Studying abroad, student exchange: what, why, how

[Joseph41]

***This post is in no way affiliated with the official Monash Uni account. All views are mine, and information may, subsequently, be slightly inaccurate. But I have tried my hardest to make it all on point.***

Hi there! Are you interested in studying abroad, experiencing exciting things, meeting new people, and still contributing to your Monash degree?

tl;dr: then do it! It’s not hard.

I have recently returned from my semester studying at the Monash University Malaysia campus. It truly was a brilliant and much appreciated experience. Or, rather, collection of experiences. I am compiling this post to encourage others to step out of their comfort zones, try new things, and give exchange a red-hot crack. I was hesitant at first – doing such things isn’t really my bag – but I don’t regret it for a second. I’ve not met a single person who does.

The other primary reason for this post is that exchange at Monash is inexplicably under-utilised. The benefits (financial and otherwise) are severe and many. I feel like very students are even aware of the options available to them. So please, strap yourselves in!

NB: I don’t pretend to be an expert, here, but I think that this is an important thread. The fact that this forum focuses so heavily on student life, yet has comparatively little information regarding studying abroad, is an oddity. I had the opportunity to work with Monash Abroad this semester, and the work that they do to make your life as smooth as possible is incredible.

Once I outline the different types of exchange program offered at Monash, I will focus primarily on intercampus exchange. As this is the program that I was involved in, I am naturally more familiar with it. As my knowledge is relatively lacking in the other programs, I would absolutely love it if other users contributed to this thread through their own anecdotes or knowledge. Other questions, discussions, notes and hesitancies are also more than welcome! So if you have or are currently studying abroad, or if you are thinking about doing so, please contribute.

Cheers!
   
Studying abroad

If you attend Monash and are interested in studying abroad, you’re in luck. Monash has a range of options that are sure to whet your metaphorical whistle. Perhaps what you’re not aware of, though, is that there are different types of exchange programs. Let me take you through them briefly.

International exchange

Spoiler

In international exchange, you receive credit for your overseas study whilst remaining enrolled at Monash. Monash has an incredible range of partner universities – over 100, in fact – in more than 25 countries across Europe, North America, South America, Asia and Africa.

Interested in where you can go? Take a look at the list of Monash’s exchange partners. But if you want cliff notes, here you go:

Spoiler

-   Austria;
-   Brazil;
-   Canada;
-   Chile;
-   China;
-   Colombia;
-   Denmark;
-   Estonia;
-   Finland;
-   France;
-   Germany;
-   Hong Kong;
-   Indonesia;
-   Israel;
-   Italy;
-   Japan*;
-   Korea;
-   Latvia;
-   Mexico;
-   The Netherlands;
-   New Zealand;
-   Norway;
-   Russia;
-   Singapore;
-   Slovenia;
-   Spain;
-   Sweden;
-   Thailand;
-   Turkey;
-   United Kingdom; and
-   USA.

*The application process for Japan is a little different and often more stringent. The student’s major, for example, must be Japanese language.

Not a bad list, eh?

Intercampus exchange

Spoiler

As you may or may not be aware, Monash University has a fully-fledged campus situated in Malaysia. Monash also has a campus in South Africa. As Monash students, you have the option to travel to study at either of these campuses. The advantage of this is that you will still be studying at a Monash campus. That is, you’ll still use Moodle, you’ll still use WES; lots of things will be the same, and this makes the process somewhat easier. In intercampus exchange, you pay no additional fees than those that you usually would pay at your home campus.

The other (extremely positive) thing about intercampus exchange is its financial aspect. I will outline this in greater detail below, but for now, consider this (at least for Malaysia): free flights, free accommodation, travel scholarship.

Faculty overseas program

Spoiler

Faculty overseas programs are great if you want to experience exchange but you’re not sure whether or not you want to commit an entire semester. They are typically two to eight weeks in length, and are run by Monash faculties. To quote the Monash website, “[a] faculty overseas program allows you to study either a core or elective unit of your course while you explore exotic overseas locations like Italy, New Caledonia, France, Chile, the UK, Indonesia and Rwanda. Programs range in length but are typically four weeks, and are most often run during holiday periods.”

You may have heard of Monash’s faculty overseas program run in Prato, Italy. Selection is based on merit (academic results), and scholarships are available.

My experience at Monash University Malaysia

My brother did the same exchange five years earlier, and I had actually been to the Malaysia campus whilst travelling, so I had something in mind as to what to expect. But really, past experience can only go so far, especially for a six-month journey surrounded my new people and new experiences.

