University of Sheffield

After acceptance to study abroad as an exchange student to the University of Sheffield through Illinois, you will need to submit a host university application as well.

STEP 1

Once you have officially been accepted by Illinois to study abroad at Sheffield, we will officially nominate you via our online nomination form. Shortly after, Global Opportunities & Exchanges will send you an email with a link to the online application.

• • Please download the Application Guide and read it very carefully before submitting your application.

  • Please check your email regularly for correspondence from globalopps@sheffield.ac.uk.

STEP 2

Complete the online application, with course selections, and upload your supporting documents. You should not submit any other documents than the items listed from the University of Sheffield, and they should be in electronic format.

• • Your most recent transcript of records, showing the modules you have studied and any results (official and in English)

  • Reasons for applying (outlining the reasons why you wish to study at the University of Sheffield. Max 1000 words)

  • One academic reference (must be from someone who teaches you an academic subject)

  • Architecture Students Only: Please also send a digital portfolio of approximately 10 pages (max file size 20MB), providing a sample of your work to date.

DEADLINES

• • May 1 (fall start)

  • October 1 (spring start) / September 1 for Architecture Students

The University of Sheffield has an additional scholarship you can apply for that awards up to £1,500 for a full academic year, or £750 for one semester. You will need to submit an application by the following deadlines:

• • Fall semester programs (August 1)

  • Spring semester programs (December 1)

Program Dates

• • Spring Semester 2021: February 7-June 11, 2021

  • Fall Semester 2021: tba

  • Academic Year 2021-22: September 20, 2021-June 12, 2022

See Official Term Dates

Arrival & Orientation

Arrival information, including where to go for your airport pick-up on the scheduled day, and about the orientation schedule, will come from the University of Sheffield. Therefore, do not book your airline tickets until first verifying the expected arrival and departure dates with them.

If arriving at the Manchester Airport, you may be able to ride a shuttle to Sheffield's campus. If arriving at London Heathrow Airport, you may have to ride a train to Sheffield.

A good resource to view is the Traveling to Sheffield webpage.

Fall semester students have the opportunity to take advantage of Meet & Greet Service (Airport pick up assistance).

Orientation Week occurs the week prior to class starts, and both attendance and a registration for the event is required.

Entering the United Kingdom

• • You must not enter via the Republic of Ireland. If you do, you will not pass through UK immigration control and you will not get the correct permission for study in the UK.

  • Do not go through the e-gates at Heathrow Airport, because you will bypass the immigration control officers. If you do not physically meet with a United Kingdom immigration control officer, you will not recieve the proper student visa documentation and will have to leave the United Kingdom to restart the entry process.

  • Always carry your University of Sheffield offer letter, proof of accommodation booked in Sheffield and your most recent bank statements with you in your hand luggage to present to an Immigration Officer to provide evidence for the purpose of your stay.

It is important to review Visa and Immigration policies prior to ticket purchase and again prior to departure in order to ensure compliance with United Kingdom immigration laws and regulations.

Travel Advisory

Due to the current global pandemic, it is advised that students arrive in the United Kingdom two weeks prior to the start of classes, in order to safely complete the mandatory quarantine requirement. Students will quarantine in the dorms provided at Sheffield upon arrival.

All Exchange and Study Abroad students are guaranteed a place in University owned accommodation if your application is submitted before the deadline. You must complete the online accommodation application by the deadline. You cannot apply for accommodation until you have received your offer letter and accepted your place on the Study Abroad Program, so it is important to apply early.

Approximately 48 hours after you have received your offer letter for a place on the Study Abroad Program, you will receive an email about the MUSE system.

Once you have have accepted the offer, you will then get an email about accommodation, explaining how to apply for the accommodation through MUSE.

Deadlines

• • Fall programs: July 31

  • Spring programs: December 1

Academic Culture

In the United Kingdom, courses are called modules. Schedules are called timetables. Majors and minors are called courses. Students should expect to engage in more independent study while in the United Kingdom, than they do in the United States. Courses tend to include less homework and weekly assignments so the majority of grading is based on end of semester work.

Registration

• • You will select desired modules as part of your application for admission. It is possible to change modules after arrival during the add/drop period. You will need to utilize the Course (Module) Directory as a resource for choosing modules.

  • When you arrive at Sheffield, you'll be allocated a personal tutor who can offer you general support, advice and guidance.

  • You will enroll in 60 credits to be full-time. Most courses are 10 or 20 credits.

  • Open Subjects to study abroad students can be found at this link.

Academic Formats

• • You must attend all timetabled course activities unless your absence has been approved.

  • In most departments, you'll be expected to attend lectures, seminars or tutorials. In the science and engineering subjects, lab based practical sessions are common. Fieldwork and practical classes are also common in archaeology, architecture, journalism, engineering and geography.

  • Tutorials are linked to most lecture programs. You'll be placed in smaller groups to discuss the content of lectures in greater depth.

  • Some courses have seminars in addition to or instead of lectures, and they run like tutorials, but are purely interactive and require greater independent work.

Due to the global pandemic, you should expect a hybrid teaching model, with lectures online and smaller classes taking place in person with social distancing. Details are available on the University of Sheffield COVID-19 website.

Transcripts

• • Students need to order their own transcript, and instructions for doing so are available here. You can order a digital transcript or a printed transcript.

  • Transcripts must be ordered after the end of the program. You must include the University of Illinois as an official recipient of your transcript in order for it to be processed. The time for receipt and processing can take a few months.

  • Be patient, when your transcript is received by the Office of the Registrar, a digital copy is uploaded into your My Study Abroad documents.

The University of Sheffield has over 350 societies (clubs) within the student union.

Students who wish to travel during their program may be particularly interested in the Travel Appreciation Society at Sheffield.

The University of Sheffield also has an optional mentoring program that pairs you to a second or third year undergraduate student. Mentors can provide local engagement opportunities and offer personal support. You will need to apply for one through the mentoring webpage.

For information regarding cultural engagement at Sheffield and student perspectives, visit the Sheffield Youtube Channel.

• I wish I would have gotten a tram pass since I would use it quite a bit to get around the city since most days it rains. Also pack more clothes for the cold since warm weather is hard to come by.

• I stayed in birchen apartments. It is by far the best option for study abroad students. It allowed for a robust social net to foster among all the study abroad students. Everyone was friends with everyone. It was a fantastic experience living there.

• It's the same size as UIUC on a much smaller, more urban footprint. It is just as diverse and international of a student population, but is even more diverse. The student body has a wider array of countries being represented with Australia, Germany, Austria being more represented than at UIUC.

• They had a wonderful orientation week solely for study abroad students. They had an amazing information desk at the student union that acted as a "catch-all" for any question you had about anything. It was a fantastic resource that I wish existed at UIUC. The gym was small, and expensive, but it was worth it.

• Sheffield is not a big city. Do not expect a hustle-and-bustle feel. It is quiet and peaceful, while also boasting an adequate nightlife. Manchester is an excellent escape on the weekends when you desire a more urban environment.