Outbound (out of Australia)

Fully immerse yourself in a new culture by spending a semester or two studying overseas at one of CDU's partner universities and earn credit points towards your degree. You'll get to explore a different part of the world, enhance your career goals and broaden your university experience.

During your semester abroad you'll continue to earn full credit points towards your CDU degree and won't need to pay tuition fees to your host university. Instead, you'll continue to pay your normal CDU tuition fees and will have access to great financial support options to help cover the cost of travel and living expenses.

Study abroad for one or two semesters at a university of your choice while earning credit toward your degree. Unlike student exchange, where you pay tuition to your home university, study abroad requires direct payment of tuition to your host university.

The New Colombo Plan (NCP) Scholarship program is an Australian Government initiative that aims to strengthen knowledge of the Indo-Pacific in Australia. It encourages people-to-people and institutional relationships through study and work placement.

Valued at approximately $87,000, scholarship recipients must undertake a study program (for at least one semester, but this can be up to two semesters in duration) for which they will receive credit at their home university (CDU).

The program also includes relevant language studies and internship/mentorship components.

To apply, complete an Expression of interest form by Friday 30 May 2025.

The New Colombo Plan mobility program provides funding to Australian universities to support Australian undergraduate students’ participation in study, language training, internships, mentorships, practicums and research in 40 host locations across the Indo-Pacific region.

Mobility Programs are generally faculty led and differ each year based on funding available. 

The Destination Australia Cheung Kong Exchange program is a joint funding initiative of the Australian Government and the Cheung Kong Group.

The Program supports Australian universities to offer short-term mobility scholarship opportunities for outbound students from Australia and inbound students select countries in Asia.

The Program supports short-term mobility scholarship opportunities in the following countries:

• Australia
• Brunei Darussalam
• Cambodia
• China (including Hong Kong)
• India
• Indonesia
• Japan
• Republic of Korea
• Laos
• Malaysia
• Mongolia
• Myanmar
• Republic of the Philippines
• Singapore
• Thailand
• Vietnam

Mobility experiences must be between two weeks and one semester in duration. Types of exchange or mobility opportunities may include:

• short term study
• research
• practicums or clinical placements
• in-country face-to-face language study

Scholarships up to the value of $8,000 of are currently available. 

To apply, complete an Expression of Interest form by Friday 2 May 2025.

The ISFEPS is a distinguished scholarship program, funded by INPEX Scholarship Foundation (ISF), offering three outstanding Australian undergraduate students at Charles Darwin University (CDU) the chance to embark on a one-semester exchange program at one of the following of CDU's esteemed partner institutions in Japan: 

• Nagoya University of Foreign Studies. 
• Kyoto University 
• Doshisha University

The scholarship, is valued at $10,000 (approx.) includes:

• Return economy class air tickets between Darwin or Alice Springs and Tokyo
• Monthly  stipend of $1000AUD (approx.) for up to 7 months
• Public transportation fare between Tokyo and the host university
• Overseas student insurance
• Japanese language lessons prior to departure

View the Terms and Conditions document below to learn more about the eligibility requirements and terms and conditions.

For more information or to discuss your application please contact cduglobalengagement@cdu.edu.au.

Terms and conditions

Applications close Friday 29 August.

Apply Now

INPEX Scholarship Foundation Scholarship (for graduate students)

OS-HELP is a deferred HELP loan for Australian students who are enrolled in a Commonwealth supported place and wish to study abroad.

In 2025, the maximum you can borrow for a six-month study period is:

• $9,893 if you study in Asia; plus an extra $1,314 if you do Asian language study in preparation for study in Asia, or;
• $8,245 if you do not study in Asia.

To apply for an OS-Help Loan or to discuss your application, please complete the forms below and email cduglobalengagement@cdu.edu.au. 

• CDU OS-Help Loan Application Form
• CDU Student Bank Details for Payment Form

Experience summer in Sweden - 2 - 27 June

The following courses will be offered during the JU Summer School 2025:

• Purchasing Logistics with a Global Perspective, 10 ects
• User-centered Cybersecurity and Privacy 10 ects
• Project Management and Leadership, 10 ects

JU Summer School Flyer
JU Summer School General Information

Applications close 1 April 2025. Contact cduglobalengagement@cdu.edu.au to apply.

22 June - 19 July 2025, Siem Reap, Phnom Penh
Cost: $7,500* 

Transform your university experience through immersion in an award-winning learning program. Join the 28-day Humanitarian Design Summit to Cambodia where you will gain insight into best-practice community development and appreciate the critical role engineering plays in creative positive social change. 

