Want to see the world while building the skills you’ll need to succeed in the global employment market?
Here’s why an overseas student exchange experience could be the best part of your education.
Studying abroad can completely change your life as you leap head first into a new culture, make new friends and learn from lecturers who will give you a completely different perspective on an industry you love.
Here are five reasons why you should consider an international student exchange programme at RMIT Melbourne.
Have you been living under your parents’ roof for too long? Packing your bags and heading overseas on an exchange programme is the fastest way to win the freedom you’ve been craving. An exchange programme at RMIT Melbourne, for instance, will allow you a chance to discover a new city and country on your own terms, adapt to new situations, learn practical life skills such as how to manage your money – learning to differentiate between the values of the Singapore and Aussie dollars might be tricky initially – and have a blast while you do it.
While the experience can be challenging at times, you’ll return home a much more mature, independent version of yourself, prepared for all the responsibilities of adult life.
Students from SIM (Singapore Institute of Management) discover new friends, new experiences and inspiration for their careers through a student exchange to RMIT in Melbourne.
Students from SIM (Singapore Institute of Management) discover new friends, new experiences and inspiration for their careers through a student exchange to RMIT in Melbourne.
VISUAL: Light grey/white screen. The RMIT logo sits at the centre, bottom of the screen. Text fades up in the centre of the screen. Large dark grey letters “SIM Student Exchange” appears at the top of the text, with smaller, light grey letters underneath “Ong Wei, Jared, Shuwen, Jayden and Jasmine discover new friends, new experiences and inspiration for their career through a student exchange to RMIT in Melbourne.”
(Uplifting music plays in background)
VISUAL: Image of five students walking towards the camera, down a tree-lined street. A Melbourne Tram can be seen in the far right of the image. The image cuts to a view from behind the students as they cross a road.
Lin Hui Jasmine, student, Bachelor of Business (Economics and Finance): So we are on a six-month exchange to RMIT Melbourne from Singapore.
VISUAL: Cut to an image of a young woman standing slightly to the right of frame. She is standing in a darkened lecture theatre with tan and blue seating behind her. White text appears at the top left of the screen. “Lin Hui Jasmine” is in large, bold white text, with smaller text underneath saying “Bachelor of Business (Economics and Finance)”.
VISUAL: Cut to an image of the five students looking out a window on to the footpath below. Scene moves to an image of the students taking photos and walking through the laneways around the RMIT Melbourne campus.
(Uplifting music plays in background)
Lin Hui Jasmine: The culture here is really diverse and I meet a lot of new people from all over the world.
So it was really easier to fit in here than what I expected.
VISUAL: Cut to an image of a young man standing slightly to the left of frame. He is standing in a darkened lecture theatre with a set of stairs and seating behind him. White text appears in the centre-right of the screen. “Jayden Loo Xinkai” is in large, bold white text, with smaller text underneath saying “Bachelor of Business (Management)”.
VISUAL: Scene moves to images of the students engaged in a discussion, sitting at a table in a classroom.
(Uplifting music plays in background)
Jayden Loo Xinkai, student, Bachelor of Business (Management): It’s been a fulfilling, um, experience for me. In terms of um, engaging with other students, um, working with them, um building up team, team work, and ah, learning about their culture.
VISUAL: Cut to an image of a young man standing slightly to the right of frame. He is standing in a well-lit lecture theatre with beige tables and black seats visible behind him. White text appears in the bottom-left of the screen. “Ong Wei Quan” is in large, bold white text, with smaller text underneath saying “Bachelor of Business (Management)”.
VISUAL: Scene moves to images of the students engaged in a discussion, sitting at a table in a classroom.
(Uplifting music plays in background)
Ong Wei Quan, student, Bachelor of Business (Management): Well I love my lecturers. They’re very awesome people. I get to do more brainstorming in classes as well, which ah, gets your brain thinking, actually.
VISUAL: Cut to image of Lin Hui Jasmine in the lecture theatre described earlier.
VISUAL: Scene cuts to montage of images of a classroom, simulated trading room facilities, computer screens, students using computers and telephones.
(Uplifting music plays in background)
Lin Hui Jasmine: We got to use the trading facility, where you get to use the real time data from the stock market to build up a portfolio, learn about instruments and trade with each other.
VISUAL: Cut to an image of a young man standing slightly to the right of frame. He is standing in a darkened lecture theatre with red seating behind him. White text appears in the centre-left of the screen. “Jared Wong Chee Meng” is in large, bold white text, with smaller text underneath saying “Bachelor of Business (Management)”.
