Overseas Study
Why Study Overseas?
Studying overseas offers a wide variety of benefits. You will:
- Explore new ways of seeing and knowing
- Pursue special academic interests in a fresh context, including service learning or an internship
- Gain a new international perspective on their major/minor and career path
- Explore in-depth aspects of the history, society, and culture of the host country
- Build your language skills
- Develop executive functioning and emotional resiliency skill sets.
Led by Dr Davina Potts and published by IEAA, the Career outcomes of learning abroad research (below) explores how international study opportunities connect to skills development and career outcomes of graduates and alumni who have undertaken learning abroad.
Study Overseas Opportunities
The Global Experience Program directly achieves the outcomes of the University Plan 2018-2022 by increasing opportunities for students to gain international experience and developing graduates who have the knowledge, skills and disposition to succeed in a global workforce.
Why participate in the exchange program?
At JCU, we encourage you to develop cross-cultural connections and new perspectives to take into your life beyond JCU. We want all graduates to appreciate and understand the differences and interdependencies that connect us all globally.
The Global Experience Program offers opportunities to study overseas for one or two semesters as part of your degree. Being able to experience another culture for prolonged periods of time is the best way to understand another culture. In turn, this allows for a deeper understanding of our own culture as we interact with and learn from others.
Who is eligible?
The exchange program is available to students from JCU Cairns or Townsville, both internal and external. To be eligible to take part in the Exchange program you must:
- be currently enrolled in a full Undergraduate degree program at JCU Cairns or Townsville
- have a minimum GPA of 4.5
- have successfully completed at least one year of full-time study (24 credit points) at JCU by the time you depart for your exchange (the requirement for postgraduate coursework students is 12 credit points)
- have room in your study plan to support an exchange
- be receiving credit for your overseas study with approval from your College
The degree programs that do not allow semester exchanges include Education, Medicine, Dentistry, Nursing, Vet Science, Occupational Therapy, Pharmacy or Physiotherapy courses. These degrees can access short study programs only.
Why participate in the short study program?
Is a 6 or 12 month international exchange not suitable for you? Would you prefer to only study 2-6 weeks overseas? The Global Experience Program offers opportunities to study overseas for an intensive subject during the university breaks.
Several of JCU’s partner universities offer short programs which can be credited towards your JCU degree. Short study opportunities are also available through various Australian Organisations.
Eligibility
- You must be enrolled in a degree program at JCU.
- You must have completed at least 12 credits towards your degree.
- You must be receiving credit towards your JCU degree for international experience to receive funding.
- There is no one specific GPA eligibility criteria for short study (4.0 is usually the minimum).
- Refer to each individual program for discipline specific eligibility criteria.
New Colombo Plan Mobility Grant Program
JCU has a number of programs funded through the New Colombo Plan Mobility Grant program, a signature initiative of the Australian Government which aims to lift knowledge of the Indo-Pacific in Australia by supporting Australian undergraduates to study and undertake internships in the region. The New Colombo Plan is intended to be transformational, deepening Australia's relationships in the region, both at the individual level and through expanding university, business and other links.
The New Colombo Plan (NCP) mobility grants (for short and longer-term study) prioritise internships, mentorships and language training. The Strategic Objective of the NCP is to strengthen Australia’s regional standing by building a diverse cohort of Australian alumni with deeper Indo-Pacific knowledge, capability and connections.
The intended outcomes of the NCP are:
- Increase the number and diversity of Australian university undergraduates with Indo-Pacific capability;
- Deepen people-to-people and institutional relationships between Australia and the Indo-Pacific region; and
- Students and alumni connected with leaders in government, business and civil society in the Indo-Pacific.
New Colombo Plan Scholarship
The New Colombo Plan (NCP) is an Australian Government initiative that provides opportunities for Australian undergraduate students, between 18 and 30 years of age (inclusive), to undertake study, participate in Internship/Mentorship opportunities and receive language training in an eligible Host Location in the Indo-Pacific region.
The NCP Scholarship Program provides around 120 Scholarships annually to a diverse range of Australian undergraduates studying a range of disciplines in up to 40 Indo-Pacific locations. The Program encourages students to participate in community engagement and advocacy in relation to the New Colombo Plan. The maximum duration of a Scholarship Program is 19 months. All program components must be completed within this time period.
Experience JCU Singapore
JCU makes it easy for students to study part of their degree at its campuses in Australia and Singapore. You continue to pay your tuition fee to your home campus while on the intercampus exchange program, and receive credit towards your degree for subjects successfully completed while at the overseas campus.
Inter-campus Exchange
Students based at JCU Townsville and JCU Cairns can study for one or two trimesters at JCU Singapore, with College approval. Students based at JCU Singapore can study for one or two semesters at JCU Townsville or JCU Cairns, with College approval.
Inter-campus exchange is available for a maximum of two semesters or trimesters. The program is open to both domestic and international students enrolled at JCU.
JCU Singapore Trimester Dates
The academic year at JCU Singapore is divided into three trimesters, including Orientation Week. Intercampus exchange students can take a maximum of 24 credit points at JCU Singapore which is two trimesters. A trimester study load at JCU Singapore is 4 subjects (12 credit points).
- Study Period 51 – commencing March - June
- Study Period 52 – commencing July - October
- Study Period 53 – commencing November - February
(Actual commencement dates will vary from year to year.)
Experience Singapore
Singapore is much more than the sum of its numerous attractions. It’s constantly evolving, reinventing, and reimagining itself, with people who are passionate about creating new possibilities . Find out more about Singapore here.
JCU Singapore Campus
The Singapore campus of James Cook University is located at Sims Drive. The campus provides students with access to a full range of facilities and services to support their learning. These include lecture and seminar rooms, library and associated study facilities, computer laboratories, financial lab and access to a variety of sporting facilities. Find out more about JCU Singapore.
Things to consider when choosing an exchange destination
- What part of the world interests you?
- Do you want to study in an English or non-English speaking country? Many partners in non-English speaking countries offer subjects taught in English.
- Do you want to experience a big city, or would you prefer to live in a small town? Or does the idea of a university town interest you?
- What is the cost of living? Does it fit with your budget?
- Do you want to live on-campus or off-campus? Would you prefer to experience a white winter, or stay somewhere in the tropics? What sporting and cultural activities do you want to experience?
Rhys Malcom's Exchange to Japan
Bachelor of Arts -Bachelor of Science student, Rhys Malcolm talks about his exchange semester at Kwansei Gakuin University in Japan.