How to Apply for Exchange

Two semesters before exchange:

• Attend an ANU Global Programs Exchange Information Session. 
• Exchange is only available for undergraduate course work studies and select post graduate coursework.
• Find 5 institutions you are interested in - Use the Global Programs System search to find exchange partners you are interested in.

Please note, going on exchangein your final semester, may result in delayed graduation. Due to differences in semester dates, exam periods and administration timing, it is often not possible for ANU to obtain your exchange transcripts in time to be processed for graduation. Typically an exchange transcript will only be sent to ANU a couple of months after your exchange finishes, we therefore require a maximum of one semester ahead to process your transcript and award you with the relevant ANU credits. If you are not willing to run the risk of delaying your graduation, we do not recommend going on exchange in your final semester.

Two semesters before exchange: 

• Start your online application via the ANU Global Programs System. In your application you will need to update your Global Programs System Profile, complete the Room Available in Degree (RAID) questionnaire for each college you are seeking credit from, and your Exchange Partner Preference questionnaire. 
• If you intend to take your exchange courses in European languages, you will need to fill in a Language Approval Form
• Make sure to complete all sections on the online application, this includes uploading required forms, reading required tasks, writing a statement of purpose and filling in all questionnaires. Incomplete applications will not be considered. 
   

How do we rank your exchange applications?

• Exchange allocation is based on a variety of factors including academic suitability and GPA. We will use the written statements in student applications were necessary to help us determine the suitability of an allocation where students may be equally matched in terms of GPA and/or academic suitability. Exchange places are limited per partner and some partners may not offer exchange if there is a reciprocity imbalance. Applications will be assessed after the application deadline. 
   

One semester before exchange:

• Allocation results will be announced on:
  S1 exchanges results: mid-August
  S2 exchanges results: following year late-February.
   
• Successful applicants will be allocated one exchange partner. Allocations are final and cannot be changed.
• Once you have been allocated to a partner, you must attend a nomination briefing(we will email you an invitation after results release).
• Make a decision - you can accept (commit) or decline (withdraw) your allocated partner institutions.
• If you decide to decline, you will not be allocated a new partner and will need to re-apply next round. 

If youaccept your allocation, we will nominate you to your allocated partner. Once nominated, you will then apply directly to your allocated partner. 
 

• Once you have accepted your allocation, you will have access to application instructions to apply to the exchange partner. This information is located in the learning content section on the Global Programs System.
• Depending on your allocated exchange partner institution, you will receive an email from them containing application instructions. If you do not receive an email from the partner, please check the learning content section on the Global Programs System.
• Apply to the partner institutions by the required deadline and wait for an official exchange offer from the partner institution.
• Select the courses you intend to take at the partner institution and receive course approval from your ANU academic college. 

Commonly requested documents for your applications

Each exchange partner is unique and application processes may vary. The types of documents required may also be different. Below are some of the commonly requested documents required for your applications -

• SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS - Gather necessary documents as required by the exchange partner e.g. the partner's exchange application (most are completed online or some may need couriering), copy of passport, official transcripts, academic reference letters, insurance etc.
   
• ACADEMIC REFERENCE LETTERS - You will need to contact your lecturers or tutors for academic references. Some institutions may require your academic referee to have certain qualifications. 
   
• OFFICIAL TRANSCRIPTS - Students will be emailed a link to retrieve their official ANU transcript from MyEquals around the beginning of the semester / nomination briefing period. Students are required to log into MyEquals to download their own transcript, to be used during your application to your allocated exchange partner. Some institutions may require a hard-copy of your transcript. Please do not purchase your own transcript. Email ANU Global Programs to request a hard-copy of your transcript. 
   
• HARD COPY APPLICATIONS - some institutions only accept hard-copy applications. Please let Global Programs team know - we will arrange for your paper applications to be mailed over to the partner institutions, free of charge. 
   
• COURSE SELECTIONS AND APPROVALS - You will need to organise course selections and approvals with your academic college(s), ensuring the courses chosen are courses that your academic college can approve and they meet your degree requirements, as decided by your academic college.