VISUAL: Scene cuts to an image of the group of students standing on the steps of the State Library of Victoria in Melbourne city, getting their photo taken.
(Uplifting music plays in background)
Jared Wong Chee Meng: I’ve already seen lots of sights of iconic Australia. Lots of café hopping and travelling and stuff.
VISUAL: Cut to image of Lin Hui Jasmine in the lecture theatre described earlier.
(Uplifting music plays in background)
Lin Hui Jasmine: I had a taste of what camping was like because we can’t do it back home where it’s all city.
VISUAL: Cut to an image of a young woman standing in the centre of the frame. She is standing in a dark room, a beige wall is to the right of the frame, and a doorway can be seen behind her to the right. “Shuwen Teng” is in large, bold white text, with smaller text underneath saying “Bachelor of Business (Economics and Finance)”.
VISUAL: Scene cuts to an image of the group of students walking towards the camera, down the street, past RMIT Info Corner. A Melbourne tram is visible to the right of the screen.
VISUAL: Scene cuts to an image of the group sitting down to eat lunch.
(Uplifting music plays in background)
Shuwen Teng: I think, our RMIT exchange is very valuable because our employers will see, will know that we are comfortable and adaptable to another country.
VISUAL: Cut to a scene of two male students sitting in a classroom.
VISUAL: Cut to Jared Wong Chee Meng standing in the lecture theatre described earlier.
(Uplifting music plays in background)
Jared Wong Chee Meng: I think that this exchange program has helped me to learn more about myself, and develop skills like independence and find out more about myself, what I want to do in life.
VISUAL: Cut to Jayden Loo Xinkai standing in the lecture theatre described earlier.
(Uplifting music plays in background)
Jayden Loo Xinkai: I’ve always wanted to have my own business. So my ambition is to be an entrepreneur. To have my own, ah say, a, a brand.
VISUAL: Cut to Jared Wong Chee Meng standing in the lecture theatre described earlier.
VISUAL: Scene changes to a street view of a shop window. Pedestrians walking by are seen in the reflection in the glass window.
VISUAL: Scene changes to a shot of the students outside, drinking coffee and talking.
(Uplifting music plays in background)
Jared Wong Chee Meng: I was hoping to open up a café sometime. And Melbourne has a very big café scene. So it really has helped me open my eyes a little bit.
VISUAL: Cut to grey-white screen, with text transition in to frame from the top. Large text fills the centre of the screen. “What’s your advice for students in” is written in capital letters and is in black text. “Singapore?” appears underneath in red, in capital letters. Text transitions up the screen, leaving the grey-white screen.
VISUAL: Cut to image of Ong Wei Quan standing in the lecture theatre described earlier.
(Uplifting music plays in background)
Ong Wei Quan: Oh come here. Yeah, just come over.
VISUAL: Cut to image of Lin Hui Jasmine in the lecture theatre described earlier.
(Uplifting music plays in background)
Lin Hui Jasmine: Everyone should try it once. At least once if they can.
VISUAL: Cut to image of Shuwen Teng in the space described earlier.
VISUAL: Scene shifts to a montage of images of the students looking out a window and taking photos. In the first image, an RMIT logo from the exterior of the building can be seen in reverse, in the right of the screen.
(Uplifting music plays in background)
Shuwen Teng: There is no growth in comfort, so you should always take the leap of faith, and do something you haven’t done.
Ong Wei Quan: If I was to sum up
VISUAL: Cut to image of Ong Wei Quan standing in the lecture theatre described earlier.
(Uplifting music plays in background)
Ong Wei Quan: My exchange experience in one word, it would be “it’s wonderful”.
VISUAL: Cut to image of Shuwen Teng in the space described earlier.
(Uplifting music plays in background)
Shuwen Teng: Rewarding
VISUAL: Cut to Jayden Loo Xinkai standing in the lecture theatre described earlier. He lifts his arms out to his sides and holds his hands up.
(Uplifting music plays in background)
Jayden Loo Xinkai: Amazing!
VISUAL: Scene cuts to a montage of images including a Melbourne tram moving past the RMIT stop, and the students in a classroom.
VISUAL: Cut to a shot of Lin Hui Jasmine standing outside. She is located in the centre of the frame.
VISUAL: Cut to a shot of the RMIT basketball courts. A student watches a game in progress from the right of the screen. Text appears at the left-bottom of the screen, with “Experience” in white text, “Australian” in red text and “Culture” in white text.
