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Outbound

Wits University has a variety of student exchange agreements with international partner institutions. Within the context of these partnerships, students are encouraged to spend part of their studies and/or research abroad.

Live in a different city and immerse yourself in a new cultural experience.

Studying at one of Wits’ partner universities affords you an opportunity to experience a different academic environment while immersing yourself in different cultural and social surroundings. This site provides you with the most important information if you consider studying abroad for one or two semesters as a non-degree student. 

Why Study Abroad?
  • Gain international experience
  • Experience a different academic environment and a different culture
  • Enjoy the sights and sounds of the host city and country and opportunities to travel to neighbouring countries
  • Network with both students and academics from different parts of the world
  • Make lasting friendships
Am I eligible?
  • To study abroad for one or two semesters as part of your Wits degree, you must be registered at Wits. At the time of departure, you must have completed at least one year of university study and meet the academic requirements. It is not advisable to consider studying abroad in the second semester of your final year.
  • Have overall average of 60% + by the time you apply
  • If your chosen institution has a valid student exchange agreement with Wits, you can study at the institution as an exchange student. Based on reciprocity, you will register and be liable for tuition fees at Wits, your tuition fees abroad will be waived. You will need to be nominated by Wits. View the list of partnerships with other institutions here.
  • If Wits does not have a student exchange agreement with the chosen institution, you are considered an occasional student/ free mover. You will be liable for the study abroad semester fee, as per the host institution’s fees.
What can I study?
  • Study abroad opportunities are generally open to students of all disciplines (excluding Health Sciences), depending on the academic offering of the host institution. In the field of professional degrees, some limitations might apply, for example, regarding the requirements for registration with professional bodies i.e professional accounting bodies.
  • Depending on your current studies, you should generally select courses that are in line with your current year of study, i.e. if you are a second-year student at Wits, look for second-year courses at the chosen institution.
  • For information about specific courses, please consult the relevant institution’s website.
What does it cost?
  • If Wits does not have a student exchange agreement with the chosen institution, you are considered an occasional student/ free mover. You will be liable for the study abroad semester fee, as per the host institution’s fees
  • Full-time registered students at Wits on an exchange agreement receive a tuition waiver from the partner university.
  • Expenses:
    • All other expenses are for the cost of the student (e.g. visa, flights, accommodation, living costs, etc)
    • Certain partner universities or affiliated organisations do avail bursaries/ scholarships which can be utilized towards the expenses however this is not guaranteed and terms and conditions apply. 
  • Estimate of living expenses, please visit the partners universties website or contact the partner university.
Where can I study?

ASIA

Soka University

Country & State: Japan; Tokyo

Faculties: Faculty of Economics, Faculty of Business Administration, Faculty of Law, Faculty of Letters, Faculty of Education, Faculty of Science and Engineering Department of Information Systems Science, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Faculty of International Liberal Arts

  • Semester Dates: Fall Semester: Sep - Dec; Spring Semester: Jan - Jun
  • Application Dates: Fall Semester 15 March; Spring Semester 15 Oct 
  • University Website: https://www.soka.ac.jp/en/
East China University of Science & Technology

Country & State: China, Shanghai

Faculties: Chemical and Metallurgical Engineering

Sogang University

Country & State: South Korea, Seoul

Faculties: School of Humanities and International Cultures, School of Social Sciences, School of Integrated Knowledge, School of Media, Arts, and Science, School of Communication, School of Economics, Sogang Business School (Undergraduate Program), School of Natural Sciences, School of Engineering

Chung-Ang University

Country & State: South Korea, Seoul

Faculties: College of Humanities, College of Social Sciences, College of Law, College of Natural Science, College of Engineering, College of Business & Economics, College of Art

  • Semester Dates: Spring semester March – June; Fall semester Jul – Dec
  • Application Dates: Spring Semester Mid Apr; Fall semester 31 Oct
  • University Website: https://neweng.cau.ac.kr/index.do
Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU)

