An Easy Way to Experience Studying Abroad! What Is a University Exchange and How Do You Apply?

How to apply for an exchange abroad: your CV & study plan, all in one go!!

There are all kinds of ways to study abroad. Besides researching each school's admission guidelines yourself, you can apply for a university-level exchange and experience student life abroad faster, better and more easily! This post will help you understand exchange programs and prepare to apply to the school you want.

Contents

• Applying for an overseas exchange ① What a university exchange is

• Applying for an overseas exchange ② The application process (using NTU students as an example)

• Applying for an overseas exchange ③ Tips for preparing your application documents

Further reading

• Job hunting in Japan from zero! CV and interview experience | Japan life guide

• Enjoy Japan with ease! A 360° record of food, clothing, housing, transport, study and fun [Japan life guide]

• How to get into Kwansei Gakuin University in Japan: preparing your exchange application documents

Applying for an overseas exchange ① What a university exchange is

A university exchange lets undergraduate, master's and PhD students study at a partner school abroad for 6 months to 1 year. The process may involve:

1. Course credit transfer and credit recognition for exchange students

2. Whether the courses a student needs match what the partner school offers

3. Whether the timing of the exchange affects graduation and other administrative steps

Of course, every school also has its own specific rules. For details, check with your school's office of international affairs, overseas exchange office or a similar administrative office.

Applying for an overseas exchange ② The application process (using NTU students as an example)

Here's an overview of the 2022 / 2023 National Taiwan University exchange student program.

Overseas exchange process (1) NTU exchange application timeline

• Late September | Program guidelines announced

• 11/26 – 11/27 Exchange student fair

• 12/09 – 12/15 Online registration and personal document upload

• 2022/01/12 Selection results announced

• 01/12 — 01/17 First round of school preferences due

• 01/20 – 01/26 Placements announced; acceptance and enrollment procedures

• 02/09 – 02/14 Second round of school preferences

• 02/17 – 02/22 Placements announced; acceptance and enrollment procedures

Overseas exchange process (2) NTU exchange application documents

• ID photo

• Copy of the front and back of your student ID / national ID card

• CV

• Exchange study plan

• Full academic transcript

• Certificate of class ranking (undergraduates only)

• Proof of language proficiency

• Department recommendation form

• Recommendation letter from your advisor (graduate students only)

• Proof of payment of the NTD 1,000 application fee

Applying for an overseas exchange ③ Tips for preparing your application documents

Preparing for an overseas exchange (1) Tools for making your application documents

• Adobe Illustrator | Visual design, layout

• Pinterest | Visual examples from around the world

• Flaticon | Icon library

Other people often use CakeResume or Canva for layout, and Microsoft Word / PowerPoint or Keynote will also cover the basics.

Preparing for an overseas exchange (2) What to emphasize in your documents

1. Emphasize giving back to others

2. Emphasize international exchange

3. Emphasize continuous learning

An exchange is one of the academic exchange programs between universities, so how a student makes good use of resources to study and connect abroad, and then brings all that experience back for future applicants to learn from, may be the key thing reviewers look for.

Preparing for an overseas exchange (3) Things to watch out for in your documents

1. Visual layout and information structure

2. Explain how you connect to the school you're applying to

3. Cut down on typos

Just like preparing a CV for a job, you want readers to spot your strengths at a glance and feel your strong motivation for the school from your application documents. So pay close attention to visual presentation, your reasons and motivation, and the details of your content.

---

For more details on applying for an exchange or more examples of application documents, follow the Medium account "游駿霖｜Chun-Lin (Damien) Yu" to read more.

Source: "The Complete Record of My NTU Exchange Application: 2022 / 2023"