# Short-term experiences explained

**Source**: https://employability.uq.edu.au/get-edge/global-experiences/short-term-study/short-term-experiences-explained
**Parent**: https://employability.uq.edu.au/get-edge/global-experiences/short-term-study/apply-short-term-experience

To help you identify the most appropriate short-term global experience for you, let us outline some terms you'll need to become familiar with.

On the [find a short-term experience page](https://employability.uq.edu.au/find-short-term), experiences will be presented with a variety of different details. This section helps to explain what some of the different terms mean.

## Participation mode

There are three different participation modes of short-term global experiences. These modes determine how costs and fees are paid.

#### Study Abroad

You are responsible for paying all associated fees directly to the host or via a payment method communicated to you by Global Experiences.

For programs in Europe, the USA, and the UK, the tuition fees can often be quite expensive.

#### Exchange

You are responsible for paying tuition fees to UQ instead of the host. For the duration of your short-term global experience, you will be automatically enrolled in EXCH codes (#2-4 UQ units) on My SI-net.

You will pay all other associated program and administration fees directly to the host.

The tuition fees that you pay are determined by your status as a UQ student. For more information, please see the [costs and funding information](https://employability.uq.edu.au/financial-support/costs-and-funding-short-term-experiences).

It is your responsibility to check that you are enrolled correctly by the appropriate UQ census date or you will be charged a late fee.

#### Internship

An internship can be either for credit – WIL or not for credit – Work Experience. This is an opportunity to develop professional knowledge and skills in a host organisation aligned with your academic studies. You can be placed in host organisations with the internship structured to meet both the host organisation and your objectives.

Where required, you are responsible for paying all associated fees directly to the placement provider or via a payment method communicated to you by the Global Experiences Team.

If your internship is for-credit, you may also be required to pay tuition fees to UQ. Please refer to the ‘Financial information’ tab on the program page for more information.

## Credit type

Experiences can either be for-credit or not-for-credit. You must identify in your global experience application whether you intend to participate as a for-credit or not-for-credit student.

You can change participation type up to 6 weeks prior to your short-term experience start date if the program credit type is both for-credit and not-for-credit.

#### For-Credit

You can only participate in a global experience as a for-credit student if your UQ faculty has approved your [Application for Credit form](https://employability.uq.edu.au/apply).

Credit assessments can take 4-6 weeks to be approved so apply as early as possible to receive faculty support.

If you intend to participate as a for-credit student you must indicate this on your short-term global experience application and upload the relevant and supporting course profiles.

#### Not-For-Credit

You can participate in a short-term global experience and not receive credit if the experience is available as a not-for-credit option.

Any student who meets the published eligibility criteria can choose to proceed as a not-for-credit student in a short-term global experience.

## Short-term Experience type

There are four different types of short-term global experiences.

#### Study

Students can study a course for 2 – 6 weeks overseas during the winter or summer breaks and may be able to get credit for a UQ course upon successful completion of the program.  Students also have the option to participate in a study abroad program as a not-for-credit student.

#### Work Integrated Learning

Work Integrated Learning (WIL) is a learning experience that explicitly integrates theory with practice within a purposefully designed curriculum to foreground employability. WIL must be either, assessable by The University of Queensland (for credit) or a requirement of an academic course or program.

For Higher Degree Research (HDR) students, WIL opportunities must be unrelated to the HDR project thesis and authorised as a requirement of the program by the Dean, Graduate School.

#### Work Experience

Work Experience is an arrangement undertaken by a student under which an organisation will provide experience to the student as part of the student's education, but not as a mandatory or assessable part of a student's course or program. Work Experience is regulated under the *[Education (Work Experience) Act 1996 (Qld)](https://www.legislation.qld.gov.au/view/html/inforce/2018-01-01/act-1996-009)* and is subject to specific restrictions and conditions. The University of Queensland expects that the work-based learning opportunities will provide a greater educational benefit for the student than operational benefit for the Host Organisation. The University of Queensland should authorise the arrangement in advance.

#### Volunteering/Community-Based Learning

Community-based learning is an educational study tour designed to provide students with professional experience within communities abroad. Students generally work alongside local community development organisations and in-country tourism operators who have established relationships with the communities students visit. Volunteering and Community-Based Learning programs are unpaid work for a registered not-for-profit organisation (including UQ) or charity.

- [Experiences explained](https://employability.uq.edu.au/get-edge/global-experiences/short-term-study/short-term-experiences-explained)
- [Seek advice](https://employability.uq.edu.au/get-edge/global-experiences/short-term-study/seek-advice-about-short-term-experiences)
- [Confirm eligibility](https://employability.uq.edu.au/get-edge/global-experiences/short-term-study/confirm-eligibility-short-term-experiences)
- [Find experiences](https://employability.uq.edu.au/find-short-term)
- [Apply](https://employability.uq.edu.au/get-edge/global-experiences/short-term-study/apply-short-term-experience)
- [Experience Preparation](https://employability.uq.edu.au/global-experiences/prepare-go)
- [During your experience](https://employability.uq.edu.au/get-edge/global-experiences/short-term-study/during-your-experience)
- [Return to UQ](https://employability.uq.edu.au/get-edge/global-experiences/short-term-study/return-uq)