When I speak to other students about the idea of studying abroad, one thing that seems to hold a lot of people back is the cost. Paying for another year of tuition fees, travel between the UK and your new home, visas, insurance, a new place to live – it seems impossible under the already crushing weight of student debt and limited maintenance loans.
Fortunately, for the meantime at least, both the University of Southampton (UoS) and the UK government recognise the value in studying abroad and the skills it helps students to develop, and so several programs are in place to support students financially and make their dreams of studying and living abroad become a reality.
If you take full advantage of the opportunities available to you when studying abroad, it might just be your most affordable year at university yet!
Turing funding
As you may have heard, since leaving the EU, UK students no longer have access to Erasmus funding, a grant scheme that provided financial support for students studying abroad in Europe. But all hope is not lost, as UK students may be able to access Turing funding – a similar grant scheme, set up by the UK government, funding students to study abroad all over the world.
This is a grant that the university will apply for on your behalf, so approval is out of your hands, and unfortunately not guaranteed. However, if approved, Turing funding provides a certain amount to students per day that they need to be abroad for their course, for the duration of the academic year. This amount depends on the country of residence and the cost of living there, as well as the student’s own finance situation, but can be a significant contribution to the cost of living and studying abroad.
Transport
Travel to your placement abroad, and back to your home country, is a significant cost to be considered when looking into study abroad placements. However, you may be entitled to the Student Finance Travel Grant to help you cover this cost.
You can apply for this grant to cover up to 3 return journeys between your home and your placement abroad. However, you must pay for the first £303 of each journey and take the cheapest options of travel. The amount you are entitled for is means-tested, with your household income considered when calculating how much you will receive, just like the maintenance loan, but you can potentially receive any cost over £303 of each of the explained journeys.
You can also apply for this grant to help you cover the cost of any visa applications that are necessary for you to stay in your placement country, or those that you need to pass through other countries when travelling there. Once again, this is subject to means-testing.
It is important to note, however, that all visa and transport costs must be paid for upfront, and this grant only works as a reimbursement. The upfront cost can be a lot. You also need to have the receipts and documentation for any costs you are claiming for, as you need to send physical copies of these in the post.
Do your research on the costs of visas and transportation, so that you are prepared for how much you have to pay and consider that you may not be entitled to all of the costs that you claim due to the means-testing. It is also important to stay organised and have back-up copies of all receipts and costs you want to claim.
Tuition Fees
At the University of Southampton, students are required to pay 15% of the annual tuition fee when studying abroad for a year, and no fees are required by the host universities. This mean that although you may be paying more than you would have done without the year abroad, you will also have access to an extra year of education, at a fraction of the price of a typical year. This can also be covered by a Tuition Fee loan.
Insurance
The University of Southampton provide you with travel and health insurance for your study abroad placement, removing this extra cost. However, if you wish to travel to other places whilst abroad, you will need your own insurance to cover that.
Cost-of-living
It’s no secret that the cost-of-living in the UK has been rising steadily, making finances increasingly stressful for students. If you’re looking to make your study abroad placement more affordable, research the cost-of-living in the countries you are interested in studying in.
You will still be entitled to the same Maintenance Loan that you receive whilst studying in the UK, but this may cover more of your costs depending on the country that you choose to study in. Whilst it is important to consider that some aspects of living abroad may prove to be more expensive than life in the UK, you may find you make savings in other areas.
Other grants and schemes
- If you’re interested in short term study abroad placements or summer schools, the University of Southampton have several options for fee-waived placements with partner universities and may offer grants and scholarships to help you pay for any extra costs.
- Independent funding bodies also provide grants for studying abroad, although these schemes can be very competitive. For example, the Butex Mobility Scholarships are open to undergraduate students studying or working abroad, for a year, semester or in a summer school, and offers £600 for students interested in sustainability and the environmental impact of their placement abroad.
- You may also be able to find subject specific scholarships, bursaries or grants for your degree program.
Studying abroad can be an incredibly rewarding experience, pushing the limits of your comfort zone, and helping you to grow personally and professionally. There’s no hiding from the fact that there may be some additional upfront costs, but, with all the financial support available specific to studying abroad, there is no need to let this hold you back.
Do your research, keep copies of important documents, stay organised, and you will be ready to go!
Find out more:
- UoS Study Abroad Homepage: Study Abroad and Exchange – Home
- Turing funding: What Is the Turing scheme and are you eligible? | UCAS
- Student Finance Travel Grant: Travel grants for students studying abroad or on placements (England): Overview – GOV.UK
- Butex Scholarship: Scholarships – Butex