VISUAL: Scene cuts to an image of the students talking and sitting on the grass outside the State Library.
VISUAL: Cut to a medium-close up of Jared Wong Chee Meng sitting on a set of grey steps. He is drinking a coffee and has a “milk moustache”. He lifts his head and smiles to camera.
VISUAL: Text appears at the centre-bottom of the screen, with “Study in the heart of” in white text, and “Melbourne” in red text.
VISUAL: Cut to a shot of the group travelling on an escalator. Text, all capital letters, appears at the centre of the screen, with “Meet” in red text, “students from around” in white text, and “the world” in red text.
VISUAL: The scene changes to show Shuwen Teng sitting in a student space at RMIT. The previously described text transitions out.
(Uplifting music plays in background)
RMIT Narrator: Through the RMIT-SIM Mobility Program you’ll immerse yourself in Australian culture for a semester and study in the heart of Melbourne, while meeting students from around the world.
VISUAL: Cut to grey-white screen, with text transition in to frame from the top. Large text fills the centre of the screen. “SIM-RMIT Mobility” is written in red text. “Start your global career” appears underneath in black text.
RMIT Narrator: Start your global career, today.
VISUAL: Cut to grey/white screen with the RMIT logo in the centre and www.rmit.edu.au at the centre-bottom of the screen.
(Uplifting music fades out)
End of video
VISUAL: Light grey/white screen. The RMIT logo sits at the centre, bottom of the screen. Text fades up in the centre of the screen. Large dark grey letters “SIM Student Exchange” appears at the top of the text, with smaller, light grey letters underneath “Ong Wei, Jared, Shuwen, Jayden and Jasmine discover new friends, new experiences and inspiration for their career through a student exchange to RMIT in Melbourne.”
(Uplifting music plays in background)
VISUAL: Image of five students walking towards the camera, down a tree-lined street. A Melbourne Tram can be seen in the far right of the image. The image cuts to a view from behind the students as they cross a road.
Lin Hui Jasmine, student, Bachelor of Business (Economics and Finance): So we are on a six-month exchange to RMIT Melbourne from Singapore.
VISUAL: Cut to an image of a young woman standing slightly to the right of frame. She is standing in a darkened lecture theatre with tan and blue seating behind her. White text appears at the top left of the screen. “Lin Hui Jasmine” is in large, bold white text, with smaller text underneath saying “Bachelor of Business (Economics and Finance)”.
VISUAL: Cut to an image of the five students looking out a window on to the footpath below. Scene moves to an image of the students taking photos and walking through the laneways around the RMIT Melbourne campus.
(Uplifting music plays in background)
Lin Hui Jasmine: The culture here is really diverse and I meet a lot of new people from all over the world.
So it was really easier to fit in here than what I expected.
VISUAL: Cut to an image of a young man standing slightly to the left of frame. He is standing in a darkened lecture theatre with a set of stairs and seating behind him. White text appears in the centre-right of the screen. “Jayden Loo Xinkai” is in large, bold white text, with smaller text underneath saying “Bachelor of Business (Management)”.
VISUAL: Scene moves to images of the students engaged in a discussion, sitting at a table in a classroom.
(Uplifting music plays in background)
Jayden Loo Xinkai, student, Bachelor of Business (Management): It’s been a fulfilling, um, experience for me. In terms of um, engaging with other students, um, working with them, um building up team, team work, and ah, learning about their culture.
VISUAL: Cut to an image of a young man standing slightly to the right of frame. He is standing in a well-lit lecture theatre with beige tables and black seats visible behind him. White text appears in the bottom-left of the screen. “Ong Wei Quan” is in large, bold white text, with smaller text underneath saying “Bachelor of Business (Management)”.
VISUAL: Scene moves to images of the students engaged in a discussion, sitting at a table in a classroom.
(Uplifting music plays in background)
Ong Wei Quan, student, Bachelor of Business (Management): Well I love my lecturers. They’re very awesome people. I get to do more brainstorming in classes as well, which ah, gets your brain thinking, actually.
VISUAL: Cut to image of Lin Hui Jasmine in the lecture theatre described earlier.
VISUAL: Scene cuts to montage of images of a classroom, simulated trading room facilities, computer screens, students using computers and telephones.
(Uplifting music plays in background)
Lin Hui Jasmine: We got to use the trading facility, where you get to use the real time data from the stock market to build up a portfolio, learn about instruments and trade with each other.
