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Asia Exchange

4.88 Rating
40 reviews
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Why choose Asia Exchange?

Asia Exchange offers the most convenient, affordable and academically rewarding study abroad experiences in Asia-Pacific. Our thirteen partner universities are located in the most intriguing cities and places in Asia. Applying is simple and you can get your confirmed study place sometimes within a day. Submit your application and get ready for an unforgettable experience in Taiwan, South Korea, China, Malaysia, Japan, Thailand, Indonesia or Vietnam!

Founded
2007
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Alfama, my favorite area in Lisbon

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  • Go Overseas Award
  • Go Overseas Award

Reviews

Natascha
Germany
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program
Program:
Study Abroad in Bali, Indonesia at Udayana University

Highly recommend!

Dec 12, 2023

Asia Exchange is an outstanding organisation that enables students to have a unique and enriching study experience in Asia.The application process was simple and well structured. The team at Asia Exchange were extremely helpful and always available to answer any questions I had and offer support. The clear instructions and efficient communication made the whole preparation process stress-free. The organisation organises cultural events, excursions and orientation days that allowes students to experience the local culture in depth and quickly find their feet in the new environment.
I can recommend Asia Exchange without reservation. The organisation not only provides excellent academic opportunities, but also creates a supportive and inspiring environment to get the most out of studying in Asia.

Simon
Male
Germany
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program
Program:
Study Abroad in Bangkok, Thailand (Siam University)

Great Time!

Apr 7, 2023

Hi, I'm Simon Hocevar. I had the opportunity to participate in Asia Exchange's program and study at Siam University in Thailand. It was a truly transformative experience for me as I was able to gain new knowledge, skills, and perspectives while fully immersing myself in Thai culture. Further, people at university speak good englisch so you can easily make new friends and get to know people from all over the world. I am grateful to Asia Exchange for providing me with such an unforgettable opportunity.

Pros
  • Cheap Cost
  • Getting to know like minded people
  • Fun
What other participants should know
  • Too Hot Sometimes
  • High humility
  • Initial food intolerance
Alice
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program
Program:
Study Abroad in Bangkok, Thailand (UTCC)

Life changing experience in Lisbon

Feb 23, 2023

First of all, I must state that the service provided was truly outstanding. The admission process was smooth and seamless, making it easy for me to select the destination and apply within only two weeks. The staff was helpful and efficient both before and after the departure.

The exchange program has been an incredible opportunity to experience life in a new country, with different culture, in my case Lisbon, Portugal. The city is vibrant, the people are very welcoming, and the university taught me skills that I will cherish for the years upcoming.

Overall, I would highly recommend Asia Exchange to anyone looking for a unique and enriching experience. Whether your aim is to learn a new language, explore a new culture or gain valuable skills for your future career and university curricula; the association will provide you with the guidance to fulfil your dreams!
https://asiaexchange.org

Pros
  • Welcoming people
  • Vibrant city
  • Weather
What other participants should know
  • Hard to find a rent
  • High rent prices
  • Everyone speaks a good English, meaning that you are not forced to learn Portuguese
Alfama, my favorite area in Lisbon
Chilling in a café up in the mountains
Tim
Male
Luxembourg
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program
Program:
Study Abroad in Bangkok, Thailand (UTCC)

The biggest adventure of my life

May 6, 2021

First of all, I want to thank Asiaexchange for continuously developing new programs and making it as easy as possible for students to go abroad.
I went abroad as part of my gap year because I wanted to mix a different culture with an academic side. My stay abroad shaped my expectations about where and what to study and I met a lot of great people in Bangkok.
Considering the unfortunate circumstances (Covid-19), my stay couldn't have been much better and I'm looking forward to going abroad for a few months again in the future.
Moreover, the UTCC campus is quite lovely and I enjoyed spending time there.
I recommend going abroad to everyone.

What is your advice to future travelers on this program?
You might have doubts, because that is usually the most human reaction towards possible new experiences. But don't let them stop you from participating in this program. I'm sure you will enjoy your time aborad and benefit from it at the same time.

