WHY STUDENTS

WITHDRAW FROM

EXCHANGE

An examination of student responsesKatie Smith

Student Exchange Advisor

University of Queensland, UQ Abroad

SNAPSHOT: OUTGOING EXCHANGE AT UQ

• 187 partner universities

• 40 countries

• Top destinations:1. USA

2. UK

3. Canada

• Increase in applications received

• 2010 – 2015: +26.5%

• Most received for 2014: 1013

• Sending 640-680 p/year

• Conversion rate steady

• Average 2010 – 2015: 65.7%

• Withdrawal rate steady

• Average 2010 – 2015: 29.4%

STUDY: WHY DO STUDENTS WITHDRAW?

• Closed & Open ended questions:

• Program/level of study

• Host university/country

• Stage of application

• Reasons for withdrawal

• “What would have helped you to participate in the exchange program?”

• Survey administered from semester 1, 2013 to present

• Since semester 1, 2013 to present:

• 3,216 students have applied

• 754 students withdrew application*

• 200 survey responses

• Response rate 26.5%

Ethical approval received from BSSERC –University of Queensland

FINDINGS

94%

6%

Level of Study

Undergraduate Postgraduate

53%

47%

Undergraduate: Single/Dual Degree

Single Dual

FINDINGS

37%

46%

18% 19%

5%3%

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

40%

45%

50%

W/D

Faculties – Survey Results

Humanities & Social Sciences

Business, Economics & Law

Science

Engineering, Architecture, & IT

Health & Behavioural Sciences

Medicine & Biomedical Sciences

FINDINGS

0.00%

5.00%

10.00%

15.00%

20.00%

25.00%

30.00%

Region

Region

0.0%

5.0%

10.0%

15.0%

20.0%

25.0%

30.0%

35.0%

40.0%

45.0%

2013 2014 2015 2016

Semester Applied

Semester 1 Semester 2

FINDINGS

0.0%

10.0%

20.0%

30.0%

40.0%

50.0%

60.0%

70.0%

80.0%

Joined Facebook Provisional

Acceptance

Faculty Approval Full UQ Abroad

Acceptance

Applied to Host Accepted by Host Commenced

Exchange

None

Stage Withdrawn

Stage Withdrawn

FINDINGS

42.0%

26.0%

7.5%

52.5%

47.5%

15.0%

27.0%

33.0%

0.0%

10.0%

20.0%

30.0%

40.0%

50.0%

60.0%

Financial Family Medical Academic Timing Lack of Information Personal Other

Reason Why

Reason Why

FINDINGS

11.0%

21.0%

18.0%

7.0%8.0%

3.0%

18.0%

14.0%

0.0%

5.0%

10.0%

15.0%

20.0%

25.0%

Academic

Academic

Academic Reasons

• Overall 52.5%

“With my dual degree (and lack of electives)

combined with the fact that I'm in my 5th year

of study, made it very hard for me to obtain

equivalent subjects.”

“One of my core courses I had to do wouldn't

allow me to go. Timing was wrong.”

“Found another uni that suits me better, after I

had applied.”

FINDINGS

Timing Reasons

• Overall 47.5%

27%

24%

34%

15%

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

40%

Not the right

semester

Timing would

hinder further

studies

Decided to go in

different

semester

Other

Timing

Timing

“Given my career opportunities, the timing is not

right for me to go on exchange, however it may

be more convenient to go in future.”

“Could not guarantee that it wouldn't delay

graduation.”

“Just couldn't get the funds together in time.”

FINDINGS

3.0%

6.0%

45.0%

5.0%

20.0% 21.0%

0.0%

5.0%

10.0%

15.0%

20.0%

25.0%

30.0%

35.0%

40.0%

45.0%

50.0%

Did not

receive OS-

Help loan

Did not

receive

Scholarship

Could no

longer

afford

Was not

eligible for

Centrelink

Got a job Other

Financial

Financial

Financial Reasons

• Overall 42%

• “Other” responses

• Needing more time to save: 7%

• Financial uncertainty: 2%

“Acceptance letter took a long time, so I

gave up saving.”

“I want to have more money to have a

better time overseas.”

“The dollar dropped significantly and is

expected to keep going.”

FINDINGS

Personal Reasons

• Overall 27%

• “Other” responses

• Chose alt intn’l experience: 13%

• Changed mind: 13%

• Anxiety/Stress: 9%

• Frustration: 4%0.0%

9.0%

27.0%

11.0%

0.0%

53.0%

0.0%

10.0%

20.0%

30.0%

40.0%

50.0%

60.0%

Personal

Personal

“I started getting anxious and thought that this

wasn't how it was supposed to be.”

“I feel happy here and have commitments”

FINDINGS

Family Reasons

• Overall 26%

16%

29%

23%

12%11%

9%

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

Family

Family

“My parents were supportive, but I

didn't want to pass them an

additional burden of financially

supporting me on exchange.”

FINDINGS

Lack of Information Reasons

• Overall 15%24%

15%

11%

16% 16%

11%

7%

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

Lack of information…

Lack of information…

“These weren't the main reasons, but I found

these 'lack of information' issues as really big

problems and very stressful.”

“All were factors but not final reason.”

FINDINGS

17.0%

27.0%

17.0%

22.0%

17.0%

0.0%

5.0%

10.0%

15.0%

20.0%

25.0%

30.0%

New personal

medical issue

Existing

personal

medical issue

Medical issue

in family

Following

advice from

doctor

Other

Medical

Medical

Medical Reasons

• Overall 7.5%

“I was constantly questioning

my decision – anxiety.”

FINDINGS

31.00%

11.00%

2.00%

25.00%

34.00%

20.00%

27.00%

0.00%

5.00%

10.00%

15.00%

20.00%

25.00%

30.00%

35.00%

40.00%

Other

Other

Other responses

• 44 open-ended responses

“Going one semester later allows me to save enough

money to have complete financial security to do

everything I wish to do whilst over there, so that I can

take full advantage of the opportunity.”

“Left it a bit late in my degree and did not want to delay

my graduation. I could not be assured enrolment in

specific courses. Due to the limited range of subjects I

had left in my dual degree and the amount of effort I

went to get a faculty approved study plan, I needed to

be guaranteed a place in these specific courses. I was

also accepted into a more convenient overseas program

for credit.”

FINDINGS

No

37%

Yes/Have

11%

Yes/Will

40%

No response

12%

Do you intend to re-apply?

No Yes/Have Yes/Will No response

FINDINGS

10.0%

0.5% 0.5%

12.0%

20.0%

40.0%

8.0%

36.0%

0.0%

5.0%

10.0%

15.0%

20.0%

25.0%

30.0%

35.0%

40.0%

45.0%

What would have helped?

What would have helped?

• What would have helped you to participate in the exchange program?

• 173 responses

FINDINGS

Academics: 12%

•Course matching/approval

•More degree flexibility

•Guaranteed courses

•More course options

•Short term programs

Timing: 20%

• Earlier…

• Planning/Advice

• Course approvals

• Acceptance

• Confirmation of funding

• Visa application

Information: 40%

• More…

• Support from faculties/course approval advice

• Information online

• Support from UQ Abroad

• Course information

• Advice on availability of hosts

• Advice from past students

WHAT IS NEXT?

• Academics

• Working with Schools/Faculties

• Online advice on availability of hosts

• Timing

• Encourage more forward planning

• Fitting exchange into whole degree/career path

• Withdrawal policy

• Finances

• Availability of scholarships and additional funding

• More advice on budgeting, how to save on exchange

QUESTIONS?