In total, I was away from home for exactly 23 weeks. In that time, I met a bunch of new friends, completed a semester of my degree, travelled extensively throughout the region, experienced living away from home (and on campus) for the first time, developed as a person monumentally, started a new job, and networked with some pretty important political figures (Julie Bishop, Peter Cosgrove). All opportunities afforded to me as a result of intercampus exchange.

You are also encouraged to participate in ICEP (the Inter-cultural Enrichment Programme). This is a *free* program designed to make easier the transition to Malaysian culture. ICEP runs for four weeks, during which time you learn about Malaysian history, customs and values, learn basic Malay, and participate in a homestay over a weekend. Great!

Teaching standards

As Monash Malaysia is, ultimately, an Australian institution, teaching standards are quite similar to those in Australia. Most teaching staff seem to be from the region. This is something that I enjoyed, for it allowed a more comprehensive and insightful set of experiences relevant to each particular unit.

My gripes were not with the teaching per se, but more the structure of the teaching. That is, all of my lecturers were all clearly knowledgeable, but lectures were more like tutorials, and assessments were perhaps marginally less organised than at home. But in summary, these differences are both negligible and subjective. If you are concerned about teaching standards at Monash Malaysia, I wouldn’t be. A couple of units in particular were very well run.

I must note that frustrating was the fact that two hour classes often ran for one if that, but this sort of thing, I think, annoys me more than most.

Facilities

The campus is, really, very nice. Much, much smaller than Clayton. Monash Malaysia hosts just under 7,000 students, compared to Clayton’s ~31,000 and Caulfield’s ~16,000. As a result, there is a lovely community feel where you get to know a lot of people quite well. Monash Malaysia is situated about 18km out of Kuala Lumpur, and is easily accessible via public transport (there is a SunU-Monash stop on the BRT (bus rapid transit) service, directly outside the campus).

The campus itself includes a three-storey library (which feels very Monashy on the inside), a rock-climbing wall (yep!), a canteen, and many high-quality classrooms. A lot of these are actually underground, and very heavily air-conditioned, which helps with the heat. Some of my lectures were held in tutorial rooms, which, as previously mentioned, frustrated me slightly. But overall, facilities are good and largely comparable to those in Australia.

Student accommodation

As part of the Malaysia Package, Australian students are provided free accommodation at Sunway Monash Residence (SMR). SMR is essentially on campus, a two minute walk from class and linked via a small bridge.

SMR hosts a number of students on its 22 storeys. For us, all exchange students lived on level 8; however, I think they will be more widely distributed from now on. I actually think this will be better, because you will get to meet a wider range of people (local students, international students, exchange students and so on).

Each unit hosts up to eight students. Mine had six. Each unit includes a kitchen area (but, annoyingly, no cooking facilities aside from a microwave), a balcony, small lounge area, and a bathroom. The bathroom has three sinks, three showers, and two toilets. From memory, there are twelve units per storey, but that may be inaccurate.

Your individual room has a bed, a desk, a whiteboard, air conditioning (quota of roughly five hours per day, which is enough), a flat screen television, a bookshelf or shelving, and a cupboard.

SMR has full time security, a swimming pool, a restaurant, a pizza shop, a gym, a study room, a twenty-four hour convenience store (7-Eleven), and a laundry service. Honestly, this makes living away from home particularly convenient, even for first-timers such as myself.

Some students appeared unimpressed by the ‘regulations’ of SMR, but they are more than reasonable. No curfew, just common-sense stuff (don’t keep other people awake with alcohol-fuelled antics or gratuitous music and you will be fine).

Is exchange not expensive?

Not if you do it right!

Monash is awfully generous with its aforementioned Malaysia package. I can’t find the 2016 version, but this was the one relevant for this year. It includes:

-   $1,000 Monash Abroad travel scholarship;
-   Covered student pass to Malaysia;
-   Reimbursed flights to and from Malaysia (up to ~$585);
-   Free on-campus accommodation (worth ~$1,700); and
-   Free airport pick-up.

Basic insurance is also covered.

Further, cost of living in Malaysia is very low. Monash quotes about $6 for a meal at a restaurant, and about $2 to $3 for a meal from a street vendor. Personally, I think that even that is a bit high.

Even better, studying in Malaysia makes available to you a number of other financial benefits. You may apply for the Global Officer program. This was honestly one of the best parts of my exchange. In this program, you receive a $5,000 bursary (replacing the $1,000 travel scholarship), and work, in exchange, with Monash Abroad during the semester. For me, this involved working two days per week at the Monash Abroad office. It was also through this program that I met Julie Bishop and Peter Cosgrove, and was able to participate in a number of other activities.

