If you are working abroad, you must spend at least 2 months abroad to be eligible. If you are studying, the minimum duration is 3 months. The maximum duration of a funded Erasmus+ placement is 12 months per study cycle (Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees count as separate ‘study cycles’).  

If you have applied for a European placement in Terra Dotta, you do not have to submit a separate application for Erasmus funding. Once your placement application has been approved, we will ask you to fill in several questionnaires to assess your eligibility. If you are eligible, we will automatically send you an Erasmus Grant Agreement to sign before the start of your placement. 

There are many compulsory documents you must submit to receive Erasmus funding, these include:

• Erasmus Grant Agreement
• Learning Agreement
• Certificate of Arrival
• Certificate of Departure

These documents will be explained to you during the Pre-Departure briefing and you will be able to access the templates via Terra Dotta.

Some of these documents must be signed by your School Exchange Coordinator or your host institution abroad. If you fail to submit a compulsory Erasmus document, we may reclaim your Erasmus grant. 

Your monthly Erasmus grant rate depends on your destination and whether you are working or studying abroad. The grant rate is set by the European Commission and can change every year. In 2021/22, most students doing a study placement received a grant equivalent to €370 per month, while students doing a work placement received a grant equivalent to €470 per month. 

Students going to ‘more expensive’ countries receive a higher grant rate and a Widening Participation supplement is available for students who have a household income of less than £25,000.

The funding you will receive is capped at a certain number of months, and this means that you may not receive Erasmus funding for the full time you are abroad. We will apply the following caps: 

The Erasmus grant is usually paid in two instalments, although you may receive an additional payment if we identify you as a Widening Participation student. The first instalment is paid towards the start of your placement and constitutes 70% of your initial grant - this grant is calculated using an estimated duration depending on whether you are going abroad for the summer, a semester, or a full academic year. 

You will receive your second instalment after the end of your placement, once you have submitted your final documents. At this point, we will calculate your final Erasmus grant entitlement using the actual duration of your placement as per your Certificates of Arrival and Departure. Your second instalment will be the difference between your final Erasmus grant entitlement and the value of the previous payments you have received. This may be more or less than the remaining 30% of your initial grant, depending on how long you were abroad for. 

In rare cases, you may not be entitled to a second payment or you may have to repay some of your first instalment. This happens if you spend considerably less time abroad than originally estimated. 

It is very important to remember that we cannot guarantee when you will receive your grant, as it depends on many factors that are outside our control. It will not necessarily be possible to pay you your first instalment before your placement starts. You must not rely on your Erasmus grant for core expenses such as food and rent. 

Erasmus+ offers extra financial support to students and staff going abroad whose physical, mental or health-related conditions will incur additional costs. Students who are offered an Erasmus placement will be invited to apply for this funding prior to departure which will require documentary evidence of the support need, detailed estimations of costs and, where appropriate, confirmation that your placement can accommodate any adjustments you need.

If you have questions about going abroad with a physical, mental or health-related condition, please contact our Wellbeing Service.

‌WILL I RECEIVE ERASMUS OR TURING? 

How much funding can you get from Turing?

All students are eligible for the standard cost of living stipend, which will be calculated based on the duration of their placement and the destination. Countries are split into ‘country cost of living groups’. Find the full list of destination groups here: www.turing-scheme.org.uk/funding-opportunities/cost-of-living-groups/

• If your placement lasts between 4 weeks (28 working days) and 8 weeks, you will receive £545 per month for Group 1 destinations, or £480 per month for group 2 & 3 destinations

• If your placement lasts between 9 weeks and 12 months, you will receive £380 per month for Group 1 destinations, or £335 per month for group 2 & 3 destinations

Participants meeting the disadvantaged background criteria will receive an additional £110 per month to their cost-of-living grant. As such, the total cost of living grant funding provided to students from disadvantaged backgrounds will be as follows:

• For placements with a total duration of four (28 working days) to eight weeks £654 per month (equal to £163.50 per week to Group 1 countries or territories) or £590 per month (equal to £147.50 per week to Group 2 and 3 countries or territories).
• For placements with a total duration of nine weeks to twelve months £490 per month (equal to £122.50 per week to Group 1 countries or territories) or £445 per month (equal to £111.25 per week to Group 2 and 3 countries or territories).

Participants who meet Turing’s Disadvantage criteria will also receive a contribution towards the travel costs. The travel distance is calculated from Newcastle to your destination. 

