Study Abroad is a student mobility programme organised internally by Edge Hill University. The programme allows students to study at universities across the globe that we have an exchange partnership with. We currently have several partners in various subject areas. Read on for all the information you need to take part in the Study Abroad programme.
Why go on an exchange?
There are a number of reasons why students go on exchange. This includes:
the experience of living and studying in another country
the opportunity to learn another language
the opportunity to enhance CVs and employability
the opportunity to gain new skills
the opportunity to meet new people
the chance to open up new and exciting graduate employment markets
‘Graduates who were mobile during their degrees were 1.3 times less likely to be unemployed than their non-mobile peers (3.7% compared to 4.9%).’
‘Mobile students are more likely to achieve a First Class (1st) or Upper Second Class (2.1) in their degree (81% compared to 72%).’
Where can I study?
We have numerous partnerships with universities across the world. Have a look at our Global Opportunities page to see which partners are available to your chosen subject.
Most courses now have a Study Abroad option for a full year between your 2nd and 3rd year, some courses also offer a Semester only option in year 2 as well. Currently we do not offer a Study Abroad programme for Medical courses, PGCE or PG study.
In order to be considered for a place on a Study Abroad Programme you will need to:
Be of good academic standing – average of 2:2 or above (55% or higher)
Have good attendance and good engagement on your course
Have been signed off to go by your department – we contact your department directly for this after you have applied.
How to apply
Applications for Study Abroad for the 2025/26 academic year are now open.
Fill out the online application form through the link below using the guidance notes provided.
Please direct the academic providing your reference to the Academic Reference Form below to complete and send back to you, as you will need to include this in your application.
Please only list partner universities that have been advertised on our Global Opportunities page. We recommend speaking with your Personal Tutor or department International Coordinator before submitting an application.
Please note: You will not be offered a place with one of our partners until after the deadline has passed and all applications have been assessed.
Current – Year 1 applicants
If you are a Year 1 student this year, you can:
apply in your first year to go out for a semester abroad during your second year, if available. This can be either Semester 1 or semester 2 (students must discuss with their Department as not all departments allow this semester only option)
wait and apply in your second year to go out for a full year abroad between your 2nd & 3rd year. We would then change your course to a 4 year sandwich degree.
Current – Year 2 applicants
If you are a second year student you can:
apply to go our for a full year abroad between your 2nd & 3rd year. We would then change your course to a 4 year sandwich degree.
Not sure if studying abroad is for you? Why not check out our summer programmes and apply for a chance to go on one of our short-term experiences at one of our partner universities
Students must be on a full time 3 year undergraduate degree and currently in their 1st or 2nd year of study in order to be eligible to apply for the Study Abroad Programme.
If you are in your 3rd year of study already or a Postgraduate student then unfortunately you are not able to apply for the Study Abroad Programme, however, please do have a look at our Summer Programme options which may be open to you.
How will I fund my exchange?
Turing Grant
PLEASE NOTE: We will not be able to guarantee Turing Grant funding until we have been notified by the Department for Education (DfE) that our funding for 2025/26 has been confirmed.
Students undertaking a study abroad mobility may be eligible to a non repayable grant. The Turing Scheme supports costs of living overseas. Destination countries are divided into three groups with Group 1 having the highest cost of living. You do not need to apply for your Turing Grant, we will do this automatically for you and notify you if you will be in receipt of a grant.
For study abroad placements of nine weeks to 12 months you will receive:
– £380 per month (for Group 1 destinations) – £335 per month (for Group 2 and 3 destinations)
Students from disadvantaged backgrounds will receive a higher amount of funding
– £490 per month (to Group 1 countries/territories) – £445 per month (to Group 2 and 3 countries/territories)
They will also receive funding towards the direct costs of travel depending on the distance between the host and destination provider.
Disadvantaged backgrounds is defined as:-
Students with an annual household income of £25,000 or less
Students receiving Universal Credit or income-related benefits
Care leavers and students who are care-experienced.
