How the International Exchange Program works

• How does it work?
• Exchange Information Sessions
• Eligibility
• Competition for places
• Semester systems overseas
• Studying in a foreign language

How does it work?

The International Exchange Program enables you to undertake approved overseas study, with the credit achieved counting towards your degree at the University of Sydney.

You can study at one of the many partner universities across the world with which the University has signed a formal exchange agreement. Some of these agreements are open to the majority of academic disciplines taught at the University (university-wide), while others are limited to specific discipline areas eg: Law, Economics and Business (discipline-specific).

As an exchange student you remain enrolled full-time at the University of Sydney while you are overseas. You therefore continue to pay your usual tuition fees to the University of Sydney. Meanwhile, your host university sends a student to the University of Sydney to take your place, though not necessarily in the same faculty as yours. This student remains enrolled full-time at the university you go to on exchange and continues to pay the relevant fees there. So it is literally an exchange between the universities.

You can choose to complete either one or two semesters of your degree overseas. Many students choose only one semester, but as it can take some time to settle into study and to make good friendships, you may wish to consider a two-semester exchange from the outset. Extensions to a one semester exchange may be possible but only under certain circumstances. Some universities only accept year-long exchange, however, some high demand destinations, such as most languages, are only available for one semester of study.

To participate in the International Exchange Program you must submit a formal application and undergo a selection process firstly at the University of Sydney, and then at the host university.

Exchange Information Sessions - Compulsory

To be eligible to receive an Exchange Application, you will need to attend at least one talk from Part 1 - Topical Information Session and one talk from Part 2 - How to Apply Information Session. The application kits are only given out at Part 2 - How to Apply Session.

We encourage students interested in more than one regional area to attend more than one topical information session.

Economics and Business Information Sessions will focus on Economic and Business Faculty Specific Exchange Partners. Students undertaking an Economics & Business exchange will be required to list 3 of their 5 preferences as Economic & Business Faculty Specific preferences. Therefore these students are strongly encouraged to attend an Economics & Business Information session.

Part 1 - Topical Information Sessions
Topical Information Sessions provide you with the basics, such as eligibility, costs, and scholarships. We will also advise you on competition and other current issues that may affect the success of your application. Each session is presented by one of our Exchange Advisers who will also highlight specialised information about the particular region of the world they are responsible for.

Topical Information Sessions July Semester 2009

Part 2 - How to apply for the International Exchange Program" Information Session
After attending a Topical Information Session, you will then be required to attend a final "How to Apply" information session which will explain the application requirements in detail. Before attending this session, you should have already started researching your final options. It is only during this session that you will be given your Exchange Application Kit. We encourage students to attend as early as possible to allow sufficient time to prepare a thorough exchange application.

How to Apply Sessions July Semester 2009

Additional Resources

In addition to attending the various information sessions, we recommend you use our Exchange Resource Library and review the additional information sheets that explain this semester's restrictions, inform you of new partnerships, outline scholarships, etc. We also recommend you to review Progress Reports completed by past and current students highlighting everything from costs, housing, travel experiences to academic matters and helpful hints.

All of these resources are available to help you prepare a successful application and we strongly recommend you use them. Competition is high for most destinations so you are advised to carefully preparing a well-thought out and thoroughly researched application, can only increase your chances of success.

Eligibility

Before proceeding further, you should check that there are no restrictions on your degree that would prohibit your participation in the International Exchange Program.

University of Sydney requirements

The International Exchange Program is primarily administered by
the International Office, though the Faculty of Law and Sydney College of the Arts also have their own arrangements (see these faculties for details). For the International Office the following eligibility criteria apply at the time of assessment:

• Undergraduate students - the earliest semester in which you can apply is in your Second semester of study at the University of Sydney. Whilst submitting an application for exchange, during your second semester you must be due to complete a minimum of 48 credit points by the end of your second semester of study. Please note students who have transferred from another university and received at least one semester’s credit for previous study towards your current degree (i.e. at least 24 credit points) must still have completed and passed at least one semester (24 credit points) at the University of Sydney. However you can submit an application for exchange whilst fulfilling this requirement.
• Postgraduate students must have passed one semester of full-time study (18-24 credit points) at the University of Sydney in the degree they intend to be enrolled in whilst on exchange.
• Please note the below conditions apply to all students - applying to exchange - Undergraduate and Postgraduate.
  You must have achieved at least a credit average (65 percent or higher) over your whole academic record to date. In addition You must maintain at least a credit average (65 percent or higher) in the semester in which you are applying.
• Language students must also have firstly achieved preferably 70 percent average or higher in all language units, but no less than 65 percent average. Secondly, they must also have passed at least 3 semesters of the target language (exceptions may apply to students in the Advanced streams). Thirdly, they must obtain at least one academic reference from the relevant language department within the Faculty of Arts.

