Study abroad or student exchange
Why study overseas?
Studying overseas opens up your world. You will make new friends, experience a different culture and maybe even learn a new language. Studying overseas can also bring you a fresh perspective on your degree, and get you out of your comfort zone.
What overseas study programs are available?
Formal student exchange programs
This type of program involves you swapping your place at your home institution with another student from a partner institution for the duration of the exchange — usually one or two semesters. Credit from your overseas study will count towards your course of study at your home institution.
Students on formal exchange programs are usually entitled to Commonwealth assistance. The student can access their Student Learning Entitlement (SLE) and Commonwealth assistance (such as HECS-HELP and FEE-HELP) for units of study under the same provisions that apply in Australia.
Study abroad programs
These programs also allow students enrolled at an Australian higher education institution to undertake study with an overseas institution that counts towards their home course of study.
However, students on this type of program are not normally covered by an agreement between their home provider and their host institution. These students are usually responsible for the cost of their overseas tuition, which will be determined by the host institution.
Australian overseas campuses
Some Australian higher education providers operate their own campuses overseas, for instance Monash University operates campuses in Malaysia and South Africa.
Which country should I choose?
Your choice of country for an exchange program may be determined by your university, and what kind of arrangements they have with overseas institutions. Other factors you should consider:
- Language — would you be comfortable living and studying in a country where English is not widely spoken?
- Cost of living — you want to be able to fully engage with life in another country, and that means extra costs for socialising, eating out, etc.
- Further travel — you may want to travel before or after you complete your course of study overseas.
Financial help
OS-HELP is a loan scheme to assist eligible Commonwealth supported undergraduate students studying overseas with their expenses. The scheme is not available to students undertaking their whole course of study overseas. Eligible students may borrow between $1000 and $5611 per study period for one or two overseas study periods.
There are also many scholarships and international fellowships available to eligible students. Contact your university or browse some of the links below for more information.
Need more information?
Contact your student exchange or study abroad office at your higher education provider. You may also find the following links useful.
Going to uni — studying overseas
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