My work at Monash Abroad was real work; there is an emphasis on building international, professional experience rather than being lumped with photocopying and the like. I had three bosses, and they were all absolutely brilliant. I will be keeping in contact with all of them without any shadow of doubt.

OS-HELP is available, too. This is a loan of up to $3,000, provided by the Department of Education. Eligibility criteria are available here. I very much encourage you to explore this possibility.

And if you are currently on Centrelink’s Youth Allowance scheme, it is possible to continue these arrangements whilst studying overseas. Brilliant!

The best things about my exchange experience

In three words: friends, travel, perspective.

Friends

Some of my closest friends, I met in the last six months. This is unusual for me, because I tend to stick with the same crew as much as possible. But just by virtue of living, studying and travelling together, you will form bonds that will, hopefully, last a very long time. I met people from all over the world, including but not limited to Australia, Germany, France, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Estonia, America, Hong Kong, Mauritius, Sweden, and Denmark.

Travel

I travelled both domestically an internationally during O-Week, on weekends, for the entirety of mid-sem, and after the semester had finished. Popular locations in Malaysia include Kuala Lumpur, Melaka, Penang, the Cameron Highlands, Langkawi, and the Perhentian Islands. And as for other countries in the region, try Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, the Philippines, Japan, South (and North) Korea, India, Sri Lanka, Hong Kong, China, Taiwan, and Singapore. The *brilliant* thing about Kuala Lumpur is that it is the hub of travel in the region.

Personally, aside from a lot of places within the very diverse Malaysia, I went to Singapore for a weekend, Japan for ten days during mid-sem, and Cambodia (one week) and Vietnam (four weeks) after semester. Fully grouse, and relatively cheap.

Perspective

I have returned a calmer, more rounded, and more worldly (sorry for the wankiness, here) person with greater understanding of different cultures and customs. I have become even more motivated to excel in my studies as a result of experiencing the lives of others. I want to make a difference.

How do I find out more?

Firstly, post in this thread! But there is so much to learn about exchange, most of which can come only through first-hand endeavours.

Otherwise, the Monash University Study Abroad website is an excellent place to start. You can research all sorts of things, here. Included in this are some student testimonials from fellow students who have returned from exchange programs all over the world.

In Australia, the Monash Abroad office is at 21 Chancellors Walk, Clayton Campus. That is, directly above the bookshop in Campus Centre. Something nifty is that there are open advising sessions, run by Australian Global Officers. As these students have previously studies overseas, they are perfect for advice and encouragement. They have been exactly where you are now! You will need to register for these sessions.

And perhaps most importantly, consider attending an information session. These should cover most of what you need to know, at least initially.

Conclusion

Exchange was, perhaps, the best decision I have ever made. This post is a direct product of that, because exchange is truly underutilised at Monash, and I want as many people to experience it as possible.

You won’t regret it.

I look forward to hearing the experiences of others, and also the questions of prospective students.

All the very best,
Nick.

[extremeftw]

 Very good post, thank you.

[brenden]

Genuinely amazing work!

[heids]

Wonderful post. Well done, and thank you.



P.S. It really is awesome, can it be added to Monash Guides and Resources Brenden?

[Kanon]

Super super keen to go Abroad,  just think my grades are stopping me

Interestingly when I volunteered for one of the open days I met a guy that claimed that he actually made money by studying at Monash Malaysia.  He basically told me that Monash covered pretty much all the expensive stuff with scholarships and he still received Youth Allowance whilst overseas.  He said it was almost impossible to spend that much money in Malaysia fortnightly. 

[IndefatigableLover]

Thanks for the awesome post Joseph41! Will definitely look into this more once the new year hits *claps hands*

[Joseph41]

Very good post, thank you.

No problem!

Genuinely amazing work!

Thanks pal.

Wonderful post. Well done, and thank you.



P.S. It really is awesome, can it be added to Monash Guides and Resources Brenden?

Very sneaky. I see what you did there.

Super super keen to go Abroad,  just think my grades are stopping me

Interestingly when I volunteered for one of the open days I met a guy that claimed that he actually made money by studying at Monash Malaysia.  He basically told me that Monash covered pretty much all the expensive stuff with scholarships and he still received Youth Allowance whilst overseas.  He said it was almost impossible to spend that much money in Malaysia fortnightly. 

Don't be too disheartened! Grades can improve, and different places require different things. Where would you ideally go?

And very interesting anecdote. That doesn't surprise me in the slightest. My bank account certainly hasn't suffered too much. If you're tight on funds but are still keen on exchange, I really don't see a better option that Monash Malaysia (for present Australian Monash students, at least). Thanks for the input.