Please note the FULL SEMESTER LOAD AT PARTNER AND CREDIT EQUIVALENCY - The full semester load for each partner is different. Students are required to study the equivalent of a full semester load of courses, which can be anything from 3 to 9 courses, depending on what the credit equivalency is for a full semester load. The credit equivalency is shown for each exchange partner on the partner program brochure on the Global Program System.

One semester before exchange:

Once you have received your official offer from the partner institution, you will need to complete the following tasks before going on exchange:

• Apply for accommodation, insurance, visa (if required) and book your travel tickets.
• Apply for OS-HELP, grants, scholarships if applicable or relevant to you.
• Attend a PRE-DEPARTURE SESSION - Students must attend an ANU Global Programs Pre-Departure Session. Students will be emailed with an invitation to attend the sessions.
• Attend a CROSS-CULTURAL SKILLS DEVELOPMENT WORKSHOPS - Students are invited to attend the cross-cultural workshops (region based) and students can attend any of the sessions.
• TRAVEL APPROVAL REQUEST -  complete the travel approval questionnaire on the Global Programs System with your intended travel dates. This step is crucial to seek permission and approval to go on exchange and to be covered by the ANU Travel Insurance policy.
• COMPLETE ENROLMENT CHANGE FORM - Students must complete an Enrolment Change Form and provide the form to your academic college(s). One form for each academic college. This is to ensure you continue to be enrolled at ANU in an Exchange shell code for your exchange semester while you are away on exchange. You must be enrolled with your ANU academic college(s) during your exchange semester and you must get this done before you leave for exchange, so that your exchange studies will earn you credits towards your ANU degree when you have successfully completed your exchange.
• CHECK ENROLMENT ON ANU ISIS ACCOUNT - Once you have handed in your Enrolment Change Form, ensure you check your ANU ISIS account to show you are enrolled at ANU for 24 units in total, whether you are a single or double degree student. You must have an ANU enrolment for 24 units for your exchange semester. It is important to remain enrolled at ANU while on exchange - especially for international students with Australian student visas, who go overseas on exchange. 
• Organise any changes or final course approvals with your academic college(s).

Please note that you will continue to pay/accrue your usual tuition fees and service amenity fees at ANU during their exchange semester. Students do NOT pay tuition fees to the exchange partner university.

The exchange semester:

• Continue to check your ANU email account and communicate with ANU using your ANU email account.
• Students are expected to be good ambassadors and represent ANU actively by volunteering at exchange fairs and events, to promote exchange to students at the host university.
• Check if you need to order your own transcript. For some partners, students are required to order their own transcript to be sent/emailed to ANU Global Programs. You must action this if the partner instructs you to do so.
• Before returning, settle all outstanding arrangements e.g. return that library book, cancel the gym membership, settle your accommodation fees

Semester following return from exchange:

• Returnees are required to attend the Returnee Session held by ANU Global Programs.
• Start back at ANU and volunteer for Global Program events, we need lots of help from exchange returnees.
• Share your experience with prospective exchange students by taking part in social events organised by ANU Global Programs.
• ANU will wait for the partner universities to officially release their exam results and send the student's transcript. Release of the transcript can take between 3 to 6 months after exams are over, depending on the partner's processes. ANU cannot force the partner to release their exam results earlier.
• Students who wish to go on exchange in their last semester of their degree must carefully consider the timing of results released by the partner. This may mean waiting an additional semester to attend their ANU graduation ceremony.
• Once the partner transcript is received by ANU Global Programs, it will be scanned and a copy emailed to the student's ANU academic college(s) for them to access the results and apply ANU credit towards the student's ANU degree.
• Exchange students will receive a full semester of ANU credits (24 ANU units) if the student passes all their courses (a full semester equivalent) at the partner university. ANU only annotates the number of credits applied to the ANU transcript, no grades are applied on the ANU transcript.
• For the grades received for each course taken during exchange at the partner university, students are directed to refer to the partner university's official transcript.

* Some degrees may only allow you to go on exchange after having completed more than 1 year of full-time study. Also, some partners may have restrictions that do not permit students to study with them until their third year of undergraduate study.