VISUAL: Cut to an image of a young man standing slightly to the right of frame. He is standing in a darkened lecture theatre with red seating behind him. White text appears in the centre-left of the screen. “Jared Wong Chee Meng” is in large, bold white text, with smaller text underneath saying “Bachelor of Business (Management)”.
VISUAL: Scene cuts to an image of the group of students standing on the steps of the State Library of Victoria in Melbourne city, getting their photo taken.
(Uplifting music plays in background)
Jared Wong Chee Meng: I’ve already seen lots of sights of iconic Australia. Lots of café hopping and travelling and stuff.
VISUAL: Cut to image of Lin Hui Jasmine in the lecture theatre described earlier.
(Uplifting music plays in background)
Lin Hui Jasmine: I had a taste of what camping was like because we can’t do it back home where it’s all city.
VISUAL: Cut to an image of a young woman standing in the centre of the frame. She is standing in a dark room, a beige wall is to the right of the frame, and a doorway can be seen behind her to the right. “Shuwen Teng” is in large, bold white text, with smaller text underneath saying “Bachelor of Business (Economics and Finance)”.
VISUAL: Scene cuts to an image of the group of students walking towards the camera, down the street, past RMIT Info Corner. A Melbourne tram is visible to the right of the screen.
VISUAL: Scene cuts to an image of the group sitting down to eat lunch.
(Uplifting music plays in background)
Shuwen Teng: I think, our RMIT exchange is very valuable because our employers will see, will know that we are comfortable and adaptable to another country.
VISUAL: Cut to a scene of two male students sitting in a classroom.
VISUAL: Cut to Jared Wong Chee Meng standing in the lecture theatre described earlier.
(Uplifting music plays in background)
Jared Wong Chee Meng: I think that this exchange program has helped me to learn more about myself, and develop skills like independence and find out more about myself, what I want to do in life.
VISUAL: Cut to Jayden Loo Xinkai standing in the lecture theatre described earlier.
(Uplifting music plays in background)
Jayden Loo Xinkai: I’ve always wanted to have my own business. So my ambition is to be an entrepreneur. To have my own, ah say, a, a brand.
VISUAL: Cut to Jared Wong Chee Meng standing in the lecture theatre described earlier.
VISUAL: Scene changes to a street view of a shop window. Pedestrians walking by are seen in the reflection in the glass window.
VISUAL: Scene changes to a shot of the students outside, drinking coffee and talking.
(Uplifting music plays in background)
Jared Wong Chee Meng: I was hoping to open up a café sometime. And Melbourne has a very big café scene. So it really has helped me open my eyes a little bit.
VISUAL: Cut to grey-white screen, with text transition in to frame from the top. Large text fills the centre of the screen. “What’s your advice for students in” is written in capital letters and is in black text. “Singapore?” appears underneath in red, in capital letters. Text transitions up the screen, leaving the grey-white screen.
VISUAL: Cut to image of Ong Wei Quan standing in the lecture theatre described earlier.
(Uplifting music plays in background)
Ong Wei Quan: Oh come here. Yeah, just come over.
VISUAL: Cut to image of Lin Hui Jasmine in the lecture theatre described earlier.
(Uplifting music plays in background)
Lin Hui Jasmine: Everyone should try it once. At least once if they can.
VISUAL: Cut to image of Shuwen Teng in the space described earlier.
VISUAL: Scene shifts to a montage of images of the students looking out a window and taking photos. In the first image, an RMIT logo from the exterior of the building can be seen in reverse, in the right of the screen.
(Uplifting music plays in background)
Shuwen Teng: There is no growth in comfort, so you should always take the leap of faith, and do something you haven’t done.
Ong Wei Quan: If I was to sum up
VISUAL: Cut to image of Ong Wei Quan standing in the lecture theatre described earlier.
(Uplifting music plays in background)
Ong Wei Quan: My exchange experience in one word, it would be “it’s wonderful”.
VISUAL: Cut to image of Shuwen Teng in the space described earlier.
(Uplifting music plays in background)
Shuwen Teng: Rewarding
VISUAL: Cut to Jayden Loo Xinkai standing in the lecture theatre described earlier. He lifts his arms out to his sides and holds his hands up.
(Uplifting music plays in background)
Jayden Loo Xinkai: Amazing!
VISUAL: Scene cuts to a montage of images including a Melbourne tram moving past the RMIT stop, and the students in a classroom.
