Study tours overseas

Every year, dozens of VU students embark on overseas study tours to make positive, lasting contributions to developing countries.

From supporting frontline medical personnel in Vanuatu to training athletes with disabilities in Bali, VU’s student mobility programs underpin the University’s mission to transform the lives of people and communities all over the world.

Capacity-building in the Asia-Pacific

VU is a university with a heart. Committed to providing exceptional opportunities to any student from any background and uplifting the communities in which we operate, VU is dedicated to making meaningful impacts on a global scale.

Our international development efforts are especially focused in the Asia-Pacific region, where we support VU students from a range of disciplines to undertake activities that serve a moral purpose, including work to promote health and wellbeing, quality education, sustainable industries and liveable cities, and economic growth.

New Colombo Plan

The New Colombo Plan (NCP) is an Australian Government initiative that provides Australian undergraduate students with funding to live, work and study in the Indo-Pacific region.

Since 2014, VU has attracted more than $2.9 million in NCP funding to support more than 900 students across 50-plus projects in countries including Japan, Indonesia, India, Malaysia, Singapore, Philippines, Timor Leste, China, Thailand and Vanuatu.

In 2017, VU student Mia Dunphy also became the University’s first recipient of the NCP Scholarship, a separate NCP grant scheme which enabled her to study in Indonesia at the University of Gajah Mada (UGM) and work as an intern at UGM’s Center for the Asia and Pacific and an environmental women’s group in Fiji. Since then, three more VU students have received the prestigious scholarship.

How to apply

Study tours are organised by VU academic staff and involve a group of students travelling overseas, usually for two to four weeks.

Study tours may travel to multiple cities – or even countries and territories – as part of the program. Study tours provide you with an international insight into your chosen field of study that can’t be gained inside the classroom.

Your course or unit coordinator will usually advise you of upcoming opportunities. As study tours are integrated into the curriculum of VU degrees, you generally do not need to seek credit approval for them.