Study abroad FAQs
View our most frequently asked questions.
Get a globe and spin it! Our programs are continually growing with partner universities in more than 20 countries.
You can! Our international programs are open to all eligible Deakin students.
Our study abroad and exchange programs are suited to students who wish to experience total immersion in another culture for a short period, a trimester or full academic year. Short-term programs are more suitable for students with limited time or those who wish to fit another unit in over T3 or in the inter-trimester break.
Faculty-led study tours also run over a short period and are well supported by academic staff. They are a defined group of Deakin students who will be in a similar course and year level so it is a great option if you are new to travel and only have limited options to study overseas as part of your Deakin course.
Deakin's exchange partners vary greatly in terms of student population, location (small townships to major cities, coastal or inland), subject specialisations and strengths. These differences may guide your choice. Some countries will have fewer choices of partners than others.
It is important that you consider which destination is appropriate and best for your studies and lifestyle and that you research a number of potential exchange destinations to find the right place for you.
Our study abroad team can help guide you during this process. Also, talking to students who have already been on an exchange or study abroad program is always a good idea.
If you are doing a single degree at Deakin, the second year of your course is the ideal time to spend a trimester or year overseas. If you wish to go later than this, you will need to ensure you have enough time left in your course to sustain full-time enrolment while overseas. It can also be difficult to go later in your course, as many courses have specialised final year subjects which can be difficult to match at a host university.
We don't recommend that you take part in an exchange or study abroad program in your final study period. You can choose to commence your exchange or study abroad program in Trimester 1 or 2. You can participate in a short-term study program at any time during your course so long as you meet the eligibility requirements.
Study abroad programs are the perfect opportunity to add an extra edge to your degree. With careful planning, you should complete your course in the same time as if you had stayed in Australia. Take the opportunity to study subjects that will complement your course at Deakin but may emphasise different approaches, content or methodology.
No. Study abroad programs are a great opportunity to live within another culture without needing to be proficient in the host language. Language-based programs are aimed primarily at students of that language who wish to rapidly improve their language skills, however, most of the exchange partners teach classes in English, unless otherwise stated. Many of them also include introductory classes in the host language as part of the exchange program.
This depends on your course requirements and financial limitations. If possible, we recommend that you consider a year-long program (a trimester can pass too quickly) as it gives you more opportunity to deepen your knowledge of the host university and country.
We recommend that, if you are interested in staying for a full year, you should apply for two trimesters when you first apply to the study abroad and exchange program. However, students can extend in special circumstances but need approval from the study abroad team, your faculty and the host university.
In order for both your faculty and the study abroad team to consider your extension, you will need to be certain of the following.
* You need to have enough credit points to sustain a full-time study load during an additional semester.
* You need to ensure you have at least 1 unit/credit point to complete on your return to Deakin.
* You need to research further units to study at your host university and make sure that they match up to any core Deakin units that you may need to satisfy during that study period.
The onus is on you to do the groundwork here, and then contact your faculty to see if approval can be granted.
Most of Deakin's partner universities have on-campus accommodation. We recommend that you take advantage of this option if it is available. The type of on-campus accommodation varies. In some cases you may share a room in a student residence and eat the food offered in the residence canteen, while at other universities you may have your own room and bathroom and share a kitchen with other students.
If you are unable, or choose not to live on-campus, most partners have accommodation offices to assist you in locating off-campus accommodation.
If you are undertaking an exchange or short-term program, your host university will forward you information on available accommodation and how to apply for this.
Accommodation for intensive programs varies by host university, and more details can be found on the program brochure. Typically you will be staying in on-campus housing, but some host universities have agreements with local hotels or home stays with families. Additional accommodation fees may apply. Students taking a study abroad program are responsible for finding their own accommodation if it is not included in the program cost. However, your host university will likely offer assistance and information once you have been formally accepted.
This depends on the host country and the type of visa you have. In Canada and the USA , the student visa allows you to work part-time, but only on campus. In the UK you can work part-time, while most student visas in the rest of Europe don't allow you to work.
You should not count on being able to work in your host country and if you are able to do so, you should see it as an extra bonus rather than taking it into calculation when working out your financial situation.
You do not need to show evidence of finances when applying to a study abroad program. It is your responsibility to ensure you have the means to manage costs of the program including airfares, meals and personal expenses.
The cost of living varies from country to country, and depends on the length of your program. For a trimester exchange we estimate budgeting for approximately AUD $20,000. A helpful tool for estimating cost of living per country can be found on NUMBEO.com.
Many host universities, including all American universities, will also require that you are able to show evidence of how you will support yourself during the exchange. Once you have been accepted into the exchange or study abroad program, you may be required to submit, together with your host university application, original bank statements, scholarship letters and other documents as relevant showing that you have available to you the amount specified by your host university. In these cases you need to be able to demonstrate that this money is available to you upon application. It is not sufficient to show that the money will be available to you once you depart for your host destination.
It is a requirement by all American universities that you are able to provide financial evidence upon application. American universities cannot issue your offer letter and your visa enabling documentation without evidence that you will be able to support yourself during your exchange or study abroad program.
Many countries also require that you can show evidence of financial support when you apply for your student visa.
If you wish to be put in contact with Deakin students who have previously studied overseas, please contact the study abroad team. Many students returning from study abroad programs are happy to share their knowledge and experience.
If your application is successful, you will be notified via the student application portal, and that email will trigger the next phase of your application.
