Student Exchange (Outgoing)

 

UWS International Exchange Program

An exchange program is a semester or year long opportunity with a partner university of UWS.

Student exchange is a fantastic experience. You will develop and change in ways that you could not expect. You will discover opportunities you did not know existed while having heaps of fun, getting credit, seeing another country, and experiencing another culture.

The information that follows is designed to help you select a destination for your exchange experience and to give you all the information you need to get you started.

If you have more questions after reading this information, call us and we will arrange a time to talk, or come to an Exchange Information Session at your campus.

Please note: All Exchange Information Sessions during March have been cancelled. If you were planning to attend one of these sessions, please register for a session during April. Apologies for any inconvenience.

Congratulations! You are taking the first step in an experience that will enrich your life.

A. Benefits of international experiences
B. Academic and other requirements
C. Getting started and researching your exchange placement
D. Participating universities
E. Money Matters ~ “yes I can pay for this!”
F. Academic information you should understand
G. Insurance and keeping safe
H. Useful websites
I.  Student Responsibilities
J.  Contact us  

A. Benefits of international experiences

The benefits of exchange include:

• build your resume - having exchange on your resume shows you have initiative, cross-cultural experience, and maturity.
• enhance your career prospects. Employers look on international experiences favourably - many studies have shown employers look for people with these experiences. Why? Because former exchange students tend to be adaptable, have cross cultural skills, and can take initiative. The other good reason is that employers are often seeking people who have a good understanding of a country they do business in. So, think about choosing a country for your exchange that Australia, or your home country, has good trade relationships with.
• cultivate your cross-cultural experience and skills - the ability to communicate and work with people from backgrounds different to your own is an important life and work skill. These are skills UWS is expecting you will be able to improve from an exchange program.
• develop independence - this is also an important skill that will help you in your studies and when you leave UWS. Exchange will teach you how to organise your own study experience, travel, insurance, visa, and other tasks. What you learn will be able to be used throughout your life.
• discover opportunities - these might be learning about governments or organisations that are seeking university trained staff. Or, it might be a university that is offering a scholarship to students to study with them at a higher level. It could be the chance to go somewhere else and study a language for a period of time. Exchange opens doors for you.
• All about you - UWS encourages its students to go on exchange because of the skills it fosters. However, studying overseas can be challenging at first. It requires you to be adaptable, flexible, and respectful of ideas and attitudes that may be different to your own. It is an adventure!

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B. Academic and other requirements

• If you are completing a bachelor degree at UWS then you must have completed 40 credit points at the time of application to go on exchange.
• Postgraduate students must have a minimum GPA of 4.5 and have completed at least 40 credit points at UWS or have a completed undergraduate program at UWS.

Postgraduate students whose undergraduate qualification is from a university other than UWS may participate in a mobility program. However, they should have completed at least 40 credit points of study at UWS before departure on a mobility program. They also need to ensure they will be able to be enrolled in at least 30 credit points while on a session exchange program.

• International, full-degree students are eligible to participate in all programs, provided they are not located in their home country.
• Students who entered UWS through UWS College are encouraged to apply to participate in a mobility program after they have completed the Diploma at UWS College and 40 credit points in the degree program at UWS. That is, they would normally participate in a mobility program during the first semester of year three of their course.
• You should have a minimum GPA of 4.5 (out of 7.0) at UWS to be eligible to go on exchange. If your GPA is below 4.5 you may still be able to go on exchange but we will ask you to write a personal statement, get an extra reference, and to come in for an interview.
• Comprehensive medical and travel insurance is a must for any traveller. UWS travel insurance is comprehensive and will cover you from the time you arrive at your host university campus to the end of the exam period. You should purchase additional insurance for travel periods in addition to this. Full information will be provided to participants during the exchange application process.

Comprehensive insurance includes;

• • Medical and Repatriation costs
  • travel insurance (lost valuables, change of travel arrangements, etc)
    
    
• To be eligible to go on semester exchange you must intend to receive full credit (between 30-50 credit points per semester) for the units you complete abroad. This means you may study on exchange in your final semester as long as you study at least 30 credit points during this time. You are not eligible to go on exchange once your degree requirements at UWS have been met or you have less than 30 credit points to complete.
• Exchange is based on an official exchange agreement between two universities. Students pay fees (HECS-HELP or international student fees) at their home university but no tuition fees at the Partner University.
• UWS encourages its students to go on exchange because of the skills it develops. However, studying overseas can be challenging at first. It requires you to be adaptable, flexible, and respectful of ideas and attitudes that may be different to your own.
• By participating in an exchange program you not only understand that you should be an ambassador of your family, UWS, and Australia, but that you will be open to experiencing a different culture. UWS International will give you a full briefing on cross-cultural expectations and strategies you can use in a pre-departure briefing.
• All UWS students are encouraged to apply for exchange. We are looking for ways to help students participate, not for reasons to stop them. So, get started today!
• After you are selected by UWS to participate in the exchange program, you will need to complete application procedures for your chosen university. The partner university has the option to reject your application. Should this occur UWS will suggest you apply to another partner university.