I recommend arranging appointments to visit accommodations before your journey to Bangkok and then booking a place just for the first 5-7 days, so that you will have enough time to visit all of your accommodation options. I used only Airbnb and definitely recommend it.
Two key factors for a good location:

1. Being close to an MRT or a BTS Skytrain station
2. Being close to your university

Unfortunately, I didn't respect the second point and therefore I spent a lot of time and money to go to the campus as well as visiting my friends, who all lived around that area. The area around UTCC is actually a very nice one.
Madeline
United States
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program
Program:
Study Abroad in Seoul, Korea (Hankuk University of Foreign Studies)

Come to HUFS, see the world

Jul 30, 2020

I was a visiting student at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies in Seoul, Korea, and now I am a full time student at the same school, all with the help of Asia Exchange!! Honestly, if it weren’t for Asia Exchange, I wouldn’t be in Asia at all, because I would have no idea where to start with the process. I got super lucky in finding AE, as they guided me through everything, and basically only required me to fill out their small application and send some forms, the rest they handled directly with the school. I probably sent 100 emails the first month of knowing about Asia Exchange, from asking questions about the visa process, to the school cafeteria, and they had absolutely no judgements and answered everything they could. I’m so glad that I used AE too since all the AE students connected and met up on day one. I formed fast friendships in Seoul because of it. 😊 Asia Exchange is a lifesaver and if you’re apprehensive or nervous at all about studying abroad, having such a supportive exchange program behind you helps so much!!!

And if you’re nervous at all about studying abroad, don’t be. 😊 My experience at HUFS and in Seoul has been life-changing and has changed my entire perspective on the world. Seoul is the most beautiful city and being able to experience it on a local level has been the best experience we could have asked for. HUFS is so incredibly nice to their international students, including having an entire International Students Organization where they allow you to meet Korean students, travel around the city with them, or other things such as language exchange. I don’t think I’ve been bored a single time since moving to Seoul. 😊 As the school says, Come to HUFS, See the World!

What was the most unfamiliar thing you ate?
Wriggling octopus! The tentacles were still moving...
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Programs

Displaying 1 - 2 of 2

Alumni Interviews

These are in-depth Q&A sessions with verified alumni.

Svante Lietzke

Program
Study Abroad in Seoul, Korea (Hankuk University of Foreign Studies)
Svante is 26 years old and from Germany. He is currently working in Helsinki, Finland for an internship and writing his bachelors thesis that is part of his studies of International Transport Management at the Jade University of Applied Sciences in Elsfleth, a really small town in the north of Germany. To get a great difference to that small town he spent one semester abroad studying in Seoul, South Korea, one of the biggest cities in the world.
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Why did you choose this program?

The semester abroad is a mandatory part of my studies in International Transport Management at the Jade University of Applied Sciences. Unfortunately, my home university does not have any agreements with universities in Asia and as I was searching for possibilities I found the website of Asia Exchange.

The program at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies (HUFS) immediately sounded exciting to me as this was also the first time Asia Exchange offered this program. It was always a dream for me to visit the country of South Korea, because of its mixture of modern society and many historic traditions. So I decided to apply immediately.

What did your program provider assist you with, and what did you have to organize on your own?

Asia Exchange was in contact with HUFS and therefore responsible for all the paper work. I had to organize the study visa at the local embassy of South Korea in Germany and book the flights on my own.

Asia Exchange was always there to help even in these cases and tried to assist in questions for the visa. But mainly all the paperwork for HUFS was done by Asia Exchange and that made the process a lot easier. It was good to know that they were always there to help.

What is one piece of advice you'd give to someone going on your program?

South Korea seems to be always a bit forgotten when it comes to semesters abroad in Asia. Of course there are possibilities to go to China, Japan, or South East Asia.

South Korea, and especially Seoul, is such an exciting place to study abroad.

