Startup AdVenture Program Details
Ventures Startup AdVentures are learning experiences specialising in innovation and entrepreneurship with local, regional Queensland and global startup communities. Selected UQ student entrepreneurs will be allocated a startup to learn alongside for the month and are expected to participate in all organised events such as pre-program meetings and networking events to socialise with the local startup ecosystems.
Please read the Program Details carefully before applying and email the team at ventures.sua@uq.edu.au should you have any further queries.
How to apply
Startup AdVentures have a merit-based, competitive application process.
1. Check your eligibility
To apply and participate in the Startup AdVentures program, you must be:
- 18 years or over
- Available for and ready to commit to the full length of the program
- Have a minimum cumulative GPA of 4.0
- Remain enrolled at UQ for the duration of the program (i.e not in your final semester or expecting to graduate prior to the end of the program)
- 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
2. Prepare your application
If you meet the eligibility criteria, submit an application via our online application form.
Applicants will be assessed against the following selection criteria:
- Demonstrated commitment to the Startup AdVentures program and learning experience
- Demonstrated communication and interpersonal skills
- Demonstrated interest in entrepreneurship and innovation (prior participation in Ventures programs or similar experience is desirable)
- The Startup AdVenture experience is of value to/aligns with current or future goals or aspirations
Please provide clear, concise, and meaningful answers to address the selection criteria. If you need assistance with how to write a strong application, please refer to the resources available from UQ Careers and Employability.
Your responses will be assessed by our selection panel and if your written application is successful, you will be invited to an interview.
What happens next?
- The Startup AdVenture Selection Committee will convene to assess all written applications against the selection criteria. If your written application is successful you will progress to an interview round.
- Following interviews, all successful and unsuccessful applicants will be notified by email.
- Successful applicants will be required to accept their offer and pay an AUD$89 program fee (non-refundable) to secure their place.
- After accepting their offer, successful applicants will be matched with a host organisation/startup and invited to pre-departure sessions to prepare you for the Startup AdVenture.
Costs and funding
If accepted to the Startup AdVenture you are required to pay a non-refundable AUD$89 to support administrative and networking event costs and any required visa costs for travel to your destination.
The remaining cost of your participation will be covered through a UQ grant or New Colombo Plan grant (please refer to information on ‘Funding options’ below). Program funding is paid directly to the program providers not to individual students.
The UQ Ventures team will work with all successful participants to ensure you have the correct funding before you begin the program.
IMPORTANT: If a successful applicant withdraws from the Startup AdVenture within 30 days from the program start date, or at any point during and until the end of your program, the successful applicant will be required to reimburse UQ for the following funds dependent on their program location:
- Funding up to the value of $6,000 AUD
Funding options
Successful applicants will have the cost of their participation in the program covered by either a UQ Grant or New Colombo Program (NCP) Grant, depending on the Startup AdVenture destination. The UQ Ventures team will match you to a grant type based on if the Startup AdVenture destination is covered by the NCP Grant and your eligibility (outlined in the table below). Grant types cannot change grant types once you accept your place in the program.
UQ Grant eligibility | NCP Grant eligibility |
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Please note that if you are considered eligible for NCP funding, you will be contacted by UQ Ventures staff to verify your eligibility and complete the relevant documentation.
International travel requirements and insurance
To be considered for international Startup AdVenture offerings, you will need to have valid travel credentials that will have to be submitted to UQ Ventures prior to acceptance into the program. For all participants, this would include:
- A valid passport (with a minimum of 6 months validity after the end of the program)
- A valid re-entry visa to Australia (for participants not holding Australian passports)
- A valid tourist visa for the destination country (or a valid passport from a country that participates in a visa-waiver program for the destination country)
Please note that while flight and accommodation details are taken care of by UQ Ventures, visa applications and fees are the responsibility of participants, and UQ Ventures does not assist in this process. If you require information regarding your travel arrangements to support your visa application, such as the address of your accommodation or travel dates, please reach out to UQ Ventures. If you are unsure whether you need a visa for the destination country of the program you’d like to join, see UQ's six steps to travel.
Other travel credentials, such as proof of COVID-19 vaccination or negative COVID-19 test results, may be necessary, depending on the destination. Please keep in mind that these requirements are not set by The University of Queensland, or UQ Ventures. UQ Ventures staff will monitor mobility requirements based on the intended destination of any given Startup AdVenture, and brief applicants during the recruitment process on what will be required to travel.
Visit UQ Employability for a detailed explanation of UQ's Student Travel Procedure. It is recommended that all applicants familiarise themselves with this procedure prior to application.
All participants of Startup AdVentures will be covered by an appropriate level of travel insurance under the University’s existing policy. Please login to view this information.
Student stipend
Program participants will be eligible to receive a $600 cash stipend to help support participation in the program. Participants will need to submit supporting information (bank details) when they accept their program offer for the stipend to be paid to their account.
The $600 stipend will be paid in two instalments. 50% payment upon program commencement and 50% upon program completion.
Participant obligations
- Students are expected to participate in the full program and to attend all compulsory networking and development activities.
- Students will be bound to confidentiality and will be clearly informed of their legal and performance obligations.
- Students are expected to share their Startup AdVenture experience through social media posts and/or blog posts. If selected, this will be clearly outlined prior to commencing the program.
- If a successful applicant withdraws from the Startup AdVenture within 30 days from the program start date, or at any point during and until the end of the program, the successful applicant will be required to reimburse UQ for the following funds dependent on their program location:
- Funding up to the value of $6,000 AUD
Course credit
The Startup AdVentures 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 AdVentures participation approved by the topic coordinator prior to the program start date.
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 outline your intention in your 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.
HASS (only available for programs in Nov/Dec) - For students in the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, students who have completed at least 16 units and have 2 units of elective space available can enrol to PHSS2000. More details on PHSS2000 course. More details on PHSS2000 course.
Fair Work requirements
Please note: due to the Fair Work Act 2009, students cannot exceed 30 days of unpaid work per calendar year unless they have a professional practice unit as part of their degree.
FAQs
Q. If I have completed the Virtual Singapore or a Queensland Startup AdVenture, can I still apply for an in-person global Startup AdVenture?
A. Yes, if you completed the Virtual Singapore or a Queensland Startup AdVenture you can still apply for one of the in-person Startup AdVentures. 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?
A. If you are selected, you will share your areas of interest to be considered for matching you with startup host. We will do our best to match you to a preferred organisation, however this cannot be guaranteed. Remember, there is so much to be gained and learnt from working with any of our startups and host organisations and we encourage you to think broadly about the experience.
Q. What kind of roles can I expect to be doing?
A. Your host startup will nominate a project or tasks for you to complete while you are with them to extend your learning experience. Projects can be diverse and may include 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 will also be work shadowing to learn from the startup founders and team and may 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. What does the NCP grant or UQ grant cover?
A. The funding covers the placement at your startup, accommodation and travel costs (if applicable), and the stipend you will receive.
Q. What if I withdraw from the Startup AdVenture?
A. If a successful applicant withdraws from the Startup AdVenture within 30 days from the program start date, or at any point during and until the end of the program, the successful applicant will be required to reimburse UQ for the following funds dependent on their program location:
- Funding up to the value of $6,000 AUD