Startup AdVentures

To apply for a Startup AdVenture, you must:

• be 18 years of age or over
• have a minimum cumulative GPA of 4.0
• be enrolled at UQ for the semester following the Startup AdVenture, e.g. to be eligible to apply for the Nov/Dec or Jan/Feb Startup AdVentures, you MUST be enrolled at UQ for Semester 1 and not graduate before June 
• not hold citizenship of the Startup AdVenture destination
• have not participated in a previous international in-person Startup AdVenture program (virtual Startup AdVentures excluded)
• be available for, and ready to commit to the full length of the program
• meet requirements for international travel (refer to the Startup AdVenture Program Overview and T&Cs, and FAQs)
• have demonstrated entrepreneurial activity and education

Startup AdVentures are not available to:

• international students applying to their home country
• UQ staff members employed on a full-time basis
• past participants of an international in-person Startup AdVenture
• students who will graduate in the same semester as the Startup AdVenture program, e.g. you are not eligible to apply for a Nov/Dec Startup AdVenture if you expect to graduate in December 

The Startup AdVenture program is open to all UQ students that meet the Startup AdVenture eligibility criteria, irrespective of faculty, area of study or degree level (i.e., undergraduate, honours, graduate certificate, graduate diploma, masters levels of study or HDR).

Domestic and international students must have completed at least one semester of study at UQ (i.e., at least six units of credit).

Students that have an interest in entrepreneurship and innovation, and are ready to try something different, get out of their comfort zone and test their resilience are best suited to the Startup AdVenture program.

Inclusions:

• Return flights from/to Brisbane
• Accommodation for the duration of the program (may be on a share basis with other [gender matched] students)
• $600 stipend payment to contribute to living expenses in destination
• Startup matching process
• Program schedule (may include orientation, company visits, events and/or entrepreneurship themed activities)
• UQ Travel Insurance
• UQ Ventures t-shirt

Exclusions:

• Meals, food, and drinks
• Transportation costs (in-destination transport costs as well as transportation to/from Brisbane airport)
• Visa entry costs, when applicable
• Other costs associated with international travel (e.g., passports, vaccinations, etc.)
• Optional events and/or activities entry costs
• Personal expenses

Costs:

• $129 AUD non-refundable administration fee - applicable only to successful students accepting an offer from UQ Ventures to participate in a Startup AdVenture.

The Startup AdVenture program has a merit-based, competitive application process.

Application and selection process overview:

1. Check your eligibility
    
2. Read the program overview, terms and conditions, and FAQs, to understand the scope of the program and participant obligations
    
3. Read the information and requirements specific to the Startup AdVenture destination
    
4. Prepare your application – refer to the Startup AdVenture Program Overview and terms and conditions for information on getting assistance completing your application, and how your application will be assessed.
    
5. Submit your written, online application
    
6. Written applications will be assessed by the Startup AdVenture Selection Committee.
   Note: You might be invited to provide additional information throughout the application process.
    
7. Successful applicants will be invited to attend an in-person group interview
    
8. Group interview outcomes will be assessed by the Startup AdVenture Selection Committee
    
9. Announcement of successful applicants and notifications to unsuccessful applicants will be made
    
10. Successful applicants will be required to accept their placement in the Startup AdVenture program, pay their non-refundable administration fee and participate in mandatory pre-departure activities as directed by the UQ Ventures team

Successful applicants will have the cost of their participation in the program covered by either a:

• UQ Grant or,
• New Colombo Program (NCP) Grant (NCP approved destinations only).

Grant availability 

There are more NCP mobility grants available than UQ grants – this means you have a greater chance of being successful in being offered a placement on a Startup AdVenture program if you apply as a NCP mobility grant recipient, subject to fulfillment of the eligibility criteria. 

All Startup AdVenture applicants must meet the grant eligibility criteria.

The Startup AdVenture program is an extra-curricular learning experience.

