Go green and be sustainable with the Essex Abroad Green Travel Grant

The University of Essex has declared a Climate Emergency and students taking part in an exchange or short-term international experience can support with this by choosing more sustainable travel.

For the autumn term of 2023-2024, the University of Essex awarded students who travelled sustainably to their year abroad destination a Green Travel Grant to support with travelling the greener, more sustainable way.

The Green Travel Grant has a value of up to £100 each for students who choose to take the train, bus or ferry to their European destination. For those outside of Europe the Green Travel Grant can support alternative travel within country (e.g. an alternative to domestic flights).

Daisy Malt, Sustainability Manager comments, “this is a fantastic initiative from the Essex Abroad team and demonstrates that there’s opportunities for any department to incorporate sustainability into their activities. Flying accounts for 2% of global emissions, so any opportunity to avoid it does make a difference. Per kilometre travelled generates around six times more carbon emissions compared with taking the train. A student travelling to Paris using Eurostar would save 91% of the emissions compared with flying, so by encouraging sustainable travel, Essex Abroad is playing an important part in changing mindsets and helping to reduce students’ carbon footprints”.

Kristi Connell, Essex Abroad Manager says “I am thrilled that for a second year the University of Essex are providing Essex students with the opportunity to apply for funding to assist them in being more sustainable and conscious of the environment we live in. It is something we are truly passionate about in Essex Abroad as a team and as individuals, and to be able to encourage students to think about their carbon footprint is something we want to do more of. I urge our students to take advantage of this opportunity to go green, travel differently and be creative".

How can you go green?

It’s quite simple, all you need to do is choose to travel in a more environmentally friendly way…

• Travel by bus, ferry or train to your European exchange or short-term programme destination

OR

• Find alternative in-country travel when travelling outside of Europe on an exchange or short-term programme when in the host country (e.g. an alternative to domestic flights)

The Green Travel Grant is now closed for 2023-2024 and we hope to offer this again next academic year!

What our students say

Corey is current on his year abroad at Groningen University in Netherlands, and received the Green Travel Grant for travelling sustainably by ferry to Netherlands.

Corey said: “It’s a great surprise to receive this really useful Green Travel grant and very much appreciated - thank you! Hopefully it will encourage others to use more green methods of transport wherever possible”

In 2021-2022 Essex Abroad were delighted to be able to support students strive to be more sustainable thanks to the University of Essex funding the first Green Travel Grant. Through this we awarded 16 students with funding to European destinations and here’s what a couple of them said.

Araceli in France

Araceli who studied for a year abroad in France and received the Green Travel Grant said “This has been a great opportunity to be more conscious about the environment and the transport methods that I choose when I travel. Of course, it takes a bit more organisation and time but, at the end of the day it is all worth it. Plus, you can travel with your friends, and you are receiving back the money for being nice to the environment!! It is a great choice with a lot of advantages that you can definitely not miss if you are doing your year abroad.”

Timea in Germany

Timea did a year abroad in Germany and said “Each penny counts. Especially, for students whose passion to discover cannot be suppressed”.