UNI: Overseas Exchange Tips
Welcome! You must’ve gotten super excited after attending the sharing session by GEM Explorer/hearing stories from your seniors and now you'd like to get out there and experience studying abroad.
My overseas exchange mainly covers the perspective of an NTU CBE student who went on a semester exchange (GEM Explorer) in year 3 semester 1 (Winter Semester, Oct – Jan). So, it would vary with other people’s experience. But generally, the idea should be the same. Before you read, let’s make some terms clear first.
“Course” = Subjects/Modules (Thermodynamics II etc.)
“Programme” = Course of Study (Bachelor of Engineering in Chemical Engineering etc.)
“University/The University/Host University” = Overseas University
*The information is accurate as of 2023, so things might have changed since then. At the end of the day, do your own research and you can DM me on LinkedIn if you have any queries*
Now, let's begin!
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(BEFORE APPLYING)
Deciding which university to exchange at?
1) Number of course matches available
Preferably, enrolling at a university where you can course-match with as many NTU courses as you desire is encouraged. But where and how should one start?
I personally recommend the following steps:
Step 1: Identify the semester and year that you intend to do your exchange, and list out the courses taught in that semester
Step 2: Check with your programme coordinator/website about the type of course (Core/MPE/BDE) you are allowed to read during semester exchange. Step 3: Check the courses that you can match by:
a. Looking at past course match from seniors in the GEM Explorer Portal
b. Looking at host university programme booklet (can be found in the uni’s webpage)which shows the list of courses taught in that programme (BE EXTRA CAREFUL and CHECK the details of the courses, such as which semester is the course taught? Is the course opened only to students with a 2nd major? etc.)
c. Different country defines their “AUs” differently. Such as “ECTs” (austria etc.) So, you’ll have to google and check if it matches with the NTU course’s AU.
2) University Curriculum
a. When does their semester starts/end?
The university I attended begins their winter semester (sem 1) in October and ends in January. Thankfully my internship company allowed me to start work a few weeks later. But my point here is to remind everyone to be aware of this so that you may plan.
b. When is their exam period?
For certain universities, their exams are held a few weeks after the end of their academic semester. Will you be able to go ahead with this arrangement? You need to account for limitations such as visa-stay, missing out few weeks of school in NTU etc.
The university i went to, allows student to book their exam dates from a list given by the prof. However, some exam dates were not desirable, so I had to take the earliest date which leaves me with very little time to prepare.
3) Country
a. Language of Courses taught in?
Some EU countries will only teach in English for their master’s programme. In that case, you’ll have no choice but to course match with their master courses. It's not too difficult to study, but I thought you should at least be aware of this
b. National Stability/Security of Country?
I think it's safe to say that researching a bit about the country’s political/security stability is important, as a student. Not only will it give your loved ones a peace of mind, but at least you are aware of the probability of your overseas exchange/university lessons/exams being cancelled due to unforeseen circumstances like natural disasters/riots etc.
You could check out (with a grain of salt) the reviews or opinions of the university by asking past GEM students (via LinkedIn etc.) who went there, or on social media platform like IG (the university’s insta page) and Reddit (sub-reddit).
4) Personal Preferences
a. Prestige?
b. Location of University? (travelling opportunities during term break etc.)
5) How can I boost my chances of being accepted to my desired university?
a. GPA
Work on your GPA a much as possible. The requirement for most university is 3.5/5.0 and that is JUST THE MINIMUM. You will be competing with other students who may have higher GPA profiles and they would be prioritised over you
b. GEM Ambassador
If I’m not mistaken, you can be a GEM ambassador (before your exchange) and that would also boost your chances. I remembered GEM office mentioning this, but you’ll have to fact check with them again.
c. NTU scholarship
NTU scholars (Nanyang Scholarship etc.) are given priority.
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(REJECTED OUTCOME)
Ok, the outcome was unsuccessful, and you couldn’t secure ANY of the university choices that you’ve indicated. What now? You could either....
1. Give up trying and call it a day
(OR)
2. Make use of the 2nd chance (only for unsuccessful applicants) and reapply
What if you still couldn’t get acceptance to any university in your 2nd try? Well fret not because three times the charm and NTU GEM office will try their best to allocate a university (not among the choices you indicated) that best suits your programme of study.
And of course, if they still can’t then it's not the end of the world because there’s always GEM Discoverer.
In the case where you’re offered a university, you’ll be given a very short time to decide before accepting it. Use this little time that you have and follow the “Before Applying” steps to help you decide. Like I said, it's not the end of the world if you must give up this opportunity, because NTU really offers a lot of overseas opportunities besides GEM Explorer.
There are GEM Discoverer, Overseas Internship, Overseas Entrepreneurship Program, Overseas Community Service etc.
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(AFTER ACCEPTING)
Congratulations on accepting the offer! Now before we continue, I think it's important that you seek your main objective for overseas exchange.
