Can I undertake a global experience in any country?
Support for international travel will be on a country-by-country basis, and we will continually monitor the Australian Government’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) Smartraveller.
Travel will be permitted to:
- Destinations with travel advice of ‘exercise normal safety precautions’ or ‘exercise a high degree of caution’.
The decision to travel to countries that require compulsory quarantine will be at your own discretion. If you choose to proceed, you will be responsible to pay for quarantine costs and any other related expenses.
Travel will not be permitted to:
- Destinations with travel advice of ‘reconsider your need to travel’ or ‘do not travel’, regardless of the overall country level.
Where no advice is provided ‘not rated’ these will be treated on case-by-case basis.
What happens if the DFAT risk rating increases?
Should the Australian Government increase a destination’s rating to ‘reconsider your need to travel’ once you have departed or are already in-country, UQ will review the risk profile, which could potentially result in the suspension or cancellation of the experience if UQ considers that your safety is at risk.
Any increase in a destination’s rating to ‘do not travel’ will automatically result in the cancellation of the experience.
Will I be covered by UQ insurance?
Please refer to the UQ Insurance Services travel insurance webpage, in particular the Travel Insurance for Students brochure, to understand when you are and are not covered by UQ travel insurance. Students are strongly encouraged to arrange personal travel insurance when UQ coverage does not apply.
When can I start making financial commitments (eg: booking accommodation, flights, etc)?
UQ’s Internships and Global Experiences Team strongly recommends you do not make any financial commitments (program fees, flights, accommodation, visas, etc.) for your experience until you have received:
- Exchange: Credit approval from UQ and Host Acceptance
- Short-term Study: Credit approval from UQ (or eligibility confirmation if not-for-credit)
- Internships: Initial application deemed eligible
If you decide to make financial commitments before receiving the above, please ensure that your booking is transferrable or refundable.
Should you proceed, you will be required to complete an International Traveller Declaration form in order to receive final travel approval.
Do I need to stay in touch with UQ while I’m on my global experience?
Yes. UQ will organise regular check-ins whilst you are overseas to ensure your well-being and provide help and support services as required. You are expected to monitor your UQ email address while overseas and respond to check-in emails in a timely manner.
Can I travel overseas for a global experience without the support of UQ?
If you choose to participate in a global experience independently of UQ, you will be considered a ‘free-mover’ student. This means that you will not be considered a UQ student for the purposes of any experience you choose to undertake.
As a free-mover student, you are not supported by The University of Queensland by any means (including funding, insurance, credit pre-approvals etc.) and are choosing to participate in a global experience without any assistance from UQ. Additionally, as a free-mover, you are not eligible to defer the payment of tuition fees at an international host institution to Australian Government FEE-HELP / HECS, as you will be considered a full fee-paying international student paying fees directly to the host institution.
Credit transfer for free-movers is high risk and is not guaranteed. We encourage students to check with their faculty before deciding to go as a free mover (not upon return) to ensure you understand the risks and whether or not credit will be granted. International students returning to study in their home country should be aware that they may not be eligible to receive any credit for their studies, as credit is granted at the discretion of the Faculty.Faculty of Business, Economics and Law students should refer to the BEL Study Overseas Academic Considerations, as credit will not be granted unless pre-approved by IGET and the BEL Faculty.
