While overseas

Must do

• Keep in touch

  We won’t overwhelm your inbox, however there will be some important information sent your way that you need keep track of. It is your responsibility to make sure you check your University emails frequently (we suggest at least twice a week).

  You are still expected to respond to any communications sent to you from the University of Melbourne.

• Re-enrol

  Don’t forget about us here at University of Melbourne. We want to make sure it’s as easy as possible to settle back in and continue your degree upon your return. This will mean you will need to re-enrol while you are away.

  The re-enrolment process is pretty similar to those re-enrolling at home. Emails will be sent to you outlining the process in more detail.

  If you are undertaking a year-long overseas study program, remember you also need to re-enrol at the University of Melbourne for the second semester you will be overseas (if you have not done so already). Check your study plan to ensure you are enrolled into your placeholder subjects for your second semester overseas. If not, contact Stop 1 immediately.

  Check out the Re-enrolment page for key dates and how to re-enrol.

• If you plan to take a break from study in the following year

  You still need to re-enrol by the due date. You can apply for Leave of Absence for the period when you won’t be studying.

• If you are finishing your University of Melbourne degree while overseas

  You will not need to re-enrol

  Once the University of Melbourne has received your transcript from your host institution, credit will be applied to your degree. The Stop 1 team will contact you if it emerges you need to undertake additional studies to complete your degree.

  If you are undertaking the final semester of your degree overseas and you plan to attend your graduation ceremony after you have returned, there may be delays with receiving your transcript from your host institution. This can mean that your graduation ceremony may be later in the year than you had anticipated. Information about how to organise your graduation can be found on our Graduations page. Similarly, if you are applying for further study at a graduate or honours level, delays with transcripts arriving from your host institution may also cause delays with these plans.

• Organise transcripts from your host institution before you leave

  If you require a transcript from your host institution, some will require you to order them before you leave to return home. Check with your host institution for more information.

Extending or reducing your exchange

Send us an extension or reduction request. You have the opportunity to change the duration of your overseas study if desired. This requires approval, so it’s important to follow the steps below.

• Extending your time overseas

  If you are on exchange for a semester and want to extend your exchange to a year, you must contact the University of Melbourne as soon as possible. Note that it is not usually possible to extend an exchange beyond one academic year.

  Note: It is much easier to reduce an exchange than it is to extend one. Because of this, we advise all prospective exchange students, when first applying to join the program, to apply for a year-long exchange if they are undecided or have no reason to limit their time to a semester.

  To enquire about the possibility of extending your time on exchange, follow these steps:

  1. Review your course structure requirements in the Handbook and ensure that you take any Faculty rules and restrictions into account when researching which additional subjects to take at your partner institution.
  2. Submit an online enquiry to the Global Learning team, with the subject line “OUT - Exchange Extension Request – Host Institution Name” to ask if it will be possible for you to extend your time at the partner institution on exchange. Please ensure that you include the following information in your request:

  • The names and codes of the subjects you have taken at your partner institution in the first semester of your exchange;
  • Confirmation of the amount and type of subjects you have left to complete your unimelb course (please check your course structure requirements on the Handbook, taking any Faculty rules and restrictions into account); and
  • Confirmation any majors or minors that you are intending to complete as part of your unimelb course.

  It is at this point your exchange extension request will be forwarded to the Enrolments team to ensure an extension is possible, in line with your course requirements and degree progression rules. If it is not possible for you to extend your exchange while still meeting your course requirements, then unfortunately Global Learning are unable to proceed with your extension request.

  3. If Global Learning confirm that you are able to extend your exchange, you will need to submit additional subject approvals and changes via the Overseas Study Planner to ensure that you will be able to receive credits for the additional period of exchange towards your University of Melbourne degree.
  4. Once all your approvals have been received, if an extension is possible the University of Melbourne will write to your host institution formally requesting that you be allowed to extend your exchange.

  Remember to keep copies of all correspondence for future reference.

  Note: It is much easier to reduce an exchange than it is to extend one. Because of this, we advise all prospective exchange students, when first applying to join the program, to apply for a year-long exchange if they are undecided or have no reason to limit their time to a semester.

• Reducing your time overseas

  If you wish to reduce your exchange from two semesters (a year) to one semester, you must contact the University of Melbourne as soon as possible.

  You can request a change of your duration overseas by submitting an online enquiry to Stop 1. As a matter of courtesy, it is also important to notify your host institution directly of your decision.

  Note: A reduction in your exchange length may have implications for your credit transfer if any overseas subjects are year-long or assessed overseas after you plan to return.