• 10 to 99km: £20
• 100 to 499km: £165
• 500 to 1,999km: £250
• 2,000 to 2,999km: £325
• 3,000 to 3,999km: £480
• 4,000 to 7,999km: £745
• 8,000 to 12,000km: £905
• 12,000km+: £1,360

Participants who meet Turing’s Disadvantage criteria may also be eligible to have additional travel costs reimbursed, such as passport and visa application fees or additional insurance.

• Additional costs are paid on an actual cost basis
• To claim additional travel costs, receipts/proof of spending will need to be provided. Please note that you must not double claim funding for the same expenses from Turing and other bodies (such as Student Finance England)

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 £25,000 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.

Am I guaranteed financial support?

Single semester and full-year placements will be funded but there are limits on the amounts.

Will I receive Erasmus or Turing?

This will depend on the location of your placement and whether you meet Turing Widening Participation criteria. 

This will depend on the location of your placement and whether you meet Turing Widening Participation criteria. 

How much will I receive from Turing?

Your grant will depend on your destination, duration abroad and Widening Participation status. Every student will receive a ‘Cost of Living’ grant and those we confirm to have Widening Participation status will receive a ‘Cost of Living’ uplift, a travel grant and other approved additional costs reimbursed.

Grant rates and our current Widening Participation criteria are available online, but we cannot accurately calculate durations and give you a confirmed grant value until Turing release more information. We hope to issue Grant Agreements and make payments in September, subject to receiving the funds and further information from Turing.

How much will I receive from Erasmus?

Erasmus grants will be capped again in 22/23 and your grant will also depend on your destination, duration abroad and Widening Participation status. The last fundable day for an Erasmus placement is 31 May 2023, but your activity can continue beyond this date without Erasmus funding.

The next few questions are about the funding you can get through Erasmus or Turing. The common thread through all of them is that you should not rely exclusively on Erasmus or Turing funding to make your Year Abroad affordable, just in case the amounts available do not entirely cover your needs.

Can I rely on Erasmus or Turing funding?

You should not rely exclusively on Erasmus or Turing to fund your time abroad. You must consider the grant a contribution. Students usually understand this before they go but forget that travelling and living abroad often involves unexpected costs. This was especially true in 2021/22 with UK students paying for EU visas and Covid-19 tests.

Budget for your time abroad without relying on Erasmus or 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.

Erasmus and Turing encourage people 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 placement financially.

Can I book flights and accommodation?

We recommend you wait until you have your acceptance, your visa, and confirmation of your 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.

I have a form which asks me to choose Erasmus or Turing, which one should I choose?

Use the table above to make your selection. Contact global.opportunities@ncl.ac.uk if you are unsure.

I need a Learning Agreement, should I use the Erasmus or Turing version?

If a Learning Agreement is not yet available in Terra Dotta, use the table above to decide then contact global.opportunities@ncl.ac.uk to request the correct version. The Learning Agreement does not constitute a commitment from us to pay you the grant.

Can I still make changes to my placement?

The complex funding situation in 22/23 means there is less flexibility than in previous years if you choose to change an approved placement (known as ‘making a voluntary change’). For example, if you have a confirmed study placement in Germany and you want to change to a Turing-funded work placement in France, we cannot guarantee you will receive the Turing funding. This is because both our Erasmus budget and Turing budget are limited.

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.

Newcastle University is committed to reducing its carbon footprint.

One of the most significant actions we can take is by considering the way which we travel and limiting the number of flights we take.
Travel better, travel slow! With more comfort, countryside views, stops in the city centre, and even the chance to meet new friends on the way, bus and train travel offers a way to see and experience more. Make your journey part of your trip!
Read our brief guide to Climate Conscious Travel. 

Click here to apply for an NCL Climate Conscious Travel Bursary to support you to travel better to your summer placement destination.

Please note that the Bursary is only eligible for journeys taking place in spring/summer 2022. The deadline to submit this form is the 1st of July 2022.

Please note that to avoid double funding, students whose travel costs are paid through the Turing Scheme (or alternative funding schemes) will only be eligible to claim travel costs via this bursary where actual costs exceed the travel costs already funded.

If you have any questions about the bursary, please email global.opportunities@ncl.ac.uk

BUTEX promotes learning abroad and each year awards a number of scholarships to students studying abroad for either a semester or for a whole academic year.

