St Peter’s
RC Sixth Form
Higher Education: Studying abroad
Funding for Studying Abroad
Many students choose – or have to – spend some of their degree
studying or working abroad. This doesn’t just apply to students
studying a foreign language.
There are three main options if you are going abroad during term-time.
You might:
- Study at a foreign university.
- Teach English in the country concerned whilst you improve your language skills.
- Do another job relevant to your degree subject.
From the point of view of your bank balance, the first option is the most
expensive.. Teaching English usually pays a small salary, as do most (but
not all) other jobs. Your university should help you to find positions
abroad.
If you are going to study abroad, this can be expensive and so most of
the rest of this section explores the financial implications of studying
at a university in another country.
Students who spend a year abroad usually pay reduced tuition fees for
that year. The maximum reduced fee is £550 for the year, although
this figure, like the full £1,100, is means-tested against parental
income.
If you spend the entire year abroad, such as on an ERASMUS exchange, you
should not have to pay any contribution to your tuition fees. Whether
you will have to pay fees at host universities outside the ERASMUS scheme
will depend on individual circumstance.
You are still entitled to your student loan if you study abroad. If you have to study abroad for eight or more consecutive weeks during any academic year as a compulsory part of your course, you could even be eligible for a larger loan, depending on where you study. Contact your LEA for more precise information.
You could also be entitled to a grant for your travel costs over a certain amount. In 2002/3 the grant was equal to the amount you reasonably have to pay, less the first £265.
The ERASMUS Scheme
The SOCRATES-ERASMUS scheme is the best-known European study programme
for university students. It offers students the opportunity to live and
study in another European country for all or part of a year. Most universities
in the UK participate in ERASMUS. If you are interested in studying abroad
as part of your course, it is worth finding out from your course director
whether ERASMUS is a possibility.
ERASMUS is supported by the EC and it is possible for British students to study in any of the EU or European Economic Area (EEA) countries. The period abroad is usually spent attending university lectures in your subject, either in the language of the country or in English.
There are various eligibility conditions, including your academic and language achievements, the course you are doing, and the country you are going to study in.
If you study at a European university for a year as an ERASMUS student, you will be eligible to apply for an ERASMUS grant. The grant is not an automatic right, and is not given to all ERASMUS students; it is also not a large sum of money. The exact amount varies according to the year and the current exchange rate.
The Leonardo Programme
The Leonardo Programme is another EU scheme which encourages students
and graduates to live in another country and take a vocational training
scheme of up to 12 months with an employer. If you go abroad with this
scheme you might be paid a small salary by your employer for the duration
of your placement. The Leonardo Programme contributes to language course
fees and living and travel expenses.
Find out more about studying abroad
For further info. on ERASMUS, preferably contact your university or:
UK Socrates-Erasmus Council,
R & D Building,
The University of Kent at Canterbury,
Kent,
CT2 7PD.
Tel: 01227 762712
Fax: 01227 762711
Email: Erasmus@ukc.ac.uk
web: www.erasmus.ac.uk
If you want to do your whole degree abroad, you could also look at: ‘Commonwealth Universities Yearbook’, published by the Association of Commonwealth Universities. A detailed guide to 600 universities of the Commonwealth. Appendices include a short description of the Commonwealth Scholarship and Fellowship Plan and addresses of Commonwealth Scholarship agencies worldwide.
Interested in studying in
the USA?
Contact:
The US Educational Advisory Service of the Fulbright Commission,
62 Doughty St.,
London,
WC1N 2JZ.
Advisory Service Tel. No: 020 7404 6994
Email: education@fulbright.co.uk
Web: www.fulbright.co.uk
Higher Education pages updated 23rdJune 2003