You may be able to undertake a placement abroad as part of your degree. What is a placement? A placement is an opportunity for relevant work or research experience. It might include being based in a private company in any sector or studying in a language school. The placement should be relevant to your studies and build on your academic knowledge. Placements are also useful for developing your skills as a professional and beginning to network and prepare for the world of work after graduation. Placements abroad may or may not be paid and are a credit-bearing component of your degree programme. Your school must approve them, and they normally take place during the academic year. Who can apply for a placement? You can do a placement if you take certain courses within one of the schools listed below. Each school sets their own rules around eligibility to do a placement, so it may be possible that some degree programmes offer placements but not others. Why should I do a placement? Whether you plan to work for a private company, study at a language school, or do research abroad, your placement should help you learn new skills to improve your academic and professional prospects. Placements are also useful for developing your professional skills and beginning to network and prepare for the world of work after graduation. What kind of work/study/research can I do on a placement? Students have undertaken various placements, from working as assistants in art galleries to studying in language schools. Each school has a placements/exchange coordinator who will assess the suitability of each placement. Casual forms of work such as bartending or nannying are not considered appropriate placement activities. You must check your proposed host country's visa requirements and/or your right to work in the host country before committing to a placement. How many placements can I do? Some students, particularly joint honours students, may choose or be required to do more than one placement. Your school can advise you about the minimum duration you must spend in each country. If you decide to do two placements, you must register each placement separately on Mobility Online and complete a separate set of paperwork for each. You may need to obtain two different visas and arrange two lots of accommodation. Which schools offer international placements? The following Schools offer opportunities to undertake a placement abroad as part of one or more of their degree programmes. Source and register a placement An overview of the steps that need to be completed in order to undertake a placement. Funding, fees and costs for placements The options for funding during your placement and costs you should consider. Before you go Before you go abroad it is important to ensure you plan each aspect of your time away. Code of Student Conduct Students should be aware that the University Student Code of Conduct applies when studying or working overseas. Code of Student Conduct Other opportunities Go Abroad Fund You can apply for a non-credit-bearing or extracurricular placement opportunity via the Go Abroad Fund. Go Abroad Fund The Careers Service You can also find internships and other opportunities through the Careers Service, both in the UK and abroad. Find out more about internships through the Careers Service This article was published on 2024-06-24