NUW Alliance Malaysia Science Internships

This program provides eight-week science research internships in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia as part of the 6 unit of credit science or free elective, SCIF3199.

Students are placed within a research group and will contribute productively to a project or series of activities.

While the exact nature of the work will vary depending on the research project, it is a requirement that students will be involved in work that is related to their major of study.

Students are also expected to complete online assessments before and during the work placement. This prepares students for the professional work environment, providing insights on key transferrable professional skills and allows students to reflect on their professional development throughout the experience. More information about specific details of assessments is available at: SCIF 3199.

Students will be allocated a supervisor within the organisation to mentor and support them throughout the experience. In addition to this, a course coordinator is also assigned to SCIF3199, who will monitor progress throughout the placement. The Global Student will also provide 24/7 emergency support throughout the work placement. 

The dates for the program are set from mid-December 2023 to mid-February 2024. Exact dates to be confirmed. 

These dates are non-negotiable and students applying for the program are expected to be available within this timeframe.

The Program Guide lists the host organisations for the summer SCIF3199 program and includes a description of each project they can provide.

It cannot be guaranteed that students will be placed with their preferred research project, however, we will ensure that students are placed in a project that will provide experience directly related to the student's major of study.

The 2023/24 program guide has yet to be confirmed but here is a copy of the 2022/23 porgram guide for reference. 

Details in the below table are based on the 2022/23 program. Costs for the 2023/24 program are TBC. 

Eligible domestic students may be offered an Australian Government New Colombo Plan (NCP) scholarship if they are successful in securing a work placement. $4000 scholarships are available for summer session 2023/24*.

Commonwealth-supported students also have the option of applying for an OS-Help loan to cover additional expenses related to the program. 

International students are welcome to apply and participate in the program, however, they are not eligible for the NCP Scholarship or OS-HELP and are recommended to contact science.industry@unsw.edu.au for more information.

There are 3 stages to the application process. 

Stage 1: Written application 

UNSW Science will select applicants to proceed to stage 2.  

In order to apply, students must: 

• have a minimum 65 WAM 
• have room in their program to enrol in SCIF3199 as a science or free elective (student can request a progress check with The Nucleus Student Hub if they are unsure)
• be studying a relevant major
• provide all requested supporting documents (academic statement, CV, cover letter, copy of passport).   

To proceed to Stage 2, students must also exhibit the four attributes expected of successful applicants: 

• Responsible, with the ability to behave with a high level of maturity and professionalism. 
• Culturally adept, with the ability to act in a respectful and culturally sensitive way. 
• Motivated, with a strong drive to learn new skills and undertake challenging work.    
• Resilient, with the ability to deal with new and difficult situations. 

NCP scholarships will be awarded to the top 20 domestic applicants, based on WAM and cover letter responses. Additional, non-scholarship funded places may be awarded to both domestic and international students.

Supporting documents  

Students must submit four supporting documents with their application. 

1. Academic Statement (can be accessed via the Student Tab on myUNSW). 

2. Copy of the photo page of your passport. 

3. Current CV. 

4. Cover Letter. Please address the cover letter to UNSW Science. The cover letter should be 1 to 2 pages in length, and should: 

• explain why the applicant is interested in the summer placement opportunity 

• highlight the applicant's current skills and experience in their major of study (whether that is through coursework, co-curricular activities, or other work experience) 

• address the four attributes expected of successful applicants. 

Help with application writing

UNSW Careers provide many services to assist students with job application techniques. To have a competitive application, it is highly recommended that you use their online Resume checker and other tips on writing cover letters.  

Students are encouraged to contact UNSW Science (science.industry@unsw.edu.au) if they have any questions about the application process. 

Stage 2: Interviews 

Students selected for Stage 2 will be interviewed by the Science Education Team using either MS Teams or Zoom. This will also be used to set expectations for the program as well as provide you with the chance to ask any question relating to the program.  

Stage 3: Work Placement Agreement 

Successful students will be sent an offer to take part in the program. UNSW Science will advise on fee and activities the student must complete before the program commences as well as organise enrolment into SCIF3199 on the student’s behalf.

Applications closed: 11:45pm Monday 31st October.