Contact us

The Study and Work Away Service (SWAY) supports those participating in a broad range of international activities. There are multiple ways you can get in touch with us.

Contact emails for SWAY Teams

For queries relating to outbound study exchanges in Europe, including the EU, EEA, Switzerland and Turkey, contact:  europe.outgoing@ed.ac.uk 


For queries relating to outbound study exchanges outside of Europe, contact:  international.outgoing@ed.ac.uk


For queries relating to international, outbound, credit-bearing work and research placements, study at language schools, and placement-based dissertations, contact: swayplacements@ed.ac.uk

This includes students from the Schools listed below: 

Which Schools offer placements? 


For queries relating to incoming study exchanges and other study abroad experiences in Edinburgh, contact:  studyabroad@ed.ac.uk 

 


For queries relating to the Go Abroad Fund, the NICE Programme, or the INCiTE Summer School, contact the Projects team at: goabroadprojects@ed.ac.uk 


 

Alternatively, we can also assist via in-person drop-ins, Microsoft Teams appointments, or by phone. 

Tuesdays 2pm-4pm

 
SWAY staff are running weekly in-person drop-in sessions during term-time for current students who would like guidance on exchange and/or placement opportunities. No appointment is required for exchange-related enquiries. However, appointment is required for work placement or language school related enquiries - please see below.
 
In April, you can find us at the following locations from 2-4pm: 
  • 8 April - EFI, Room 3.43
  • 15 April- EFI, Room 3.43
  • 22 April- EFI, Room 3.43
  • 29 April- EFI, Room 3.43
 
Please note that these drop-in support sessions are held in a public location. For a private conversation, consider booking a 1:1 Microsoft Teams appointment instead.
 

Work placement and language school drop-in sessions

Please note, students doing a work placement or going to a language school should book an appointment by 4pm on Monday by emailing SWAY Placements, stating their preferred time between 2-4pm on the above dates. 
 
Email SWAY Placements: swayplacements@ed.ac.uk

If you are currently on exchange or placement, have recently returned, or are considering applying and would like to chat to a member of the Study and Work Away (SWAY) service, you can book a 1:1 virtual appointment.  

Please note that these appointments are available for current University of Edinburgh students only.  

 

European exchanges – for all enquiries: 

Book an appointment with the European Programmes team  

 

International exchanges - current exchange students should select the member of staff overseeing exchanges to your destination country. For general enquiries and those newly considering exchange, please select the ‘Destination unknown’ appointment option. 

Book an appointment with the International Programmes team   

 

Placements – students undertaking an international outbound, credit-bearing work or research placement, or study at a language school: 

Teams appointments with the Placements team are available 10am-12 noon on Thursdays. If this time isn’t possible for you, or if you need to meet more urgently, please contact the Placements team to arrange another day/time. 

Book an appointment with the Placements team 

Students applying for or participating in a placement-based dissertation from the School of Social and Political Science should contact the Placements team directly to arrange an appointment. 

Contact the Placements team directly via email: swayplacements@ed.ac.uk

 


While we prefer you to email, come to an in-person drop-in session, or book a Microsoft Teams appointment so that you can be matched with the colleague who has the most expertise on your programme and destination, SWAY is also available to take phone calls from students.  

These lines are open on Tuesday afternoons (2-4pm): 

  • European exchanges - for queries relating to outbound study exchanges in Europe, contact:  0131 650 3017 
  • International exchanges - for queries relating to outbound study exchanges outside of Europe, contact: 0131 650 4621 

Emergencies

Should an emergency occur whilst you are abroad, your first action should be to make contact as soon as possible with your nominated contact at your host institution, organisation or place of work, and your family. Your local contact often has the local knowledge and “know how” to advise and support you. 

Please familiarise yourself with our guidance on actions to take in an emergency: 

Before You Go – Emergency situations 

It is also very important for you to contact the University of Edinburgh:

The Study and Work Away Service can be contacted by phone in urgent situations. Please call: 

+44 (0)131 651 5999 

This line is open during our core office hours (Monday-Friday, 10am-4pm). 

Please contact SWAY if you have: 

  • Immediate concerns about your personal well-being or safety in your host country 
  • Immediate concerns about the general safety in your host country (e.g. heightened risk of conflicts, terrorism, natural disasters, sudden border restrictions) 
  • A medical emergency, or serious health concerns that will impact your activity abroad 

The staff member on rota will do their best to support you and ensure your call is passed on to the relevant team. 


If you need to get in touch with someone at the University in an emergency outside of our core office hours (Monday to Friday, 10am - 4pm), please use the following number:  

University of Edinburgh phoneline - Out of hours emergency contact 

 +44 131 650 2257 


Before getting in touch 

In some instances, SWAY may not be best placed to answer your enquiry, or there may be additional resources needed to help you in advance of your appointment: 

Read our Before You Go pages for information about visas, accommodation, funding, risk assessment, insurance and more: 

View Before You Go pages


For detailed information about the academic implications of your study exchange or placement, you should speak to your Exchange or Placement Coordinator. They will be able to advise on things like course requirements, how your exchange or placement will count towards your degree, assessment, how many credits or courses you need to take abroad, what happens if you fail a course abroad, and so on. 

Get in touch with your Exchange Coordinator

Find your Placement Coordinator 

View Academic Matters page 


Contact your School to find out if they offer any additional study or placement opportunities abroad which are not outlined on these pages.   


Like and follow our Facebook page for application deadlines, new opportunities and helpful tips and join our Facebook group to connect with past, present and future exchange students.   

UoE Go Abroad Facebook page 

Join UoE Go Abroad Facebook group 


 

Details of how we use your information can be found in the University's privacy statement: 

Data protection and privacy

If contacting us about, or on behalf of, somebody else, then please note that the General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) prohibit us from divulging any information regarding students of the University of Edinburgh without that individual’s consent. This is with the exception of situations where disclosure is urgently required to prevent immediate, obvious, or urgent danger to the student. 

 

The Study and Work Away Service is unable to discuss or pass on information about a student, even to parents/carers/guardians, unless the student has given explicit consent for us to do so. We would encourage students to make contact with us themselves at all times regarding their Study and Work Away activities and arrangements. 

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