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European Partners

We have a network of over 170 partner universities across Europe where you can study as part of your degree.

Each of our partners is linked to a particular subject area. Which partner you choose to study with will depend on what you are studying at Newcastle.

Global Opportunities is liaising with current Erasmus partners to confirm their availability for student exchanges in 2022/23. Please be aware before you decide to apply that some partner university agreements are yet to be confirmed. For the latest updates, please see our Go Abroad Fair teams. 

Partners Outside Europe

We have a growing list of partner universities located outside of Europe. Each partner is linked to a specific subject area or faculty. The partners you can study with will depend on what you are studying at Newcastle.

Each partner has a specified number of places for Newcastle students, and demand for places can exceed the number of places we have available. In this case, participants may be chosen based on academic achievement.

View our partners outside Europe.

Please note these instructions do not apply to students from the School of Modern Languages undertaking a compulsory year abroad. More information on the SML year abroad is available on the Canvas YA Community, and will be circulated by email

Step 1: Find out when you can go abroad

Students usually go abroad in Stage 2 or Stage 3, although this can vary depending on your degree programme. Find out when you can go abroad by asking Global Opportunities or your School Exchange Coordinator. You may have the option of going abroad for one semester or a full academic year depending on your subject of study.

Step 2: Choose a partner university

Consider the list of partner universities that are available to your School. It is very important you research the academic and practical suitability of your selection - this is your responsibility.  You may want to think about how easy that destination is to travel to or the cost of living there. Carefully check modules available for Exchange students to make sure there are sufficient suitable classes. Some European partners may only offer a limited number of English-language modules - find out more in the 'Language Requirements' section below.

We strongly suggest you involve important people to you in this process; particularly important family members and close supporters. If you have any additional support needs we encourage you to speak with the Student Health and Wellbeing Services team to ensure your physical and mental health is considered through this process and necessary support can be put in place for you. 

Step 3: Speak to your School Exchange Coordinator

Once you have decided on a partner university, make an appointment to see your School Exchange Coordinator. Discuss the available modules to make sure they meet the requirements of your degree programme - this is particularly important if you are going abroad for a semester, since your credits will transfer back to Newcastle. If you are doing a full year abroad, you may have more flexibility in your module choices.  

Step 4: Submit your application to Newcastle University

You need to submit an internal application to Newcastle University the year before you plan to go abroad. Students hoping to go abroad during the 2023/24 academic year must submit an application by Tuesday 10th January 2023 at 23:59 (different deadlines apply to students studying a language as part of their degree).

The application portal is open. In the meantime, to research where you could go, please visit the Go Abroad Fair for extensive information about what to consider as you explore your opportunities. 

You will find out the results of your internal application in late February and, if you are successful, you will be allocated a place at a partner university (even if you have submitted multiple applications). If you have applied for Erasmus Work Placement funding, we will also confirm that you have been successful.

We have limited spaces available per partner and if you do not get your first choice, we will do our best to allocate you an alternative. However, this may not always be possible. 

Step 5: Submit your application to the partner institution

If your application is successful, we will nominate you to your allocated partner university. Please do not apply directly to the partner university until you receive instructions to do so. You will receive instructions on how to apply directly to the partner. This will usually happen between March and June, depending on the partner’s deadlines.

Each university will have a different application process and strict deadline. You can find details on the partner university’s website, but you will usually be asked to submit a transcript, a personal statement and a list of courses you would like to study. 

Most non-EU institutions will ask you to provide evidence of financial support during your exchange. In some cases you may also need to provide health certificates and other supporting materials or documents. Global Opportunities will help you complete this process.  

The partner university will notify you once your application has been accepted. 

Step 6: Prepare to go abroad

Once you have received confirmation of your acceptance, you can start planning to go abroad. You may require a visa depending on your destination. We strongly advise students not to book travel until you have obtained your visa. 

Keep up-to-date with our Global Updates page for the latest information on important issues that could impact your plans and experience abroad, such as Coronavirus and Brexit updates.

Have questions about what it's like to go abroad? Have a look at our Living Abroad page!

Whether or not you need to speak the language of your host country depends on your programme and destination.

If you are studying in the language of your host country, it is expected that you have sufficient knowledge of that language. Some of our partner institutions, particularly those in Northern Europe, offer a number of modules in English, so fluency in the language is not always necessary. It depends on where you choose to study.

The Language Resource Centre at Newcastle University can help you improve your existing language skills or learn a new language.

Many of our partner universities offer beginner-level classes in the native language. We encourage you to sign up for these during your exchange to help develop your linguistic skills and settle into your host country.

If you are doing an Erasmus+ exchange, you are eligible for free Online Linguistic Support (OLS), contact Global Opportunities for more information.

Our partner universities in China, Japan, and Latin America teach almost exclusively in their native language. To go to one of these universities, you usually have to be studying one of these languages as part of your degree programme.