Study Abroad

If you want to apply to study abroad, you must do the following:

• Research and select three partner universities you are interested in - and make sure your choices offer courses relevant to your current UCA degree. Please note we cannot guarantee your first choice. 
• Gain consent and endorsement from your Programme Director or Academic Lead
• Apply to UCA to participate in the program via the online application form 

Applications open in January each year. 

Once you have applied, UCA will nominate you to one of your university choices, and if successful you’ll receive an official invitation to apply to the partner university. It is your responsibility to complete the host university application by the deadline to secure your place.

Semester Exchange takes place in Year Two (level 5), you can select to study abroad for either the Autumn or Spring semester.

The international study year takes place between Year Two (level 5) and the students’ final year at UCA (level 6), extending a three year undergraduate degree to four years.

All students on a three-year undergraduate degree can apply for the semester exchange programme.

International students on a UCA-sponsored student visa can only apply for the International Study Year if they initially enrolled in the four-year degree with a Professional Practice Year at UCA and remain enrolled in this program.

It is important that you select and study courses relevant to your UCA degree for your semester abroad to count towards your UCA degree. It is your responsibility to research the course and units on offer at your host institution. Together with your academic lead, you should select the courses you wish to study, ensuring these are compatible with your UCA degree and the credits that you earn can be counted towards your UCA degree before you apply to your host Institution. These courses must be taught in English unless you meet the language requirements for host university and your request to study in another language is approved by your Programme Director.

Yes, the credits earned abroad as part of your exchange programme will be transferred back to UCA (normally the equivalent of 60 UCA credits per semester).

However, your exchange will only be awarded a “pass” or “fail” grade due to the difficulty translating the grades used in different education systems. This means that the exchange will not count towards your final classification. 

Students who undertake and pass the International Study Year Program will be awarded the 'International Study Year' Suffix. 

You are not required to pay the host institution’s tuition or examination fees. However, you will continue to pay tuition fees to UCA and will be responsible for covering all travel, visa, accommodation, personal and living costs.

If you receive a maintenance grant or student loan from Student Finance England, you will still receive this abroad, but please be aware that amounts may vary.

Additionally, UCA participates in the Turing Scheme, which provides funding for individuals undertaking education or training in the UK to study abroad. You can apply for this during the application process.

Turing Scheme funding amounts vary depending on the length of the study abroad, the distance from UCA, and the cost of living in the destination country. Any funding will only assist towards the cost of travel and living expenses.

For more information about the Turing Scheme, visit https://www.gov.uk/guidance/turing-scheme-apply-for-funding-for-international-placements

Your accommodation options will be different depending on which university you are going to. Your host university can provide specific information on the halls of residence, affiliated halls and private accommodation. Many have accommodation information on their websites, and dedicated accommodation teams to support you. 

For more information contact the UCA Global Mobility Team via exchange@uca.ac.uk