EECS New Colombo Plan (NCP) Project to Vietnam

• Innovation and Entrepreneurship: learn about an international market need while receiving guidance and mentorship from computing professionals and entrepreneurs in Da Nang, Vietnam. 
• Hands-On Computing Projects: Dive into hands-on projects at the forefront of computing technology in Vietnam, where you'll gain practical skills and experience in a collaborative and innovative setting.
• Cultural Immersion: Immerse yourself in the rich culture of Vietnam, exploring the colonial history, cuisine, and landmarks of Da Nang. This program also includes cultural and language lessons to ensure a well-rounded local experience of what Vietnam has to offer.
• Professional Networking: Expand your professional network by connecting with industry leaders and fellow students. Attend workshops and events geared towards enhancing your professional growth and broadening your global connections.

This trip was a life-changing experience that I would pay anything to get the chance to do again

Harrison Tolley, 2023 Participant and NCP Grant Recipient

Highlight Reel: Previous Program

Successful applicants who are eligible for NCP funding (see "Eligibility Criteria") are awarded AU$4,000.00 to cover expenses incurred as part of the program. Please note that there may be instances where the cost of participation in the program may exceed the grant amount. Costs to be considered:

• Flights
• Program fee of AU$1,800.00 (covers accommodation, tours, cultural activities, language classes, and airport transfer)
• Visa application fee
• Food and incidentals
• Other travel-related costs 

More information will be made available about indicative costs during the information sessions.
 

To be eligible for this opportunity, applicants must meet the following criteria:

1. Australian citizenship*: Applicants must be Australian citizens to qualify for the New Colombo Plan short-term mobility program. Successful applicants may not hold Vietnamese citizenship or residency status. You will be required to submit a valid Australian passport as part of the acceptance process if successful. The passport should be valid for 6 months post-return to Australia.

* Non-Australian citizens: You may apply to participate in the program, but you will not be eligible for any funding under the New Colombo Plan. You will be responsible for all costs associated with the program.

2. Enrolled in a relevant program and elective space: Applicants must be enrolled in a program under the School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, and be eligible to enrol in COMP3880 (standard tuition fees apply). Students enrolled in a B. Sc. may need to take SCIE3050 in place of COMP3880.

Programs that apply:

• B. Information Technology
• B. Eng (Hons) and B. Eng (Hons)/M. Eng in Electrical or Software Engineering
• B. Comp Sc
• B. Sc (Comp Sc) requires permission from the Faculty of Science Student Admin

BEng and BE/ME students who take part in this program are eligible to claim 110 hours of type A professional practice hours.
You are required to have some software development ability. As a minimum you must have competed CSSE1001 or ENGG1001, and completed at least 1 year (16 units) of your degree.

3. Age requirement: Applicants should be between ages 18-28. (Applicants over 28 may still apply, but there are limits to the number of grants available.)

4. Academic Standing: Applicants are assessed based on merit, this includes a satisfactory GPA (4.5+), as well as other extra-curricular activities, experiences, or achievements. 

5. Be available to attend the full length of the program (17 November to 21 December 2024).

Other Considerations Under NCP

NCP encourages participation by students from diverse backgrounds. If you fit into any of the categories below and do not fully satisfy one or more of the eligibility criteria above, please reach out to see how we might be able to support your application.

• Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander
• Low-Socio-Economic Status Background
• From a regional or remote area
• First in your immediate family to attend university
• A person with a disability
• Non-English speaking background

Applications closed on 11 August 2024. Late applications will not be accepted.

Students participating in a short-term study tour are expected to:

• meet all international travel requirements for the study tour destination.
• participate in all mandatory pre-departure activities and completion of pre-departure requirements. 
• commit to and complete the full program duration.
• share their study tour experience through a Media Project such as LinkedIn posts, blogs, vlogs or similar media.

