Entry requirements - Applying for Semester Exchange

Semester Exchange and Independent Study Abroad

To be eligible to participate in either the Exchange or Independent Study Abroad program, you must meet the following criteria presented in the table below.

Make sure you read the Special Consideration points below in determining your eligibility.

*You must receive course progression advice from Monash Connect or your faculty/ies or school/s. If you are a double degree student, you need to seek course progression advice pertaining to both sides of your double degree. Navigate to the Course planning and faculty advice webpage and follow the steps on how to request course progression advice based on your campus and your degree.

# If you're applying for a semester exchange to Japan, you must have a minimum WAM of 65%.

‡ Students in the final semester of their Monash bachelor degree applying for exchange in their Monash masters degree, can apply using the bachelor degree results provided their masters degree will be in a cognate discipline. Approval for the exchange will remain conditional until the student has commenced their masters. In addition, they must complete a minimum of 18 credits in the first semester of their masters and achieve a WAM of at least 60% prior to commencing their exchange.

Special considerations

Good Standing definition – all students

To be classed as having ‘good standing’, you must:

• Be currently and actively enrolled in a Monash degree;
• Not be subject to academic or general misconduct or any undischarged misconduct;
• Not be subject to ‘Unsatisfactory Academic Progress’; or if you have completed less than 2 semesters at Monash, have not failed 50% or more of your enrolments at Monash (at time of application for the program)

You must be and maintain good standing at the point of application and throughout the semester abroad process.

Program exclusions and restrictions

• If you are enrolled in a Bachelor of Pharmacy you cannot currently go overseas on semester exchange or independent study abroad, you can however apply to do an Intercampus Exchange to Monash Malaysia.
• Some faculties/schools may not permit you to undertake overseas study in the final semester of your course; check with your faculty or school before applying.
• If you are currently on intermission you may be able to apply; contact the Monash Abroad office first to check eligibility.
• If you are a Monash part-time and/or off-campus learning student you can participate in the exchange program but must study a full-time load of on-campus units while overseas. Open University students are not eligible.
• Honours students need to discuss their eligibility with their Honours supervisor or relevant Honours contact person, as well as Monash Abroad, as eligibility may differ.
• If you are wanting to study language units while overseas and have them contribute towards your language major or diploma, you will need to receive study plan approval from your language coordinator.
• Students seeking credit on exchange or study abroad towards a concurrent diploma, must be enrolled in the diploma at the time of nomination to the host institution, which is approximately by the middle of the semester preceding the program start.

Engineering and Law students minimum eligibility

Bachelor of Laws

• You must achieve 48 credits in law by the end of the semester in which you lodge your application; and
• You may only complete law electives on exchange.

Bachelor of Engineering

You must:

• Have completed the common first year engineering units (core units plus required foundation and/or elective units);
• Have 48 credits completed at the end of the semester in which you apply, and
• Have been allocated a specialisation by the end of semester in which you apply.

Bachelor of Laws (as part of a double degree)

If studying law overseas:

If not studying law overseas:

• 36 credits at the end of the semester in which you apply

Bachelor of Engineering (as part of a double degree)

If studying Engineering overseas:

You must

• Have completed the common first year engineering units (core units plus required foundation and/or elective units);
• Have 48 credits completed at the end of the semester in which you apply; and
• Have been allocated a specialisation by the end of semester in which you apply.

If not studying engineering overseas:

• 36 credits at the end of the semester in which you apply.

Bachelor of Laws/Bachelor of Engineering (double degree)

If studying law overseas:

If studying engineering overseas:

You must

• Have completed the common first year engineering units (core units plus required foundation and/or elective units);
• Have 48 credits completed atthe end of the semester in which you apply; and
• Have been allocated a specialisation by the end of semester in which you apply.

If studying a mix of both:

• You must achieve 48 credits in law by the end of the semester in which you lodge your application;
• You may only complete law electives on exchange.

AND

• You must have completed the common first year engineering units (core units plus required foundation and/or elective units); and
• Have been allocated a specialisation by the end of semester in which you apply.