Students who have caring responsibilities
Estranged Students
Refugees and asylum seekers
Student finance Travel Grant
If you are not classed as a disadvantaged student then Student finance England offer a means tested travel grant for students studying abroad as part of their course*. For full details, see the travel grants page. In summary, you can apply for funding for:
up to three return flights from the UK to your Host Country
You must pay the first £303 of your travel costs, and your travel grant will be reduced by £1 for each £8.73 of household income over £39,796.
*you can not apply for the travel grant from SFE if you are a disadvantaged student already receiving the travel grant from the Turing Scheme.
Maintenance loan/grant
You will still be eligible to apply for a maintenance loan/grant.
For students studying abroad, the amount of loan available may be higher, please see the Student Finance pages for the latest amounts.
What about tuition fees?
Edge Hill University provides tuition fee support for EHU Home students taking part in International mobility.
Home students on a full year Study Abroad Programme – tuition fees = £1,430. This will be waived and therefore you will not have to pay any additional tuition fees for your study abroad year.
Home students on a semester only Study Abroad Programme – Tuition fees = £9,535. However, a portion of this fee (£4,767.50) will be waived based on the time spent abroad, meaning you will pay £4,767.50 in tuition fees to EHU.
Once selected this will be adjusted with your fee provider, such as SFE or equivalent.
If you are an international student taking part in Study Abroad then the tuition fee you will be charged is:
International students on a full year Study Abroad Programme – tuition fees = £3,400
International students on a semester only Study Abroad Programme – tuition fees = £8,500
The above is correct for the 2025/26 academic year only and will be reviewed and updated for 2026/27 academic year in January 2026.
How much does studying abroad cost?
There are a few different costs to think about before studying abroad and some of these costs will depend on where you are going and how long for.
You will need to cover the costs of your travel, accommodation, insurance and living costs – most students will use a mixture of their SFE Maintenance loan (or equivalent), their Turing Grant and any income or savings they may have.
If you need a visa to go to the country you are planning to study in then there will be a minimum financial requirement that you must show in order to satisfy the visa terms. Again this is usually made up of a mixture of SFE Maintenance loan (or equivalent), Turing Grant and any income or savings you or a family member who is willing to sponsor you may have. You do not need to have this actual amount in your bank account but you must be able to provide evidence such as your award letters to show you will have access to this money.
Looking at the general cost of living in different countries can help you decided where you would like to consider studying. In general it is more expensive to go to the USA than it is to go to a university in the EU or Asia.
Will I need a visa to study abroad?
This will depend on where you are going, how long for and your own nationality.
It is your responsibility to check if you require a visa for the country you are travelling to, the easiest way to do this is to visa the Government webpages of the country you are travelling to.
Please be aware that applying for a visa can take up to 10 weeks so you need to start this process as early as possible once you have had your Study Abroad placement confirmed. Some visa applications will require you to make an appointment at the UK visa office/consulate or embassy of the country you are visiting once you have submitted the application. You will need to check where your nearest office is as sometimes you will need to travel to London if there is not a more local one to you.
The partner university will provide you with guidance on how to apply for your visa, please contact them directly with any questions about your visa requirements.
Please note: As the UK are no longer part of the EU, UK nationals now require a visa to study in EU countries.
Will it count towards my degree?
You will study approximately the same number of credits as you would if you had stayed at Edge Hill University (1 year = 120credits, 1 semester = 60credits). You will still be registered as an EHU student whilst at the Partner University. Once you have returned from studying abroad, your results won’t count towards your final degree classification but you will be required to successfully complete your modules at the partner university.
Do I need to know a language?
The majority of our host institutions deliver in English and will not require you to know another language. However, you may find it useful to learn some basics. You may also wish to consider EHU Language Learning opportunities, where relevant, in preparation for your time abroad. More information can be found online.
What happens once I submit my Study Abroad Programme application?