Details and requirements of the student Media Project will be shared prior to departure.
Students who withdraw from a study tour within 30 days of departure, may be required to reimburse UQ (up to the amount of the grant) for:

• all cancellation fees associated with flights, accommodation, and other non-refundable program costs, and;
• any funds that may have been received prior to cancellation.
   

Q. What are the international travel requirements?

To be considered for an international study tour, you will need to:

• Have a valid passport (with a minimum of 6 months validity from end of the program, i.e., the date of arrival in Brisbane)
• Have the means to obtain relevant entry permission for the study tour destination country. This may involve:
  • Applying for, and obtaining a visa in advance through an online platform or other agency
  • Confirming you are eligible for an on-arrival visa where applicable, or
  • Applying for, and obtaining a visa through the destination country’s embassy

If your passport has expired or will expire in the 6 months following the program end, you should commence the passport renewal process. Note that this is not a consideration in your application, but rather a general eligibility criterium. Participants are liable for their own passport application/renewal fees.
Some destinations may require participants to demonstrate evidence of certain vaccinations prior to entry. Generally speaking, this information can be found on DFAT’s Smartraveller website, and will be covered in any pre-departure briefings held for shortlisted participants. Speak to a GP about other, destination-specific vaccinations or preventative medications that may be suited to your personal needs and/or conditions.

Students with pre-existing conditions or accessibility requirements are encouraged to apply, and this will not disqualify you from participation. Please note that dependent on the condition, participants may be required to undergo assessment by a qualified medical professional to endorse fitness for travel.
It is recommended that all applicants familiarise themselves with the UQ's Student Travel Procedure prior to applying for a study tour.

Students will not be considered for programs in countries where they have citizenship or residency status.

Q. Do I need travel insurance?

All participants of EAIT study tours will be covered by an appropriate level of travel insurance under UQ’s existing policy. Please login to view this information.

All participants are required to attend a UQ Travel Insurance briefing session prior to departure. Information will be provided about such events to shortlisted participants.

UQ Travel Insurance covers students for activities that are part of the study tour program schedule. Some activities that participants may take part in during personal time may not be covered under UQ Travel Insurance, e.g., extreme sports, high-risk leisure activities, etc. It is the participant's responsibility to check the UQ Travel Insurance policy to confirm what activities are and are not covered. Organise adequate personal insurance coverage as required.

Q. Do I need to organise my own flight or accommodation?

There is a possibility that participants will need to book and pay for their own flights as part of the tour. This is decided in the planning phase of the tour organisation and is based on whether UQ can obtain competitive rates for a group booking, as compared to participants making individual bookings. 

Shortlisted participants will be made aware of the arrangements for their particular tour upon acceptance into the program.
In the event that participants are expected to make their own travel arrangements, part or all of the applicable grant will be released to students to support the cost of booking flights.

Generally speaking, in such cases, recommendations will be made about travel routes, but participants are free to make their own decision, so long as their flight arrives at the destination by the designated date/time.

Participants may arrive earlier or depart later than designated tour dates but should be aware that personal travel on either end of the official itinerary will not be covered by UQ’s travel insurance.

Accommodation is arranged within the official program dates. Personal travel outside of the official program will require participants to make their own arrangements for accommodation.
 

Q. Do I need to apply for a visa?

Successful applicants invited to participate in a study tour are required to organise their own entry visa for the destination. A session will be organised for shortlisted participants prior to departure to cover entry requirements of the destination country. 

All costs for relevant entry visas are borne by participants, including the cost of the visa and costs associated with obtaining the visa (e.g., transport to an embassy if required). 

The EAIT International team can provide supporting documentation for your visa application, e.g. an invitation letter from the host institution. However, UQ and the EAIT International team are unable to assist further with the provision of information relating to visa, aside from what is publicly available on trusted government websites.
 

Q. Will I have free time?

Yes! You will have free time in between the time with your host institution and attending events and activities throughout the program. You will be required to attend events and activities organised by EAIT and the local host throughout the program. You are advised to view the program schedule before making plans for your free time.

Typically, participants can expect to have evenings and coinciding weekends free.