The International Office deals with questions from students every day. We have listed the
most common questions and answers here. Please check if the information you need is
on these pages before contacting the International Office.
When can I go?
The exchange takes place during your seventh trimester, which is the first trimester of
your bachelor programme’s third year. It takes place on a semester or trimester basis,
normally from late August until late December. Academic calendars at host universities
might vary. For example, programmes in Australia and New Zealand start in July and the
programmes in China and Portugal run into January. It is your responsibility to be aware
of these dates. Most students can return to RSM in December and begin the eighth
trimester according to RSM’s calendar, but some do not have this option. Please consult
RSM’s International Office on how to proceed if this is the case.
Students who are in their 4th bachelor year are not able to apply for the bachelor
exchange anymore.
Does an exchange mean a delay to my studies?
An exchange does not cause a delay to your studies if you hand in a proper conversion
proposal before you leave for your exchange. This conversion proposal needs to be
approved by the Executive Director of your programme. Please bear in mind that the
minimum workload as set by the International Office must always be equivalent to
20 ECTS.
Do BA and IBA students have the same chance of being selected?
Yes. The selection is based on several criteria; being an IBA or a BA student is not one
of them.
What about my selection? What are my chances of being selected for an exchange to
a particular school, and for my first choice?
There is always a tough competition for exchange places, and for some destinations even
more than for others. That’s why we ask you to apply to more than one destination. As a
rule, the more destinations you are willing to be exchanged to, the more chance you have
to be selected for an exchange.
The International Office cannot tell you exactly how likely you are to be selected, either
for all or particular destinations. Both hard and soft selection criteria are used. We do
not only look at how you score on these criteria, but also compare this to your fellow
students’ profiles. The Selection Committee will always do its best to offer you one of
your first three preferred destinations.
When can we expect to receive information from our host university?
In general, three months prior to the start of your exchange programme you will receive
information from the host university. Once the International Office has nominated you
for a place at the host university you will be notified and from then you are allowed to
contact the school yourself. You are responsible for submitting all additional documents
required by the host university, such as transcripts and your CV, before their deadline.
