RottenApp[LE]: PROS and CONS of the FOUR types of EXCHANGE PROGRAM in UNIVERSITY

To answer some utarian friends' question about exchange program. Basically there should be FOUR types of program in university which you could go oversea to be an exchange student or to be a volunteer or even an intern.

~~P/S: Please bare with me, if my english is broken. Sorry~~

Before you want to join this type of program, please make sure you know well

1. Your Budget

2. Your subject course ( To do credit transfer)

3. The duration of time which you could go for ( This is the most critical thing to consider and arrange on )

FOUR types of EXCHANGE program :

Student Exchange Program

Basically this is the most common program which offers in every university but it also depends on the cooperation between your university with other university worldwide. To join this, different university will have different requirement and different course available for you to do the exchange. Mostly you have to match your course subject with the course available in the university so you can have credit transfer. Mostly you will exchange for one semester (or even longer) for this.. One semester is around few months time.. so it will be abit costly, but some university provide scholarship. In that case then you might can save cost for it.

Pros :

1. Longer term compare to other program

2. More experience

3. More knowledge about the study and culture

4. More credit transfer

5. Could really experience the real university life

Cons :

1. Hard to arrange ( due to have to abandon a whole semester or even more in your own university )

2. Costly (due to longer term)

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SUMMER PROGRAM

This is the program which I joined last year in Dongseo University Busan ,Korea. It will be only held at Summer around June to August due to oversea university normally has summer break at that time.

Pros :

1. Could know more people which has different nationality and culture

2. Easier to arrange, duration around 3 weeks to 1 month

3. More interaction programs (More FUN) since it is an interaction program special designed for foreign student to experience and understand more about the country's culture

4. Could have credit transfer too if the course match with your course

Cons:

1. It is Holiday time, so besides of the student who join this program. There are no other students. ( Couldn't experience the real university life over there)

2. Might be Costly too ( Depends on Scholarship and how you spend)
3. Only will be held in specific duration (SUMMER)

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Study Trip by DSSC

Basically if you do notice, DSSC do arrange special oversea study trip too.

Pros:

1.EASIEST to arrange ( As mostly it will be held during sembreak time, you no need to worry about your semester course arrangement )

2.Going in a group (if you feel shy to join this kind of program alone)

3. You can gain DSSC point (if not mistaken == )

Cons:

1. Couldn't really experience real university life over there

2. Shorter term

3. Couldn't interact much with foreigner since you are going in a group

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AIESEC

This is a global youth exchange program, but it is different from the three exchange program above as if you join AIESEC exchange program, you are going out as a volunteer or an intern, not as a student. If you are joining as a volunteer then you are joining the community project which depends on each project properties to run the project together with other volunteer with different nationalities. You might be an english teacher to teach poor kids in rural area of China, increase the awareness about environmental friendly in Germany and many else. If you havent done your internship you might can consider to join AIESEC internship which give you chances to work oversea.

PROS:

1. Different kind of experience (not being a student)

2. Experience more things and challenges

CONS:

1. Costly

2. No credit transfer

P/S: Cost actually is depends on the program and how you spend, For example, for my Summer Program. I spend around RM4k for the whole program (1 month in Korea ). RM1.8k for the university, RM500 for the flight ticket and the rest are my expenses. Mostly this kind of program will need you to buy the flight ticket by yourselves. So try to get the cheapest airline ticket (especially during promotion time) if you are not able to do so, of course your cost will be higher.

There are cases which you can get full sponsor/scholarship to join this kind of program. Then your cost will be only depends on your own expenses.

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So after knowing some details about it, you can contact person in charge to know what kind of program is available and you try to match your budget, course and time to the available program.

FOR UTARIAN,

If you wish to know more about STUDENT EXCHANGE PROGRAM & SUMMER PROGRAM, Please Contact

Olive Choong

Email: choongmy@utar.edu.my

Tel: 05- 468 8888 Ext: 2538

Office: Block F101, Perak Campus

If you wish to know more about DSSC STUDY TRIP please go to DSSC DEPARTMENT at Block C (if not mistaken)

If you wish to know more about AIESEC, please contact

YEE MUN(FACEBOOK)

Lastly, my personal advice is

PLEASE JOIN THIS KIND OF PROGRAM WHILE YOU STILL CAN! IT IS ONCE IN A LIFE TIME OPPORTUNITY. ONCE YOU GRADUATE THEN YOU WILL NOT POSSIBLE TO JOIN THESE KIND OF PROGRAM ANYMORE (EXCEPT AIESEC)