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GT students can choose from more than 100 study abroad options.


UNSW Exchange Program

UNSW - UNIVERSITY OF NEW SOUTH WALES
Program Level: Undergraduate
Number of Weeks/Term: 16


BACKGROUND
Georgia Tech (GT) has developed a number of overseas programs around the globe. These programs provide students with the opportunity to complete a portion of their academic programs in top-notch foreign universities that are partnered with GT. As a result of immersion in a foreign academic and cultural environment, students have the maximum opportunity to learn to operate effectively in an atmosphere that is wholly different from that of GT and the U.S.

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LOCATION INFORMATION
Australia
The Commonwealth of Australia is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the world's smallest continent and a number of islands in the Southern, Indian and Pacific Oceans. Australia's neighboring countries include Indonesia, East Timor and Papua New Guinea to the north, the Solomon Islands, Vanuatu and the French dependency of New Caledonia to the northeast, and New Zealand to the southeast.

The continent of Australia has been inhabited for over 40,000 years by Indigenous Australians. After sporadic visits by fishermen from the north and by European explorers and merchants starting in the 17th century, the eastern half of the continent was claimed by the British in 1770 and officially settled as the penal colony of New South Wales on 26 January 1788. As the population grew and new areas were explored, another five largely self-governing British Crown Colonies were successively established over the course of the 19th century.

On 1 January 1901, the six colonies federated and the Commonwealth of Australia was formed. Since federation, Australia has maintained a stable liberal democratic political system and remains a Commonwealth Realm. The current population of around 20.4 million is concentrated mainly in the large coastal cities of Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, and Adelaide.

Sydney
Sydney is Australia's largest and most international city. It is Australia's first modern city founded in 1788. Sydney is home to 4 million of Australia's 19.9 million inhabitants. Sydney is the live-theatre capital of Australia offering everything from mainstream drama to fringe theatre to large-scale Broadway productions. The city has many parks and gardens including the beautiful Botanic Gardens, the Domain Parklands and Hyde Park. Sydney has many nightlife districts, each with its own character. There are also countless opportunities for swimming, surfing, eating, and shopping.

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PROGRAM DATES
Fall Term: late July - mid November (Session 2)
Spring Term: early March - late June (Session 1)
Academic Year: mid July - late July (Session 2+1)

NOTE: Students may participate in this program for the fall, spring, or for a full academic year.

YEAR PROGRAM STARTED:
1997

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HOST INSTITUTION ACADEMIC INFORMATION
UNSW has over 40,000 students including 9,000 international students from over 90 different countries. Founded in 1949, this fairly young university is noted for its long-standing commitment to enrolling international students and many joint programs with overseas institutions.
UNSW is one of Australia's leading research universities and is home to a number of internationally recognized research developments in the fields of Quantum Computing, Photovoltaics, HIV/Aids Research, Interactive Cinema and Polymer Chemistry. UNSW has extensive science, technology and engineering based courses and flexible course structures.

The main campus of 85 acres is located within 20 minutes from the center of Sydney and within walking distance of Coogee Beach. UNSW is a modern, urban campus with extensive sporting and recreational activities to complement its great reputation for research and scholarship.

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ACADEMIC DISCIPLINES

Subject Areas Available:

  • Accounting
  • Aerospace Engineering
  • Architecture
  • Biology
  • Biomedical Engineering
  • Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
  • Chemistry
  • City Planning
  • Civil Engineering
  • Computer Engineering
  • Computer Science
  • Earth and Atmospheric Sciences
  • Economics
  • Electrical Engineering
  • Environmental Engineering
  • English
  • History, Technology, and Society
  • Industrial Design
  • International Affairs
  • Literature, Communication, and Culture
  • Management
  • Materials Science and Engineering
  • Mathematics
  • Mechanical Engineering
  • Modern Languages
  • Music
  • Philosophy, Science, and Technology
  • Physics
  • Psychology
  • Sociology

Language Information
All courses are taught in English.

Course Information
For detailed course information: click here. Click on "Courses A-Z".

For detailed course outlines for engineering disciplines: click here.

Research Option
Research opportunities may be available at UNSW. Exchange students would conduct research as part of their course load for a variable amount of credit. Please check with program advisor for more details.

Summer Programs
In addition to the fall and spring program options, UNSW offers several summer programs, one of which we believe would be most interesting to GT students. See the UNSW Summer Exchange Program website for more information on the summer option: click here

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CREDIT TRANSFER INFORMATION
Credit for courses taken as part of GT exchange programs is added as transfer credit on the GT transcript. Since it is important to know which kind of credit students will earn abroad as soon as possible, GT requires that courses be pre-approved for transfer. With a Foreign Credit Approval Form (available from OIE) in hand, and the credit transfer system information (listed below), students should submit course descriptions to the appropriate academic unit to request their approval. If taking Math classes, for example, then the student should go to the GT School of Mathematics to get permission for the courses to transfer to GT. If approved, the GT School of Mathematics signs the Foreign Credit Approval Form showing how the courses will transfer so that students will know which type of credit they should expect to receive.

