Before heading overseas, there are lots of things you need to prepare for
You should take the time to familiarise yourself with the preparations required as it can sometimes take several weeks to make all the necessary arrangements, and you don't want to leave everything to the last minute.
This webpage is designed as a starting point for you to do your research, but it is up to you to make sure you are well-prepared for your overseas program.
Pre-departure sessions
Trimester Exchange
If you are spending one or two trimesters abroad as part of the exchange program, you will be required to attend a compulsory in-person, pre-departure session at the Gold Coast or Nathan campus. It is typically held in study week in the trimester before your exchange program. Confirmation and further instructions will be sent to your student email once you have been accepted.
Short-term Program
Due to the varied nature of these programs, we are unable to host an in-person, pre-departure session for every experience. Instead, we will email you important information to your Griffith student email once you have complete the Short-term Program application form and it has been assessed by us. If you are undertaking a Griffith study tour, you may be required to attend an in-person, pre-departure session which is delivered by the School. Otherwise, please ensure that you browse this page for important information relative to your program, including as insurance and International SOS.
If you are on an approved exchange or short-term program, you will have access and coverage under Griffith University's International SOS membership. International SOS provides 24/7 medical, travel and security assistance while you are on your approved program, including personal counselling.
We highly recommend that you visit the International SOS membership website and view or print a report for the country you are travelling to. The report includes information such as medical risks and vaccinations, local laws, security advice, local travel information, cultural tips, and much more.
MyTrips
As part of your Trimester Exchange or Short-Term Program Application, the Global Mobility Team will enter your travel details into International SOS's MyTrips portal, so it is important to send us your full flight and accommodation information as soon as you have it, and also notify us of any changes. We recommend you download the International SOS app so you can check in where you go and make your own updates in the system (your 'trip' will be registered under your Griffith student email address so use this email when create an account). It is important to ensure that your MyTrips account is updated to include as much information as possible, including return flights and accommodation, as it allows International SOS and Griffith University to know what you are in-country. This is important in the event of an emergency and also related to your insurance coverage.
HDR students must also complete the Short Term process.
Short Term - MyTrips User Guide
Please ensure you keep this updated throughout your overseas program.
24/7 assistance
If you need medical or emergency assistance, please contact International SOS. An electronic membership card will be sent to you upon approval of your Short-term Program Application or Trimester Exchange Program.
Griffith University supports you through your overseas program with coverage under Griffith University's Corporate Travel Insurance Policy at no additional cost. Once you submit your Trimester Exchange or Short-term Program Application, you are automatically assessed for access to this coverage.
The dates of coverage depend on the type of program you are approved to do:
- Trimester Exchange: coverage is for entire period of exchange, plus an additional five (5) days prior to the commencement at your host university (including orientation) and up to five (5) days after exams have finished to travel from your host university up to a maximum of 365 days in total. You are only covered within the country of your approved program.
- Short-term Program: coverage is for the entire period but only within the country of your approved program, up to a maximum of 360 days in total.
Some host institutions may require additional insurance coverage for acceptance. Please check with your host institution to verify you satisfy their requirements.
You can read the full details of Griffith's Corporate Travel Insurance policy here.
Exclusions
- Leisure travel before and after the overseas program is not covered. For example, if you extend your stay in-country in order to have a holiday. Leisure travel during your approved program is not covered if you travel outside the country your approved program is delivered in. For example, if your approved program is delivered only in Thailand but you choose to travel to Vietnam for a mid-program trip/weekend.
- Pre-existing medical conditions are not covered.
- International students returning to their home country or students who hold citizenship to the country they are travelling to have limited coverage. Please liaise with the Insurance office for full details.
- Other general exclusions as listed in the Product Disclosure Statement.
For specific insurance questions, please contact Griffith Insurance by emailing insurance@griffith.edu.au.
It is your responsibility to ensure you have arranged adequate accommodation for your overseas program. Host universities will usually send you information about housing options with your Letter of Offer/Acceptance document. You can also find information on their website.
We strongly recommend that you research accommodation options in advance so you can budget accordingly and be aware of any application or payment deadlines. At some universities, on-campus accommodation is highly competitive and has an early application deadline.
When researching and applying for accommodation, you should consider questions such as:
- What is the distance to campus and how do I get there?
