Trimester Exchange

The Griffith Exchange Partner Database will give you a good idea as to where you can study on exchange and should be used as a guide only. You will need to go the partner university's exchange website to find additional information, such as available courses. It is important that you find a university which offers courses that you will be eligible to receive credit for on your study plan.

Griffith Exchange Partner Database

A study plan is a document that outlines the overseas courses and what they are equivalent to at Griffith University. Depending on your degree, the overseas course may be approved for a core course or an elective course. If a course is approved on your study plan, it means that you will receive credit for it towards your Griffith program provided that you achieve a passing grade.

It is compulsory for you to have an approved study plan in order to participate in the Griffith Exchange Program. Please only request assessment for the Study Plan of your first preference. If your first preference is competitive, we recommend you have a second study plan completed; however, please do not send for assessment until you have received instruction from Global Mobility to do so.

Steps to complete study plan

1. Research your degree to find out what core or elective Griffith courses you are trying to find a match for.
2. Find detailed course descriptions ("syllabus") for the overseas course. The course profile will need to include:
   1. level of study
   2. topics covered and duration of topics
   3. duration of the course
   4. contact hours
   5. methods of assessment, type and duration
   6. textbooks and/or learning resources
3. Download and complete the Exchange Study Plan (PDF).
4. Submit your study plan and overseas course descriptions to the relevant approver (see below)

Note: Some universities, particularly in North America, do not publish detailed course profiles online. As such, you may need to contact the overseas university's exchange office for assistance.

Study plan approval

The person delegated to approve your study plan will depend on your degree program. The approver must sign next to each approved course as well as at the bottom to ensure there is no uncertainty when you return back from your exchange. Please check the below table for details on who to email your documents to.

How long does it take to approve a study plan?

The time it takes to approve a study plan varies significantly for each student as it is approved by different people at the university. Typically it takes at least 3 to 4 weeks for the courses to be assessed, however, you should allow as much time as possible in case you need to submit more courses for assessment.

This is often the most time-consuming process of the entire application, and you may even need to submit a couple of study plans before you have enough courses.

How many courses do I need to have approved?

You must have a full-time study load approved for each trimester you are on exchange. A minimum study load is typically 30CP or 40CP, depending on your program. However, we recommend that you have at least six courses approved per trimester. Having additional courses approved means you will have pre-approved options to choose from in case you experience issues with your enrolment at the partner university (e.g. if classes are full) or if you change your mind.

How many Griffith credit points are overseas courses worth?

This decision is ultimately up to your Program Director and will be based on factors such as contact hours for the course. However, typically 10CP at Griffith is equivalent to:

• 7.5 ECTS in Europe
• 3-4 credits in North America
• 15 credits in the United Kingdom
• 2-4 credits in Japan (depending on the university)
• 3 credits in Korea
• 2-3 credits in Singapore

How do I find the course code for a free-choice elective?

There are no codes for free-choice electives, so simply write free-choice elective as the Griffith course name.

Do I have to take all courses that are approved on my study plan?

No. We only expect you to enrol in a standard full-time study load. Enrolment in more than 50CP of study requires approval from the Program Director beforehand.

Will my degree program GPA be affected?

Whilst your exchange studies will not affect the GPA of the current degree program you are enrolled in, please be aware that for some postgraduate programs and other professional programs such as Medicine and Law, the GPA earned during your exchange studies will be considered in an application and an official copy will need to be submitted.

Application documents

As part of your online application, you will be asked to upload the following documents.

1. Approved study plan (see step 3 above)

Please ensure you have a full-time study load approved for each trimester, and check to ensure the overseas courses are offered at the correct time of year.

Queensland Conservatorium and Queensland College of Art and Design students may be required to submit a portfolio or audition CD/DVD to the overseas university at a later stage.

2. Motivational "essay"

No specific format is requested. You can choose to write a one-page essay, film a video, create a presentation, or even write in bullet point form - we invite you to be as creative as you feel comfortable being! Whatever you do, this file should demonstrate your objectives for participating in the Griffith Exchange Program and how it will fit into and benefit your overall academic program at Griffith. We also ask that you address why you have selected your preferred host university, as well as illustrate as best you can your seriousness of purpose, ability to take initiative, communication skills, social maturity, adaptability and your ability to represent Griffith University while overseas as a good ambassador in accordance with the Griffith University Student Charter.

3. Copy of passport

Please ensure this is valid for at least six months after your return from overseas. If you do not have one or it is expired, you must upload a document explaining that you will get a new one when completing the online application.

4.  Unofficial Transcript

To ensure you are eligible to partake in the Exchange Program, we require a copy of your current unofficial transcript.  This can be obtained through your myGriffith.

If you are unsure about how to find your unofficial transcript please follow the directions on Ask Us.

5. Financial Support

Application deadline

It is important for you to be aware of the application deadline as late applications are strictly not accepted. It will often take a couple of months to prepare the application documents so the earlier you can prepare, the better. If you are missing a document (usually a signed study plan) please submit your application by the deadline anyway and upload a word document with an explanation of the missing document in its place. We will contact you to advise what's missing and will give you a new deadline for that document.

Please note: applications will only be assessed after the deadline has closed.

Due to the academic calendar, few countries offer courses which align to Griffith's Trimester 3.  Instead, most overseas universities commence in August/September therefore Trimester 2 is more suitable.

Go Global consultation

You are able to book a one-on-one consultation with one of the Go Global team at any point in your exchange journey. Whether you talk to us at the beginning of doing your research or if you book a time to talk to us because you get stuck at some point in the process, or even if you book just before you submit your application to double check everything is ready, we are more than happy to speak with you about your overseas adventure!

Book a consultation

Online application

Applications for T1 2025 will open on  May 15th, 2024. The link will be posted here once applications open.

Application assessment

We aim to assess completed applications within two weeks of the application deadline. Please ensure your check your Griffith student email regularly to check for an outcome.

Acceptance

If you have been accepted into the Griffith Exchange program, you will be emailed an offer letter detailing which of your listed partner universities we will be nominating you to. Please check your offer letter thoroughly prior to accepting your place in the program.​

• Conditional letter means your application is not complete and we are still waiting on documents from you​
• Unconditional means your application is complete and you have submitted all documents​

Nomination and application to your host university​

Once you have accepted your place in the Griffith Exchange Program, we will nominate you to the partner university and you will be provided with instructions on how to complete their application. It can take a few months for the partner university to assess your application and provide you with an outcome.

Events​

• You will be invited to a Meet and Greet event within a month after receiving your acceptance letter - this event will cover what comes next in the Exchange application process
• Pre-departure Info session – this is compulsory for students going on exchange and will happen in week 12 of semester prior to your departure​
• Teams Chat​ - we will create a Teams chat and invite all students, this platform will allow you to ask questions, share ideas and resources, and connect with each other in the journey to your exchange.

Connect with Ambassadors​

Now that you've applied, what's next?

It's time to collect tips and advice from other students! Our Ambassadors did their exchange program in different parts so the world, so you can hear first-hand what their experience was like.

Request to connect with  Ambassadors