For detailed credit transfer instructions click here

For the Foreign Credit Approval Form click here

Standing Transfer Credit Approvals Available on OSCAR
Certain courses from this school have been given standing approval on the Transfer Equivalency Table found on OSCAR. If a course you would like to take is listed on this table, you do not need to seek additional approval. If a course you would like to take is not listed on this table, you need to seek approval for the course via the Foreign Credit Approval form.

CREDIT TRANSFER SYSTEM
This information is intended for undergraduates students only. Graduate students must speak with their academic unit to to determine the acceptance of transfer credits.

UNSW uses the following credit transfer system:
2 UNSW credit (Arts & Social Sciences) = 1 GT credit
1 UNSW credit (Science w/lab, Languages) = 1 GT credit
Engineering = # of contact hours per week

GRADING SYSTEM
UNSW uses the following grading system listed below:
UNSW Grade = US Grade
75-100% (DN, HD) = A
65-74% (CR) = B
50-64% (PS) = C
46-49% (PC, PT) = D
45% or under (FL) = F

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ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS
Eligible students must meet the following criteria:

  • Georgia Tech degree-seeking undergraduate student
  • 3.0 GPA or higher
  • undergraduates complete at least two years of college-level study prior to participation
  • at least 18 years of age by the program's departure date
  • enroll in 12 or more credit hours at the host institution and earn a C or higher for each course
  • enroll in 6 or more credit hours at the host institution and earn a C or higher for the summer program
  • international students (non-US citizens) may have additional requirements set by the overseas university
  • all students must have completed all the prerequisites for any courses they wish to take

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    PROGRAM COSTS
    Students pay tuition and fees set by the University of New South Wales. Detailed information about program costs should be discussed with your Study Abroad Advisor before making a decision on a program.

    The currency in Australia is the Australian Dollar (AUD). Exchange rates fluctuate, so check the newspaper or click here for the most current rates.

    Keep in mind the costs of books, health insurance, food, living expenses, and travel money, as well as pre-departure costs like your passport and visa. In general, Sydney is more expensive than most areas of the United States so you will want to devise and use a budget. The cost of living has been compared to that of large cosmopolitan cities in Europe or North America. To give you a better idea, the cost of living is more like that of San Francisco, New York or London than that of Atlanta.

    DON'T FORGET TO APPLY FOR SCHOLARSHIPS!! See the OIE web site for more info: click here

    Scholarship Offer
    UNSW may offer tuition and/or travel scholarships to incoming study abroad students each year. For details please click here. These scholarships would only be available to students who must pay UNSW tuition ("fee-paying") rather than GT tuition.

    Following are cost estimates for one fee-paying semester at UNSW that may help you prepare for your term(s) abroad. All costs are in USD.

    In State Tuition $8,600
    Out of State Tuition $8,600
    GT Mandatory Fees $0
    Books and Supplies $590
    Administrative and/or Application fees $0
    Miscellaneous (includes passport/visa fees, required field trips, local transportation and incidentals) $1,400
    Roundtrip Airfare $2,400
    Room and Board $7,000
    Additional Language Instruction $0
    Mandatory Insurance $160
    Total $20,150 (in state)
    $20,150 (out of state)

    *Costs in the preceding chart are estimates for undergraduates. Actual costs may be higher or lower than those listed above, depending on the exchange rate and personal spending habits/needs.

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    HOUSING AND MEALS
    Housing

  • on-campus dormitories
  • off-campus apartment/room for rent

    While studying at UNSW for a semester or a year, you may elect to stay on-campus in one of the residential colleges. These colleges are independent of the University and are much like the dormitory facilities located on most major university campuses. Each college has its own character so be sure to read the UNSW descriptions and choose the one that best suits your personality. Each college has its own application procedures; interviews are usually required.

    UNSW's International Student Services has established the International Student Housing Service to help students identify off-campus housing. For more information, click here.

    UNSW's Study Abroad Office can assist students in finding housing as well. They have over fifty properties including large homes and smaller-style apartments, all of which are located within walking distance to the University and the beach. These properties are furnished, including equipped kitchens. Students are required to bring their own bed linen and towels.

    It is suggested that you arrive in Sydney 10-14 days before the mandatory orientation in order to secure housing and settle in.

    For more information on accommodations click here.