The vibrant city has so much to offer during day and especially at night. I was expecting a great time but everything I experienced during my semester abroad exceeded my expectations. When you think about going abroad to Asia, don’t forget South Korea, you will definitely not regret it.

What does an average day/week look like as a participant of this program?

International Students at HUFS are completely free in their choice of courses so it is basically up to you what your weekly schedule looks like. Of course you should take courses taught in English if you are not an expert in Korean.

I had to take five courses in order to get all the credits I needed for my home university as this semester abroad was mandatory. With these five courses I had lectures from Monday to Thursday, mainly from 9 am until the afternoon. The lectures were very interesting, especially to hear different approaches to subjects from students that were from all parts of the world.

In the afternoon and the weekend there was always a lot of free time to spend with new friends, exploring the city, hiking in the surrounding mountains, singing as loud as you can at karaoke (so called Norebangs – small rooms you can rent with your friends and have a private karaoke party) or even organizing a trip to Busan or Jeju, a beautiful island in the South, or even Japan and the Philippines.

Going into your experience abroad, what was your biggest fear, and how did you overcome it and/or how did your views on the issue change?

Actually the biggest and only fear I had was the language as I don’t speak any Korean. I was afraid that at University or e.g. in restaurants there will be only Korean and that no one will understand me. Of course this was not the case and English is spoken everywhere in Seoul.

Furthermore it was very interesting to try to understand some of the squiggly lines of written Korean. We found out that it was actually not that hard to read and after some time could understand some words or phrases. At least we knew what to order in a restaurant and tell the taxi driver in case they were not familiar with English that much.

Staff Interviews

These are in-depth Q&A sessions with program leaders.

Elsi Lahti

Program
Study Abroad in Universiti Putra Malaysia
Job Title
International Coordinator
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Elsi works as an International Coordinator at Asia Exchange. She helps students with any questions they may have and maintains parternships with home universities in the Netherlands, USA and Belgium.

Elsi has travelled and lived all over the world, and now hopes to inspire as many people as possible to have the experience of a lifetime by studying abroad.

What is your favorite travel memory?

There are some many that it's impossible to choose! When I lived in Australia, I had many amazing experiences and just loved my time there. I learned so much about myself and it set me on the path I'm on now. More recently, I was overjoyed by the warmth and friendliness of the locals in Bali and by the beauty of the island.

How have you changed/grown since working for your current company?

I've been able to visit new countries and meet and work with people from all corners of the world. I've also been amazed by the openness of young adults to step out of their comfort zone and experience the wonders of Asia. I've been able to do what I love and be inspired both by our students and co-workers on a daily basis.

What is the best story you've heard from a return student?

That it really was a life changing experience for them. Honestly, I have never met anyone who regretted their time abroad, so the stories are always inspiring. Whether they learned more about themselves, got new friends for life, realized what they want to do in life, got a another place to call home, met the love of their life (and many times it’s a combination of these!), it's always heartwarming!

If you could go on any program that your company offers, which one would you choose and why?

I would study a semester at Shih Chien University in Taipei, Taiwan for sure. Taiwan is a country that I don’t know much about yet, so I'd like to experience something new. Also, I’ve heard only good things about Taipei and it sounds almost too good to be true! I’ve heard people there are extremely kind and helpful and that it’s a very safe city and diverse in what it has to offer. And, maybe after that, I would study another semester at IPU New Zealand to experience yet a whole other culture.

What makes your company unique? When were you especially proud of your team?

I believe it's the dedication of each and everyone one of our team members to give everyone an opportunity to study abroad and help them achieve it. Every employee in our company has studied abroad, so we know what it's about and want to make it possible for others too. We have a very personal approach and go the extra mile for our students. I'm proud of my team everyday for taking such good care of our students!

What do you believe to be the biggest factor in being a successful company?

Definitely the people behind the company as their motivation and dedication makes everything possible. Without our amazing team and their expertise in studying in Asia, we would not be where we are today and able to provide these amazing opportunities to our students. We love what we do and what could be more motivating than that.