Start-Up China: Fostering Global IT Innovation and Entrepreneurship in a Chinese Context

Innovation and Entrepreneurship: Develop a business proposal and computing product that meets a need in the international market space. You will be guided and mentored by computing professionals and entrepreneurs, to help you identify a potential market and develop a business case.

Hands-On Computing Projects: Engage in real-world projects at the forefront of computing technology, gaining practical experience and honing your skills in a collaborative and innovative environment.

Cultural Immersion: Beyond the office, experience the vibrant culture of China and Dalian –its history, landmarks, and unique cuisine. Dalian effortlessly blends tradition with modernity. You will participate in one or more excursions to other cities in China.

Professional Networking: Connect with industry leaders and fellow students, attending workshops and events designed to enhance your professional development and broaden your global network.
 

Dalian Neusoft University of Information is offering this program free of charge to up to 15 students from UQ. Costs subsidised by DNUI include:

• Program fee
• Accommodation costs (for the duration of the program only)
• All activity costs throughout the program

All students participating in the program will be covered by an appropriate level of travel insurance (incl. emergency medical) for the duration of the program.

The following costs are the responsibility of and should be considered by any participiants interested in applying:

• Round-trip flights to/from Dalian
• Chinese visa application fee
• Food and incidentals
• Other travel-related costs 

More information will be made available about indicative costs during the info sessions. 

Funding opportunities

• OS-HELP
  OS-HELP is a loan scheme for eligible Commonwealth Supported students who want to undertake part of their studies overseas.

To be eligible for this opportunity, applicants must meet the following criteria:

1. Enrolled in a relevant program and elective space: Applicants must be enrolled in a program under the School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, and be eligible to enrol in COMP3880 (standard tuition fees apply). Students enrolled in a B. Sc. may need to take SCIE3050 in place of COMP3880.

Programs that apply:

• B/M Information Technology
• B Eng (Hons) and B Eng (Hons)/M Eng in Electrical or Software Engineering
• B/M Comp Sc
• B Sc (Comp or Dat Sc) requires permission from the Faculty of Science Student Admin
• M Data Sc
• M Cyber Security

BEng and BE/ME students who take part in this program are eligible to claim type B professional practice hours.
As minimum programming ability will be required, you must also have completed at least 1 year (16 units) of your degree.

2. Age requirement: Applicants should be above the age of 18 at the time of departure.

3. Academic Standing: Applicants are assessed based on merit, this includes a satisfactory GPA (4.5+), as well as other extra-curricular activities, experiences, or achievements. 

4. Be available to attend the full length of the program (mid-June to mid-July 2026).

5. Citizenship: In the interest of equitable access to genuine international experiences, citizens of the People's Republic of China will not be considered eligible to participate in this program.

Other Considerations

UQ encourages participation by students from diverse backgrounds. If you fit into any of the categories below and do not fully satisfy one or more of the eligibility criteria above, please reach out to see how we might be able to support your application.

• Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander
• Low-Socio-Economic Status Background
• From a regional or remote area
• First in your immediate family to attend university
• A person with a disability
• Non-English speaking background
   

Applications will open in March 2026

A selection panel of representatives from the School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science will consider your application and notify you of the outcome by early April.
 

Students participating in a short-term study tour are expected to:

• meet all international travel requirements for the study tour destination
• participate in all mandatory pre-departure activities and completion of pre-departure requirements. 
• commit to and complete the full program duration
• share their study tour experience through a Media Project such as LinkedIn posts, blogs, vlogs or similar media.

Details and requirements of the student Media Project will be shared prior to departure.

Students must advise the project lead in writing prior to withdrawal from the program.

Q. What are the international travel requirements?

To be considered for an international study tour, you will need to:

• Have a valid Australian passport (with a minimum of 6 months validity from end of the program, i.e., the date of arrival in Brisbane)
• Have the means to obtain relevant entry permission for the study tour destination country. 

This may involve:

• Applying for, and obtaining a visa in advance through an online platform or other agency
• Confirming you are eligible for an on-arrival visa where applicable, or
• Applying for, and obtaining a visa through the destination country’s embassy

If your passport has expired or will expire in the 6 months following the program end, you should commence the passport renewal process. Note that this is not a consideration in your application, but rather a general eligibility criterium. Participants are liable for their own passport application/renewal fees.

Some destinations may require participants to demonstrate evidence of certain vaccinations prior to entry. Generally speaking, this information can be found on DFAT’s Smartraveller website, and will be covered in any pre-departure briefings held for shortlisted participants. Speak to a GP about other, destination-specific vaccinations or preventative medications that may be suited to your personal needs and/or conditions.

Students with pre-existing conditions or accessibility requirements are encouraged to apply, and this will not disqualify you from participation. Please note that dependent on the condition, participants may be required to undergo assessment by a qualified medical professional to endorse fitness for travel.
It is recommended that all applicants familiarise themselves with the UQ's Student Travel Procedure prior to applying for a study tour.

Q. Do I need travel insurance?

All participants of EAIT study tours will be covered by an appropriate level of travel insurance under UQ’s existing policy. Please login to view this information.

All participants are required to attend a UQ Travel Insurance briefing session prior to departure. Information will be provided about such events to shortlisted participants.

UQ Travel Insurance covers students for activities that are part of the study tour program schedule. Some activities that participants may take part in during personal time may not be covered under UQ Travel Insurance, e.g., extreme sports, high-risk leisure activities, etc. It is the participant's responsibility to check the UQ Travel Insurance policy to confirm what activities are and are not covered. Organise adequate personal insurance coverage as required. 

Q. Do I need to organise my own flight or accommodation?

Students will be expected to book their own flights as part of this program. The program lead will recommend certain flights in advance based on ideal arrival and departure times, however students are responsible for choosing and booking their own travel arrangements. 

Participants may arrive earlier or depart later than designated tour dates but should be aware that personal travel on either end of the official itinerary will not be covered by UQ’s travel insurance.

Accommodation is standardly arranged within the official program dates. Personal travel outside of the official program will require participants to make their own arrangements for accommodation.

Q. Do I need to apply for a visa?

Successful applicants invited to participate in a study tour are required to organise their own entry visa for the destination. A session will be organised for shortlisted participants prior to departure to cover entry requirements of the destination country. 

All costs for relevant entry visas are borne by participants, including the cost of the visa and costs associated with obtaining the visa (e.g., transport to an embassy if required). 

The EAIT International team can provide supporting documentation for your visa application, e.g. an invitation letter from the host institution. However, UQ and the EAIT International team are unable to assist further with the provision of information relating to visa, aside from what is publicly available on trusted government websites.

Q. Will I have free time?

Yes! You will have free time in between the time with your host institution and attending events and activities throughout the program. You will be required to attend events and activities organised by EAIT and the local host throughout the program. You are advised to view the program schedule before making plans for your free time.

Typically, participants can expect to have evenings and coinciding weekends free, however each program will vary. Confirm with the program lead.