Altering your time overseas

Extending your exchange

If you originally planned to stay for one semester and you would like to stay for an additional semester, it may be possible to extend your exchange. However, if places are limited at your host university, you will not be permitted to extend. The maximum period you can study overseas with UQ Abroad is two semesters at any one exchange partner.

To extend your exchange for an extra semester please follow the steps below:

1. Contact UQ Abroad as soon as possible to find out whether it is possible to extend your stay.
2. If you are able to extend your stay, contact your UQ faculty and provide them with information about the courses you plan to take the following semester. You will need approval from your faculty before the extension can be officially approved by UQ Abroad
3. When additional courses have been approved by your faculty, UQ Abroad will contact your host university to request an extension of your stay.

If you are considering extending your stay, you may need to:

• complete another travel form so that you will continue to be covered by the UQ travel and health insurance. please note that the period in between semesters is not covered by the UQ insurance, so you will need to purchase additional insurance to cover this period.
• complete a new Conditions of Participation form with the new exchange dates.
• extend your student visa.
• assess your finances to determine if you have sufficient funds for an additional semester.
• if eligible, apply for an OS-HELP loan. Students who have received an OS-HELP loan must have a minimum of 8 units left to complete on their return to UQ. Please keep this in mind when considering extending your exchange.
• check your enrolment through mySI-net to ensure that you are enrolled in the correct exchange codes.

Coming home early

Sometimes things don’t go as planned, and you may need to come home early. If this does occur, please contact your UQ Abroad Exchange Advisor for further information.

If you need to return to UQ early, you will need to consider the following implications.

Abroad & at the Host University:

• does your host university have a withdrawal fee?
• what financial penalties are there with regard to your accommodation?
• will you be subject to any fees to reschedule return flights?

Here in Australia & At UQ:

• have you passed the financial penalty for withdrawal date for enrolled study?
• will you be returning to study at UQ in the current semester? 
• have you received a scholarship that you will need to pay back?
• do you have to do anything regarding Centrelink payments or DIAC requirements?
• OS-HELP – if you are withdrawing a semester early you will not be eligible for your second OS-HELP payment

Please note that if you return prior to the census date for that semester, you will need to remove yourself from the exchange enrolment codes on your mySI-net.

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