Come to UNSW on Exchange

 

 

If you are an overseas student from one of our partner universities, you can choose to spend either a semester or a year on exchange at UNSW. Students interested in exchange must apply through the Exchange Office at their home university. Please contact your International Office for further information. We do not accept direct applications from students.

 

 

For students who have been accepted into the UNSW Exchange Program, we look forward to welcoming you to UNSW for an exciting session or year of study. You will join 150-200 students from across the world in our program.

 

The Orientation Program IS COMPULSORY for all new students and ensures that you are correctly enrolled and settled before commencement of session. It is also a great opportunity for you to meet other exchange students and get to know Sydney. For students commencing their Exchange in Session 1, 2009, Orientation is from 24 – 26 February 2009. We recommend that students arrive at least 1-2 weeks before orientation to arrange accommodation. If you would like to book temporary accommodation or get information on our airport reception desk, see Arriving in Sydney. Please drop into the exchange program office at the Red Centre Building when you arrive to register.

 

For further information see our Social Activities Calendar, the Student Survival Guide and our Aussie Mate Programme.  For information on the services provided to students by UNSW see the Student Services Directory.

 

In Australia most students attend a university in their own city and live at home with their families or in private shared accommodation close to the university.  Consequently, Australian universities have limited accommodation on campus for students and entry is competitive.  If you are interested in applying for on campus accommodation please contact the University Housing Office.

 

Many exchange students do not wish to apply for on campus accommodation. Most of our exchange students prefer to find share housing close to campus in the beachside suburbs of Coogee, Randwick, Kensington, and Bondi etc. Housing close to UNSW is relatively expensive by Sydney standards, though plentiful, and takes a few days to arrange, particularly in January and February.  It is best to arrive 1-2 weeks before classes start so you can settle in and look for accommodation.

 

Because we recognise that suitable housing is an important part of the exchange experience for each student, International Student Services has established the International Student Housing Assistance. This service provides information and assistance to help students to find suitable accommodation as soon as possible after arrival.  Accommodation is a matter of personal choice and depends on individual preferences and circumstances. Consequently, permanent off-campus accommodation cannot be arranged in advance for exchange students

 

Study Abroad Housing 

Exchange students also have the option of applying for accommodation through the UNSW Study Abroad Office.  They have over 70 properties ranging from large homes to smaller-style apartments, all located in the beachside suburbs of Randwick, Coogee, Maroubra and Bondi.

 

We will also hold an Early Arrivers Afternoon Tea prior to orientation to give exchange students a chance to meet other exchange students who might be looking for share-mates.  See the Social Activities Calendar for details.

 

Looking to buy/sell or exchange furniture, household items, books or course materials, cars, searching for an apartment, roommate, looking for and/or sharing a ride? Check out the ISS marketspace.

Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) is a compulsory condition of your student visa and must be paid before we can issue your visa documents. Students are required to maintain OSHC for the entire time that they are in Australia. Students who have been accepted into the Exchange Program will be asked to purchase their own OSHC online.

 

The University's preferred provider of OSHC is Worldcare. Students can obtain OSHC from Worldcare or with another approved provider of OSHC. For students who purchase their OSHC from Worldcare, the University will receive a commission and this commission is used to improve the services to students. Students who decide to purchase their OSHC from another approved provider will not be disadvantaged by UNSW. Other approved providers include BUPA, Medibank Private and Australian Health Management Group.

 

Swedish or Norwegian students who have the following health cover do not need to take out OSHC

- The Swedish National Board of Student Aid (CSN) OR

- The National Office for Social Insurance Abroad -Norway (FFU)

 

Please note that overseas student health cover must be purchased from an approved provider. Health cover from your home country or university will not be accepted.

 

All New Zealand citizens are covered by Australian Medicare.

 

Your confirmation of Enrolment (CoE) and UNSW 'Letter of Acceptance' are needed to apply for a Student Visa. You should not leave your home country without first securing an Australian Student Visa.

 

Please check the Australian Department of Immigration and Citizenship for all information on applying for a student visa. Note that, although UNSW International Exchange will attempt to assist you with visa issues, it is your responsibility to check the requirements of the student visa for your nationality. Exchange students are classified as a non-award student (Student visa sub class 575).

 

Students who are citizens of countries other than that of their home university will need to be particularly careful of Australian immigration requirements (eg. An international student from Russia studying in Canada). Students from assessment level 3 and 4 countries need to be aware that they may be required to provide an IELTS test and this may lengthen the visa process.

 

In order to maximise the chances of personal and academic success for international students admitted to our courses, UNSW has adopted the following English requirements.

 

IELTS - Score of 6.5, minimum score of 6.0 in the Listening, Reading, Writing, Speaking sub-tests

TOEFL - (computer based) Overall score of 233, with a minimum score for Structure/Writing of 25 and Essay rating of 5.0

TOEFL - (paper based) Overall score of 577, with a minimum score in the Test of Written English of 5.0

 

At the end of your exchange we will send 2 copies of your academic transcript to the office at your university responsible for your exchange program. Please note that we cannot and will not release your transcript if you have any outstanding fines (eg library fines). Before you finish your studies you must make sure you have paid any fines to avoid delays in receiving your transcript. Any questions regarding the transfer of credit back to your home institution should be directed to your home Exchange Office. If you need more than 2 copies of your transcript you will need to order them though the transcript office.

 

The ESOS Act 2000 is Australian Government legislation that ensures providers of education are regulated in the delivery of education services to international students. The Act also provides for obligations and restrictions on students to comply with the conditions of their student visa.   The University is required to notify the Department of Immigration (DIAC) if students fail to comply with their visa conditions.  For more information see https://my.unsw.edu.au/student/resources/ESOSstudent.html

The ESOS Act 2000 is Australian Government legislation that ensures providers of education are regulated in the delivery of education services to international students. The Act also provides for obligations and restrictions on students to comply with the conditions of their student visa.   Please note the University is required to notify the Department of Immigration (DIAC) if students fail to comply with their visa conditions.  For more information see https://my.unsw.edu.au/student/resources/ESOSstudent.html