Completing Student Exchange and Study Abroad at UWA
As an international student, there are a few things you need to know about coming to UWA on Student Exchange or Study Abroad (SESA). Learn more about our entry requirements, fees and units, and hear from past inbound students about their experiences.
Why attend UWA as an Exchange or Study Abroad student?
More than 4,500 Global Industry Partnerships
Award-winning teachers (Australian Award for University Teaching 2020)
Five stars for Student Demand, Student : Teacher Ratio and Learner Engagement (Good Universities Guide, 2022)
in QS 2024
Student Exchange and Study Abroad at UWA
How to apply
Before you do anything, if you are applying for student exchange, you will need to check to see if your university is an exchange partner. If you're unsure if your university has an exchange agreement with UWA, contact us to find out.
Check UWA entry requirements
To be eligible to study at UWA, you will need to check that you meet entry requirements.
Academic requirements
High school students
At the time of the application, you should have completed a high school qualification in accordance with the admission requirements for entry into the relevant bachelor’s degree program at UWA (for example, Bachelor of Arts).
International and overseas qualifications
Undergraduate students
To study at UWA as an exchange or study abroad student you should normally:
- have completed one semester of tertiary study at a recognised institution
- have a nomination from your home university to participate in the UWA Student Exchange and Study Abroad program, if you are applying through a UWA partner university
- be in good academic standing at your home university
Postgraduate students
Admission to postgraduate courses normally requires the completion of an undergraduate degree.
English language requirements
In addition to meeting the Academic requirements, students must meet one of the English Language requirements. View the complete list of tests by which UWA's English language competency requirement may be satisfied for admission to undergraduate and postgraduate coursework degrees.
Students who do not meet the standard ELC requirements may be approved admission to UWA on the basis of the Alternative English Language Competency requirements. Students gaining admission via this pathway are assessed on a case-by-case basis and if approved they must enrol in the following unit in their first semester of enrolment:
- Professional and Academic Communication PACM1100
Minimum scores for this conditional offer are:
- IELTS 6.0 (no band score below 5.5)
- Internet-based TOEFL 70 (17 in Listening, 19 in Speaking, 14 in Reading and 20 in Writing)
UWA Centre for English Language Teaching (CELT) English Language Pathways:
- EAP Pathway 65 per cent (no band less than 60 per cent)
- Bridging Course Module 1 65 per cent / Module 2 60 per cent (no band less than 60 per cent)
Select your units
Before selecting your units, we recommend that you read the unit description in the UWA Handbook and ensure that you meet any specific prerequisites for the units that interest you.
Please note, the Student Exchange and Study Abroad program allows you to choose units from any school except in the areas of Medicine, Dentistry and postgraduate Psychology.
Subjects of study at UWA are referred to as units. You'll require each relevant student office's (there may be more than one) approval for each unit you wish to take. The schools (faculties) will ensure you meet the prerequisites for each unit prior to your enrolment.
Prepare your application documents and finances
Supporting documentation
Make sure you have the following documentation ready before you start your application for UWA.
- a colour copy of your passport
- your original academic transcript (or a certified copy)
- evidence of English language competency (if applicable)
Where documents are not in English, a certified English translation must be enclosed with your application.
Finances
It’s important to have considered the fees and expenses you will incur when you study at UWA. Please ensure you have reviewed the tuition fees and any ancillary fees prior to applying.
Study Abroad
Study Abroad (not Student Exchange) students, or their sponsors, must pay tuition fees to UWA. These are paid either through your home institution or directly to UWA. Further information on fees can be found below. There are several options to apply as a Study Abroad student.
Tuition fees are calculated based on your enrolment. Please indicate when accepting your offer whether you will be enrolling in three or four units. A standard full-time enrolment load at UWA is 24 points per semester.
Extra points will lead to extra fees being charged on a pro rata basis.
Students studying across two academic years (for example, Semester 2, 2023 and Semester 1, 2024) may be charged different fees for each semester.
The fees below relate to 2023 enrolments.
Tuition fees for 18 points:
- AUD$10,838 per semester
- AUD$21,675 per year
Tuition fees for 24 points:
- AUD$14,450 per semester
- AUD$28,900 per year
Student Exchange
Exchange students are exempt from paying UWA tuition fees. Instead, these fees are paid to their home institution.
Apply for Student Exchange or Study Abroad
Applying directly to UWA
If you do not need approval from your home university, you can apply online.
Please contact the UWA Global Learning Office for advice via askUWA.
Applying through a UWA representative overseas
If you are applying via an approved UWA representative, your agent must first nominate you to the Global Learning Office. Once this nomination has been received, you will receive an email from the UWA Global Learning Office inviting you to apply.
