Student exchange program

A student on overseas exchange from Victoria University is pictured aStudy at a university overseas and get credit for that study towards your Victoria University (VU) course.  VU offers generous travel grants to all eligible VU students.

If you're a current VU student who has completed at least one year of your course then you could participate in our Student Exchange Program in Europe, Asia or America for a semester or a full year.

If you are an overseas resident studying at an overseas institution and interested in coming to Victoria University as part of your qualification, visit our study abroad and exchange site to see if you are eligible.

On this page:

General information

If you're interested in going on exchange, download the student exchange getting started information sheet. It has important information to help you begin planning your exchange experience. Our Victoria abroad pre-departure guide also has useful information.

About Victoria abroad

The first point of contact for students considering going out on exchange is the Victoria abroad team.  We hold information sessions at as many campuses as possible. In early April we hold an Exchange fair where you can speak to students and staff from a number of our partner institutions and speak with VU students who have returned from an exchange.

As an exchange student you continue to pay your Victoria University fees for the semester or year of study overseas and do not pay tuition fees at the overseas institution.

Where can I go?

Victoria University has over 70 exchange agreements with partner institutions around the world including: 

Use our list of partner institutions to:Student exchange program_Fussen Germany.JPG

General exchange programs allow you to undertake subjects from any faculty at the partner institution. Contact your faculty or school to find out more.

Meet other former exchange students

Membership to the Australian Exchange Alumni Association (AXAN) is available to anyone living in Australia with some form of international study experience that wants to capitalise on their experiences.

 Important dates

Application closing dates 

Semester 1 placement 2010: Deadline extended until 15 July 2009
Semester 2 placement 2010: 30 November 2009

Exchange fair

Thursday 2 April 2009
10am - 3pm
Footscray Park Campus (Building M)

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Information sessions
Re-entry session
Attendance is compulsory for all VU students who went on exchange in Semester 1, 2009.		 Wednesday 12 August 2009 Time: 5pm-7pm
Venue: To be confirmed
Pre-Departure Session 1
Attendance is compulsory session for all students going on exchange in Semester 1, 2010		 Thursday October 15 2009 Time: 5-7pm
Venue: To be confirmed
Pre-Departure Session 2
Attendance is compulsory session for all students going on exchange in Semester 1, 2010 		 Thursday October 22 2009 Time: 5-7pm
Venue: To be confirmed
Pre-Departure Session 3
Attendance is compulsory session for all students going on exchange in Semester 1, 2010 		 Thursday October 29 2009 Time: 5-7pm
Venue: To be confirmed

Loans and funding

We encourage you to contact your faculty to see if you are eligible to receive any of their grants or scholarships as an exchange student.

Grants

Victoria University travel grant scheme

Available to all Victoria University students and approved on the condition that you must complete the scheduled pre-departure sessions prior to leaving, and the re-entry program upon your return. Please note that you are only entitled to one travel grant during your studies at Victoria University.

For a full semester or longer when you will receive credit towards your qualification:

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For an approved one-year cooperative education program or an approved overseas study experience for which credit is not received:

Complete and submit the following forms to the Victoria Abroad team with your application:

University Mobility in the Asia Pacific (UMAP) exchange program

If you meet the UMAP scholarship selection criteria, you may be eligible to receive A$5,000 in financial assistance. Apply for this funding using the Victoria Abroad Outgoing Exchange Application form . Opportunities in this program are limited:

Scholarships

Endeavour Awards

If you meet the Endeavour Awards scholarship selection criteria you may be eligible for this internationally competitive, merit-based scholarship program. It provides opportunities for Australians to undertake study, research and professional development abroad in:

Partner institution scholarships

Ludwigsburg Pädagogische Hochschule, Germany

Scholarships of approximately EUR2,000 (approximately A$3,250). 3 places available with choices available during:

Jönköping School of Education and Communication, Sweden

Scholarships of approximately SEK5,000 (approximately A$900). 1 place available per semester with choices available during:

Aalborg University, Denmark

Scholarships of up to approximately DKK8,000 (approximately A$1750). Choose between:

Soonchanhyang University, Republic of Korea (suitable for students interested in Asian studies)

Scholarships of US$800 (approximately A$1,200) towards airfare and 150,000W per week (approximately A$150 per week) for living expenses.

OS-HELP loans

A cash payment loan from the Australian Government, this loan scheme offers you financial assistance for overseas studies that are part of an overseas exchange program. Full eligibility criteria are outlined in the OS-HELP Loan Application Form, but in general to be eligible you must be either a:

As an applicant from Victoria University, approved payments range from A$1,000 to A$5,000 for a six-month study period. If you are applying for OS-Help loan after the 1 January 2010, you will not have to pay 20% OS-Help Loan Fees. To apply for an OS-HELP Loan, complete and forward to the Victoria Abroad team:

For more information on the OS-Help Loan can be found at: www.goingtouni.gov.au

Youth allowance/Austudy

If you currently receive Youth allowance or Austudy you:

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How to apply

To be eligible to study on an exchange program you must have:

When applying, you must submit the following documents to Victoria Abroad:

Submit your application by 15 July 2009 for exchange in VU Semester 1, 2010 or 30 November 2009 for exchange in VU Semester 2, 2010.

Short programs

Victoria University has joined with Australian Institute for Mobility (AIM) Overseas to increase the number of overseas study options open to students. These short-term overseas study options include:

Taught in English, these programs usually run for 2-6 weeks during the summer and winter holidays. They are an excellent addition to any resume and you may be able to have them credited to your degree.

Travel advisories

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) supports Australians travelling overseas and to help avoid difficulties, they maintain travel advisories for approximately 160 countries/destinations. These are graded according to DFAT's overall assessment of the security situation and are designed to help the traveller assess the level of risk they may face in a particular country.

There are five different levels of advice:

Prior to travelling, we recommend that you access http://www.smartraveller.gov.au/ to determine the level of advice assigned to your destination(s). It is also important that you read the Victoria University's Travel Policy.

Health and travel insurance

Overseas Travel Insurance Cover is compulsory; to be covered you must complete the Victoria Abroad Travel Authority and Checklist and submit a copy of your flight itinerary.

Some host institutions will also require you to take out their own health insurance.

To arrange for Overseas Travel Insurance you can:

Travel insurance policies cover a range of items from Personal Accident and Sickness Cover, Medical and Additional Expenses and Cancellation and Baggage/Business Property, Electronic Equipment, Deprivation of Baggage and Money/Travel Documents. These items are subject to the policy terms and conditions.

All travellers should read and familiarise themselves with the Travel Insurance Policy which is subject to certain terms and conditions including limits and exclusions.

Student testimonials

Hear first hand from those who have experienced our Student exchange program for themselves.

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Page last updated: Friday 3 July 2009
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