Regents' Semester in Newcastle, Australia

The Iowa Regents' Semester in Australia offers undergraduate students an opportunity to study for a semester at the University of Newcastle. Participants are fully integrated academically and socially with their Australian peers.

City and the region

Newcastle boasts wonderful beaches, a low cost of living, a very favorable climate (49-64 degrees Fahrenheit in the winter, 68-83 degrees Fahrenheit in the summer), and a casual lifestyle. Newcastle is also just a few hours from the cosmopolitan excitement of Sydney.

The city and region are popular tourist destinations for Australians. A few kilometers south of Newcastle is Australia's largest seaboard lake, Lake Macquarie, scene of many national and international sailing events. Less than an hour's drive to the north is the magnificent harbor of Port Stephens, a popular center for big game fishing, sailing, surfing, and sailboarding; to the west are the internationally famous wineries of the Hunter Valley.

Like many communities in Australia, Newcastle was originally established as a penal colony. The discovery of coal in the area transformed 19th century Newcastle into one of the world's busiest coal ports. Located on a breathtaking stretch of Australia's coastline, Newcastle today is a bustling, modern, down-to-earth city of 350,000. Newcastle offers all the usual city attractions: restaurants, cafés, parks and gardens, theaters, art galleries, shopping centers, and nightclubs.

Academic program

The University of Newcastle is set on a natural bushland site in and area called Callaghan, just west of Newcastle City. The student population is 23,000 including almost 4000 international students. The atmosphere is relaxed and friendly.

International students participate in a week-long orientation program (O-week) that prepares students for the academic and cultural experience ahead. U.S. students then enroll in regular courses and are full integrated into the university.

The Iowa Regents' Semester in Australia: Newcastle is offered both spring and fall semesters. Semesters at Australian universities run February to July and July to November. Dates vary, contact the study abroad office on your campus for more information.

Credits

Academic credit earned at the University of Newcastle transfers back to universities in Iowa. Study abroad students must enroll for the equivalent of a "full load" of courses, typically 3-4 courses or 12-16 credits, while studying at Newcastle:

Room and meals

Students may apply for a variety of housing options on campus or may live off campus. (Note: On-campus accommodation is not guaranteed.) More information is available at Newcastle accomodations.

Eligibility

To apply for the program, students must have:

  • at least sophomore standing at the time of program participation
  • a minimum 2.8 G.P.A.

Cost and financial aid

The program fee includes tuition, fees, orientation, and required health insurance. The program fee is charged to your home university bill. Students pay all other expenses directly. Students contract for accommodations directly and should be prepared to pay security deposits in advance. Detailed information on available accommodations and comprehensive program budgets can be obtained from your study abroad office. See the budget for Newcastle (.doc).

Most students remain eligible for their current financial aid. In addition, students may be eligible for additional aid in the form of student and/or parent loans and/or scholarships. See the study abroad financial aid information.

Application

See the application process (.doc).

Two applications are required:

  1. ISU study abroad application (.doc)
  2. Newcastle study abroad application. (.pdf)

Deadlines:

  • Spring semester: October 15
  • Fall Semester: March 15

For more information

See the Spring 2008 Newcastle Program Handbook (.pdf) and the fact sheet (.pdf).

For more information about the program or to submit application materials, contact your university's program coordinator or:

Maureen Deisinger
Study Abroad Center
3224 Memorial Union
Ames, IA 50011-1133
(515) 294-6792
mdeising@iastate.edu