comfortable at UE and with their new campus life, more routine communication patterns with home should emerge. Do not be surprised to discover, however, with email and instant messaging, that you may actually communicate more than you did when your student lived at home!

How should we communicate?

Email and texting is a great way to stay in touch. Handwritten letters and packages from home are always a joy to receive. Things that come only from home, like a local newspaper, are great ways for students to continue to feel connected. It is beneficial, when you leave your student at UE for the beginning of the year, to have a plan in place as to how and when you plan to talk, email, instant message, etc. As a student's college career continues, this plan may change, but contact with (and support from) home and family will always remain important.

Campus Parking and Safety

How does my full-time student receive their FREE parking permit?

View the Vehicle Registration information page under the Office of Public Safety.

How safe is the University of Evansville campus?

Learn about campus safety from the Office of Public Safety's area of the UE website.

Career Development Resources

What should my student be doing to keep on track with their career development?

A Lifelong Guide for Career Development

What does the University do to help my student with career development?

Summary of Career Services

Will my student find a job after graduation?

Of course, no University can guarantee employment following graduation – and job placement is not the primary focus of any institution of higher learning. However, the results from our annual surveys of alumni following graduation from UE are good: 94% of the Class of 2017 were employed or in graduate school within months of graduation.

Of course, employment and career choices are far more complicated than charting information from people who complete surveys. A student's personal choices about their academic options, internship participation, campus involvement, study abroad and leadership are the important critical variables that affect employment. It would not matter which institution a student attended if they did not attempt to make the most of their opportunities and actively engage their academic curriculum. Higher education environments are not passive places where the name of the institution alone substitutes for accomplishment and the development of critical skills.

The many benefits of the University of Evansville lie in the richness of the opportunities, the depth of options, and the connection students make with their faculty and resources. With its emphasis on citizenship, study abroad, and experiential education, the University does more than produce employees; it graduates the next generation of leadership for tomorrow's workplace, wherever and however that may be. As a truly international education institution, UE prepares students for their best job, not just their first job.

Financial Aid Information

Where can I find Financial Aid Information?

Please visit the Student Financial Services area of our website for information about merit-based scholarships, need-based grants, and student and parent loans.

Harlaxton and Study Abroad

What is Harlaxton?

Harlaxton, located in Grantham, England, has been rated #1 in the nation by BestCollegeReviews.org. Harlaxton offers an excellent opportunity for students in most disciplines to spend a semester abroad. Harlaxton is a nineteenth-century manor house in the English East Midlands, just an hour north of London. Students live, eat, study, work, and play on the extensive and beautiful grounds of the Harlaxton campus. A full staff provides support and service on campus, including a student affairs office, a college nurse, and an IT technician.

The centerpiece of the Harlaxton curriculum includes a variety of signature courses taught by the British faculty. The two British Studies options in history and literature are classic Harlaxton courses for students to take, and there also often architecture, music, Shakespeare, and other history and literature seminars unique to Harlaxton. In addition, a wide range of other courses are offered each semester and summer to enable students to maintain normal progress in their respective academic programs. Many courses include experiential learning opportunities including field trips and site visits, and students also have opportunities to travel across the UK with Harlaxton on the weekends or further abroad on their own. To learn more about the long tradition of Harlaxton, please visit https://college.harlaxton.co.uk/.

What other study abroad opportunities are offered by the University of Evansville?

For students who wish to spend a second semester abroad or who choose to study at another site for academic or cultural interests (international studies and language majors/minors, for example), there are other program options. The University of Evansville has reviewed and approved more than 100 programs managed by other colleges, universities, and organizations.

Students may choose from options during the academic year or a variety of faculty-led summer programs abroad each summer.

How many undergraduates study abroad?

Nationally, between one and two percent of undergraduates study abroad. At the University of Evansville, we have a study abroad participation rate of over 50 percent, as determined by Open Doors, a publication of the Institute of International Education. This percentage places UE among the top 10 of all master-degree granting universities in the United States. The majority of UE students study at Harlaxton but many students are engaged at other locations.

Can students who study abroad graduate in four years?

Yes! With timely academic and financial planning, those who study abroad stay on track for graduation in four years. We recommend that students begin planning in their first semester on campus. Parents, academic advisors, the student financial services office, and the study abroad office should all be included in that planning process.

When is the best time for my son or daughter to study abroad?

For each student, the best time to study abroad depends on a number of factors (curricular, financial, professional, and personal), but the following are general guidelines:

  • 80 percent of UE students who study at Harlaxton do so in their sophomore year. Certain departments have established a designated Harlaxton semester for students in their majors (e.g., engineering majors in the fall semester of the sophomore year; nursing majors in the fall semester of the senior year). International studies majors and students pursuing language study are likely to study abroad in the sophomore or junior year.
Which majors expect students to study abroad?

Only international studies majors and language majors are required to study abroad, and many choose to study one or two semesters at the site of one of our approved programs. The University of Evansville encourages ALL students to explore study abroad. Through our Harlaxton program, we offer courses that should fit into the four-year plan of most UE students.

For students who declare or change majors later in their undergraduate careers, or who for other reasons are unable to spend a full semester or academic year abroad, UE faculty lead a variety of summer programs abroad each year, and Harlaxton offers a five-week summer session.

How much does it cost for my student to study abroad?

The semester tuition, room, board, and fees for the University of Evansville's Harlaxton are virtually identical to those on the Evansville campus. Additional expenses to the student include the cost of a passport, round-trip airfare, personal travel while abroad, and other discretionary expenses. In most cases, the financial aid package of a University of Evansville student is applied to the Harlaxton semester campus charges just as it is to the Evansville campus semester charges. This includes work-study awards and tuition exchange.

UE charges and the use of UE financial aid for semester-length study abroad are designed to be as consistent as possible with the way charges and aid are administered on the Evansville campus. All non-Harlaxton study abroad students are charged the UE the services fee and the UE rate for tuition, room, and board unless the program provider assesses a higher rate for any of these items; in that case, the student is also charged for the extra amount. Room and board charges depend on the student's status prior to departure as well as options available for room and board while abroad. For most students spending a semester abroad on a UE approved program at another site, financial aid will be applied as it is on campus with a few important exceptions. Among those exceptions: work-study awards do not apply to study abroad at any site other than Harlaxton. Tuition exchange does not apply to study abroad at any site other than Harlaxton.

There are also a number of UE faculty-led summer programs. These programs are typically very reasonably priced. Financial aid does not apply to summer programs. Financial aid is not awarded for summer programs either on campus or abroad.

Students and parents are advised to consult with the Student Financial Services office for specific details as they relate to the individual student.

Housing and Meals

Are all students required to live on campus?

Complete information Residency Requirement web page under the Residence Life area of the website.

How are roommate matches determined?

Visit the New Student Process information web page under the Residence Life area of the website.

Can meal plans be changed?

View complete information about dining and dining plans by visiting the Dining area of Residence Life on the UE website.

Where can I find out more about living on campus?

Visit the Residence Life area of the UE website. You'll find all you might want to know about living on campus. A handy link to the residence life section of the Student Handbook is located there too.

Student Activities and Involvement

What clubs, student organizations, and activities are available at UE?
Visit the Student Engagement area for more information.
Will participation in extracurricular activities hurt my student’s grades?

Research shows that active students get better grades and experience a lower drop-out rate than those students who do not participate in activities outside of the classroom. This statistic holds true up to approximately 20 hours per week spent in a combination of extracurricular involvement and work. Beyond 30 hours per week, academic performance tends to be negatively affected.