VISUAL: Cut to a shot of Lin Hui Jasmine standing outside. She is located in the centre of the frame.
VISUAL: Cut to a shot of the RMIT basketball courts. A student watches a game in progress from the right of the screen. Text appears at the left-bottom of the screen, with “Experience” in white text, “Australian” in red text and “Culture” in white text.
VISUAL: Scene cuts to an image of the students talking and sitting on the grass outside the State Library.
VISUAL: Cut to a medium-close up of Jared Wong Chee Meng sitting on a set of grey steps. He is drinking a coffee and has a “milk moustache”. He lifts his head and smiles to camera.
VISUAL: Text appears at the centre-bottom of the screen, with “Study in the heart of” in white text, and “Melbourne” in red text.
VISUAL: Cut to a shot of the group travelling on an escalator. Text, all capital letters, appears at the centre of the screen, with “Meet” in red text, “students from around” in white text, and “the world” in red text.
VISUAL: The scene changes to show Shuwen Teng sitting in a student space at RMIT. The previously described text transitions out.
(Uplifting music plays in background)
RMIT Narrator: Through the RMIT-SIM Mobility Program you’ll immerse yourself in Australian culture for a semester and study in the heart of Melbourne, while meeting students from around the world.
VISUAL: Cut to grey-white screen, with text transition in to frame from the top. Large text fills the centre of the screen. “SIM-RMIT Mobility” is written in red text. “Start your global career” appears underneath in black text.
RMIT Narrator: Start your global career, today.
VISUAL: Cut to grey/white screen with the RMIT logo in the centre and www.rmit.edu.au at the centre-bottom of the screen.
(Uplifting music fades out)
End of video
Studying overseas via an exchange programme at RMIT Melbourne will give you a global perspective on your industry, which will be valuable when the time comes to put down your backpack and pick up a job. With most companies these days looking to take on the world, they will need employees who can work with people from a range of cultures. By mingling with students from various backgrounds in Melbourne’s multicultural setting, you will have an added advantage over peers who haven’t had a similar experience.
Living overseas is also great for broadening your mind and making you more inclusive. It will expose you to a diverse array of new ideas, which will likely transform you into a more creative and liberal thinker.
As a university student, you’re staring down the challenge of competing with other candidates for a job. To succeed, you’ll need an edge that separates you from the long list of other applicants.
A semester abroad will be an excellent addition to your resume, and also give you plenty of experiences and stories to talk about in a job interview. Employers will be impressed with the social, communication and life skills you’ve developed while overseas, and an exchange programme with RMIT proves you’ve had a holistic education.
The RMIT Melbourne campus offers a range of leisure activities you can participate in. You might discover a new-found passion for surfing which is otherwise difficult in the calm waters of Singapore, or perhaps camping will ignite your love of nature. You could return home as an international foodie or eager to plan your next great adventure. The possibilities are limitless!
The number of Singaporeans living overseas has increased by more than a third over the last decade to well over 200,000.
If you’re interested in joining the flock, heading to Melbourne’s RMIT campus via a student exchange programme will give you a realistic preview of what it’s like to live in a different country. And if you like the experience, the exchange programme could help you score a local job too.
Throwing yourself into an international exchange programme offers you a wealth of benefits as you accumulate new experiences – both in your career and personal life. Most importantly, your prospective employer will see you as a motivated person who is willing to step out of your comfort zone in order to grow.
Luckily, it’s easy to get your overseas study experience started. With the SIM-RMIT exchange programme, you can spend a semester studying in the heart of Melbourne at one of Australia’s leading universities.
Acknowledgement of Country
RMIT University acknowledges the people of the Woi wurrung and Boon wurrung language groups of the eastern Kulin Nation on whose unceded lands we conduct the business of the University. RMIT University respectfully acknowledges their Ancestors and Elders, past and present. RMIT also acknowledges the Traditional Custodians and their Ancestors of the lands and waters across Australia where we conduct our business - Artwork 'Sentient' by Hollie Johnson, Gunaikurnai and Monero Ngarigo.
Acknowledgement of Country
RMIT University acknowledges the people of the Woi wurrung and Boon wurrung language groups of the eastern Kulin Nation on whose unceded lands we conduct the business of the University. RMIT University respectfully acknowledges their Ancestors and Elders, past and present. RMIT also acknowledges the Traditional Custodians and their Ancestors of the lands and waters across Australia where we conduct our business.