For it to be considered for course credit, you must be enrolled in a relevant, elective topic and have your Startup AdVenture participation approved by the faculty/course coordinator in advance of the program start date.

It is the student’s responsibility to enquire, gain approval and enrol into the appropriate elective course.

If you are interested in exploring the option of course credit, we encourage you to speak with your Faculty Academic Advisors about your individual circumstances. It is also important to share your intention to enrol in an elective course in your Startup AdVenture application so that UQ Ventures can work with relevant parties to facilitate the conferral of your credit. 

Possible topics for course credit include:

• EAIT - Engineering students with professional practice hours left to complete in their degree can count the internship towards this requirement. Further details on Engineering professional practice.
• Science - For students in the Faculty of Science, Students who have completed at least 24 units and have an elective available can enrol to SCIE3050. More details on SCIE3050 course.
• Organisational Psychology - For undergraduate students with space in their study program, you may be able to enrol in Industrial & Organisational Psychology (PSYC3202). This course is open to students from all UQ faculties. Students interested in this course are advised to speak with their faculty advisor to confirm eligibility.
• Business Industry Placement & Special topics in Business – For students that have a free elective, you may be able to enrol into elective courses such as RBUS3903 - Special Topics in Business or RBUS3999/RBUS4999/RBUS7999 – Business Industry Placement. Students are advised to have a consultation with their faculty Work Integrated Learning Advisor. More details on Internships for academic credit (BEL).

Students participating in a Startup AdVenture are expected to:

• meet all international travel requirements for the Startup AdVenture destination
• participate in all mandatory pre-departure activities and completion of pre-departure requirements. Note: most mandatory sessions are in-person events – refer to key dates section on the Startup AdVenture destination page
• participate in all mandatory in-destination networking and development activities
• commit to and complete the full program duration
• fly to/from the Startup AdVenture destination as a group on the flights organised by UQ Ventures
• acknowledge and agree to their placement startup, or type of involvement at their host startup, may not match their preferences 
• share their Startup AdVenture experience through a Media Project such as LinkedIn posts, blog, vlog or similar media. Details and requirements of the student Media Project will be shared prior to departure
• provide post-program feedback of their experience to UQ Ventures. Details will be shared during the program

Students who withdraw from a Start AdVenture after accepting their placement, will be required to reimburse UQ (up to AU $7000) for:

• all cancellation fees associated with flights, accommodation, and other non-refundable program costs, and;
• any funds that may have been received prior to cancellation (i.e., stipend payment).

Note: the $129 AUD program administration fee, payable upon accepting a placement in the Startup AdVenture program, is non-refundable. 

Q. What are the international travel requirements?

To be considered for an international Startup AdVenture program, you will need to:

• Have a valid passport (with a minimum of 6 months validity from end of the program, i.e., the date of arrival in Brisbane)
• Provide evidence of your right to re-enter Australia if you do not hold an Australian passport. This applies to:
  • Permanent Australian residents – you will be required to provide evidence of your PR status
  • Temporary Australian residents – you will be required to provide a current Visa Entitlement Verification Online (VEVO) report highlighting the expiry date of your Australian temporary residence visa
• Have a valid entry visa for the Startup AdVenture destination country. This may involve:
  • Applying for, and obtaining an e-visa or arrival card through the destination country’s visa-waiver program
  • 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 may wish to commence the passport renewal process. Note this does not give you an advantage over other applicants in the Startup AdVenture selection process.

As of 2023, proof of COVID-19 vaccination or negative COVID-19 test results, is generally no longer a requirement, however some conditions apply, and applicants are advised to check for advice.

It is recommended that all applicants familiarise themselves with the UQ's Student Travel Procedure prior to applying for a Startup AdVenture program.