UWA has representatives in more than 60 countries.
Applying through your home university
Study Abroad
To study as a Study Abroad student, your home university can nominate you, or you can apply independently.
Student Exchange
If your university has an exchange agreement with UWA, to study as an Exchange student, they must nominate you for the Exchange program. Once your nomination has been received, you will receive an email from the UWA Global Learning Office inviting you to apply.
Information supplied to the University’s application system is collected and stored in line with the UWA Privacy Statement.
Accept your offer
You'll receive the outcome of your application via email. If your application is successful, you'll receive an offer letter or a conditional offer letter if more steps are required via email.
Please note that all offers have an acceptance expiry date listed. If you do not accept by this date your offer will lapse.
Enrol
Hear from our students
Anyssa Queen
University of Montana, United States of America
The volunteer that took me to each talk was so nice and curious about my country and became one friend I saw through the campus during the semester.
Sergio Cardiel
Universidad Iberoamericana, Mexico
Coming from a very different culture as an exchange student to UWA, I felt very nervous and had a lot of expectations of how the courses I was going to take would be.
Daanish Kachalia
McMaster University, Canada
Doing an Exchange term at the University of Western Australia has allowed me to grow so much as an individual.
Ella Shilliday
University of Bath, United Kingdom
The decision to do my study year abroad at UWA was honestly the best decision I have ever made.
Flavia Nascimento
Maua Institute of Technology, Brazil
My time at UWA was amazing, I could have contact with people from all over the world and learn about their culture.
Hailey Wachter
Bellarmine University, United States of America
Studying abroad at UWA helped to grow not only as a student, but as a person.
Frequently asked questions
- How many units can I take?
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Student Exchange and Study Abroad students can enrol in a full academic load of 18 or 24 points per semester. Most units are worth six points, so this generally works out to three or four units per semester.
Typically, most units are offered for a semester, but some must be taken for a full year.
- How do I select my units?
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You can use the online Handbook to browse through the units offered at UWA. All units consist of four letters detailing the discipline of the unit (such as ECON for Economics, PSYC for Psychology) and four numbers.
- Units with numbers beginning from 1 to 3 are generally undergraduate units. A code beginning with 1 represents first-year level studies, 2 represents second-year level studies and so on.
- Units with a number beginning with 4 are generally honours level units and may require a minimum of three years’ study prior to enrolling. Please note honours level units are not always available to Exchange and Study Abroad students.
- Some units coded 3xxx and 4xxx are common to both postgraduate and undergraduate programs.
- Units with numbers beginning with 5 and above are postgraduate level and may require a minimum of three years’ tertiary study in a relevant field prior to enrolling.
- Units in Medicine, Dentistry and postgraduate Psychology are not available to Student Exchange and Study Abroad students.
- What do the different teaching periods mean?
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Typically, most units are offered for a semester, but some must be taken for a full year. The majority of units are offered in either Semester 1 (February to June) or Semester 2 (July to November). Some units are offered in a non-standard teaching period. These units may be available to you if the dates fall within the semester period.
- How and when do I enrol?
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You’ll have the opportunity to enrol in your units online before the semester starts. The Global Learning Office will contact you once you are eligible to complete your online enrolment.
- What are classes like?
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At UWA the emphasis is on independent learning. There will be less direction from lecturers, greater expectations of individual study outside classes, fewer assessments and heavier weighting on assessments.
You will attend weekly lectures, which may be large (sometimes more than 100 students). These will be complemented by weekly tutorials, which are smaller classes where you are expected to participate in discussion and debate. They may be compulsory and are often assessed.
- How will I be assessed?
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Final grades are based on a combination of oral and written assignments and tests, project work, participation in tutorials and final examinations. Multiple choice is not a common method of assessment.
At the completion of your study at UWA an academic record will be sent to your home university/agent. UWA will not translate grades.
Performance is graded according to the following scale:
HD (Higher Distinction): 80-100%
D (Distinction): 70-79%
CR (Credit Pass): 60-69%
P (Pass): 50-59%
N+ (Fail): 45-49%
N (Fail): 0-44%
UP (Ungraded Pass): n/a
P* (Pass Conditional): n/a
UF (Ungraded Fail): n/a
All examinations are conducted in English (except for language units) and the use of dictionaries is not permitted, nor will additional time be granted if English is not your first language. - What are the application deadlines?
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For enrolment in Semester 1 (February – June), the application deadline is 30 October of the year prior.
For enrolment in Semester 2 (July – November), the application deadline is 15 April of the same year.
Study Abroad and Exchange Course Guide
Find out all the information you need to know about study abroad and exchange through the UWA Global Learning Office.
SESA Inbound Course Guide 2024 [PDF 7.28MB]