    Meals
  • NO meal plan
  • on-campus dining

    UNSW has 18 on-campus eateries plus shops. There aren't meal plans, but the cost is usually reasonable so you shouldn't have a problem finding something to eat when you can't go home to cook.

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    INSURANCE
    Students are required to purchase insurance from UNSW. The cost is approximately $135 per semester.
    Students are also required to purchase additional evacuation and repatriation coverage for $25 through OIE.

    If you would like to purchase supplementary health insurance to cover you while you travel, you may purchase insurance through T.W. Lord and Associates. click here for more information.

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    EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES
    The Sport and Recreation Center consists of squash courts, tennis courts, a 50-meter heated indoor pool, a large gymnasium and gymnastic pit, as well as a Human Performance Lab for health and fitness assessments. In addition, UNSW students can participate socially or competitively in over 40 sports clubs at the university. These clubs are diverse and range from scuba diving, hang gliding and sailing through to traditional rugby and cricket. UNSW's Exchange Office and International Student Services Office offer many field trips and social activities (for an extra cost).

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    CLIMATE
    The summer season (November to March) is the most popular time to visit Sydney with temperatures averaging 77ºF. November and March are favored by visitors wanting sunshine without the searing heat. Winter days can also be warm, regularly in the 60ºF's, but can also be damp and chilly. Winter nights are likely to be cold.

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    VISA AND PASSPORT INFORMATION
    Complete information about how to apply for or renew a U.S. passport is available from the GT Office of International Education or online click here

    Participants must have a valid passport and student visa. For Australian student visa instructions and forms click here. Study abroad students going to Australia are required to purchase the OSHC insurance in order to obtain an Australian visa. Details will be given to students in their acceptance packets from UNSW.

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    YOUR NEXT STEPS
    To begin the process of participating in this exchange, please do the following:

  • Attend an exchange program information session. For dates visit: click here. If you are unable to attend, please make an appointment with the OIE staff member listed below.
  • Download the OIE Exchange and Study/Work Abroad Application instructions at click here and submit the completed application by the appropriate deadline.
  • Deadlines: Fall/academic year/summer applications are generally due in mid-February. Spring applications are generally due in early-September or early-October. Specifics are listed in the application packet.
  • Visit the host institution's course information link located under "academic disciplines". Print course descriptions of all the courses of interest that you believe will fit into your GT academic plan.
  • Make an appointment with your Academic Advisor to review course options, bring course descriptions to help.
  • If you need to get or renew a passport, you should start that process now! Passport information is online: click here.
  • For financial aid information click here
  • For scholarship information click here

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    EXPERIENCES OF FORMER STUDENTS
    click here

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    FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
    Ms. Jennifer Evanuik, Study Abroad Advisor (Exchange Programs)
    GT Office of International Education
    631 Cherry Street
    Savant Building, Suite 211
    Atlanta, GA 30332-0284
    Phone: (404)894-7475 Fax: (404)894-9682
    E-mail: jennifer.evanuik@oie.gatech.edu
    OIE web site: click here



    Host/Program Web Site: click here

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    Hidden Fields:
    Sydney
    Australia
    Oceania
    Semester
    16
    12
    English
    For more info, contact OIE.
    Can I go abroad while pursuing a GT degree?
    GT students have many opportunities to participate in semester/exchange and study abroad programs. In a semester program, you actually take classes with the host university’s students and faculty. (In some cases, this means that you must have excellent knowledge of the local language to participate). Semester program participants usually pay normal GT tuition and fees for each term abroad. Credits can be pre-approved to transfer back to GT so that you do not get behind in your studies. The application deadline for fall and academic year programs is in early February; for spring programs the deadline is in September/October.

    In a study abroad program, the courses are taught by GT faculty and you register for regular GT courses. Residents pay normal matriculation fees, but do not pay ancillary fees (athletic, health, etc.). Non-residents only pay resident matriculation plus $250 ($1500 for GTL Summer/$2000 for GTL Spring/Fall) . This is a savings of over $6,000 for out-of-state students who participate in GT study abroad programs as full-time students! Deadlines for summer study abroad programs vary from early January to mid-February.

    In most cases, if you are eligible for financial aid or scholarships, you can apply your grants, scholarships, and/or loans toward the expenses associated with participating in all GT programs.
    GT’s International Plan: More than just study abroad
    Your major is participating in this new initiative!
    The International Plan is an intensive, degree-long program designed to prepare GT graduates professionally and personally for successful lives in the 21st century. Requirements of the program include international coursework, two terms abroad (any combination of study, research or internship abroad), proficiency in a second language, and a culminating course. Students who complete the program will have a designation on their diploma indicating completion of the degree with global competence: for example, “BS in Mechanical Engineering: International Plan.” For more information or an application, contact your major advisor or OIE and visit the website: click here