Santander Scholarships is a portal to scholarships and grants funded by Santander Universities across the globe, some of which are open to students and graduates from any university or those studying in certain countries.

Grants.at is an Austrian online database of scholarships, including for students wishing to study in Austria.

DAAD, German Academic Exchange Service has a directory that lists international student scholarships for research internships, summer programmes and postgraduate study.

Jack’s Flight Club offers two £500 study abroad grants throughout the year.

The John Speak Language Trust offers funding to assist students to travel overseas to study a language.

The Gilchrist Educational Trust awards small grants to students who are required to spend a short period studying overseas, such as fieldwork or medical electives. Grants are also available for university expedition groups.

The Peter Kirk European Travel Scholarships awards grants to fund young people to spend between 6 weeks and three months in Europe conducting a study project of their choice.

GIFT Friendship Trust supports outgoing young UK citizens to establish friendships and direct cultural contacts through ‘homestay’ visits with indigenous communities in developing countries.

A Churchill Fellowship offers UK adults over the age of 18 full funding to travel anywhere in the world for 4-8 weeks researching a topic of their choice that can make a contribution to UK society on their return. 

The Daiwa Anglo-Japanese Foundation Scholarship is a unique 19-month programme of language study, work placement and homestay in Japan offered to UK graduates.  The Foundation also offer scholarships to support the postgraduate study of Japanese studies in the UK or Japan.

The Fulbright Commission offers Postgraduate Awards providing scholarships for UK students to study on graduate programmes at accredited US universities. 

The Northcote Trust awards Postgraduate Scholarships to enable students normally residing in the UK to undertake a higher degree at an Australian university for up to three years.

The Canada Memorial Foundation awards full scholarships to UK students wishing to study at Masters level in Canada.

The Kennedy Scholarship is an academic award for exceptional UK graduates wishing to pursue postgraduate study at Harvard or MIT.

The Knight-Hennessy Scholars is a competitive programme offering international students the opportunity to undertake graduate study and leadership training at Stanford University.

The Thouron Award provides generous scholarships for UK students to undertake postgraduate study at the University of Pennsylvania.

The BEST (BUNAC Educational Scholarship Trust) scholarships offer financial assistance to eligible applicants who are looking to undertake postgraduate study in the USA or Canada.

The Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET) Programme is an official Japanese Government scheme offering two positions for UK graduates: Assistant Language Teacher and Coordinator for International Relations.

Ambassador Year in China (AYC) is a unique program for university graduates to spend a year teaching, learning, and making a difference at public and private schools across China by becoming Educational Ambassadors.

Hazel’s Footprints Trust awards grants for volunteering placements of at least 6 months in educational projects in developing countries.

Aimed at students who are committed to creating change in their communities, the scholarships are a life-changing opportunity to experience a new country and culture, broaden horizons, and build a global network that will last a lifetime.

Applicants must have completed their degree and have graduated with an equivalent of a 2:1 at the time of application. 

Applications generally open in November each year– keep an eye on the ACU website for further information.

Created in 1995 by French President Jacques Chirac and British Prime Minister John Major, the Entente Cordiale Scholarship is a prestigious awards scheme that today funds British students who plan to study in France. 

The ambition of the scheme is not only to enable students to study or carry out research on the other side of the Channel, but also to promote contacts and increase exchanges between UK and France.

Once they become an Entente Cordiale scholar, recipients join an influential alumni network, the Entente Cordiale Alumni Association through which they will find strong career development opportunities. Entente Cordiale alumni are now pursuing careers in diverse public and private organisations. Over 250 exceptional students have already benefited from this unique opportunity to continue their studies on the other side of the Channel. 

The eligible students would be applying to study in France at Master or PhD level (including research internships, courses for credits, French language classes) in all fields. The duration of the scholarship is up to 6 months.

Applicants must have ambitious projects in any discipline that will contribute to enhancing the Franco-British relationship and as such are expected to have already established contact with the French university or research public / private institution that will host them. 

Whether it be a 3 or 6 month stay, recipients will be entitled to a monthly allowance of €700. 

Candidates who will apply should contact the Franco-British Council at info@francobritish.org and mention Entente Cordiale 2022 as the subject of their mail. For general information on the Programme, you can read the information on any Frequently Asked Questions here, and the application form can be downloaded here. Find more details from the Franco-British Council’s website: http://francobritish.org/en/entente-cordiale/ 

Applications opened on Tuesday 1^st of February 2022 and will close on Thursday 31^st of March 2022.