Two great sources of information are the Outgoing Student Handbook and the International Office webpages.
The mark threshold which must be passed to enable a student to go abroad in Stage 3 is 55% in both their Stage 1 and Stage 2 end-of-year marks. This reflects the fact that these are prestigious, competitive programmes which require demonstrable levels of capability and dedication. Students failing to attain this grade will not be eligible to continue on this degree programme i.e. they will not be allowed to go abroad.
The Year in Europe
Students spending their year at one of our Erasmus partner institutes in
Europe in 2011/2012 are eligible for initial funding which currently stands at
€225 per month; an additional Top-Up Grant is paid in late spring,
the value of which is decided each year at a national level (but has
previously been approximately €150 pm).
The Year in North America
The year in North America programme is not supported by external funding in the way an Erasmus exchange is, and is therefore not eligible for this stipend. Students going to North America will also have to demonstrate to the authorities in those countries that they will be able to support themselves financially during their year away.
Newcastle Chemistry offers the following start-up package for all our study abroad students. This package provides personal, organisational and financial help.
The annual tuition fee of £9,000 is payable for students undertaking a study year abroad; no fees are payable to the host institution. However, the University, the European Union and the School of Chemistry offer excellent financial and personal help. See Is funding available? for details.
For EU students, no visa is required, but Student Study Visas are necessary for those going to North America. The student is responsible for applying for their own visa, with the necessary documents issued by the host institution. Students must go to the relevant embassy in their home country to apply. The School will cover visa application costs.
For students going to North America, accommodation in Halls is often provided (but not guaranteed); this is organised by the host institution. Students should also be aware that their accommodation may be a shared study/bedroom; alternatively, lodging in private accommodation is also an option. In Europe the situation varies from country to country, and it is sometimes preferential to organise accommodation within the private sector; the host university can provide more details on this.
The Outgoing Student Handbook provides a calendar of what you should be doing and when, and contains useful checklists at the back.
To ensure that you are supported before and during your year abroad, we have the following mechanisms (see also Is funding available? ):