Exchange opportunities for Plymouth students

How study abroad works

There are two options for combining a year abroad with your degree at the University of Plymouth: study abroad and/or an optional placement year. This page is concerned with study abroad options, you can get further information on placement years from the Careers and Employability team or your Personal Tutor. 

You can choose to study abroad for one or both semesters and this will normally take place in your second year (study abroad is not available in your first or final years). You will take modules at your host university that are equivalent to those you would have studied in Plymouth and your choices will be researched by you and discussed and agreed with your academic exchange advisor in advance. If your period of study abroad is optional, marks awarded by your host institution will not contribute to your final degree classification, which will be based on first and final year marks only.

To be accepted for an exchange you must be in good academic standing and have passed all your assessments in your first year, not having committed an academic offence, and have no outstanding debts with the University of Plymouth.

You can study abroad with one of our Bilateral exchange partners or, if you are unable to find a suitable bilateral partner, you may be able to find a host through ISEP. More information about these options is on the panels below.

Our internal exchange application deadlines are:

• 11 January for full year and semester one exchanges
• 17 May for semester two exchanges

You will be notified of the outcome of your application within two weeks of these deadlines. If you are successful, you will then be nominated to your allocated partner who will contact you directly with further instructions on completing your exchange admission. Plymouth Global will check that you meet the eligibility criteria for exchanges and help you with any questions you have.

Find every English taught degree at a top university on this interactive map.

Finances

The general principle for exchange is that tuition fees at your host are not payable but you will usually be responsible for your maintenance, travel, visa and insurance costs whilst you are abroad. However, Student Finance may provide grant support towards these costs as outlined on the Student Finance website.

The University's Student Funding Unit can advise you on all aspects of student funding when you study abroad, including home tuition fee reductions, bursaries and scholarships.

Tuition fees

Whilst you are exempt from paying tuition fees at your host university you will still be responsible for University of Plymouth tuition fees. However if you select to undertake an exchange for a full academic year, your home tuition fee is reduced by 85% - it stays at 100% if you go for only one semester.

Maintenance costs

For Bilateral exchanges you will have to cover your food and accommodation costs.

For an ISEP exchanges, you pay for the food and accommodation costs of the student taking your place at the University of Plymouth and, in return, get free food and accommodation at your host or a bursary to cover those costs. The value of the bursary varies from host to host but it is sufficient to cover your basic living costs.

At Plymouth for 2020/21, the bursary is £7,310 for the full year, £3,550 for semester 1 and £3,760 for semester 2. You will be invoiced for this amount shortly before you depart on your exchange. If you are receiving a maintenance loan from Student Finance you can use this money to cover the charge. To do this, you must complete and return Student Finance's Course Abroad form (see below). Once they have received the form, you will then be able to ask them to pay your maintenance loan to you at the beginning of the academic year.

Notifying Student Finance

You must make sure you notify Student Finance, in June/July, of your intention to study abroad in the following year. When you do this, they will send you a Course Abroad form which has to be filled-in by you, signed by a representative of the University, usually Plymouth Global, and sent back, by you, to Student Finance. Receipt of your completed form triggers the tuition fee reduction, access to the means-tested, enhanced maintenance loan and the availability of a travel grant, again means-tested, whereby you can claim back a significant proportion of your travel, visa and insurance costs incurred on your year abroad. 

Charges

There are no ‘admin’ charges arising from either a bilateral or an Erasmus+ exchange. If you exchange through ISEP you will pay a non-refundable application fee, and a placement fee when you accept a placement. If, after you have accepted a placement, you then withdraw this fee will not be refunded. You are also obliged to take out and pay for ISEP Student Insurance.

Scholarships

The following links provide possible scholarship opportunities that may help you to finance your exchange:

• University of Plymouth scholarships, bursaries and funding
• Roland Levinsky Memorial Fund
• ISEP Scholarships
• European Funding Guide
• British Council
• Commonwealth scholarships for UK citizens

Insurance

It is your responsibility to make sure that you have adequate and valid personal accident, liability and medical insurance cover for the duration of your exchange, including any period spent abroad before and after. The University of Plymouth is not able to provide you with accident or liability insurance, neither in relation to your exchange nor to your personal accident, liability and medical cover.

The NUS recommend Endsleigh as insurers who are familiar with students’ study abroad insurance requirements.

Student European Health Insurance Card (EHIC)

If you are exchanging in Europe, you should carry a valid, time-limited Student EHIC (European Health Insurance Card) with you for your time abroad. The Student EHIC is not an alternative to travel insurance and it is essential that you too have a valid health and travel insurance policy in place before you start your exchange. 

Pricing up a year abroad 

The opportunity to spend a year abroad as part of your studies is an exciting, potentially life changing, prospect. Understanding the expected costs before you immerse yourself in another culture can help you really make the most of your time without unnecessary money worries. This calculator from Sainsbury's Bank can help you to price up a year abroad.