- What are the payment requirements and deadlines?
- How reputable/trustworthy is the accommodation provider?
- What are my rights as a tenant?
- Who will I live with?
We highly recommend that you do not purchase flights until you have been accepted by the host university and have applied for, and received, a valid visa (if required). This is because if you are not accepted into the program or your visa in denied, it is likely that you will not be able to secure a refund of your flights. Please check with the airline about their refund policy if you are unsure.
Griffith University's Gold Coast and Nathan campuses have an STA travel branch on site. If you are not a frequent traveller (or even if you are), we recommend that you purchase your flights through STA.
Please note that Griffith Global Mobility is prohibited from providing any visa advice, so ensure you check with the relevant immigration authorities for your host country and any other countries you plan to travel through or visit. Search online for the consulate of the country you are going to, eg "German consulate Australia," for the most up-to-date advice.
It is your responsibility to ensure that you have a valid visa for the duration of your overseas program. Even if you are going for a short course, you should still check the host country's immigration website for confirmation about whether a visa is required. Please ensure you are aware of the process, costs and whether travel is required to apply. Some countries require you to attend an in-person student visa interview in Sydney or another interstate Consulate. These include (but are not limited to):
- United States of America
- France
- Spain.
Exchange students will be required to enrol in an exchange course code at Griffith University for your overseas study. You will be charged tuition fees based on the credit point value of the course code, however will not be required to pay tuition to the host university. If you receive HECS-HELP assistance, then the tuition will be applied to your loan.
If you are undertaking studies at a non-partner university, then please disregard the below information as you do not enrol in an exchange code at Griffith University. For trimester- or year-long studies, you will need to apply for a leave of absence from the university as you will not be enrolled in any Griffith course.
Please note: for exchange or study abroad, to pass a subject you must receive a grade of 50% or more, regardless of the pass mark at the host university.
The following information is relative to exchange studies only.
Study load
You are required to be enrolled full-time at Griffith University and at your exchange host university. To check the specific full-time requirements of your Griffith University program, please use the Degree and Career Finder and refer to the 'Overview and fees' section for your program. If your host university requires you to be enrolled in more courses to be considered full-time, then you must do so even if the additional course cannot be transferred for credit into your degree. This is usually due to visa requirements.
International students are required to enrol in at least 40CP to comply with their student visa and must see an International Student Advisor to confirm.
When to enrol
You must enrol in the trimester that you will be absent from Griffith University. For example, if you are studying 'Fall term' overseas (e.g. September to December) then you would enrol in the exchange code at Griffith in trimester two. If you are studying in the 'Spring term' (e.g. January to May) then you would enrol in the exchange code at Griffith in trimester one. You can enrol in the exchange courses once enrolment opens for that trimester.
Exchange course codes
There are different Exchange codes depending on study area and amount of Griffith credit points you will study at your Exchange university.
Most students will have just one code (eg 9014GIC is 40CP of LAW courses) but you might have a combination, for example, 20CP of LAW (9012GIC) and 10CP of Language (9091GIC).
Please use this PDF as a guide and if you have any questions or are unsure, email us at goglobal@griffith.edu.au
SBS Inclusion Program
The SBS Inclusion program is now available to assist students and staff develop graduate attributes and professional development requirements. Diversity fosters innovation, creativity and harmony and developing staff and students who communicate confidently, cross-culturally and use their knowledge to foster best practices in their workplaces are highly prized in the workforce.
The SBS Inclusion Program has a range of online modules and resources designed to train people in the areas of cultural competence, diversity and inclusion.
Become a Go Global Ambassador
You can be a Go Global Ambassador before you leave the country!
Connect with Ambassadors
Contact us
- Phone
- (07) 3735 8200
- 10 am to 2 pm, Monday to Friday except for Public Holidays.
- goglobal@griffith.edu.au
- Consultation
- Book a consultation
- Available Monday - Friday by phone, Teams or on-campus.
- Online
To enquire online or submit documentation:
- Visit Ask Us for current students (login required)
- Select topic - Global Mobility > Outbound
We will receive your enquiry and respond to your Griffith student email address.
You can also search existing answers.
Emergency assistance overseas
If you are on an approved program and need urgent medical and/or travel assistance, please contact International SOS