Once you have submitted your application to us we will check that we have everything we need from you such as:
You have fully answered all application questions
You have provided 3 different partner options for your Study Abroad placement
You have attached an academic reference with you application
you have passes your previous year with enough points to satisfy the minimum requirements of most partner universities. This is usually a GPA (Grade Point Average) of 2.75 which is equivalent to an overall average of 50-54 or a 2:2 here in the UK.
Your department have agreed to you going on a Study Abroad placement
*Please be aware that we will not start looking at individual partner placements until after the application deadline.
Once our application deadline has passed the Study Abroad Team will start placing all applicants that have met all the above requirements with one of their 3 chosen partner options. Please note that it is not always possible to send you to your first choice of partner.
We will then contact you to let you know which partner you have been selected to go to and ask that you confirm if you would like to proceed.
If you choose to proceed we will then nominate you to the chosen partner university during the nomination period, this is usually February to March. After this it is then the partner university that will take over you application. The partner will contact you and ask you to complete a second application directly with them. They will also send you information on accommodation options, visa advise and information on selecting the modules you will study with them. You should also be given the contact details of someone you can contact to ask any questions to.
The whole Study Abroad application and placement process can take quite a long time to complete, please keep an eye on your student emails so that you don’t miss any information or requests from us or the partner Study Abroad Team.
Who arranges my travel?
You will be responsible for arranging your own travel.
The partner university will let you know what dates you are expected to arrive by and depart. If you require a visa to travel please make sure this has been granted before you book your flights.
Most partner universities will have specific arrival dates and they may arrange an airport pick-up for you. Please contact them to confirm this.
You may wish to book return flights to come home during holidays such as at Christmas or during the Easter break, it is recommended to do this in advance to get the best dates and prices.
If you are unsure of the best way to travel or the nearest airport or station to arrive into then please contact the partner study abroad or international Team to ask for advice.
Do I need to complete any paperwork?
There will be various things we will send you and need you to complete at different times prior to going out on your Study Aboard Programme:
Turing Grant Letter (confirming your grant amount) – sent to you in May
Sign your Turing Grant Agreement – sent to you in May
Sign your Overseas Student Placement Agreement – sent to you in May
Complete your Emergency Contact Form – sent to you in May
Complete & Sign your Risk Assessment – sent to you in June
Complete your Bank Details Form – sent to you in June
Complete your Transfer Form for your student record – sent to you in June
Receive your EHU Insurance certificate – sent to you in July
Receive your Turing Grant Payment – paid to you in early August
Please note that we will not be able to pay your Turing Grant to you if any of the above list is outstanding.
You will also have various tasks to compete requested by the partner university, these may include:
Application to study with them
Accommodation application
Financial guarantee/statement
Visa application
Health insurance form
Course or module selection form
Please ensure you check your emails regularly and set aside time to complete the required forms or paperwork. Delays in completing some forms or applications can result in you not being able to go on your Study Abroad Programme.
What if I want to come home?
It can be quite a daunting challenge going to study in another country so it is very normal to have some nerves.
If you change your mind about going on your Study Abroad Programme prior to it starting, you can usually continue with your original studies here at EHU. Depending on how close to the start date you withdrew the following may need to be considered:
If you have already booked flights you will likely not get a refund unless it is due to medical issues
If you have paid your accommodation costs at the partner university it would be at their discretion as to if you could be refunded or not.
If you have paid for a visa application you will not be able to have this refunded.
If you decided to return home once you have already started your Study Abroad placement then it will depend on whether you are on a semester or full year placement as to what your options are:
Semester only placement: You will need to speak with your department here at EHU to see if it would be possible for you to complete enough credits to continue without needing to resit your 2nd year. Full year placement: You would need to interrupt the year and return to complete your 3rd year the following September.
There is more flexibility and options for continuing with your studies as originally planned at EHU if you return before the transfer deadline which is approximately 4 weeks after the semester starts.
In the first instance, we would ask that you contact us at [email protected] to talk about how you are feeling. We would also advise you speak with the support team at the partner university if you are already there as they will be able to help you with issues such as overcoming home sickness, joining social activities and meeting other students.