Apply for study abroad and incoming exchange

Begin your study abroad or exchange experience.

So, you’ve decided that you want to study abroad or do an incoming exchange at La Trobe. That’s great news. But what happens next?

There are a few things you’ll need to do before you begin your application. These steps are outlined below, along with information about applying, accepting your offer and the costs involved.

Please remember

To do an incoming exchange, your home university must be one of our exchange partners and they must nominate you. If you don’t meet these requirements, you can do a study abroad experience and gain credit towards your home degree. To find out more about the differences between the two programs:

To be eligible for study abroad or incoming exchange, you’ll need to meet English requirements and academic requirements.

As a general guide, La Trobe requires a C average for entry into study abroad and exchange programs (GPA 2.5). Individual subjects may have their own prerequisites which you’ll also need to meet.

If you're currently completing your last year of secondary/high school, or have already graduated but haven't enrolled in a university, the requirements are a bit different. You'll need to meet the minimum academic requirements for the undergraduate degree that best matches your study abroad program, and you'll only be eligible for first-year subjects or subjects with no prerequisites.

We offer a wide range of subjects so you can choose a study plan that matches your interests.

Study load

Most La Trobe subjects last for one semester and are worth 15 credit points. A standard full-time study load at La Trobe is four subjects (60 credit points) per semester, and the minimum load is three subjects (45 credit points).

As a study abroad or incoming exchange student, you can enrol in either three or four subjects per semester. If your home university requires you to do more than a full-time study load to keep up with your degree, we can arrange permission for you to overload to a maximum of five subjects (75 credit points) per semester. We do not recommend an increased study load and, if approved, additional fees could apply.

Finding subjects

To find subjects, you can:

Choosing the right subjects for your program

When choosing subjects, it’s important that you:

  • check that the subject is available for study abroad and incoming exchange students
  • make sure you meet any specific prerequisite requirements for the subject
  • confirm that the subject is offered during the semester you intend to study (Semester 1 goes from end February/early March to June and Semester 2 goes from end July/ early August to November)
  • check that the subject is offered at the same campus as your other subject choices
  • confirm that your home university approves of your subject preferences before you apply.

Important: You are only allowed to enrol in one online subject due to student visa regulations. Blended subjects are not counted as online subjects.

Applying for incoming exchange

Application closing dates

  • Semester 1, 2024 (February to June): 1st November 2023

Apply online

  1. Make sure your home university has nominated you for the incoming exchange program and notified La Trobe of your nomination
  2. Make sure you've chosen your preferred subjects for pre-approval (ideally six to eight per semester)
  3. Access the International Online Application System and register for a username and password
  4. Complete your application and attach the following supporting documents:
    1. A nomination confirmation from your home university
    2. An official transcript from your home university (please also provide an English translation if your transcript is not in English)
    3. A list of any subjects you are currently completing that aren’t listed on your transcript
    4. Evidence of your English proficiency, if you’re from a non-English speaking country. (See our language requirements page for our list of accepted countries where English is the primary language of instruction)
    5. A copy of your passport ID page (your passport must be valid until at least six months after your semester in Australia ends).

Due to citizenship restrictions, some applicants are unable to lodge their application online. If you register for a username and password and receive a notification that you are unable to lodge your application online, please email the Study Abroad team for an application form.

Applying for study abroad (fee paying)

Application closing dates

  • Semester 1, 2024 (February to June): 31st December 2023.

Apply online

  1. Contact our Study Abroad team for instructions on how to fill out your application
  2. Make sure you've chosen your preferred subjects for pre-approval (ideally six to eight per semester)
  3. Access the International Online Application System and register for a username and password.
  4. Complete your application and attach the following supporting documents:
    1. An official transcript from your home university (please also provide an English translation if your transcript is not in English).
    2. A list of any subjects you are currently completing that aren’t listed on your transcript.
    3. Evidence of your English proficiency, if you’re from a non-English speaking country. (See our language requirements page for our list of accepted countries where English is the primary language of instruction).
    4. A copy of your passport ID page (your passport must be valid until at least six months after your semester in Australia ends).

Due to citizenship restrictions, some applicants are unable to lodge their application online. If you register for a username and password and receive a notification that you are unable to lodge your application online, please email our Study Abroad team for an application form.

Apply through an agent

  1. Make sure you’ve chosen your preferred subjects for pre-approval (ideally six to eight per semester)
  2. Find a La Trobe agent in your country using our online Agent Database
  3. Contact your agent for instructions on how to apply.
  4. Follow your agent’s instructions to complete your application and submit all necessary documents. They will review your application and send it to us on your behalf.

Once you’ve applied, we'll review your application to make sure you meet all requirements. This process may take a few weeks.

If your application is successful, we will send you:

  • a letter of offer
  • an offer acceptance form
  • an Acceptance and Pre-departure Guide
  • a learning agreement form.

Please read through the information in your Acceptance and Pre-departure Guide, which details how to accept your offer and plan your arrival in Australia.

To accept your offer, you will need to:

  1. meet any conditions specified in your letter of offer
  2. complete your offer acceptance form and learning agreement (Note: this needs to be signed by your home university coordinator and include four selected subjects for enrolment. You must choose from the approved subjects on your letter of offer) and return them to a La Trobe Abroad Coordinator or your agent
  3. pay the required deposit for Overseas Health Cover and course fees as set out in your letter of offer.

Once you’ve accepted your offer, we’ll issue your Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE), which you’ll need for your student visa application. Please accept your offer as early as possible, as it may take three to four weeks for your CoE to be issued.

Once you’ve accepted your offer, it’s time for you to prepare for your Australian adventure.

Accommodation

If you want to live on campus while you’re studying at La Trobe, you’ll need to apply for on-campus accommodation. We recommend you apply as soon as you accept your study program offer.

Acceptance and pre-departure information

Visit our acceptance and pre-departure information page for guides and details about pre-departure briefings, welcome groups and arrival instructions.