Thanks for the awesome post Joseph41! Will definitely look into this more once the new year hits *claps hands*

Wicked! If there's one thing I will say here, it's start planning early, particularly in regard to your units. This will make it much easier in the future, because you never know what sort of units will or will not be offered when the time comes.

[Joseph41]

A reminder of the Intercampus Exchange (Monash University Malaysia) application deadline for Semester 2, 2016:

Your study plan is due at your faculty by 28 February.
Your completed application is due at Monash Abroad by 31 March.

More information is available here.

[BigAl]

I got my study plan approved. I am now doing final checks in my application and I'll probably submit my application after the mid-sem break I was wondering if I could do 5 units overseas because I don't want to overload in my final sem

[Joseph41]

As per the general chat thread, the Monash Abroad Expo is on today in and around the Menzies building. Could be helpful if anybody is interested in studying abroad.

I got my study plan approved. I am now doing final checks in my application and I'll probably submit my application after the mid-sem break I was wondering if I could do 5 units overseas because I don't want to overload in my final sem

This is obviously up to you, but if anything, I wish I could have underloaded when overseas! Where are you off to? Where are you at with the application?

[stunfiskery]

This sounds like such an awesome program.

At the moment (still in HS), I'm considering taking a double degree at Monash. Could you give me a general idea as to the logistics of the study abroad program (mainly just the Intercampus Malaysia one)? As in which semester of my 4-year course would I do it? Would I basically study the exact same units as I would be at the Clayton (or other) campus and be credited accordingly? Or would it somewhat interrupt my studies?

Thanks for this post. It has certainly suddenly made Monash a much more appealing option.

[Joseph41]

This sounds like such an awesome program.

At the moment (still in HS), I'm considering taking a double degree at Monash. Could you give me a general idea as to the logistics of the study abroad program (mainly just the Intercampus Malaysia one)? As in which semester of my 4-year course would I do it? Would I basically study the exact same units as I would be at the Clayton (or other) campus and be credited accordingly? Or would it somewhat interrupt my studies?

Thanks for this post. It has certainly suddenly made Monash a much more appealing option.

Hi stunfiskery,

It is a pretty nifty option! What are you thinking of studying?

For intercampus exchange (i.e. going to Monash University Malaysia), you need to have completed at least 48 credit points (except for Law - see here. 48 credit points is the equivalent of 8 units, which is the equivalent of 1 year (2 semesters) of regular study. Don't worry about this, though - I think it would be preferable to save intercampus exchange until a little later into your degree, anyway. Typically, Monash also advises against going overseas in your last semester (but it is still possible to do so (case in point: me)). So I guess to answer that question, you would either go Year 2 Semester 1 (2;1), 2;2, 3;1, 3;2 or 4;1. It's up to you, really - there is a lot of flexibility.

What I would recommend, though (irrespective of when you go), is to be careful with the units that you do. Monash Malaysia offers fewer units than the Australian campuses, so you wouldn't want to rely on particular units being available. You certainly won't have to worry about this until some time into your degree, but it's worth keeping in mind. The units available at the Malaysia campus this year, for example, can be found in the relevant section of the 2016 Handbook.

So you might not study exactly the same units as you would at Clayton, but this can often be a good thing. For example (and this depends on what you study a little bit), Monash Malaysia offers some really sick units not available anywhere else in the world. It's a good opportunity. And because it's still a Monash campus, you will certainly be credited accordingly. So no, it wouldn't interrupt your studies in the slightest on the assumption that you have planned accordingly (which is actually part of the application process, so you'll be fine).

Please ask any more questions if you have them.

[BigAl]

As per the general chat thread, the Monash Abroad Expo is on today in and around the Menzies building. Could be helpful if anybody is interested in studying abroad.

This is obviously up to you, but if anything, I wish I could have underloaded when overseas! Where are you off to? Where are you at with the application?

I am off to my home country, Turkey. However, I was actually a little bit disappointed when I found out that Monash is going to suspend its partnership with Turkish universities due to security risks. I submitted my application form nevertheless but it will be probably rejected. 

[Joseph41]

I am off to my home country, Turkey. However, I was actually a little bit disappointed when I found out that Monash is going to suspend its partnership with Turkish universities due to security risks. I submitted my application form nevertheless but it will be probably rejected.

How did this turn out for you?

[BigAl]

How did this turn out for you?

I got an email a few weeks ago saying that Monash Abroad will start reviewing the applications after semester 1 results come out. I currently have a WAM of 68 and if I keep my WAM above 65 I hope I will get accepted.