Spend fall or spring semester Down Under as an exchange student at Bond University, located on Australia’s Gold Coast, about one hour’s drive away from Brisbane, the capital of Queensland, on Australia's Gold Coast.
Program Overview
Founded in 1987, Bond University is a small (approx. 2000 students) private university consisting of five academic units:
- School of Business – offers courses in commerce, business administration, finance, international business, and human resource management
- School of Humanities & Social Sciences – offers courses in psychology, communication, international relations, film and television, teaching of English as a second language, advertising, journalism, and more
- School of Information Technology – offers courses in information technology
- School of Law – offers courses in law
- The Institute of Health Sciences – offers programs in biomedical science, behavior management, aged care, child care, sports coaching and sports management
B.U. emphasizes instruction in small groups; results of recent surveys rank Bond University first in good teaching, overall satisfaction, and graduate employment. The University hosts students from Australia as well as from abroad, with approximately 44% of students coming from overseas countries.
Students may apply to study at Bond during the fall (September through December) or spring (January through April). Applications for spring semester are due by October 1; for fall, by April 1. For more information and an application, contact Lisa Chieffo (lchieffo@udel.edu).
General Info / Student Life
The university is located on Queensland's Gold Coast, which is world-renowned for its beaches and waterways, national parks, rainforests and mountain ranges. It has mild winters and warm summers and is a clean and beautiful location. The local climate is sub-tropical, with temperatures between 63 degrees and 82 degrees during the day and plenty of sunshine. Surfing is the most popular local sport, with water temperatures around 66 to 70 degrees all year round.
Bond University recognizes the importance that sport, fitness and recreation places in the day-to-day lives of its students. As such, students have free on-going membership and access to all of the sporting facilities and services on presentation of their student card. For more information about the University’s sporting clubs, recreational and social clubs, and many other aspects of campus life, visit B.U.’s website at www.bond.edu.au.
This information is taken from Bond University’s site (please see www.bond.edu.au for the most current information).
Visa Requirements:
All international students, except New Zealand residents, are required to obtain a Student Visa before they can commence their studies at Bond University. Students who are citizens of non-gazetted countries (countries not approved for a streamlined visa process) must obtain their student visa prior to entering Australia. (The U.S. is a gazetted country, and eligible for a streamlined visa process.) U.S. citizens can submit their visa applications online.”
A Student Visa application can only be completed once students have received their Confirmation of Enrolment Form from the University. This form is only released once students have paid all of the requested fees and met all of the conditions of their offer. Students from non gazetted countries must apply for a pre-visa approval from their nearest Australian Embassy or Consulate before they accept their offer and forward any fees. Students will be required to submit a copy of their Letter of Offer to complete their pre-visa application. Please note that visa processing time varies from country to country, and during certain times of the year. Students who are required to complete the pre-visa approval process, should allow 3-4 months for visa processing.
For further information regarding visas, requirements and the process, please visit the home page for the Department of Immigration and Multicultural Affairs. Some consulates also have their own sites containing more appropriate information for applicants from within that country.
Study Loads:
It is an Australian Government regulation that students who hold a Student Visa must maintain a full time study load for the period of their visa. For Bond University students this means that our International Students must be enrolled in a minimum of 30 credit hours (the equivalent of 3 subjects) each semester.
Health Care:
It is an Australian Government regulation that students (and their dependents) who hold a Student Visa, must be covered by the compulsory health insurance scheme called Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC). Your OSHC premium must be payed in advance to Bond University and your student visa cannot be issued until this payment has been made. Please note that citizens of New Zealand, Norway and Sweden are exempt from requiring this cover.
OSHC assists towards covering the costs of fees for doctors, private specialists, surgeons, shared hospital ward accommodation, emergency ambulance transport, perscription medicines, and some other medical services. For more information regarding OSHC please refer to the Medibank Private website.
Working in Australia:
If you hold a Student Visa, you may apply for a work permit once you arrive in the country. This work permit allows you to work up to 20 hours per week during your study periods and full time during the University's official holiday breaks.
Applications for work permits can be obtained and submitted, at your nearest DIMA Office in Australia.
Living Expenses:
We recommend that students allocate at least $10,500 (Australian dollars) per year for living expenses. This estimate should include the costs of living on or off campus. Although the staff at Bond attempts to find housing on campus for all exchange students who request it, such accommodation cannot be guaranteed.
Costs
Though you'll be attending Bond University, you will pay University of Delaware tuition. Financial aid may be transferable. Please consult the office of Scholarships and Financial Aid.
You are responsible for travel, books, personal living expenses, room and board.
Bond students may apply to live on-campus in the Halls of Residence or in the Conference Centre towers, which are of a higher standard. The tower units are larger and provide for shared accommodation whereas the Halls rooms are single and often have shared facilities such as toilets and bathrooms.
For those who prefer to live in a more suburban environment, the nearby suburb of Robina offers a wide range of quality accommodation from rooms in private dwellings, to townhouses, and 4-bedroom houses. Bond University offers assistance in placing students in on- and off-campus housing (there is a fee for help with off-campus living).
During the semester the accommodation package includes 14 meals per week, available from the Brasserie. Additional meals are available on campus throughout the semester and during breaks on a cash basis. The selection of meals available accommodates a variety of cultures, religious beliefs and preferences.
Please see Bond University's website (www.bond.edu.au) for additional information.
