Turing Scheme Overview

Turing Scheme Overview

The Turing Scheme is the UK Government's global funding programme for studying and working abroad. It provides students and recent graduates in the UK with funding to support international education opportunities across the globe. Unfortunately we do not receive enough to fund opportunities for all Newcastle University students and not all students will be eligible for funding. 

Eligible for funding

• School of Modern Languages undergraduate study and work placements
• Combined Honours and Linguistics undergraduate students studying a language with a compulsory year abroad
• International Business Management BA study and work placements
• Optional undergraduate study and work placements for students who meet our Turing Widening Participation criteria 

Conditions of the Turing Scheme

• The duration of your placement must be at least 28 days and no longer than 12 months (depending on the activity) and must take place between 1 September 2023 and 31 August 2024 (or 1 September 2024 and 31 August 2025)
• Study placements can start before and finish after these dates, but the funding will be limited to within this period only
• Regrettably, work placements are not eligible for Turing Funding if they start before 1 September 2023 or finish after 31 August 2024 (or 1 September 2024 and 31 August 2025)

How the Turing grant is calculated

The grant rate you receive will be calculated based on the length of the placement, cost of living at the destination, and whether you meet our Turing Widening Participation criteria. Please explore the Turing Scheme Rates and Widening Participation Criteria tabs for more information. 

Turing advice

Don't rely exclusively on a Turing grant to fund your time abroad

You must consider the grant a contribution. Travelling and living abroad often involves unexpected costs. If you need a visa, you will likely need to prove you have a certain amount of funds in your bank account.

Budget for your time abroad without relying on Turing funding and consider that you may not receive your grant before you need to pay for flights or accommodation. Students who receive support from Student Finance will usually remain eligible for loans and grants during their time abroad.

The Turing Scheme encourages students to go abroad by making the experience more affordable, but their grants are not designed to pay for everything. If you are relying on this funding to go abroad, you should start a conversation with the Student Financial Support Team to discuss how you can best manage your finances during your placement.

Wait to book flights and accommodation

We recommend you wait until you have your acceptance, your visa, and confirmation of your Turing grant before making financial commitments. Make sure you think and plan carefully if you do make financial commitments, such as choosing accommodation, before you have more information about your grant.

Bear in mind that if you change your placement, it will likely not be funded

Turing Funding is limited each year, and the University has less flexibility than in previous years. If you choose to change an approved placement for example changing a study placement to a work placement, or extending from one semester to a full academic year, we cannot guarantee you will receive Turing funding.

If circumstances beyond your control force you to make a change, we will support you as much as we can. Students going abroad through the School of Modern Languages must contact year.abroad@newcastle.ac.uk before making any changes. Other students may contact global.opportunities@newcastle.ac.uk for assistance.

Turing Scheme Rates

Turing Scheme funding rates

Please select the section below depending on if you are going abroad during 2023/24 or 2024/25 academic year.

Turing Widening Participation Criteria

Turing Widening Participation Criteria

The Turing Scheme provides additional financial support for students who come from underrepresented groups. This may include a top-up of the standard cost of living stipend and a contribution towards your travel costs. Below is the criteria for additional Turing support: 

• students with an annual household income of £40,000 or less
• students receiving Universal Credit or income-related benefits because they are financially supporting themselves or financially supporting themselves and someone who is dependent on them and living with them, such as a child or partner
• care leavers and students who are care experienced. This refers to anyone who has been or is currently in care or from a looked after background at any stage of their life, no matter how short, including adopted children who were previously looked after or those who access the Care Experienced Bursary in Scotland
• students who have caring responsibilities. A carer is anyone who has a commitment to providing unpaid care to a family member or friend who could not cope without their support
• estranged students. Those who are irreconcilably estranged from their parent(s). To be considered irreconcilably estranged, the student won’t have had any written or verbal contact with either parent – usually for 12 months or more - and this is unlikely to change
• refugees and asylum seekers.

Turing Calculation and Payment Guide 2024/25

Turing Funding Calculation and Payment: A Step-by-Step Guide for Students

Following these steps ensures a smooth process for receiving Turing funding for your study or work abroad placement. 

Step 1 – Global Opportunities assesses your eligibility

We will assess your eligibility for Turing funding when we receive your application to study or work abroad. You’ll find the eligibility criteria on our website.

We will email you to let you know if you are eligible for funding. If our assessment found you ineligible, but you feel you meet our Widening Participation Criteria, you can submit evidence in the Mobility Funding and Widening Participation Criteria questionnaire in Terra Dotta.

Step 2 – You submit essential information

If you’re eligible for funding, you’ll need to provide the following details in Terra Dotta: 

• Planned placement dates 
• UK bank account details
• Placement information (length, placement provider, etc)  

The deadline to provide these documents is:

• 31 August if you are abroad for Semester 1 or a full academic year
• 30 November if you are abroad for Semester 2 only

We are unable to calculate your grant without these details

Step 3 – Global Opportunities issues your Grant Agreement

A Grant Agreement is a contract between you and your funding provider that outlines your obligations and your provisional grant entitlement. 

Once we have received the information outlined in Step 2, we will issue your Grant Agreement. The amount in your Grant Agreement is calculated based on your planned placement dates. 

We will send the Grant Agreement to your Newcastle University email address via Adobe Sign. 

NB: Students participating in work placements/traineeships will also have to provide a fully signed Learning Agreement (Before Mobility) before their grant agreement can be issued.

Step 4 – You sign the Grant Agreement

You will digitally sign the Grant Agreement via Adobe Sign.

Step 5 – Global Opportunities issues your initial grant payment

Once you have digitally signed the Grant Agreement, we will issue 70% of your grant to your provided bank details and send a payment notification email to your Newcastle University email address. It could take up to 15 working days from the payment notification for the grant to reach your bank account.  

Step 6 – You submit a Learning Agreement

You must submit a completed Learning Agreement (Before Mobility) document within two weeks of the start of your placement.

This must be signed by Newcastle University, your host institution/placement provider, and yourself. You can download a template from the Documents section of Terra Dotta.

Step 7 – You submit a Certificate of Attendance to confirm your actual placement dates

After completing your placement, you must upload a Certificate of Attendance to Terra Dotta. You’ll find a template in the Documents section of your profile.

The Certificate of Attendance verifies your actual placement dates. 

Step 8 – Global Opportunities recalculates your grant entitlement

Once your Certificate of Attendance has been approved by our team, we recalculate your grant entitlement based on your actual placement dates. 

Grants are only payable for the actual dates of your placement. Placements can sometimes be longer or shorter than planned, so your overall grant entitlement may be different from what was included in your grant agreement.

• If your duration is shorter, your grant entitlement will also be reduced, and you may (a) not receive a further payment, or (b) be asked to make a partial repayment to us.  
• If your duration is longer, you will only receive the remaining 30% of your expected grant entitlement unless we have previously approved an extension request.  

Step 9 – Global Opportunities issues a final payment, if necessary

If you are entitled to a final payment, we will issue it along with a payment notification. Again, it could take up to 15 days from receiving the payment notification to the funding entering your bank account.  

Reclaims

If your placement was less than originally planned, we may need to reclaim some of your grant. 

If you fail to submit any of the required documentation, we will cancel your grant and issue a full reclaim for any payments you have already received from us.