 

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C. Getting started and researching your exchange placement

The next few items are designed to help you understand how you would go about choosing where you should go and which Host University you should choose.

There are many options available to you so we hope that by providing you with information this will enable you to make the best choice for you. If, after reading all this information you would like to speak to a staff member or former exchange student to help you make your choice, please contact us.

Questions you should ask yourself when considering an exchange destination include;

• Does the University have a wide selection of units you could choose that would apply to your degree?
  Hint: when searching university websites for units, it may help if you search as if you are a current student of that university. Terminology is also different; a unit may be called a module or a course. A Handbook may be called a Module Catalogue, or Course Calendar.  It can take time to search websites for units. You will find information on some universities that offer your major on this site so start your search with these.
  
• Are there scholarship opportunities available for you?
  Check out the scholarships available for Spring session 2013.
  
• Would you prefer to be in a big or small city?
  If you are from a big city, then a small city might be a different experience for you and you may also find it easier to make friends.
  
  
• What are the accommodation options and do they suit you?
  Do you prefer to live by yourself or does sharing a room seem more enjoyable to you? Are meals provided or will you have to cook for yourself?
  
  
• Does the destination offer a cultural experience you are interested in?
  Consider a non-English speaking destination to enrich your experience further.
  
  
• International student? If you are currently at UWS as an international student then you are encouraged to apply to study on exchange. You may choose to study at any of our partner universities except those within your home country.
  
  
• What is your budget?
  Big cities tend to be more expensive than smaller cities and Western Europe tends to be more expensive than Eastern Europe or many countries in Asia. Further information on money matters is listed on this page.
  
  Some partner universities offer special arrangements or deals to encourage UWS students to study with them on exchange.

Sweden
Dalarna University Accommodation scholarship.  Accommodation provided free of charge to one exchange student for the duration of one semester.
Lulea University will provide every successful exchange candidate with a US$1,500 scholarship
Umea University – free accommodation provided for all students participating in the Winter/ Short Course period each January-February.

Taiwan
Yuan Ze University will provide all business students with free accommodation in a four person share room.
Eligibility: All currently enrolled UWS students participating in an exchange program to these partner institutions will be considered for these grants subject to the criteria listed above.

• Language proficiency
  English - Many universities teach in English even if the language of the country is not English.
  
  Other - If you are planning on studying at a university where they teach in a language other than English, you will need to be proficient in that language.
  
  
• A selection of partner universities and some key programs listed by College is provided. Note that this list is not complete. Your key program may not be listed here.

Special note: ISEP

UWS has an agreement with ISEP which allows its students to study at many more sites worldwide. The ISEP program is administered differently to regular exchanges listed on these pages. However, the costs to students are about the same (or less) and academic credit procedures are the same - ensuring full credit at UWS for units earned through ISEP.

ISEP information for UWS students

ISEP website (opens in a new window)

Suggestions on locations in the USA from ISEP

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D. Participating universities

1. Check out this information for some partner universities that offer some UWS Key Programs in English listed by College.
Updated 1 September 2009.
College of Arts*
College of Business*
College of Health and Sciences*

*E indicates there are at least 3 units per semester in the designated field taught in English.

2. All exchange partner universities are here with links to their website.  

Complete list of partner universities

3. Some partner universities offer special arrangements or deals to encourage UWS students to study with them on exchange.

Sweden
Dalarna University Accommodation scholarship.  Accommodation provided free of charge to one exchange student for the duration of one semester.
Lulea University will provide every successful exchange candidate with a US$1,500 scholarship
Umea University – free accommodation provided for all students participating in the Winter/ Short Course period each January-February.

Taiwan
Yuan Ze University will provide all business students with free accommodation in a four person share room.

4. From time to time, UWS is successful in securing funding for grants to support exchange. Contact us to ask about these that are currently available.

5. ISEP

UWS has an agreement with ISEP which allows its students to study at many more sites worldwide. The ISEP program is administered differently to regular exchanges listed on these pages. However, the costs to students are about the same (or less) and academic credit procedures are the same - ensuring full credit at UWS for units earned through ISEP.