* With a successful NCP grant, the out-of-pocket cost will be $1,500 plus your airfare.

Round 1 Applications close 20 March 2025
Round 2 Applications close 10 April 2025

• Program details
• Application process

Charles Darwin University partners with CIS Australia providing students with innovative, high quality, short-term overseas study, intern and volunteer experiences for academic credit, while promoting global awareness, inspiring personal growth, and developing engaged world citizens.

Featured Programs:

• 2025 June - July (Winter) Programs Brochure
• July in Maastricht, the Netherlands (Leadership & Management in a Global World or Forensic Psychology)
• July in Barcelona, Spain (International Marketing)
• July in Los Angeles, USA at UCLA 
• Community Development and Environmental Change in Peru
• Teaching and Community Development in Fiji

To apply for a semester abroad (one or two semesters) at a partner university, you will need to meet the following criteria:

• Undergraduate students need to have achieved a minimum of 60 CDU credit points before the semester abroad begins
• Postgraduate students need to have achieved a minimum of 40 CDU credit points before the semester abroad begins
• Demonstrate a satisfactory academic record
• You must return to CDU with 10 CDU credit points remaining
• Study a full-time load (equivalent of minimum 30 CDU credit points) whilst abroad.

The outcome of your learning abroad application is dependent on:

• you meeting the eligibility criteria
• your credit transfer being approved by your faculty
• availability of places at the host institution.

The final decision on acceptance into an exchange program rests with the host university.

Here's a rundown of how credit points at CDU compare to universities in other parts of the world.

40 CDU credit points are equivalent to:
USA = approx. 12-15 Credits
Europe = approx. 30 ECTS
Canada = approx. 15 Credits
Japan = approx. 15 Credits
UK = approx. 60 Credits or 30 ECTS

*Other regions do not have universal credit point systems. Refer to each host university's website to determine the full-time load at that university.

You can choose from a huge range of units to study overseas, as long as you have your unit choices approved by your CDU course coordinator before departure. This is to make sure that your units will count towards your CDU course.

Some universities specialise in particular areas. We encourage you to research the universities that you are considering to find out which one best suits your area of study. You also need to check whether the units that you're interested in are being taught in English in the semester that you wish to study overseas.

As a guide, it's easier to apply for credit for elective units rather than core or specialist units. If you do wish to take a core or specialist unit, you will need to print out all the documentation and take it to your course coordinator to assess.

If you are applying for a place with one of our partner universities, you need to stay enrolled at CDU. The Global Engagment team will advise on the equivalent CDU units to enrol in. You can do this by submitting a Higher Education Enrolment Form.

When enrolled, you can pay the fees or submit an online HECS-HELP Form as usual through MyStudentInfo.

Students who travel overseas on official university activities, such as learning abroad programs, are covered by the University's corporate travel insurance policy. This cover is limited to the duration of your University activities and allows two days of cover getting to and from the set destination.

To activate the University's travel insurance, students must submit and have approved a CDU Global Learning Abroad Agreement.

To find out what the University's travel insurance covers and does not cover before departing, and organise additional personal travel insurance if required, please read CDU’s Travel Policy.

The Australian Passport Office offers advice and information about applying for an Australian passport. If you already have an Australian passport, check that is has a minimum of six months validity.

A visa permits you to enter a country for a particular purpose. As consular rules are always changing, we can't advise on visas. It is your responsibility to check with the appropriate consulate about visa requirements before leaving Australia.

Smartraveller is a great source of information for all travellers and is provided by the Australian Government's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

• Valid passport
• Current visa
• Letter of offer/admission from the host university
• Address and contact details of the host university
• Insurance documentation
• At least AUD$1000 or equivalent in cash
• Other official identification such as your driver’s license
• Any medical records (particularly of immunisations) and any necessary medical prescriptions
• Appropriate clothing
• Personal items such as special medications and copies of prescriptions, camera, personal computer/laptop.

• Check the validity of your passport; you must renew your passport if it has less than six months validity remaining
• Apply for the appropriate visas using the letter of offer/admission issued to you
• Read and understand the conditions of your visa
• Obtain a copy of your Prior Travel Approval (PTA) (travel request that provides your travel insurance)
• Obtain a copy of CDU’s Business Travel Insurance with the emergency contact number
• Book flights and arrange any additional travel insurance required
• Subscribe to SmartTraveller to receive travel advice for your destination. 
• Arrange for immunisations, medications and request copies of any medical records from your doctor (if applicable)
• Arrange access to sufficient funds and credit card
• Organise accommodation
• Provide primary and secondary emergency contact details in Australia
• Familiarise yourself with CDU’s Code of Conduct - Students.