In addition to the criteria reviewed at the time of assessment, you must:

• Be enrolled full-time at the University of Sydney while away on exchange, and take classes that have been approved by your faculty to be credited towards your Sydney degree.
• Have sufficient funding for the exchange period. When applying for your student visa, some countries will demand documented evidence of sufficient funds.

International students are also eligible for exchange, but not at universities in their home country.

Postgraduate research students must have written support from (a) their University of Sydney supervisor/s and postgraduate adviser in the Faculty Office and (b) an academic at the host university who agrees to be their supervisor during the exchange period.

Discipline-specific exchange requirements

In addition to the exchange partnerships managed by the International Office, Law and the Sydney College of the Arts administer selection for their own exchange agreements. Eligibility requirements, application and selection procedures, and deadlines for these discipline-specific agreements will differ from those required by the International Office. Students who wish to apply to these programs should contact these offices for
more information.

Host university requirements

In addition to University of Sydney requirements, host universities have their own specific eligibility criteria or restrictions, such as language tests or courses in certain subject areas that are not open to exchange students. You will be informed by an Exchange Adviser at the International Office if special criteria apply to your situation before you submit an application.

Competition for places in the exchange program

Competition for exchange places in most countries is high. On average, almost half of all applicants select just three main countries - the USA, Canada and the United Kingdom - as their preferred destination. Specifically, approximately 25 percent of all applicants select the USA as their preferred destination. The next most popular cohort of countries are those in Northern Europe (Denmark, Finland, Norway, Sweden and The Netherlands), followed by the United Kingdom.

Within countries, competition for exchange places at some partner universities is also very high. When you submit an application, you are expected to identify and rank, in order of preference, five exchange preferences as your potential host universities. Your application will be assessed for your first preference, however, you may be considered for a second or third preference. Occasionally, you may be required to re-preference your original options.

Competition for almost all language destinations (excluding Korean) is extreme. French and Japanese are the most popular languages taken on exchange. Where agreements are University-wide or for the Faculty of Arts only, preference is given to students studying the applicable language as a major. In addition, it may only be possible to grant applicants one semester exchange placements even if you have applied for a two semester exchange.

A list of high demand destinations and program restrictions are available from the International Office. This list is updated each semester.

If you choose any of the following institutions as one of your five preferences, you must also rank 3 of their available campuses as sub-options, due to competition for specific campuses. This counts as one preference.

• University of California, USA (8 campuses available)
• University of North Carolina, USA (16 campuses available)
• Tecnológico de Monterrey, Mexico (9 campuses available)

Please note that final campus placement at one of the multi-campus universities listed above is up to the host university. The University of Sydney will only nominate you to the institution as a whole.

Occasionally agreements may be temporarily closed due to imbalances in the exchange program or other matters (e.g. Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade travel warnings). We reserve the right to cancel, temporarily suspend programs or not renew agreements without prior notice. In the event of this, the International Office will assist in the placement of applicants at other suitable destinations. New programs may also be added from time to time.

You are advised to double check program availability, program conditions and other eligibility and selection criteria with the International Office before proceeding with your application.

Semester system at overseas institutions

University of Sydney students should note that most partner institutions operate on a two semester system with the northern hemisphere academic year commencing between July and October.

Most have two major deadlines per year for commencement in either semester. Where institutions operate on a trimester or quarter system, University of Sydney students will be expected to take the following:

• two trimesters/quarters = one Sydney semester
• three trimesters/quarters = two Sydney semesters

Most destinations will accept approximately two to three students a year. Some can accept more students. These places are divided over the two semesters to ensure and equal spread of students over a given year.

Studying in a foreign language or in a country where the instruction is not in English

Instruction is given entirely in English in many of the host countries, namely USA, Canada, the United Kingdom, New Zealand, Hong Kong and Singapore.

Most universities in Asia and mainland Europe teach in languages other than English. As you will be studying with local students, you will need to demonstrate proficiency in the relevant language – sufficient to understand lectures, read texts, do assignments and deliver oral presentations – before being accepted for study at a university where instruction is not in English.

Some universities offer a large range of classes in English even though this is not the native language of the country; however, these classes do not cover every discipline. Such programs are available at some universities in Europe (Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Norway, The Netherlands, Sweden), Mexico, Israel and Asia (Japan, Malaysia, South Korea, Thailand, The Philippines).

At most partner universities you can enrol in classes for regular students if you are proficient in the local language. In addition, at some partner universities customised international programs are available to allow foreign students to study certain languages (e.g. Japanese, Korean) at beginner, intermediate or advanced levels while taking other classes in English. These programs are designed for visiting students and do not cover a full range of courses.

Most classes taught in English within these customised programs are focused on the humanities and social sciences. There are also some business/commerce and engineering classes in English at some universities.

Due to extreme competition and limited places, students majoring in a foreign language at the University of Sydney will receive preference to study that language ‘in-country’. In some cases, students may also be limited to exchanges of only one semester in duration to ensure enough places are available for all eligible applicants.