If you are taking part in an exchange, study abroad or a short-term program it is important not to pay for any flights, accommodation, visas etc. until you receive written confirmation from the host university.
If you are taking part in an international short-term study program you may be required to pay a deposit to confirm your place.
All students taking part in any study abroad program will be required to attend a compulsory pre-departure session.
We strongly recommend that you travel after completing your exchange or study abroad program rather than before.
Sometimes students have to wait a long time for their acceptance letter from their host university to arrive. You need this letter to apply for your student visa(s) and sometimes it also takes a long time for your visa to be issued. Also, grants and scholarships (where applicable) cannot be dispensed until you have received your host university acceptance letter.
If you plan to travel prior to the start of your exchange or study abroad program you may not have received your host university acceptance letter and/or appropriate visas by the planned departure date. You may then be obliged to pay for airfares, tours, hotels etc. that you are not able to utilise as you will not be able to leave Australia until you have received your acceptance letter and/or relevant visas.
It is always better to consider travelling once you have completed your program.
If you are going on an exchange, we will provide you with the application forms for the host university in your acceptance pack. You must complete and return these forms to the study abroad team and we will forward them to your host university.
After processing your application, your host university sends you a formal acceptance letter advising you that you have been accepted to their exchange program, together with any visa-enabling documents. This can take some time. If you have not had a response from your host university 6-8 weeks after being notified that your application was sent, please contact us and we will contact your host university on your behalf.
When you receive your formal host university acceptance letter, you usually also receive a package containing pre-arrival information regarding housing, medical insurance, enrolment and orientation. You should liaise directly with your host university on these matters.
If you are going on a study abroad program you are responsible for all contact with your host university before and during the application process.
Most students are offered a place at their first choice host university. However, some universities are more popular than others and there may be more applications than there are places available. In this case, places are offered to students according to academic merit.
If your choice of university is a red university you must have a second preference that is either yellow or green.
If your first preference is yellow you must have a second preference that is yellow or green.
If you choose a green university you do not need a second preference.
Comprehensive travel and medical insurance is compulsory for all students participating in study abroad. Deakin provides free travel insurance to any enrolled student participating on a Deakin-approved international program.
This insurance covers the dates of the program and an additional 10 days of independent travel. You need to ensure you are covered for the whole period you are overseas. Some host universities have compulsory medical insurances and you will need to buy this insurance before you can enrol at the university. Others have recommended medical schemes which are not compulsory and in these cases we strongly encourage you use the recommended scheme.
If you purchase an insurance policy at your host university, you need to arrange travel and medical insurance to cover you until you arrive at your host university.
International SOS are our international travel assistance providers and they will be able to assist you.
International SOS provide comprehensive travel advisories. Please access their page using Deakin's membership number to research information covering health, security and travel tips.
You are responsible for making the necessary travel arrangements for all study abroad programs.
Some international short-term study programs arrange group travel bookings in which case the tour leader will assist with the travel arrangements. Others require the individual student to organise their travel independently.
On any study abroad program, you are responsible for ensuring you have the correct visa for the countries you will be transiting through or studying in before leaving Australia. Deakin and/or the host university may assist by providing contact details of the relevant embassies/consulates, but you are responsible for the visa application and for ensuring that you have all the necessary and correct visas.
Make sure that you don't leave Australia without the correct visa in your passport. It is very important that you don't leave arrangements for your visa until the last minute as some countries take considerable time to issue visas.
Many countries require that you can show evidence of financial support when you apply for your visa. You must then be able to demonstrate that the required amount is available to you when you apply for your visa. It is not sufficient to show that the money will be available to you once you depart for your host destination.
You should book your tickets as soon as you have received confirmation of acceptance from the study abroad team. However, don't pay for any tickets, tours, visas etc. until you have received formal acceptance from your host university.
We recommend that you wait to apply for your visa until you have been formally accepted by your host university. Also, most countries will not let you apply for your student visa until you have received your official acceptance letter from your host university.
Yes, you can withdraw from a study abroad program at any time before you depart for your host university.
You will need to write a letter to the study abroad team to inform us about your decision and withdraw your application from the application portal. The letter must include your name, student number, contact details, the name of your host university, the trimester you intended to go on the program and your reasons for withdrawing. The letter must be signed and dated.
If you need to withdraw from a study abroad program because of events caused by Deakin, the study abroad team or your host university, and over which you have no control, your application fee will be refunded.
Your application fee will not be refunded if you decide that you want to take a study abroad program in a different trimester or year, to a different university or because you have changed your mind.
Short-term, faculty-led study tours and volunteer programs may have non-refundable deposits. Please carefully read payment conditions for each program.
You cannot generally defer your place on a study abroad program. If you wish to go in a different trimester you need to withdraw your application from the application portal and re-apply for a different trimester.
If you are taking part in an exchange or study abroad program, your host university will send a transcript of your results to Deakin or directly to you. This will be copied and certified and forwarded to the assessments team for entry onto your Deakin transcript. You will not be graded but will be awarded an External Institution Pass (EP) for each unit successfully completed or an External Institution Fail (EN) for each unit incomplete overseas. The original transcript is yours to keep as you may need it when applying for jobs or further study. You may wish to arrange for an extra copy to be sent to you directly from the host university for these purposes.
If you are taking part in a faculty-led study tour or an internship undertaking a Deakin unit abroad, you may be given an exam and/or assessments before you leave, while overseas or on your return to Australia. These will be graded according to the Deakin grading scale and your faculty will forward your results to the assessments team to be entered onto your Deakin transcript.