Q. My passport has expired or is expiring - what do I do and how do I complete the application form?

As per the information in the international travel requirements question, you must have a valid passport with a minimum of 6-months validity from the date of return to Australia. If your passport has expired, or you will not have the required validity, it is strongly recommended you commence the passport renewal process as soon as possible. This is to ensure, if you are offered a place on the Startup AdVenture, there are no delays in you completing your Startup AdVenture onboarding activities, including submitting visa applications. Note: costs associated with passport renewal is at your own costs and does not give you an advantage over other applicants during the Startup AdVenture selection process.

In the Startup AdVenture application form, at the passport upload section, please upload a copy of your expired/expiring passport and enter the date of expiry.

Q. Do I need travel insurance?

All participants of Startup AdVentures 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. Please refer to the Startup AdVenture destination page for dates and details this event.

UQ Travel Insurance covers students for activities that are part of the Startup AdVenture program schedule. Some activities that participants may take part in during personal time may not be covered under UQ Travel Insurance, e.g., snow sports, bungy jumping, 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?

No. As part of the Startup AdVenture program this is organised for you by the UQ Ventures team.

Q. Do I need to apply for a visa?

Yes. The country of the passport you will travel on, will determine if you:

• are eligible to apply for an e-visa or arrival card (typically obtained through the destination country’s visa waiver program), or;
• will need to apply for a visa through the destination country’s embassy.

Successful applicants invited to participate in a Startup AdVenture are required to organise their own entry visa, including covering the cost of the visa and costs associated with obtaining the visa (e.g., flights/transport to an embassy in another state). 

The UQ Ventures team will provide necessary documentation to support your visa application, as specified by the embassy. However, UQ and the UQ Ventures team are unable to assist further or with the provision of information relating to visas.

Q. When does the stipend get paid?

The $600 stipend will be paid in two instalments. 50% payment 1 week prior to the program commencement and 50% halfway through the program.

The stipend will be paid into a bank account (an Australian or international bank) that you nominate when accepting your placement in the program.

Q. If I have completed the Virtual Singapore or a Queensland Startup AdVenture, can I still apply for an in-person international Startup AdVenture?

Yes. If you completed the Virtual Singapore or a Queensland Startup AdVenture, you can still apply for an in-person Startup AdVenture program. However, students are only eligible to participate in one in-person and one virtual AdVenture. For example, if you have previously participated in a Virtual Startup AdVenture you are only eligible to apply for an in-person AdVenture. Please note, if you are applying for your second Startup AdVenture and we receive a high volume of applications, preference will be given to students who have not yet had the opportunity to participate in a Startup AdVenture (virtual or in-person).

Q. How will I be assigned a startup?

If you are offered a place in a Startup AdVenture, you will be requested to provide information about your skillset, industries of interest and objectives for your participation in the program.  

Hosting startups participating in the Startup AdVenture program and our in-destination partners will assess your profile, skillset and your industry preferences to determine suitable matches. You may be invited to meet with host startups for a discussion relating to your skillset, objectives, and expectations.

Whilst consideration to matching participants to their [host startup] preference is made, it cannot be guaranteed. Participants are encouraged you to think broadly about the Startup AdVenture experience and seek opportunities for learning and growth from their startup placement experience, irrespective of the preference match outcome. 

Q. What kind of roles can I expect to be doing during the startup placement?

Your host startup will nominate a project or task(s) for you to complete while you are with them to extend your learning experience. Some students may be in a position to provide programming or technical assistance, whilst other students may be involved in more general projects and activities such as social media content creation, marketing plans, market research, creative problem solving for the business, a branding proposal, or other activities aligned with the startup’s area of business and current business needs.

You might be involved in shadowing the startup founders and/or team and have the opportunity to get involved in various tasks and activities happening in the business. If you have particular skills you would like to develop or apply while on your Startup AdVenture you may be able to negotiate utilising these skills with your startup.

Q. Will I have free time?

Yes! You will have free time in between the time with your host startup (full-time basis) and attending events and activities throughout the program. You will be required to attend startup events and activities organised by UQ Ventures and the local startup community throughout the program. You are advised to view the program schedule before making plans for your free time.