Study Abroad and Exchange FAQs

This depends on the type of agreement your home institution has with Macquarie University.

Please check with your home institution to confirm whether you should apply for the Exchange program or the Study Abroad program.

Find information on the step-by-step application process for:

• Incoming Exchange students
• Incoming Study Abroad students

We cannot help you choose which units to study at Macquarie as each student's requirements are different.

• the units you choose are equivalent to the subjects back in your home institution where required, so that you receive credit for them towards your program of study. Information on unit content is available in the Course Handbook and the Unit Guides.
• you satisfy any requisites for those units - this information can be found in the Course Handbook.
• the units are offered during your session of study at Macquarie - Session 1 or Session 2. You can check the offerings for each unit in the Course Handbook.
• you select units from the correct level - undergraduate or postgraduate. Undergraduate students may only enrol in undergraduate units, and postgraduate students may only enrol in postgraduate units.

You may find that your application is at one of the following stages:

Applications with Macquarie take approximately three (3) weeks for the initial assessment.

As an international student, you must obtain an Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) as a condition of your student visa. Please visit the Overseas Student Health Cover page for more information.

You may also find the following information provided by the Australian Federal Government Health Department helpful:

• Overseas Student Health Cover Fact Sheet
• Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) – OSHC Explanatory guidelines for consumers – contains information on the mandatory OSHC requirement for students coming to Australia

To accept your offer, you need to:

• Return your signed Letter of Offer to your Admission Case Officer, and
• Pay any necessary fees associated with your Letter of Offer, including your OSHC.

Send the required documentation via email directly to your Admission Case Officer. You will find the application email address at the bottom of the email you received with your Letter of Offer.

A Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE) is a document issued by Macquarie University to verify your enrolment in a specified course. This is a mandatory document to obtain your Student Visa.

You will receive this document shortly after you accept your offer.

You will need to use this document to apply for your Student Visa.

We are unable to provide any advice relating to visas.

You may find the following resources/information about visas helpful:

• Student Visa page
• Department of Home Affairs Website
• If you are outside of Australia, you can contact the Department of Home Affairs at their Contact Us page.

OSHC information is provided in your Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE) and your OSHC policy number is the same as your Macquarie student ID. Your Confirmation of Enrolment should suffice as OSHC-related documentation for your visa application.

For any questions, please see our OSHC webpage or contact the Department of Home Affairs.

The University will schedule your OSHC to begin three (3) weeks before the class commencement date. Please visit the Medibank website to activate your policy and read the terms and conditions of the policy three (3) weeks before the class commencement date. You may adjust the dates and duration of your policy upon your arrival in Australia.

To activate your OSHC before the above-stated period, you will need to contact Medibank directly to organise this.

You should aim to secure your accommodation before arriving in Sydney.

To review your accommodation options, please see our Accommodation page and contact the providers directly for more information.

Your student ID number is indicated in your Letter of Offer.

Make sure that you have followed the instructions on the First Time Login page.

If you experience issues, contact your Admission Case Officer, who can investigate the error. If the error cannot be fixed, you will be redirected to the IT Service Desk.

You can enrol in your units after receiving your CoE and within the enrolment dates.

Units at Macquarie University for the Study Abroad and Exchange programs are divided into three categories:

You can find detailed information about units in the Course Handbook, and guidance on submitting a Special Waiver request on our website.

Enrolling in a unit confirms your participation and gives you access to each unit's iLearn site with all relevant details on assignments and weekly coursework.

Access resources to enable reasonable adjustments and support for your classes and assessments at Macquarie.

Visit the Accessibility page for more information on the services provided and the registration process.

Some institutions require your host institution to complete and sign a learning agreement form. Send the document to our team through Macquarie's Service Connect portal.

Documents requiring confirmation of enrolment will be signed after session commencement.

International students must have a full-time study load to comply with visa conditions. A full-time study load in the Study Abroad and Exchange programs is 3 to 4 units.

This is not possible.

You can only enrol in units at the same level as the program you are doing at your home institution. This means that:

• Undergraduate students can only enrol in undergraduate units.
• Postgraduate students can only enrol in postgraduate units.

The Study NSW website provides useful information about living, studying and working in Sydney as an international student. It also has the most up-to-date information on events open to all international students.

International students coming to Australia to participate in the Macquarie University Study Abroad or Exchange program must be on a Student Visa (Subclass 500). It is not possible to participate in the program on a Working Holiday Visa (Subclass 417).

For more information on the Student visa, read the information in the following resources:

• Department of Home Affairs Website - Subclass 500 Student Visa
• Macquarie University's Student Visa Webpage

You must be in Sydney by the Macquarie Kickstart Period.

Check the Academic Calendar to learn about the most important session dates.

International students on the Study Abroad and Exchange program are ineligible for discounted or concession Opal cards.

Sign up for an Adult Opal Card.

The following services and tools are available to international students to develop and enhance their academic skills:

• Academic Success Team – Consultations with a learner adviser, assignment support and revision services, academic skills workshops, and English language support
• Peer Support – Faculty mentoring, Peer assisted study sessions (PASS), Buddy Program, and Peer Mentors
• English Conversation Club
• Numeracy Support – drop-in service, weekly workshops, and online resources

The Student Wellbeing team offers counselling and mental health support.

They also provide safety advice and offer wellbeing skillshops and online resources to support your overall wellbeing.

If you experience an event or circumstance that is serious, unavoidable, significantly disruptive, and beyond your control, you may be eligible for Special Consideration.

Make sure to review the information on the  Special Consideration page to learn about eligibility criteria, FAQs about this option, and when and how to submit a request.

It is not possible to make up for failed exams and/or units.

As explained in Macquarie University's Special Consideration Policy, the University follows a ‘Fit to Sit’ policy. By taking an exam, in-class test, or submitting any assessment, a student affirms that they can perform these tasks. It is up to the student to assess their fitness to participate in an examination, test, or submit an assessment. If a student feels unfit to do so, they should refrain from participating and follow the Special Consideration procedure.

Students have the option to submit a Special Consideration request for a supplementary exam within the corresponding timeframes if they experience circumstances like the ones described in the question above. Make sure to check the Special Consideration page and Special Consideration FAQs pages for more information.

Check the Academic Calendar and look for the Result Publication date. Your final grades will be available on your eStudent on release date.

You will receive an email with instructions on how to access your transcript via My eQuals.

Macquarie students receive their grades and transcripts via My eQuals. My eQuals is the official platform for Australian and New Zealand universities to provide a secure digital repository for certified academic documents. It was developed to give students, graduates, employers and third parties anytime, anywhere access to academic documents.

You can share your transcript with your Home University through this platform.

Make sure to reach out to your home university for information on how to get the units you studied at Macquarie credited towards your degree.

You will need to provide your digital transcript to your home university through the My eQuals platform.