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Resources For Students Currently On Exchange

We hope you are all having a great time overseas on exchange. This section of the webpage is designed to help you with any questions or problems you may have whilst on exchange.

Emergency and Contact Details

If during your exchange you are encountered with a real emergency the first point of contact would be the International Office or your contact at your Host University. If this is not an option, than please don't hesitate to contact Macquarie Abroad. We are contactable 24 hours per day on:

Alternative exchange and study abroad emergency number: +61 2 9850 4350

Please note this number is to be used only in an emergency.


What to do when you arrive

  • Call home! - buy a cheap international phone card and let everyone know that you're okay.
  • Register at the Australian embassy, or the embassy of your home country. This is important for officials from your home country to locate you in the event of an emergency.
  • Check in with the International Office at your host university - introduce yourself, find out about orientation and find out everything you need to know.
  • Introduce yourself to your lecturers - let them know you're from overseas, find out about assessments, exams and anything else that may affect your studies.
  • Be aware of culture shock - it's not unusual to feel tired, anxious or apprehensive when you're in a new place. Talk to your new friends, call home or write to us.
  • Be safety conscious in the first few weeks, especially as you get used to your new environment and culture.


Unit Approvals

Without unit approvals, we are unable to enrol you in the relevant Exchange Unit at Macquarie. You will have had several units approved before your departure (we keep the original on file, you take a copy with you on exchange), but you may have changed some of the units that you wish to study.

All units, even those you wish to receive unspecified credit for, must be approved. We cannot do this for you.

It is your responsibility to gain approvals for all your units!

You will need to contact the Exemptions Officer from the relevant department in order to have them approve the unit - a list of exemptions officers is available here.

The exemptions officer will then email you what the unit is equivalent to at Macquarie University - you simply need to forward that email approval to your advisor and keep a copy for yourself.

Be patient! Exemptions Officers are busy academics who can often take a week or more to reply to you.


Enrolment

All enrolment details, including amendments to your enrolment overseas, must be submitted via the Enrolment Form. This form will be emailed to you from your adviser and you will need to return it to your adviser before the due date.

Regular exchange

You will be enrolled in a minimum of 9 Macquarie credit points and a maximum of 14 credit points. To confirm your enrolment for your exchange and ensure you receive credit for your exchange units, you need to send your adviser the Enrolment Form that will be provided to you. 

You will then be enrolled in EX (exchange) units that represent what you are studying overseas. Remember, you pay tuition fees to Macquarie University whilst on exchange, not the host University.

Your adviser will send you an email on the day that you are enrolled. You will have five days from that date to pay your fees.

Further detail on this procedure can be found in your Exchange Guide. Please contact your adviser if you have questions.

European language students

You may be able to receive approval to take EUL units on exchange. You will need to have these units approved by the European Languages department. For more information, please contact Carolina Rodriguez: carolina.rodriguez@mq.edu.au


Incomplete Grades and Grade Transfers

It is necessary for us to wait for your official transcript from the host institution to arrive before we are able to process your grades here at Macquarie. These results can take anywhere between 6 weeks and 3 months to arrive.

If your official transcript is sent directly to you, please bring it to Macquarie International so we can make a copy and transfer your grades.

If you are graduating and require your grades to be transferred, see 'Students Graduating' (below).

See 'Re-enrolling' if you are concerned about incomplete grades on your transcript during re-enrolling.


Students Graduating

For many students, completing their exchange program is also the end of their degree. As mentioned above, it can often take quite some time before we receive your official transcript from your host institution. You need to be aware that this may mean you might miss the next cut-off date for graduation (although we do everything we can to make sure you graduate on time).

To increase the chances of your exchange results being processed in time for the earlier graduation period you need to take the following steps:

  1. Inform the Academic Program Section that you are on exchange and will be completing your exchange program and that your results will be arriving shortly. You will need to file your intent to graduate; please see the information from the Graduations Unit.
  2. Before you leave your host institution, inform the International Office there that you are graduating and you need your results as soon as they can send them.


