Study Abroad

The option to spend time abroad during your time at university is an amazing opportunity. It's a great chance to explore other cultures, try something new, meet amazing people, and gain experiences which will help you in your future career.

Visit here to find out more from students about their experience of spending time abroad, or chat to a student ambassador here.

To find out more about where you can go and what to do if you’re interested in studying abroad, please read through the information below.

Who can take part?

You can study abroad for a year as an undergraduate if you achieve a first year average of 60 and are eligible to successfully progress to the following year (e.g. no failed modules).

You don’t need to speak a foreign language to participate in Study Abroad: all of the University’s partners outside Europe teach in English and many within Europe offer modules taught in English. Of course, you could always learn a new language by accessing courses at the Modern Languages Teaching Centre.

The option to study abroad for a year is only open to undergraduate students. If you are a postgraduate student, you may be able to take part in a summer school but you will need to check eligibility for each destination - see here for more information about these options.

When can I go?

In the Department of Sociological Studies, we offer Study Abroad as part of a 3+1 degree. This means that if you are an undergraduate studying with us on a three year degree, you can apply in your second year to add a year abroad between your second year and final year.

If you are successful in your application for Study Abroad, you will move on to a 3+1 ‘international experience’ degree programme.

How would this impact my studies?

When you study abroad, it is part of your degree and is not a year out. For all students the experience is assessed on a pass / fail basis and so it will not impact on your honours classification calculation for your degree.  It is a chance to expand your education beyond what is offered at Sheffield. In your year abroad, 50% or more of the modules you select must be appropriate for your degree programme discipline.

How do I find out more information?

You can find out more information by attending any of the Global Opportunities introductory or drop-in sessions in November. You can find out more information about when these are taking place here.

Global Opportunities also have a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) page here. 

How do I apply?

The application process varies depending on where you are applying.

Europe

If you wish to apply for a place at a partner university within Europe, you should complete the Expression of Interest Google Form in the first instance (this will be added to the Student Handbook and circulated via email when available). You will then be invited to discuss your options. The Department will then decide who will be nominated for which destinations.

After students have been nominated to partner universities, the partner university will normally contact you to inform you about their application procedures and deadlines. The application procedures can vary from one university to another. It is important to check the webpages of your host university to make sure you understand the application process and that you don't miss any important deadlines.

Rest of the World

If you are interested in studying outside of Europe, you should complete the Expression of Interest Google Form (this will be added to the Student Handbook and circulated via email when available). You will then be invited to discuss your options. You will need to obtain the full support of your department before submitting an application to Global Opportunities.

You can find out more about the next step of the process, which would be an online application via the Global Opportunities Study Abroad Blackboard organisation, on this webpage.

How much will it cost?

Students spending time abroad as part of their degree are eligible for reduced tuition fees at The University of Sheffield and are not charged fees by the partner university.

You can find a comprehensive explanation of financial information in relation to studying abroad here.

There are also some sessions called ‘Study Abroad - What will it cost?’ being run by Global Opportunities. You can find out more information about those here.

It’s important to bear in mind that there are additional costs that may apply to studying abroad. You may wish to consider how the following could impact your finances:

• Travel to / from your destination

• Accommodation

• Insurance

• Vaccinations

• Visa

• Any financial guarantees (some countries require you to have a certain amount of money in your bank account when making your visa application)

There are a number of funding opportunities available, though these may be competitive. You can find out more on scholarships here and the Turing Scheme here - please note that these options are not exhaustive. 

What do I need to do to prepare?

Once it has been confirmed that you will be studying abroad, you will need to attend a pre-departure meeting organised by Global Opportunities, where you will be briefed on all the necessary steps and actions you need to take before going abroad. The dates of these meetings can be found here.

You will need to complete a Change of Programme form using the programme information below, with the module SCS31003 Sociology International Experience (120 credits) identified on the form. This should be returned to the Undergraduate Programme Officer for approval.  

When the Change of Programme form has been approved, this will then update the student record to reflect the change in programme and degree title. 

You may also find it helpful to look at this page by Global Opportunities, which includes advice on things like:

• Travel insurance

• Travel arrangements

• Accommodation

• Risk assessments

• Health insurance

• Visa requirements

• Registration

What if I don't want to spend a whole year abroad?

If you’re interested in spending time abroad but don’t think a whole year is a suitable option for you, Global Opportunities do provide other opportunities, such as summer schools. To find out more, visit this page.