University of Sydney Direct Exchange

Background

When the first Europeans landed in Australia in the 1770's, Sydney was their point of entry. Originally named Port Jackson, the settlement began as a penal colony for convicts from England. When the settlers first arrived, relations with the indigenous population were cordial. However, as the newcomers' encroachments on aboriginal lands expanded the indigenous peoples fought back. Unfortunately, their spears were no match for the settlers' guns, poisons and diseases and the native population was devastated—suffering a fate very similar to that of the Native American populations in the U.S. Several decades later, in 1850's, the population of Sydney boomed as thousands of immigrants from around the world came to Australia in search of gold and personal fortune.

Today, Sydney boasts a population of 3.8 million people and is the capital of New South Wales. The city is multi-cultural and cosmopolitan offering an enormous variety of activities and exciting places to discover. Sydney harbor is its focal point with walking trails, parks and Jorn Utzon's famous Opera House lining its shores and hundreds of ferries crossing its waters. A string of ocean beaches, including spectacular Bondi Beach, "bookend" the city and provide a relaxing retreat from the pace and urban character of downtown. Despite its size, Sydney is remarkably easy to explore. Public transportation is efficient and access to destinations both within and without the city is simple.

The University of Sydney is the oldest institution of higher learning in Australia. Established in 1850, the main campus is located two miles from the heart of the city and covers an expanse of 170 acres. With a student population of 42,000, the university is among Australia's largest and most prestigious institutions. Highly regarded for its research and scholarship, the university has earned and international reputation for academic excellence. Its library resources are unmatched in the southern hemisphere boasting a collection of over 4 million volumes and 80,000 maps. The University Union provides many activities and services to students at subsidized prices. For a modest fee, the Sports Union offers extensive facilities for individual, intramural and collegiate athletic activities. Included among these resources are an indoor pool, sports ovals and a ski hut at Thredbo Alpine Village.

Academic Overview

Participants of the University of Sydney exchange program enroll full-time as "exchange students" at their host universities (as opposed to degree-seeking students). As exchange students, participants take regular university classes and enjoy the same privileges and support services as degree-seeking students. These benefits include access to university library and computing facilities, university housing, counseling services, sporting clubs, societies, and special events. The only exception to this standard is Student Financial Aid which will continue to be administered by the University of Washington. The university system in Australia consists of 37 universities and 630,000 students. The system is mostly public with all but two of the institutions receiving state support. Degree programs generally last three years and offer the option of a fourth "honors" year for students with strong academic records. Highly specialized fields, such as engineering and medicine, often require additional studies lasting from one to three years. .

Having already satisfied pre-requisites in secondary school, Australian students launch into their specialized core courses from the onset of their university careers. Once a student declares a specialization there is little room for deviation from the core curriculum. When compared to American university courses, first and second-year courses in Australia are typically more advanced and akin to Junior and Senior-level courses in the United States. Due to the highly specialized Australian curricula, UW exchange participants should have a background in their proposed area of study and not plan to enroll for courses in more than one or two specializations. In general, Australian universities place a greater emphasis on independent learning than most undergraduate programs in the United States. Students are responsible for their own learning and expected to complete a significant amount of independent reading and research outside of class. In this way, the curricula are comparable to graduate studies in the United States. (Students in the fields of science or engineering might find their course curricula to be more structured than that of the arts or social sciences with a strong emphasis on laboratory work). Grades are usually determined by a combination of paper and test scores with a very heavy emphasis on the final exam. Although Australian students normally take fewer exams than their American counterparts, they are often expected to complete more papers and oral presentations.

Australian university classes generally meet as large lectures, seminars, group discussions and/or tutorials. Lectures, seminars and discussions are similar to those taught at the UW in terms of size and general format. Tutorials are one-on-one or small group discussions with the professor teaching the course. During the tutorials students are challenged to defend their essays and discuss course topics in-depth.

Dates of Instruction

The Australian academic year is divided into two semesters: Semester 1 courses generally begin in late February or early March and end in July; Semester 2 courses begin in late-July and end in November.

Housing

Students are responsible for securing and funding their own housing in Australia and are eligible for university accommodations at their host institution. Housing options vary from on and off-campus residence halls to shared flats and suites. Some accommodations include catered meal plans while others are equipped with full kitchens for self-catering. Students who do not to take advantage of university housing options generally find accommodations in private boarding homes or flats close to campus.

Note: Student housing is an exceptional way to meet other international students but not necessarily Australian students. Most Australian students live off campus in rented flats or at home with their parents. The primary source of your interaction with Australian students will be in your classes and through your involvement with campus clubs and societies.

Cost

University of Washington's direct exchanges operate on a home-tuition basis whereby students pay regular UW tuition and fees to the UW and no tuition or fees to the host university overseas. Students who study abroad for one semester pay 1.5 quarters of UW tuition; students who study abroad for the full year pay three quarters of UW tuition. Housing, living, travel and other miscellaneous expenses are the responsibility of the student. In addition, students are required to pay a UW IPE fee of $300 per semester or $600 for the year.

Concurrent Enrollment

Health Screening

Since study abroad often means that students live with medical services and general health conditions that are different from those in their home country, you will be required to have a health screening and to submit a Health Screening Form with your Concurrent Enrollment Form.

Courses and Credits

The University of Washington has an exchange agreement with the University of Sydney. These agreements specify that the UW will recognize credit granted by this university. Although credit is guaranteed, the type of UW credit awarded is not determined until after the exchange year has ended and the appropriate UW department has evaluated the coursework completed abroad. For this reason, it is advisable that students communicate with their regular UW academic advisers before and during the exchange

All grades for courses completed abroad are reported on the host university's transcript and the student's UW transcript regardless of the final mark or need for credit. In general, students earn the equivalent of 36-45 UW credits per year for coursework completed abroad.

Terms and Eligibility

UW students can study at University of Sydney for one semester or an academic year. To qualify, you must also:

• Be enrolled as a regular, degree-seeking UW student;
• Have Junior standing or above by the exchange's beginning;
• Have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0;
• Be flexible, independent and willing to conform to cultural customs that differ significantly from those of the US.

Application Instructions

By the appropriate deadline, please submit your complete application to the IPE office with all of the following:

Application Deadlines

*Late applications to be considered on a space available basis.

References