For Semester Abroad/Exchange programs at one of our partner universities, you will not need to pay international tuition fees (as you will continue to pay your tuition fees to Swinburne). Overseas Study Tours and Overseas Internship programs will have a program fee you need to pay.

However, for all programs, you will need to consider any additional program fees, airfares, insurance, accommodation, living expenses and visa costs. Living and travel costs will vary considerably depending on your program length, destination, lifestyle and the current exchange rate in your host destination’s currency.

There are several scholarships and funding opportunities available to help you participate in overseas programs as a Swinburne student.

OS-HELP Loans

OS-HELP is available for credit-bearing international experiences, including exchange, study tours and overseas internships and is the most applied for form of funding. This government scheme provides loans for Australian students of up to A$8,817 (as at 2023), depending on your destination and study program. 

This loan is added to your HECS debt, which you do not have to repay until your income reaches the minimum repayment threshold. To be eligible for the OS-HELP Loan you must meet the minimum eligibility criteria below:

  • have been selected by your provider to receive an OS-HELP Loan;
  • be an Australian citizen or a permanent humanitarian visa holder or a New Zealand Special Category Visa holder who meets the residency requirements
  • have not received an OS-HELP Loan on more than one other occasion
  • be enrolled with an Australian provider in a Commonwealth supported place and have completed one equivalent full-time student loan (EFTSL) — usually one year of full-time study
  • be studying full-time overseas and this study will count towards the course requirements for the Australian course you are enrolled in
  • have at least 0.125 EFTSL of your course left to complete once you have finished your overseas study — usually one unit of study
  • have a valid tax file number (TFN) at the time of applying
  • have a Unique Student Identifier (USI) prior to the first census date (for new enrolments from 1 January 2021)
  • have submitted an OS-HELP debt confirmation form to your provider; and have read the OS-HELP statement of terms and conditions.


For more information on OS-HELP visit the Study Assist website or read the OS HELP Loan fact sheet here.

OS-HELP Loans are applied for and paid only after you have been accepted into your overseas program. If you’re eligible, you will be given more information from the Swinburne Abroad team on how to apply as your application progresses.

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    New Colombo Plan funding

    Find out more about the New Colombo Plan (NCP) initiative for studying abroad, including the NCP Mobility Grants and the prestigious NCP Scholarship. 

    Find out more (New Colombo Plan funding)

Other funding and scholarship options

The following grants are available for students applying for and participating in Summer 2023/2024 Overseas Internship programs: 

37x A$1,000 travel grants for overseas internship programs to the following destinations:

  • Internships in the USA
  • Internships in Berlin
  • Internships in London
  • Internships in Prague
  • Internships in Japan
  • Internships in Bali
  • Internships in Thailand


- Domestic and international students are eligible
- Undergraduate and postgraduate students are eligible

How to apply: After submitting an application for the Overseas Internship program, students can apply for the Swinburne Abroad Travel Grant by completing this application form.

Application deadline: 15 September 2023

The following grants are available for students applying for and participating in Semester 1, 2024 Overseas Exchange programs: 

25x A$2,000 travel grants for the following partner universities:


- Domestic and international students are eligible
- Undergraduate and postgraduate students are eligible
- Eligible students can apply for multiple forms of funding, but can only receive one of the following forms of funding: Swinburne Abroad Travel Grant, NCP funding or Cheung Kong funding

How to apply: Students will be prompted to apply for a Swinburne Abroad Travel Grant as part of the application process for the Overseas Exchange program

Application deadline: 31 July 2023

There are a limited number of $5,000 mobility travel grants available for Overseas Exchange to Japan. Please contact the Swinburne Abroad team via exchange@swin.edu.au for more information about eligibility and how to apply for this funding.

Eligible partner universities:

- Akita International University
- Aoyama Gakuin University
- Chuo University
- Kansai Gaidai University
- Meiji Gakuin University

There are a limited number of $5,000 mobility travel grants available for Overseas Exchange to Malaysia. Please contact the Swinburne Abroad team via exchange@swin.edu.au for more information about eligibility and how to apply for this funding.

Eligible partner universities:

- Swinburne University Sarawak
- Universiti Technologi Malaysia (UTM) 

There are a limited number of $6,000 travel grants available for Overseas Exchange to South Korea. Please contact the Swinburne Abroad team via exchange@swin.edu.au for more information about eligibility and how to apply for this funding.

Eligible partner universities:

- Hongik University
- Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU)
- Yonsei University - Underwood International College

$7,000 scholarships available for Overseas Exchange.

This scholarship is coordinated by Swinburne University's central Scholarships team. Find out more information here.

Recipients of this scholarship are eligible to receive a one-off payment of A$2,000 towards an international study experience.

For more information, see the Vice Chancellor's Excellence Scholarship.

If you currently receive Austudy or Youth Allowance, you may still be eligible to continue receiving these benefits while on your overseas study program. For exchange programs, you will need to provide Centrelink with evidence that you will be studying full-time in an approved student exchange program that will be credited to your Swinburne degree. Swinburne Abroad can provide you with a letter to meet Centrelink requirements before you depart. 

Butex International Scholarships, UK

This scholarship is open to all exchange students going to select UK partner institutions. To be eligible you must have been offered an exchange place at a BUTEX-affiliated UK university.

The value of each scholarship is GBP£500 and will be paid to you once you have arrived and registered at your host university.


Other countries

Check with the consulate or embassy of your proposed host country to explore other scholarships that may be available.

Eligible students studying Aviation or Aviation Management can apply for this scholarship to receive A$5,000 towards an exchange semester abroad at selected partner universities.

For more information see the Piers Fowler Exchange Scholarship.

Eligible students who have reached certain levels of language proficiency can apply for this scholarship to receive funds towards an approved exchange semester abroad.

For more information, visit the Walter Mangold Trust Fund website.

Need further assistance?

For more information on the fee help initiatives and scholarships available to you as a Swinburne student, contact the friendly and knowledgeable team at Swinburne Abroad. 

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