How much does it cost?
Planning your finances is an important part of any overseas study program. You will need to cover airfares and domestic travel expenses, health and travel insurance, accommodation and living expenses.
Your costs will vary considerably depending on your destination and lifestyle.
As a very rough guide, you should allow $1500 per month for your program, though this depends on the overall cost of living at the destination you choose.
For example, an exchange to Mexico or Malaysia will often cost less than an exchange to Sweden or the UK.
Swinburne Abroad administers a number of scholarships and travel grants.
Scholarships are awarded based on merit and ambassadorship.Scholarships available in 2013:
Endeavour International Student Exchange Program Scholarships
The Australian Government annually grants $5000 Endeavour International Student Exchange Program scholarships to selected Swinburne students undertaking an International Exchange.
Scholarships available for exchange programs in Semester 2 2013 are listed below.
- 5 x $5000 scholarships for exchanges to Canada
- 7 x $5000 scholarships for exchanges to China
- 14 x $5000 scholarships for exchanges to Hong Kong
- 9 x $5000 scholarships for exchanges to Japan
- 3 x $5000 scholarships for exchanges to Korea
- 3 x $5000 scholarships for exchanges to Mexico
- 2 x $5000 scholarships for exchanges to Italy
- 3 x $5000 scholarships for exchanges to USA
Students applying for an Endeavour Scholarship must be Australian citizens.
Students must submit an International Exchange Program application to Swinburne Abroad and will be automatically considered for the available scholarships.
Swinburne Abroad Fund Scholarships
Swinburne Abroad funds a range of scholarships available to both local and international students.
If you've already submitted an application for exchange in semester 2 2013, you may now apply for the below scholarships.
Scholarships for exchange in semester 2 2013 are as follows:
- 6 x $2000 Swinburne Sarawak Awards
- 2 x $5000 Vice Chancellors Award
- 5 x $3000 Swinburne Ambassador Awards
- 6 x $2000 Swinburne Europe Awards (excludes exchanges to the UK)
- 1 x $2000 Swinburne Latin America Award
- Outbound local and international Swinburne students are invited to apply
- Students who receive a Swinburne Europe, Sarawak or Lain America Award cannot also receive an Endeavour Scholarship (Australian Government funding)
- Students who receive a Vice Chancellors or Swinburne Ambassador Award may also receive an Endeavour Scholarship (Australian Government funding)
- Scholarship allocation is independent of any application for OS HELP. Students may receive both a scholarship and OS HELP loan
How to apply
- To apply for a Swinburne Europe, Sarawak or Latin America Award, you must submit a one-page statement on why you wish to study in these destinations. This document must accompany the International Exchange Application
- To apply for a Swinburne Ambassador Award, you must submit a one-page statement on how you will contribute to promoting outbound exchange to Swinburne students. This document must accompany the International Exchange Application
- To apply for the Vice Chancellors Award, you must write a one-page proposal on how they would run SwinMates for one semester as a way of engaging local and international students. This document must accompany the International Exchange Application
To find out more about scholarships, please see the eligibility flyer
Scholarships offered by host institutions
Austrian Airfare Stipend
Swinburne's partner in Austria, Fachhochschule Wiener Neustadt, offers airfare stipends of €700 per student towards their airfare costs. They have several of these stipends available and they are to be awarded to those students selected by Swinburne Abroad as being most deserving of such a financial award.
One scholarship of SEK5000 (approximately A$1000) is offered by the Jönköping School of Education and Communication in Sweden.
Aalborg University, Denmark
One scholarship of DKK5000 (approximately A$1300) is offered by Aalborg University in Denmark for a student to undertake exchange.
To be nominated for this scholarship, you must submit your exchange application to Swinburne Abroad. You will be automatically considered for the scholarship.
Butex Interntional Scholarships (for some UK Partners)
This scholarship is open to all exchange students going to select UK Partners. To be eligible you must have been offered an exchange place at a BUTEX-affiliated UK university.
The value of each scholarship is £500 and will be paid to the recipients once they have arrived and registered at their host university.
For further information on country-specific scholarships, please check with the consulate or embassy of your host country.
If you currently receive Austudy or Youth Allowance, you may still be eligible to continue receiving these benefits while on exchange.
You will need to provide Centrelink with evidence that you will be studying full-time in an approved student exchange program that will be credited to your Swinburne degree.
Swinburne Abroad can provide you with a letter to meet Centrelink requirements before you depart.
OS HELP Loans
OS HELP is a Government scheme providing loans of $6,051 (2013 round) specifically for Australian students undertaking an exchange program.
This loan is added to your HECS debt, which you do not have to re-pay until your income reaches the minimum repayment threshold.
Application closing dates for OS HELP coincide with the deadline for exchange applications.
If you're applying for an OS HELP loan, please indicate your intention on your exchange application form.