EAO is the Education Abroad Office: We manage all RMIT student mobility programs, assist you in the application process, run pre-departure sessions, provide on-going support throughout the term of your overseas program, are a resource area, and much more.
Student exchange occurs through a reciprocal agreement between RMIT University and institutions from different countries. These institutions are referred to as RMIT exchange partner institutions or host institutions.
The partner institution and RMIT have an agreement to exchange a set number of students per year, these numbers are usually balanced out over a period of three years. The Education Abroad Office maintains and reviews the balances each semester.
The agreements enable RMIT students to study at a partner institution (coursework only) for a maximum period of two semesters (this does not extend time to your RMIT degree) while staying enrolled at RMIT. The tuition fees are waived at the partner institution but you continue to pay RMIT tuition fees.
TAFE students studying one to one and a half year programs may only be permitted to study one semester overseas.
On completion of your overseas program, the partner institution will forward your academic results to RMIT and study undertaken at the partner institution will be credited towards your RMIT award program; this will appear on your RMIT academic record as either an External Pass Grade or an External Fail Grade. You also receive the original academic transcript from the partner institution.
An intercampus exchange program operates under similar conditions to an exchange program but the host institution is RMIT University Vietnam. The only difference with an Intercampus Exchange, are the closing dates and how students are enrolled.
A partner institution is a university or a college that has a reciprocal exchange agreement with RMIT, where each institution nominate and exchange a number of students per year or semester to study for a period of up to one year. The terms; overseas institution, partner institution, and host institution are interchangeable.
Students who wish to go to a non-partner institution (no agreement with RMIT) may apply as a study abroad applicant and will pay tuition fees to the partner institution.
As a study abroad student, it is your responsibility to liaise with the non-partner institution regarding the application process, seek course approval from your RMIT School’s program leader/coordinator, ensure you are enrolled at RMIT in study abroad codes for the semester you are away; and pay the requested study abroad fees directly to the non-partner institution. You are also still required to submit an application to EAO but do not have to adhere to the EAO closing dates, only the deadlines of the partner institution.
A Student Mobility Advisor works at the Education Abroad Office, each Advisor is responsible for dealing with outgoing and incoming applications for specific overseas regions. Any staff member at EAO may assist you with your initial enquiries but once the questions become specific to a region or institution you will be assisted by an Advisor for that area.
A partner institution and RMIT have an agreement to exchange a set number of students per year, these numbers are usually balanced out over a period of three years. The Education Abroad Office maintains and reviews the balances each semester. For example, some institutions we may only be permitted to nominate two students to go out on exchange for the semester, others may be higher. Where a situation arises that RMIT have sent too many students to a particular institution (out of balance) we will be requested to put the agreement on ‘hold’ until the balances have evened out. That is, the host institution has sent more students to RMIT.
RMIT has approximately 140 exchange partner institutions in 31 countries around the world. Please refer to the Student Exchange list for Higher Education or Postgraduate or TAFE on the EAO website. Students may also go on intercampus exchange to RMIT Vietnam for one or two semesters, or a combination of RMIT Vietnam and a partner institution. www.rmit.edu.au/globalpassport/educationabroad
You can pick any institution throughout the world that offers courses in your discipline area and will accept study abroad students (visiting students) providing your school approves your study plan and approves credit transfer to your RMIT program.
Please refer to the Student Exchange list for Higher Education, or Postgraduate or TAFE on the EAO website. www.rmit.edu.au/globalpassport/educationabroad
Some institutions are open to students from all schools, while others are limited to specific disciplines or school areas. Some overseas institutions may only teach in their native language but many do teach in English. Some institutions may only accept undergraduate students.
Once you have found an institution that may be suitable for your program, for example, undergraduate, teaches in English, open to many disciplines, then you need to follow the links to the partner institution and start looking for courses that fit into your area of study. If you need assistance, contact the Education Abroad Office eao@rmit.edu.au
Yes, this is called an intercampus exchange. The conditions and process are similar to a normal exchange but the closing dates for applications are later and enrolment is slightly different. Balances are still maintained between RMIT Australia and RMIT Vietnam so there are not unlimited places. Business students can go to RMIT Vietnam in their second semester of their first year of study.