Continuing/Extending your Exchange

It may be possible to continue your exchange for a second semester; if you are interested in continuing please contact your Adviser.  Whether or not you will be able to continue will depend on:

1) Your degree requirements:  Please check with an academic adviser to find out if you still have units in your degree that you could complete on exchange.  Remember, your department may have special restictions; for example, law students can take a maximum of 16 credit points of law on exchange. Final approval to extend your exchange will be dependent on whether or not you receive academic approval from your department.

2) Places are available at your host university:  At some universities places can be very limited.  Our goal is to allow as many Macquarie students as possible to go on exchange, so where places are very limited, priority will be given to students going on exchange for the first time.


Re-enrolling at Macquarie

  1. Re-enrolment at Macquarie is done online through e-student as you would normally enrol. There may be some units that you have completed on exchange that have been deemed ‘equivalent’ to Macquarie units by an exemptions officer. Whilst these equivalent units can be used as pre-requisites for other units at Macquarie, the computer system does not recognise this and therefore we need to enter waivers for any future units you wish to take at Macquarie that use your exchange equivalent as a pre-requisite.

  2. If you have taken any units on exchange that are deemed equivalent to pre-requisites for units you need to enrol in, please email us (1) the unit you are trying to enrol in (2) the pre-requisite unit you have taken overseas.

  3. You will do your re-enrolment through the Macquarie University e-student.


Travel Insurance

Travel insurance is mandatory. Whilst we hope that everything goes smoothly, there are times when things do go wrong. Therefore, a requirement of the exchange program is that all students are covered by travel insurance for the entire duration of their time overseas.

Students approved to participate in exchange are eligible to be covered under the Macquarie Travel Insurance.  Further information about this policy will be provided at your exchange Pre-Departure session. 


Culture Shock, Re-entry to Home Country

New challenges always accompany new experiences. Therefore, at some point, you may experience a level of Culture Shock during your exchange. Culture shock is your body and mind's way of reacting to new and unfamiliar surroundings, and it is a normal part of the process of adapting to your new country.

While each person experiences culture shock differently, the general pattern includes initial feelings of euphoria and excitement on arrival to the country as the new "adventure" begins, followed by a period of loneliness, homesickness, confusion as you try to adjust to a country with cultural norms and peculiarities that are different from those which you were comfortable with back home.

The good news is that these symptoms of disorientation will eventually go away, and you will come to appreciate the cultural uniqueness of your host country, often to the extreme of not wanting to return home!

Here are some tips for dealing with culture shock:


Know that culture shock is normal

Even if you are studying in a country where English is the main language and things don't seem very different from home, they invariably are, and culture shock will still affect you. Remember that the feelings you are experiencing are perfectly normal and it is very useful to talk about them.


Speak to the International office at your host university

Your host university should have at least one dedicated staff member to work with incoming exchange students. This person will be a great source of support if you're struggling with culture shock.


Keep an open mind

Try not to judge the new culture too quickly. While the customs of your host country may seem strange or different to you, they are logical to your hosts.


Keep in touch with home ... but make new friends too!

With e-mail access at universities and Internet cafes in your host country, you will be able to stay in regular contact with your family and friends back home. Loved ones can encourage you when you're feeling down. However, some separation from home can also be helpful, as relying too much on family and old friends for support may keep you from opening up to your host country. It is important to meet new people and make new friends, including the locals!


Stay active and try something new

One of the best ways to understand your host culture better is participate in it. Try new foods, visit a local museum or shopping centre, or travel to other regions of the country. Don't be afraid to make a mistake or ask a question, even if you're speaking a new language - people in your host country will generally be willing to help if you show you're making a genuine effort!


Reentry to Australia or your home country

When you return home you might find that things aren't as you left them. People have actually been living life while you've been away and have been doing exciting things. Unfortunately, after you've told your travel stories a few times your adventures might be falling on deaf ears. If your mates have heard your stories too many times, feel free to stop by the SAM office and share them with us. Alternatively, we can put you in touch with future exchange students who would definitely benefit from any information and advice you can offer.