Hancock's UniMelb Exchange Advice

[Hancock]

Is the Melbourne Globility Scholarship $2500 for all students???

The Melbourne Global Grant is $2500, but it is not guaranteed for most students. Apparently it's given out to the "majority" but it is based on academic merit. http://www.mobility.unimelb.edu.au/outbound/funding/exchange-funding.html#grant

The Melbourne Global Scholars Award (ATAR > 98 / Kwong lee Dow Scholar / Chancellor's Scholar) is a guaranteed $2500 for the student.
http://www.mobility.unimelb.edu.au/outbound/funding/scholars-award.html

Note, you can only get one of the above awards.

I've heard you can take a loan from HECS for study abroad - is this accurate? Thanks!

Yes, this is what I'm doing to fund the majority of my exchange (I don't really want my parents to help so this helps alot). It's called an OS-HELP loan and it is run by the Government. Basically, you can take out a maximum amount of $6051 per semester and put it straight onto your HECS. This effectively means that it is a interest-free loan, so it is probably going to be the best loan you will ever get in your life (barring parental loans and mates loans). I'll be taking out 2 of these to fund a year long exchange so that effectively gives you another 12k in your savings for a trip.

That is insanely competitive! Do you know what kind of grades would be required to get an exchange place at UCLA?

For the entire UC system, the minimum GPA cut-off for Melbourne University last round was HOLY SHIT it dropped heaps. I literally just looked up the cut-offs just then and apparently there were:
(sem 1, 2013 cut off: 71.7%. Sem 2, 2012: 73%)

For Semester 1, 2012 I'm positive it was 83. Remember that this is for the entire system, and only 7 places were given last round to ALL campuses. From word of mouth, you need roughly 88+ for UCLA and 90+ for Berkeley (only hearsay, but from the competition at these places, I wouldn't be too surprised).

[charmanderp]

That'll be something to motivate me then! I'd assume that if one could get the grades to get exchange with UCLA they'd almost be assured of a Melbourne Global Grant as well?

[Hancock]

I'm not going to give you a definitive yes, but I'm fairly confident that you would be fine with 75+ for the Global Grant.

[charmanderp]

Ok thanks (: There can definitely not be any slacking off next year if I want to get 90+ haha.

[ReganM]

Hey Hancock, where did you get those cut off marks for UC? Are there listings for other unis available?

[Hancock]

Click on your country of preference and it will tell you all the institutions that we a partnered with and what the cutoffs were for previous rounds.

http://www.mobility.unimelb.edu.au/outbound/exchange/partners/index.html

[ReganM]

That only seems to be the case for the American universities.. I'm hoping to a Chinese one. XD Oh well.

[Hancock]

http://www.mobility.unimelb.edu.au/outbound/exchange/partners/partners1.html#China

[simpak]

How did it even get that low?
I swear Joel is pulling strings and sending masses more people than he's allowed to over to US unis...

[Hancock]

I think they are re-routing lower GPAs to lower ranked campuses and sending less people to UCLA and Berkeley maybe.
EDIT: But that doesn't really make sense about the cut-off. Maybe less people didn't want to go to UC last year.

[simpak]

Maybe but the exchange rate is excellent and we were told interest was diverted from Penn and further towards Berkeley this year.
But, considering you don't get a guarantee over campus I can see that a few people might be put off from UC.

[Hancock]

Yeah, hopefully my average gets me in

[charmanderp]

Can you apply to multiple exchange partners?

[simpak]

Can you apply to multiple exchange partners?

You apply on a preference type basis, just as if you were applying to university.
You'll get the first preference your average nominates you for.

[Hancock]

In your MGM form, you select three partners in your order of preference. It's like the VTAC preferences because if you don't get your first, they will reroute your application to the second. If your don't get your second ... etc.