Any RMIT student can apply; local or international, Post Graduate or Undergraduate, TAFE or Higher Education. RMIT English Worldwide (REW) students are not eligible for exchange until they have transferred into a TAFE or Higher Ed program. International fee-paying students can go on exchange but not to their country of citizenship. AusAid funded students are not eligible to go on exchange as the AusAid scholarships are only provided to students while they study in Australia.
Higher Education (HED students must
TAFE students must
Yes, provided that you meet the eligibility criteria and enrol as a full-time on-campus student while on Exchange or Study Abroad. In some circumstances it may be possible to study part time on exchange but this will be dependant on visa conditions, the host institution, and the RMTI School. Students should contact the Education Abroad Office to check eligibility.
Yes. You would continue to pay your tuition fees to RMIT while on exchange and pay no fee to the partner institution. However, you cannot apply to an institution in your country of citizenship (this does not apply to dual citizenships, or if you are a citizen or permanent resident of Australia). You must also meet the conditions of your Australian student visa.
AusAid funded students are not eligible to go on exchange as the AusAid scholarships are only provided to students while they study in Australia.
Yes, provided you still meet a minimum overall credit average i.e. GPA 2.0. Applications will not be accepted if the GPA is below 2.0.
Yes, postgraduate students doing coursework can go on Exchange or Study Abroad, see list of partners for Postgraduate.
Yes, TAFE students can go on exchange or study abroad but as TAFE programs are shorter in length (1-1.5 years) you may only be able to go overseas for one semester. See list of partners under TAFE
Applications must include:
EAO Applications must include:
You will also need to submit to EAO proof of acceptance to the host institution once you have received it.
Host Institution:
You will be invited by the EAO to attend a Pre-Departure session, this is compulsory. You may be invited to attend the session before you have received acceptance from the host institution but you will still need to attend.
No. If you want to study at a partner institution as an exchange student you should not contact the host institution directly, please contact the EAO if you are having any trouble finding information. This is very important and usually a request from the host institution so they are not inundated with emails or providing conflicting advice. In order to maintain a good working relationship with our partner institutions, only EAO staff should contact partner institutions unless otherwise advised.
No. If you choose not to take up a place after it has been offered or decide not to continue with your application, you will have to reapply for the exchange program by the next relevant deadline. This is due to increasing demand for exchange programs.
No. If going on exchange you can only apply for one institution on the EAO application form. However, it is often a good idea to have a back-up destination and institute in mind in case there are too many applicants to the one institution and the host institute won’t accept them all. In this instance, the EAO will contact you after the EAO closing dates and advise if you need to apply for another institute.
Generally, the earliest Higher Ed students can go on exchange or study abroad will be in the second semester of your second year and any subsequent semester. Some Schools may not permit you to undertake an overseas program in your last semester, you should discuss this with your program leader/coordinator before applying to EAO.
TAFE students may be eligible to go in the second or third semester of their program.
The academic year for most overseas institutions is different to the academic year at RMIT. In the northern hemisphere, the academic year is approximately mid-August to late December (their semester 1) and early January to May (their semester 2). Most institutions allow you to begin studies at any semester but please check with the EAO for any exception. Generally you will be able to fit in an overseas semester and be back in time to commence your next semester at RMIT.
You can undertake Exchange or Study Abroad for up to two semesters if you are studying a 3 to 4 year degree. Please research thoroughly and keep in mind your RMIT program and/or financial restrictions when planning your exchange. If doing a 1 to 1 1/2 year program, you may only be able to go for one semester.
Some schools may not permit you to do your last semester overseas, especially if you have only core courses left or are required to do a major project in your last semester. It is usually easier to organise your Exchange or Study Abroad if you have only elective courses left to complete in your last semester. Check with your School before applying to EAO.
Application deadlines are between 6 to 12 months prior to the commencement of the overseas semester. You should give yourself at least 3 months prior to the EAO deadline, to research which country and institution you want to go to, prepare your application, and get approval for your study plan. Allow a minimum of 4 weeks prior to the EAO deadline to get your study plan approved by the school.