Juris Doctor

• You must have completed the first 72 credit points (PG) of Law by the end of the trimester in which you apply.

Are you applying to a partner institution in Japan?

If you are applying for a semester exchange program at a host institution in Japan, note the following:

• You can only apply for semester exchange to Japan if you are enrolled in Japanese Studies units at Monash at the point of exchange application. This usually means that you are completing a major/minor/Diploma of Languages in Japanese studies.
• There are two exceptions:

All other students are ineligible to apply for exchange in Japan.

• Due to higher and stricter entry requirements as set by our partner institution in Japan, you will need to have a WAM of 65% or above.
• The application process for exchange in Japan used to be different from other exchange destinations but is no longer. You now apply for your first preference and list two other institutions in order of preference.
• You must now complete your study plan as part of your application. It is strongly recommended that in your notes for your exchange you also prepare a study plan for your second and third preference also in case you are not successful in getting your first preference.

• if you have been selected as a New Colombo Plan Scholar; and
• if you are applying to one of Kyushu University, Hitotsubashi University, Tokyo University of Foreign Studies (Arts only), Nagoya University of Commerce and Business (Business only), Kobe University (Architecture only), and Waseda University - Waseda Business School (postgraduate Business only).

Transfer students and Monash College pathway students

The following credit requirements apply for students who have transferred from another institution and have been awarded credit for their prior study and Monash College students. To apply for a semester abroad, you must have;

• completed at least 18 Monash University credits by the end of the semester in which you apply,
• achieved at least a 60% WAM by the end of the semester in which you apply, and
• completed 36 Monash University credits at the time of program commencement.

For example: in 2024, Student A studies at a non-Monash university and successfully applies to transfer to Monash University at the end of the year. In Semester 1 of 2025 (their first semester with Monash), they will need to complete at least 18 Monash credits and achieve a minimum 60% WAM by the end of the semester. They will also be required to stay on track and complete 36 Monash credits by the time of program commencement.

If you have transferred into a Law or Engineering degree (double degrees included), you will need to ensure that you satisfy those additional requirements (listed above) as well.

Only Monash University results from your currently enrolled degree are used to determine your WAM. If you are successful in being allocated a place at an exchange partner, you must be able to provide an official copy of your transcript from your previous studies when you are applying to the host institution.

Allocation to a host institution – all students

When allocating you to a host institution, you will be ranked according to:

• your WAM or GPA as shown on your statement of results at the end of the semester in which you apply;
• your personal statement;
• your study plan and course progression; and
• other criteria relevant to host institution. Some may require more units to have been completed at the time of application or arrival, or a higher minimum average mark, either by all students or just by studying specific disciplines. Check the program brochure in "Academic Restrictions/Special Considerations" before registering.

If your first preference institution is not available, you will be assessed for your second preference and, if that is not available, then for your third preference. You will be notified of this by email and asked to submit a new study plan for that destination. If your second or third preference is not available, you will be contacted to discuss further options.

International students

International students studying at Monash receiving funding through specific Australian funding bodies, or who are sponsored by their home government or local funding body should confirm with their sponsor to see if they are able to participate in the student exchange program.

Approved programs and travel insurance

Please note that travel must be for an approved location and program. A list of approved (“open”) programs is maintained on the Monash Abroad website on our Program Search page.

When approving locations, the University travel and insurance policies rely on the advice of the Australian Government’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) as published on the Smartraveller website regarding travel to different parts of the world. There are four levels of advice used by DFAT:

• Level 1: Exercise normal safety precautions
• Level 2: Exercise a high degree of caution
• Level 3: Reconsider your need to travel
• Level 4: Do not travel

Locations designated levels three (3) or four (4) are considered high risk and student travel to those locations is deemed high risk by the University, and generally prohibited by Monash Abroad.

The Monash student travel insurance policy may not be extended to high risk travel locations, e.g. DFAT level 3 and 4, or under certain circumstances (e.g., war zones, sanctioned countries). When a change occurs to the DFAT advice for your travel location, while you are in-country, you will be required to follow instructions from the relevant Monash University staff and be prepared to return to your home campus country.