ISEP information for UWS students

ISEP website (opens in a new window)

Suggestions on locations in the USA from ISEP

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E. Money Matters or “Yes! I can pay for this!”

What costs can I expect?

During the exchange period you will be responsible for paying your tuition fees (HECS or international student fees) at the University of Western Sydney.

Additional expense include your airfare to and from your destination, accommodation, campus health cover (where relevant), food, public transport, books and any other living or travel expenses.
An estimate of the cost of additional expenses is between A$10000-$12000 for six months or A$16000-$20000 for twelve months. This is a general figure and may vary greatly due to the exchange rate or cost of living in the country where you are studying. You should investigate the costs involved for your exchange carefully.  Also budget for any additional travel you plan to do while overseas. 

Don’t rely on obtaining work to pay for your costs while overseas. Some countries do not allow students to work or it might be very difficult to find a part-time job. You are also going overseas to experience life in another place so you should not spend too much time working when there are better ways to spend your time – like making friends, seeing the sights, and studying (of course).

How do I pay for these costs?

Between OS-HELP, Centrelink, UMAP, Partner University grants, or UWS International grants, many students will be able to cover the majority of their exchange program costs.

HECS-HELP (opens in a new window) ~ you may continue to pay your fees upfront or defer them through the taxation system

Eligibility: Australian citizens, and holders of permanent humanitarian visas in a Commonwealth Supported Place at UWS. Permanent Residents and New Zealand citizens must pay their HECS upfront.

Centrelink (opens in a new window) – participating in an exchange program should not affect your eligibility to receive a continuing benefit through Centrelink.

Eligibility: Australian citizens, holders of permanent humanitarian visas, and Permanent Residents.

OS-HELP (opens in a new window) - this is a loan scheme through the Commonwealth Government, similar to HECS-HELP, that allows students to defer costs associated with an exchange program through the taxation system. Loans are currently $5000 Australian dollars.

To apply please use the application form on the OS-HELP (opens in a new window) information page. Application deadlines are 31 January for the Spring session and 31 July for the Autum session.

Eligibility: Australian citizens, and holders of permanent humanitarian visas in a Commonwealth Supported Place at UWS.

UWS Grants - UWS has a number of grants available per year to assist students meet the costs of an exchange program.

View all scholarships available through UWS to study on exchange.

Current Commonwealth Scholarship, UWS, or Supporters award holders only – if you are an Australian student currently receiving a Commonwealth Scholarship to study at UWS, participation in an exchange program should not affect your eligibility to receive a continuing benefit or your eligibility for further assistance through UWS, Centrelink, or any of the other loans, grants, or scholarship schemes mentioned. You should confirm this information with the provider of the benefit in the first instance.

Endeavour Program (opens in a new window) – The Endeavour Awards is the Australian Government's competitive, merit-based scholarship program providing opportunities for Australian citizens to undertake study, research and professional development abroad.

Eligibility:

Alternative Sources of funding
DEEWR - a number of other scholarships are funded by the Australian Government through the Department of Education Employment and Workplace Relations (opens in a new window).

Other
Information regarding scholarships provided by external organisations is available.   Please note that these are not administered by UWS and information/application forms must be obtained directly from the relevant agency.

General Scholarships (opens in a new window)
The Winston Churchill Memorial Trust (opens in a new window)
Fullbright Scholarships (opens in a new window)
Rotary Scholarships (opens in a new window)
United Kingdom Scholarships (opens in a new window)

Student Loans from a bank - these are available to students through most large banks. There are options to defer both the principal and interest until after your graduation or a period of time. Generally, a guarantor is required to obtain this type of loan. Also note that interest is likely to be at market rates for a personal loan.

Friends and Family - Discuss your plans to study on exchange with your family. You may find they are able to help or support you. Also, by saving money from a casual job you may find you meet some of the costs of an exchange program.

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F. Academic information you should understand

One of the major benefits to students who participate in an exchange program is that you may study units that are not available at UWS and that are region or nation specific. Units may be fundamentally the same but use teaching methods that utilise local experience, or there may not be a similar unit offered anywhere in Australia. You are encouraged to take these units where possible.