Not necessarily as most partner institutions teach in English or offer a number of courses taught in English. However, if you choose a program that instructs in a foreign language, you will be expected to have an intermediate to advanced level of fluency (i.e. Level 7 or High school + 2 years at university level), otherwise your grades may be affected. There are some programs that instruct in a combination of English and a foreign language, eg in Japan, Korea, France, Sweden, the Netherlands, and Malaysia.
Your choice of courses to study overseas will depend on what is available at the partner institution and what stage you are at in your RMIT program. Read the section on ‘completing your study plan’ on the EAO application form for more detail.
No, not if you are going on exchange. You are required to be enrolled in a RMIT full time equivalent at the host institution i.e. 36-48 credit points but you cannot take extra courses. An exchange agreement has the provision for maximum 48 credit points only.
You may be able to overload as a Study Abroad student as you will just be paying additional tuition fees for the courses, however, it is not recommended as you will be adjusting to a new academic environment and will have quite a busy social life.
Yes. This is a very important part of the application process and why a study plan is required. You need to select courses that are similar to the courses required for your RMIT degree. Course descriptions for each partner institution can be located in individual institution handbooks online. You can approach EAO if you are having difficulties locating information.
Your study plan containing your course list both at RMIT and the partner institution needs to be approved by academics/program team leader (instructions are also listed on the study plan in the EAO application).
If going as an exchange student you will be enrolled at RMIT while overseas in exchange codes and continue to pay tuition fees to RMIT.
If going on Study Abroad you will be enrolled at RMIT while overseas in study abroad codes but RMIT tuition fees are waived and you pay tuition direct to the host institution.
Upon the completion of your exchange or study abroad semester, an official academic transcript showing all the courses you enrolled in and the grades you received will be sent to EAO or directly to you. If your transcript is sent to EAO, a copy of the transcript will be forward to your school /program administration officer to update your RMIT student record. If you receive the transcript directly, please give a copy to EAO and then take another copy to your school.
The grades you achieved are not converted into RMIT grades/marks. Your grades will be either External Pass Grade (EPG) or External Fail Grade (EFG).
To demonstrate the grades you achieved for the courses studied on Exchange or Study Abroad, you will need to produce your official partner institution academic transcript. Some Schools may also require you to bring back your assessment materials, you should check this with your school before leaving Australia. Schools will generally not convert the grades to your RMIT academic record.
No, provided that you completed and passed all approved courses at the partner institution.
Even though you will be studying at an institution overseas, you are still officially an RMIT student. For this reason, you need to ensure that you are correctly enrolled at RMIT before you leave Australia, pay relevant student fees at RMIT and comply with all RMIT census dates while overseas.
You need to make an appointment with your program leader/coordinator from your school to ensure that you are correctly enrolled into either Exchange or Study Abroad course codes, prior to departure. An incorrect enrolment can lead to difficulties in obtaining credit for your overseas program upon your return and you may incur additional fees as a result.
If you are going to be overseas during the enrolment period, you must ensure that you give proxy to someone to enrol for you.
Yes, when you arrive at the host institution they will advise you have to enrol. You will be required to maintain your enrolment at the host institution and at RMIT for the duration of your overseas program, including adhering to census and other important dates.
Possibly. For the duration of your overseas program, you are usually required to be enrolled in a full-time, on-campus course load at the overseas institution. This is a requirement of the Exchange/Study Abroad program and a visa regulation. However, there are some countries where this is not a visa requirement and some partner institutions may let you study part time. This would need to be confirmed by the Education Abroad Office so please check with them before applying eao@rmit.edu.au
It is possible, provided you have not been on Exchange or Study Abroad for more than two semesters. You need to seek approval from your RMIT academic advisors/program leader, the EAO and partner institution or non partner institution. This can be arranged by email. It is important to take into account if you have received an OS-HELP loan for your first overseas semester and what conditions apply to this. For example, to be eligible for a loan you must be returning to RMIT to complete a minimum of 48 credit points. If extending your stay means you will then be in breach of this condition you will not be permitted to extend.