Country & State: Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong

Faculties: Faculty of Arts, School of Communication, School of Creative Arts, Faculty of Science, Faculty of Social Sciences, School of Business,

  • Semester Dates: Fall semester Sep – Dec; Spring semester Jan – May
  • Application Dates: Spring Semester 1 May; Fall semester 15 Oct
  • University Website: https://www.hkbu.edu.hk/

EUROPE

Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam

Country & State: Netherlands, Amsterdam

Faculties: Faculty of Humanities, Faculty of Sciences & Faculty of Earth and Life Sciences, Faculty of Behavioural and Movement Sciences, Faculty of Law, Faculty of Social Sciences, Faculty of Theology, School of Business and Economics

  • Semester Dates: Fall Semester Sep – Feb; Spring Semester Feb - Jul
  • Application Dates: Fall Semester 1 Apr; Spring Semester 1 Oct
  • University Website: https://vu.nl/en
Radboud University

Country & State: Nijmegen, Netherlands

Faculties: Faculty of Arts, Faculty of Law, Nijmegen School of Management

Faculty of Philosophy, Theology and Religious Studies, Faculty of Science, Faculty of Social Sciences

  • Semester Dates: First Semester Sept – Jan; Second Semester Jan – Jun
  • Application Dates: First Semester 1 May; Second Semester 1 Nov
  • University Website: www.ru.nl/studentexchange
Science Po 

Country & State: France; Paris, Leon and Reims

Faculties: Economics, School of History, School of Humanities, School of International Relations, School of Law, School of Political Science, School of Sociology

University of Paris Nanterre

Country & State: France; Paris

Faculties: Arts, Humanities, Languages, Law, Economics, Management, Science, Technology, Sports Sciences, Social and Human Sciences

Oldenburg University (Carl von Ossietzky)

Country & State: Germany, Oldenburg

Faculties: School of Educational and Social Sciences, School of Computing Science, Business Administration, Economics and Law, School of Linguistics and Cultural Studies, School of Humanities and Social Sciences, School of Mathematics and Science

  • Semester Dates: Winter Semester Oct – Mar; Summer Semester Apr - Sep
  • Application Dates: Winter Semester 15 Jul; Sumer Semester 15 Jan
  • University Website: https://uol.de/exchange-studies/
Groningen University

Country & State: Groningen, Netherlands

Faculties: Faculty of Economics and Business, Faculty of Behavioural and Social Sciences, Faculty of Theology and Religious Studies, Faculty of Arts, Faculty of Law, Faculty of Spatial Sciences, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Faculty of Philosophy

  • Semester Dates: Winter Semester Oct – Feb; Summer Semester Apr - Sep
  • Application Dates: Winter Semester 15 Jul; Summer Semester 15 Jan
  • University Website: http://www.rug.nl/arts-exchange
Tuebingen University (Eberhard Karls)

Country & State: Germany, Tübingen

Faculties: Faculty of Law, Faculty of Humanities, Faculty of Economics and Social Sciences, Faculty of Science

  • Semester Dates: Winter Semester Oct – Feb; Summer Semester Apr - Jul
  • Application Dates: Winter Semester 31 May; Summer Semester 15 Jan
  • University Website: http://www.uni-tuebingen.de/en/90781
ESTP Paris (Ecole Spéciale des Travaux Publics, du Bâtiment, et de l’Industrie)

Country & State: Cachan, France

Faculties: Faculty of Engineering

  • Semester Dates: Fall Semester Sep - Jan; Spring Semester Jan - May
  • Application Dates: Fall Semester 12 Jun; Summer Semester 13 Nov
  • University Website: https://www.estp.fr/en
Manneheim University

Country & State: Manneheim, Germany

  • Faculties: Faculty of Law, Faculty of Humanities, Faculty of Economics and Social Sciences, Faculty of Science
  • Semester Dates: Fall Semester Sep - Dec; Spring Semester Feb - May
  • Application Dates: Fall Semester 15 Apr; Spring Semester 15 Sep