• For elective subjects, try to study units overseas you cannot take in Australia - for example, if you are a biology student you may be interested in taking a unit such as 'Biology of North American ecosystems'.
• Core subjects should be matched as close as possible to an equivalent unit at the Host University. Your Head of Program will have final determination of your study program.
• Ensure you choose a university that has a wide selection of units for your major so that you are able to get alternate core unit/s approved. This is useful if you would prefer to have choices on arrival or if classes are unexpectedly cancelled or unavailable.
• Plan your degree at UWS. Try to take core units at UWS and save electives for the exchange semester if you can. Talk to your Head of Program to ask about the flexibility of your degree.
• Make sure you understand your degree requirements at UWS by reading the online UWS Handbook.
• You will be enrolled in a unit like ‘Exchange Semester 40 credit points’ while you are on exchange. This enrolment ensures you pay fees (HECS-HELP or international student fees) for your semester abroad to UWS and that you receive credit. Note that you do NOT pay tuition fees to the overseas university.
• You will receive a transcript from your Host University which you may keep and add to your important documents and resume. Satisfactory or Unsatisfactory completion will appear on your UWS transcript as evidence of your credit transfer. Individual grades will not be translated to the UWS scale.
• Please note that you may not be able to graduate at the next available graduation ceremony after your student exchange program. Graduation may be delayed six months. This may be due to delays in receiving transcripts from abroad, transferring credit, ensuring degree requirements are met, and deadlines for applications to graduate. While all efforts will be made to facilitate finalisation of the mobility program within graduation office deadlines, this is not able to be guaranteed.

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G. Insurance and keeping safe

• Comprehensive medical and travel insurance is a must for any traveller. UWS travel insurance is comprehensive and will cover you from the time you arrive at your host university campus to the end of the exam period. You should purchase additional insurance for travel periods in addition to this. Full information will be provided to participants during the exchange application process. Registration is required before access to these insurance benefits will apply.

Comprehensive insurance includes; Medical and Repatriation costs
travel insurance (lost valuables, change of travel arrangements, etc)

UWS Travel insurance

Schedule of Benefits

Studying overseas is generally a safe activity. However, any travel poses its own risks and challenges. UWS will take steps to ensure your safety where necessary but you must also do the same.

Students wishing to study abroad to the United States of America (USA) will be required to purchase additional health insurance as part of their exchange program. For additional information, please contact exchange@uws.edu.au

For example;

• Do read the Commonwealth Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade Smart Traveller (opens in a new window) website
• Don’t do things overseas you would not (or should not) do in Australia – like hitchhiking, drinking to excess, accepting a drink without seeing it being poured, getting in a car where the driver has been drinking, etc.
• Do things overseas you would do in Australia to maintain your safety– like not carrying more cash or valuables than you can afford to lose, crossing the road at traffic lights, wearing a seatbelt at all times when in a car, etc.
• Do attend the Host university orientation to find out any particular advice for your region.

The safety and security of its students is of paramount concern to UWS and as such, these will inform all policies and decisions related to your exchange. 

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H. Useful websites

DEEWR study overseas portal (opens in a new window)
UWS Handbook (opens in a new window)
UWS HECS-HELP (opens in a new window) and OS Help (opens in a new window)
Consulate Directory (opens in a new window)
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) (opens in a new window)

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I. Student Responsibilities

Students must accept responsibility for their own academic program, health, and safety as described below.

Students participating in a mobility program will agree to;
I. Understand the UWS online Handbook as it relates to their course, including progression requirements.

II. Be responsible for their own health and safety while abroad. This includes not doing anything they would (or should) not do in Australia to maintain their own safety.

III. Research the Host University, and Host country prior to accepting a mobility place. This includes, reading the Smart Traveller (opens in a new window) website as a minimum.

IV. Be aware of specific laws and customs for the region they are travelling to.

V. Be prepared for inter-cultural dialogue by researching the history and culture of their host region and country as a minimum.

VI. Ensuring they have adequate health, travel, evacuation, and repatriation insurance by registering through UWS International for insurance and purchasing extra insurance for any travel before or after the exchange period.

VII. Be a good ambassador of UWS

VIII. Ensure that all units are approved prior to departure where possible

IX. Ensuring unit approval and enrolment is correct and notifying relevant offices of these by the specified deadlines

X. Ensure that mobility credit and grades are finalised no more than 12 months after returning from a mobility program. Failure to achieve this will result in failure of the mobility unit/s that are not finalised.

XI. Ensure that all matters related to Commonwealth loans are finalised before departure

XII. Ensure they have sufficient funds available for all costs associated with travel as well as access to extra funds for unexpected eventualities not covered by insurance. As a guideline, the minimum amount of funds students should have at their disposal is $2500AUD for each month they are abroad (2009 figure).

XIII. Check their student email account at least once a week while on a mobility program.

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J. Contact us

Email: exchange@uws.edu.au

Phone: +61 2 4620 3696

Emergency only +61 414 274 211

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