Transferring from BIGS to BIGS/LAW Guide

Transferring from BIGS to BIGS/LAW Guide 

1. Considering the transfer: What you need to know  

- In order to be accepted for transfer into law you generally need to keep a Distinction average and have an ATAR of 97+ 
- There may be ways around this by special permission applications but don't count on it, it is very rare for that to happen 

- Transferring will change the structure of your degree:
Because transfer law students have to complete 2 compulsory junior law units per semester you can no longer do your INGS exchange during a semester period, this means you will have to do your exchange in a holiday period or possibly extend your degree by doing part-time law study in final years- this will be explained in section 3 

- It may become hard to complete your last language unit after you transfer, prepare for this and make it easier by attending the overseas intensive summer program worth 6 credit points
(12+6 =18cps = language units done!)

Languages that offer in-country program:
- Chinese     CHNS2650-2657 In-Country Study A-H
- French       FRNC3801-3814 In-Country Study A-D
- Indonesian INMS2650-2657 In-Country Study A-H
- Japanese    JPNS3841-3842  In-Country Study 1-2
- Korean      KRNS2681-2682 In-Country Study A-B

- Because of the clashing requirements prepare to do a lot of running around and talking with faculties, the exchange centre 'Sydney Abroad' and the BIGS degree director. 

- Applying for transfer (even if you don't get in) will cost you a UAC processing fee of $62

- Law textbooks are super expensive RRP $80-250

- Transferring is a muddled process with very little support from the university- that's why this guide exists! 

- (INGS in general) you need to apply for exchange a year before you intend to depart e.g for exchange 2nd year 2nd sem apply at the end of 1st year 2nd sem. For short term winter/summer exchanges the time period before application is necessary may be shorter, but better to organise it ASAP.

    

2. Application process 

You need to apply through UAC as a new application

Steps: 

- Log into UAC/ create new account

- Fill your information into the forms as directed

- Apply for Combined Bachelor of Laws at USYD, there's no option for INGS/LAW because to UAC there is no difference between the range of combined law degrees.

- Submit your application and pay the fee (this can be done through Paypal, Bpay etc)

- Keep the letter you receive as an invoice for your payment as it will have you UAC number

- Wait until Early and Main round offers and check regularly for correspondence

- If successful accept offer through UAC, you will then receive emails from USYD congratulating you for getting into LAW/BIGS and treating you as a new student 

3. After accepting the offer  

Enrolling

- Login into myuni > Sydneystudent and check that you are enrolled in both LAW/BIGS and BIGS then discontinue BIGS* (read * below if you completed a summer program)

- Answer questions as prompted to complete discontinuation

- Check the BLAWS online guide to find out which law units you need to enroll in (different for transfer students)

- Plan out your INGS major (e.g. GOVT, SCLG etc) make sure you meet prerequisites for senior units you wish to do or honours

- Complete the online enrollment process, if you cannot enroll in a subject that the list tells you to due to not completing the prerequisite (most likely LAWS1006 Foundations) apply for special consideration for that unit through Sydneystudent after completing enrollment like normal

2015 Transfer Student Compulsory Law units

 * If you can't enroll (the option isn't there etc) contact the arts faculty to open 'concurrent' enrollment manually. Before discontinuing BIGS you must wait until your credit points have been finalised by your host university having finished processing your records and USYD receiving them, your program coordinator should update you on this via your uni email

Compulsory INGS Exchange 
So you now can't do a non-law exchange during semester because you're a transfer student but you have to do an exchange to meet the requirements of a complete BIGS (oh joy!)

There are several options:

1. Holiday Exchange
If you read the BIGS requirements you only need to do minimum 12 credit points on exchange which can be reduced to a month or two, therefore you can either sacrifice your winter holiday or take a month off your summer holidays to complete this exchange. You'll need to talk to the BIGS director about this and find out your options for winter/summer exchange programs with units relevant to your major from the Sydney Abroad Exchange office. 
(If this sounds disappointing - don't worry you can always do a semester law exchange overseas in year 4 or 5)


2.  Extend your degree
The other option is to apply for a semester exchange of 24cps for your INGS major and extend your degree by half a year to catch up on missed law units or alternatively complete your exchange at the end of the law degree. It is suggested you consult with the law, BIGS director and arts faculty about this process.
Downfall: Combined law is already long enough and this may be complicated

Other Tips

- The Arts Faculty is responsible for your enrolment in Years 1-3 of Combined Law.
The Law School is responsible for your enrolment in the penultimate and final year of Combined Law (there's basically no point in contacting the law faculty until penultimate year unless you have questions about only the law degree or units, anything with enrollment or transfer they wont help)

- If you have friends who have already completed first year law hit them up for cheap textbooks! (check the edition you need though)

- Check out thinkswap.com.au for past student notes on law units, you can exchange your notes/assessments from whatever subjects you did last year to get credit points

- Now that your a law student, download or have a read of the Sydney Law School Undergrad Guide to check out the scholarships and programs available, you also have tonnes more internship opportunities open to you now check the careers centre or just do a google search to seek them out
http://sydney.edu.au/law/fstudent/undergrad/docs_pdfs/2014/2015_Sydney_Law_School_Undergraduate_Guide.pdf


This was written from personal experience and with information from the INGS director based on 2015 information.  If you have further inquiries contact the current degree coordinator or relevant faculties

Contacts:
Faculty of Arts - Ph:+61 2 9351 6673        Email: arts.undergraduate@sydney.edu.au
Law School-       Ph: +61 2 9351 0351         Email: law.info@sydney.edu,au
Exchange Centre 'Sydney Abroad'-  Ph: + 61 2 8627 8322 
Email: study.abroad@sydney.edu.au 
international.exchange@sydney.edu.au