The Postgraduate International Office (PGIO) at Stellenbosch University (SU) says it is planning to send more than 300 students abroad this year. This forms part of the annual exchange programmes available to SU students.
The PGIO has various study abroad opportunities which include semester exchanges, summer and winter school programmes and other unique exchange programmes available for first-time travellers. According to Sarah Van der Westhuizen, the Semester Exchanges and Mobility Programmes Coordinator at the Global Engagement Centre (GEC), the application process for studying abroad is quite rigorous, particularly for semester exchanges.
“Our internal process can take anything from two to eight weeks before students are nominated. After a student is nominated, they also need to complete the application at the host institution. It can therefore easily take two to four months before the acceptance letters are issued to students,” says Van der Westhuizen.
At universities such as Sophia University in Japan for instance, applicants must complete a bursary application as well as the host institution application after they have been nominated. This is excluding the visa application process, therefore, there are often various procedures running simultaneously during the application stage.
Last year, the PGIO sent out 332 students of which 100 were semester exchanges. This number has increased slightly in 2018 and is expected to gradually increase in 2019. Additionally, the most popular programmes are at universities in Europe, specifically Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands.
Imkhitha Nzungu (22), a Masters student in the Department of Ancient Studies, is headed to Greece as part of a short-term mobility programme which will last 11 days. “It was recommended to me, I had no idea that I had such an option. I also could not afford going on this trip independently, so I was awarded a travel subsidy on the basis of merit,” Nzungu says.
Funding for study abroad programmes at SU require co-funding. This means students need to make a financial contribution towards their travel expenses. With semester exchanges for instance, students receive a tuition waiver at the host university while still paying their Stellenbosch University fees. There are, however, programmes that are close to being fully funded but in many cases this is due to external funding.
“It was an experience of a lifetime. I learned so much and met so many interesting people. Given the opportunity again, I would grab it with both hands. Exchange programmes open up many doors for students that are rare,” says Joanne Levendal (25), who studies a Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE). She attended a summer school exchange to Germany in her third year and says it was one of the best experiences she has ever had.
Pictures of past SU students on exchange programmes. PHOTO: Judy Philander
Khanyiso Jonas (24), a PHD student who attended a summer school in Helsinki two years ago shares the same sentiment, “my list of expectations was far more limited than my actual experience.”
Watch the video below for additional information on study abroad opportunities: