Please note: After the end of the Fall 2013 semester, IES Abroad will be closing its programs in Melbourne.
We’re grateful for a positive relationship with our partner universities in Melbourne, and thank them and our on-site staff for their support in helping us provide excellent study abroad experiences for our students. We can't wait to welcome our Summer '13 and Fall '13 students!
And don’t worry—you can still study with IES Abroad in Australia after our Melbourne programs close. Be sure to check out our three direct enrollment programs in Sydney, and two new Sydney summer programs:
There’s a reason why Melbourne is consistently rated as one of the world’s most livable cities. Whether you want to learn how to surf, explore the alternative arts scene, take in the latest cultural exhibit, or just enjoy the vibrant urban environment, Melbourne has something to offer everyone! In Melbourne, you live among 140 nationalities speaking more than 150 languages—this city is one of Australia’s most diverse and cosmopolitan.
While in Melbourne, you directly enroll at La Trobe University. Founded in 1967, La Trobe prides itself as being one of Australia’s pioneering universities. At La Trobe, you have the opportunity to study at an internationally recognized university in a broad range of disciplines, and it also offers internship opportunities. La Trobe’s Bundoora campus is one of Australia’s largest with more than 500 acres—it even has a wildlife sanctuary. This beautiful, residential campus is 45 minutes to an hour (about eight miles) from downtown Melbourne using public transportation.
Melbourne will also be your classroom. Study Australia’s indigenous species at a local wildlife sanctuary, or learn the local work culture in an internship.
We want you to feel at home in Melbourne, so we will do everything we can to help you integrate into life in Australia. La Trobe University has many university clubs and events for you to get to know your fellow study abroad students and make new Aussie friends.
These dates are preliminary and are subject to change. Students should not book flights according to these dates.
IES Abroad’s mission is simple: to provide you with the best study abroad program possible—which includes the highest quality academic and cultural experiences. That is why we partnered with La Trobe University.
La Trobe Universitywww.latrobe.edu.au Offering a more intimate campus feel with all the amenities of a nearby major city, La Trobe University gives you access to an impressive range of academic opportunities across many disciplines. The school enrolls a total of 26,000 students annually, including 3,000 international students. Nearly 18,000 students are at the Bundoora campus, where IES Abroad students study.
The campus is a small community in itself, with many chances to make new friends and enjoy the Aussie lifestyle. Explore all that the University has to offer: markets, a theater, a cinema, shops and restaurants. There are also six common computer labs on campus, in addition to the library, which houses about 200 computers.
Courses La Trobe is divided into five faculties: Humanities and Social Sciences, Education, Law and Management, Health Sciences, and Science, Technology, and Engineering. As an international student, you have access to courses in these faculties.
La Trobe’s courses are offered on a point system in which one subject (course) usually carries 15 or 20 points, equaling 4 or 5 IES Abroad credits. You carry a full course load of 50 to 60 points each semester, usually equaling three or four subjects (courses). To meet IES Abroad and university requirements, you take 15-16 IES Abroad credits.
The disciplines below are open to IES Abroad students. For more specific course descriptions and availability, visit the University's Find a Course page.
Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
Faculty of Education
Faculty of Law and Management
Faculty of Health Sciences
Faculty of Science, Technology, and Engineering
Location La Trobe University’s Bundoora campus is located eight miles from downtown Melbourne. The bus or tram, both easily accessible from La Trobe, can get you downtown in 45 minutes to an hour. You’ll benefit from being just outside the city on a very large and lush green campus. Past students have appreciated the more intimate campus community feeling La Trobe offers.
While adding study abroad to your resume is impressive enough, adding an international internship experience is even more powerful, and can help you distinguish your application for graduate school or a job opportunity in today’s competitive job market.
An internship provides an invaluable cultural experience, and helps you develop professional and personal skills. If you’re of junior or senior standing at your home university, you’re eligible to apply. La Trobe offers Media Studies and Communications internships. Each internship is based within its faculty. Quotas are limited, and entry may be contingent upon department or faculty approval. La Trobe internships are offered as academic options earning credit. You participate in workshops to complement the practical experience you gain during the internship.
La Trobe offers many courses with a field study component to complement your courses and contribute to a general knowledge of the Aussie culture and society.
Visit the University's website to see which courses have field study opportunities.
Note: Some field study trips take place before or after the semester and may not be available to study abroad students.
Even though you’re directly enrolling in one of our partner universities, there’s something IES Abroad wants you to know: we’re here for you if you need us.
Advising Choosing and directly enrolling in courses abroad can be confusing and overwhelming. This is why we offer you predeparture advising that’s specific to your needs. Our goal is to provide support and guidance throughout your application and enrollment process.
But our advising services don’t stop there. While you’re in Melbourne, our staff is available to help you transition into your new home.
Support The support services we offer IES Abroad direct enrollment students are specifically designed to help you achieve your study abroad goals as effectively and smoothly as possible. We know studying abroad is an adventure, and, at times, you may need help or just someone to talk to—that’s why our staff will be there for you.
On-Site Staff Whether you have questions about academic requirements, housing, or well-being and safety, our Melbourne-based IES Abroad staff is available to fully support you. Because of our close relationship with the universities in Melbourne, IES Abroad is also able to offer you unique academic, social, and cultural opportunities. Our staff in London will accompany you throughout orientation, as well as at the IES Abroad field trips and cultural events.
Our job is to make sure that your greatest challenge is deciding what landmarks to see first or discovering the best café—not finding a place to live where you feel comfortable. We do our best to locate housing that is reflective of how the local students are living. Our goal is that when you leave Melbourne, it will feel like home.
As part of IES Abroad’s direct enrollment services, we offer well-located, comfortable housing for all students because securing housing independently can be challenging. IES Abroad’s housing options meet our safety and security standards.
Chisholm College - All students studying at La Trobe live at Chisholm College, a residential college located on campus. You have your own bedroom with Internet access and share a bathroom with your fellow students. Each floor has shared kitchen facilities where you can make your own meals.
Chisholm is similar to a residence hall but fosters a greater sense of community and involvement through a number of social, sporting, and cultural events. Chisolm also coordinates formal events (the Chisholm Ball, for example), international nights, theater productions, and environmental awareness activities. Academic tutors and study groups are also available through Chisholm.
Check out more information at www.latrobe.edu.au/accommodation/options/melbourne/chisholm-college.
Part of making you feel at home in Melbourne is doing our best to help you feel safe and cared for. Whether it is an orientation program that makes you feel prepared, housing that is well-located and comfortable, or field trips that take you to places off the beaten path—we’re all about our student services. This is just one of the things we’re known for.
IES Abroad Orientation The program commences with a two-day, IES Abroad-organized trip to either one of the seaside towns along The Great Ocean Road or to one of Victoria’s major national parks. This trip gives you the chance to get to know your fellow students, meet our Melbourne staff, and prepare you for your upcoming academic experience in Melbourne. Past highlights of the IES Abroad orientation have also included surfing lessons, rock climbing, wildlife experiences, bushwalking, attending an Australian Rules football or cricket match, and a winery tour.
Additionally, Core™, IES Abroad’s Comprehensive Orientation & Re-entry Experience, begins during orientation and continues throughout the semester with activities focusing on academic and cultural adjustment, goal achievement, and preparing for the return home.
University Orientation You will attend a five-day international Student Welcome festival orientation following IES Abroad’s two-day orientation. The Welcome festival includes course selection and enrollment sessions and a chance to meet with an academic advisor. The event also provides opportunities to meet and greet with Aussie and international students. Past activities have included tours of the Wildlife Sanctuary and a scavenger hunt around Melbourne.
Down Under Program To help you acclimate to La Trobe and Australia, you will be automatically signed up for La Trobe’s Down Under Program. This program allows you to integrate into Australian student life on campus, with events and activities such as cultural workshops and several outings, including attendance at an Australian Rules football game, a wine tasting, and an afternoon farm excursion.
University Clubs & Events While you’re in Melbourne, joining a social or sports club is a great way to meet Aussie students. With more than 50 student societies and sports clubs, La Trobe offers you many opportunities to participate in university life. The University offers extensive sports facilities, including an indoor swimming pool, rock-climbing facilities, and tennis courts.
In addition, La Trobe has other off-site facilities for student use, including Mount Buller’s Alpine Village and boat sheds for the rowing club on the Yarra River. La Trobe is also home to an active arts and culture scene.
Although your adventure begins in Melbourne, our field trip to Cairns and the Great Barrier Reef provides contrast and context for what you are learning in Melbourne. You share a portion of the cost with IES Abroad.
Cairns and the Great Barrier Reef (NEW in Fall 2013!) 5-6 Days The Melbourne mid-semester trip takes students to Cairns and the Great Barrier Reef. One day of the field trip will be spent at sea on a privately chartered motor cruiser. Onboard instructors explain the spectacular ecosystem of the reef, which you explore while snorkeling. Hike through the ancient Daintree rainforest with an aboriginal tracker and zip line through the eldest rainforest in the world.
Ready to choose the Melbourne study abroad program that’s right for you? Browse our partner universities and their many offerings to make sure you get the most out of your study abroad experience with IES Abroad.
Chay Dylan GrangerIES Abroad Director Chay is the Manager of IES Abroad Melbourne and has worked with IES Abroad students and staff since 2009, coordinating academic and cultural programs and running fieldtrips. Chay has extensive experience in international education, administration, staff management, research, client services, program management and student support. He is an alumna of the University of Melbourne with an honors degree in Forest Science.
Faculty IES Abroad semester program students are taught by the faculty of the University of Melbourne or La Trobe University. IES Abroad summer program students are taught by the faculty of the University of Melbourne.
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