Semester Exchange for Business students

While overseas on the exchange, you will:

• stay enrolled at UC
• receive credit for your overseas study towards your UC degree
• continue paying your UC tuition fees

To be eligible for the UC Global Exchange programme, you must normally have a B average or higher, although students with marginally lower grades may be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Depending on the partner institution/s you wish to go to, there may be a limit to the number of students who can go there each semester or additional requirements that students must meet.

The earliest time you can go on an exchange is in the second semester of your second year's Bachelor of Commerce study. 

Here are some suggestions on the best semester(s) you can go overseas for an exchange study for different BCom majors:

• Accounting: S2 Year 2 or Year 3
• Economics: Year 3
• Finance: S2 Year 2 or S1 Year 3
• Human Resource Management: S2 Year 2
• Information Systems: Year 3
• International Business: S2 Year 2
• Management: S2 Year 2
• Marketing: Year 3
• Operations and Supply Chain Management: Year 3
• Strategy and Entrepreneurship: S2 Year 2
• Taxation and Accounting: S2 Year 2
• Tourism Marketing and Management: S2 Year 2

Please note that other than the suggested semester listed above, you could also consider going on exchange in other semesters of your UC study. As those might contain more required courses for your UC degree, it is important to choose a partner institution that offers equivalent courses to the required courses for your major.

If you are a double degree/double major student, you will have required second-year courses in both semesters. You will need these courses to be able to continue to the third year. Therefore, Year 3 would be ideal timing.

UC has student exchange agreements with over 60 partner institutions across the world. Around 40 of the partners are hand-picked for business students as all of them offer a sufficient number of English teaching courses to choose from and allow our students to take unlimited business courses.

Please note some of the university-wide partners restrict the business points that our students can enrol for.

Check out the comparison of cost and available subjects for each partner university.

Your tuition fees are paid directly to UC and you do not incur any international tuition fees while you are on exchange.

If you are eligible for a student loan or allowance at UC, you will continue to be eligible while you are on exchange, provided that you meet the requirements of Studylink. You will be responsible for all of your own travel and living expenses.

Aalto University Grant

Aalto University offers a limited number of €1,000 grants for UC students undertaking a Semester Exchange at Aalto University.

No separate application is required. Students must first apply for exchange through UC, be accepted by Aalto University, and arrive on campus in Finland before the grant is processed. 

Faculty Approval
Within 1-2 weeks after the application deadline, you will receive an email from the UC Business School Internationalisation Team confirming whether you have been approved or declined for exchange.

Placement at a Partner University
Once approved, you will be notified of your placement depending on the type of partner university. 

• If you applied to a Business School partner, you will hear from the UC Business School Internationalisation Team about your placement within one month after faculty approval.
• If you applied to a university-wide partner, you will hear from the UC Mobility Team with your placement outcome.

[Business School Partners & University-wide Partners List]

Nomination to the Partner University
Once the nomination period opens at the partner university (usually March for S2 exchange and August/September for S1 exchange), UC will nominate you to the partner university. You do not need to take any action at this stage – we will inform you once you have been nominated. Please note the nomination time may vary for each partner university. 

Apply to the Partner University
After nomination, the partner university will contact you directly with:

• their application instructions
• accommodation recommendations

Note: the exchange programme is independent, meaning you will be responsible for arranging your own accommodation.

Submit Documents to UC Mobility Team
Following your nomination, you will receive an Information Pack from the UC Mobility Team with required documents (including insurance information). Complete the documents and return them to the UC Mobility Team.

Apply for a Visa
Once you receive your acceptance letter from the partner university, you will need to apply for a student visa. Note that UC Business Internatinalisation Team cannot provide visa advice. Check the requirements for your destination country, as visa application processes vary. Some embassies require in-person submissions (usually in Auckland or Wellington), while others may offer online applications.

Exchange Course Approval
Before or after your exchange application, depending on your study plan, you need to apply for exchange course approval. In your Information Pack, you will find the Exchange Course Approval Application form, where you will list the courses you wish to take at the partner university. Submit this form to the UC Business School Internationalisation Team for faculty approval.