Opportunity to Study in Europe

An excellent opportunity exists for students to study in Europe (Paris, Trento, Birmingham) as part of a University of Melbourne degree (Masters in International Politics). You must be an Australian citizen, or have permanent residency in Australia, to be eligible.

Applications for the exchange beginning in July/August 2006 are due by 15 March 2006.

The European Union (EU) and Australia's Department of Education, Science and Technology (DEST) have awarded the University of Melbourne (together with Griffith University and the University of Queensland) a substantial amount of money to enable 13 students enrolled in the Master of International Politics (MIP) to undertake one semester of graduate study in an EU country.

This semester-long period will be fully credited towards your MIP degree here at the University of Melbourne. Thus, if you participate in this program, you would complete one semester abroad as part of your MIP.

The best feature about this opportunity is that funds are provided. Successful students will receive a grant towards their travel and living expenses in Europe. Most exchange programs are not funded to this extent, so this is an exceptional opportunity!

The exchanges are part of a project that takes place in 2005-2007, when we are sending a number of students to Europe. Several of our students are already in Europe and enjoying it thoroughly! Students will spend approximately one semester at one university, and a further period of approximately two weeks at a second university. The universities you can choose from are as follows:

• University of Birmingham, Birmingham, England
• Sciences Po (Institute d'Etudes Politiques - Institute of Political Studies), Paris, France
• University of Trento, Trento, Italy

To qualify, you must be an Australian citizen or have permanent residency in Australia, and must be enrolled in the MIP program with at least 37.5 points remaining in your MIP to complete on exchange.

The graduate courses offered by each of the universities in this program are conducted in English, so you do not need to have a language skill. However, we would recommend that you undertake at least some basic language training in French and/or Italian if you will be at Sciences Po or Trento, to assist you with everyday living.

Students will be chosen on the basis of their academic capability and suitability for the program.

If you are interested in applying for this opportunity, you must:

• complete a Melbourne Abroad application form available at the International Centre opposite the new Royal Dental Hospital in Swanston Street or you can download the forms (application, references and study plan) and accompanying brochure from http://www.services.unimelb.edu.au/exchanges/
• provide evidence that you are an Australian citizen or have been granted permanent residency
• write a 500 word statement on why you would like to undertake this program and what you hope to get out of it
• provide a transcript of your academic record for your undergraduate degree and for any graduate courses you have completed
• indicate your preferences for which two universities you would like to attend (we will do our best to fulfil preferences, but cannot guarantee it)
• accept that your study period in Europe will be August 2006 - January 2007 (in exceptional cases, students may commence in July, for a summer school, for example).

Applications for the exchange beginning in July/August 2006 are due by 15 March 2006.

Further details of the mobility project are available at http://www.politics.unimelb.edu.au/courses/euexchange.html