University Website: www.uni-mannheim.de/io 

NORTH AMERICA

Carleton University

Country & State: Ottawa, Canada

Faculties: Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, Faculty of Engineering and Design, Faculty of Public Affairs, Faculty of Science

  • Semester Dates: Fall Semester Sep - Dec; Winter Semester Jan - Apr
  • Application Dates: Fall Semester 15 Mar; Winter Semester 15 Sep
  • University Website:
The George Washington University – Elliott School of International Affairs 

Country & State: Washington D.C, USA

Faculties: School of Social Sciences. Strictly Postgraduate International Relations and Political Science students. Nominations done by the International Relations and Political Studies departments.

  • Semester Dates: Spring Semester Jan - May; Fall Semester Sep - Dec
  • Application Dates: Spring Semester 1 Oct; Fall Semester 1 Apr
  • University Website: https://elliott.gwu.edu/
 National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM)

Country & State: Ciudad de México, CDMX, Mexico

Faculties:

How do I apply?
  1. Contact the International Students Office (ISO) to establish the nature of the agreements we have with partner institution/s you are interested in and whether you are eligible.
  2. Check the relevant exchange partners' website or visit the International Students Office for course information.
  3. Obtain application forms from partner university website or International Students Office for partner institutions you are interested in.
  4. Match the most suitable courses at the collaborating university to your Wits curriculum for the semester you wish to apply for.
  5. Complete the  Study Abroad Outgoing Application Form.
  6. Meet with your learning and teaching advisor or relevant Wits Head of School/Department and request the relevant individual/s to complete the  Study Abroad Outgoing Course Selection Form which confirms your course selections at the partner institution and transfer of credits towards your Wits degree, should you pass the courses taken at the collaborating university.
  7. Submit the application form together with the Study Abroad Outgoing Course Selection Form as well as all supporting documentation to the International Students Office. The International Students Office will review the documents and nominate you to the partner institution.
  8. The International Students Office will forward the application form and all supporting documentation to the partner institution.  With certain partner universities, you will have to apply online or directly with the university after the nomination.
  9. The partner institution will decide on whether you can be offered a place as an exchange student and which courses you will be able to study.
  10. The partner institution will issue an Offer Letter/Acceptance Letter, which you will receive via post, email or the Internationalisation Students Office.
  11. You will meet with the relevant Faculty Registrar to ratify the exchange semester/year. Should the exchange period at the partner university overlap over two Wits academic years e.g. 2016/2017, you must make the necessary arrangements with the Faculty Registrar to be registered at the 12. beginning of the 2017 academic year. You must follow up with the Faculty Registrar closer to the registration period to ensure that you are registered for the specific academic year. 

The International Students Office cannot guarantee that all advertised opportunities will be available every semester.

Until formal written notification is received from either the partner university or the International Students Office of the success of the application, you should not deregister from any courses or cancel student housing.

Going to the host university

Make all necessary arrangements regarding travel, flight tickets, visa requirements, accommodation, vaccinations and health insurance.

  1. Information regarding visa requirements can be located on the partner university’s website and on the website of the specific embassy/consulate in SA.
  2. For information regarding all diplomatic missions in South Africa, please see the Department of International Relations and Cooperation website (www.dfa.gov.za ).
  3. Information regarding accommodation options off-campus will be available on the partner university’s website.
  4. If the partner university is offering on-campus accommodation, this information is also provided to you.
  5. Should you require any assistance regarding any of the above, please contact the International Students Office or the International Office at the partner university.
  6. The International Students Office will provide continued administrative support as and when required.
Returning to Wits
  1. The partner university posts the student’s transcript to International Students Office as soon as it is ready or the student downloads his/her transcript from the partner university website.
  2. Complete a feedback form (Experience Abroad) upon return.

Contact 

Ms Masego Bosilong
Programme Administrator: Study Abroad (Inbound and Outbound)
Telephone: +27 11 717 1055 | E-mail: Masego.Bosilong@wits.ac.za
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