Narrow it down to only 1 objective. For example, I was dead set on clearing my core modules and I was ready reject the accepted offer and pay the penalty fees in the case where I am unable to course match successfully.
Others have their eyes set on cultural immersion etc. and wasn’t really bothered if there were modules that they could not clear. There is right or wrong, so do spend some time thinking it through.
1) Administrative Stuffs
There will gradually be a lot of admin things to handle so you need to keep track and complete them by the deadline. The first step is to follow GEM Explorers instructions (will be sent to you) and attend every briefing that they conduct. These “Pre-Departure” briefings are important, as they’ll go through the insurance, emergency contacts, documents that you’ll need.
Likewise, your host university would have sent you an enrolment package which contains instructions to set up an account and submit relevant documents. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE don’t do things at the very last minute. Give at least a week or two of allowance to account for delays (for both ends).
I would like to also highlight the following documents/things that I found to be extremely important in terms of getting them done ASAP to avoid any delays in your departure.
Step 1: Submit your course match in the portal ASAP and email the respective course coordinator if they take more than a few weeks to approve
Step 2: Once course match is successful for all courses, proceed to book flight tickets. (MAKE A STUDENT ACCOUNT WITH THE AIRLINES TO GAIN STUDENT PERKSSSSSSSSSSS)
Step 3: Settle accommodations (especially for university that doesn’t provide dorms for exchange students)
a. Check if the university has a recommended list of student dorms (I am not a fan of rental apartments but that is my opinion for another day)
b. Choose the student dorm with a walkable distance to the supermarket/school/main city/public transport
c. Check review (google review/reddit etc.) but with a grain of salt
SETTLE THIS ASAP, because you’ll be competing with other exchange students for accommodation!
Step 4: Check your passport expiry date and settle your VISA ASAP
a. The visa application requires you to submit your “university proof of acceptance”, “flight ticket (round trip)”, “proof of accommodation” .
b. The application (especially Schengen visa) takes about 3 – 6 weeks, and during that period your passport is taken away so you can’t travel. Many of my peers did their VISA weeks (and some even just one month) before their departure. Lets just say it was a super anxious period for them.
Once all of this is done, you are probably just left with tasks from the overseas university (orientation dates/briefings/extra documents). So, all’s g J
2) Miscellaneous
a. SIM card (I suggest getting those from Shopee that lasts 15-30days with internet, while you find student plan deals in your host country when you arrive there) For Austria I recommend “educom” since they offer student deals for one semester (I had about 40 GB per month).
b. Debit/ATM Card (I used the following cards for different purposes when I was in EU)
- Revolut (Daily use) - Wise (Wise debit card offers “IBAN”, which is needed when you are applying for EU insurance) - YouTrip (ATM Case Withdrawal)
The three cards that I used were applied free-of-charge/small one-time fee. I recommend anyone going on overseas exchange to have more than one card for safety purpose and easier tracking of your expenses.
3) Student-Led Organisation
Before departure, you might be introduced to your orientation group where you’ll meet your student leader who’ll answer your queries. What if there isn’t an orientation group? Well, if you’re going to EU then I’ll recommend the following:
a. ESN (Erasmus) Student Network
Join a buddy-group where you’ll be allocated a buddy who will support you throughout your exchange. My buddy helped me collect my dorm keys, brought me to hike, and invited me to numerous university festivals. Besides that, you’ll get to meet other exchange students who is in the same buddy-group as you.
The ESN student network also organise monthly event (Hiking/Skiing/Site visits) for exchange student. So, I highly recommend ESN student network to those going to EU country for exchange!
b. University’s Student Union
Check out and forge friendships with student from your host’s university's student union. Better yet, find someone who’s in the same course of study as you. In Austria, each programme has a student union that works closely with the faculty’s professor. They have access to the course’s past year paper and notes.
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(WHEN YOU ARE THERE)
I don’t really have much to say besides leaving you a short advice, coming from someone who just came back from his exchange a few weeks ago.
When you are abroad, things could get scary because of the unknown and being alone in a foreign land might seem scary too. Sometimes unforeseen circumstances could arise, and you might even feel lost and alone. And that's perfectly normal! The name of the game is to be resilient and be adapting towards changes. Don’t be too harsh on yourself and know that rainy days are only temporary.
Always look after your mental health and try your best to keep in touch with your loved ones when you’re abroad. Try out new things and put yourself out there to make new friends and you’ll thank yourself as you look back on the experiences and friendships you’ve made!
Remember that you have a home back in Singapore and no matter what please look after yourself. It's easy to get carried away with the fun and joy but never get too complacent!
That concludes my guide for the overseas exchange, and I hope you will take charge in paving your unique story as you embark on the overseas exchange program. I enjoyed my time in Austria, and I am proud to have made international friends as well. I was the only Singaporean at the city of Graz, and it was overwhelming at first, but everything turned out fine.
So don’t worry too much and spread your wings!
*If you have any questions about exchange, please feel free to DM on LinkedIn😊*
My LinkedIn Link: www.linkedin.com/in/songkiatow
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