Accommodation varies from institution to institution. You should refer to the partner institutions website for more details on the accommodation options (eg, on-campus or off-campus). Even though you have the option to organise your own accommodation, most students choose to live in an on-campus residence (if available) as this provides greater opportunity for meeting new friends and becoming involved in student life. Residence housing is normally in a shared dormitory room. Other options include Homestay or you may need to rent an apartment off-campus. A partner institution may have a housing office, which can assist you with obtaining accommodation. Some host institutions will ask you to register for accommodation and organise this when they send you an offer letter – Offer letters are sent out via the EAO for exchange students.
Travel arrangements are your responsibility. Please do not make any payment towards airfares until you have received the letter of acceptance from the partner institution. Remember that you must allow ample time to obtain any required visas. Please check all immigration matters very carefully before your departure.
Students going on Exchange can check with STA on campus about travel arrangements as soon as they receive a nomination from EAO. STA and EAO have an arrangement whereby exchange/study abroad students can secure STA flights by paying a small deposit. The deposit is refunded if you do not end up getting an offer from the overseas institution (not if you just change your mind). Contact STA for more details.
Yes. It is a condition of your participation in an Exchange or a Study Abroad program that you are covered by adequate travel insurance. Also, some overseas institutions may require you to purchase their own health insurance; this may be a visa requirement. Health Insurance is not the same as or in place of travel insurance.
Exchange students do not pay tuition fees to the host institution, however there may be a small charge for orientation or other student services.
Study Abroad students pay tuition fees to the host institution and these are usually required up-front and often before leaving Australia.
You are required to pay all other costs such as; airfares, accommodation, insurance, passport, student visa application fees, and living costs. These costs vary, depending on where you are going and how long you are going for. We recommend that you budget $2,000 per month for each month your will be away to cover all expenses other than airfares, this will be less if you are going to an Asian country.
The Embassy/Consulate for many countries will ask for proof of funds when you apply for a student visa. For example, if you apply to go on exchange in the USA, the partner institution will ask you to provide a letter from your bank showing that you or your sponsor have at least US $6000 available for your expenses overseas (this may be greater if going for longer).
You should do some research on the costs of visas so you can include this in your budget. Some countries may not require a visa but will require you obtain an entry permit on arrival, entry permits still cost money and for some countries can cost up to $800.
Some financial assistance is available from RMIT and the federal government for your overseas study program.
RMIT
Federal Government
How do I complete a Study Plan
The Study Plan is part of the Outgoing Exchange/Study Abroad application form (PDF 94Kb 6p)
There are two parts to the study plan.
During the above process you will be invited by the EAO to attend a Pre-Departure session, this is compulsory. You may be invited to attend the session before you have received an acceptance from the host institution but you will still need to attend.
No. It is important to note that a nomination is a recommendation given from RMIT to the partner institution. It will ultimately be at the discretion of the partner institution as to whether or not you will be offered a place. If successful, you will receive an official offer/acceptance letter and supporting documents to make further arrangements.
The assessment by the partner institution does take some time, usually between two – ten weeks. EAO will contact you regarding the outcome of your application as soon as we are notified by the partner institution.
Yes. If you are going overseas you will need to have a current passport (must be current for at least six months after you are ready to return to Australia.
As it can take time to get a passport it is often worth applying for one early and even if you don’t end up going on exchange the passport will be valid for 10 years. To apply for a passport you will need to make an appointment at Australia Post.
Yes. In some cases it may save you money, for example, if your dual citizenship is the UK and you are going on exchange to Europe this may save you money on a visa. It is important to remember when using a dual passport that you must come back into the country on the exact same passport you went out on.
Yes, in most cases, you will need to apply for student visa. Always check the visa requirements with the Embassy or Consulate of the country where you will be studying. Some countries may require an entry permit rather than a visa, it is important that you research this as entry permits will also cost money and you may need to budget for this.
When you apply for the overseas visa you will be required to take a letter from RMIT advising that you will be on exchange and out of the country for more than 28 days. The Education Abroad Office can issue you with this letter.
In most cases you can work but it will depend on the conditions of your student visa. As a rule, students going to the USA can work up to 20hours per week but this must be on-campus at the host institution only. Generally for Europe working 20 hours per week is also permitted, however, it is your responsibility to check with the relevant countries embassy/consulate for work conditions under a student visa.
It is not really recommended that you work while on exchange as you will have a new study environment to adapt to and quite a busy social life, so if possible try not to take this option.