Study Abroad

Funding opportunities

Funding your summer abroad

Don't let the costs of going abroad stop you. There are a variety of funding opportunities available, aimed to support you while you're taking part in your summer abroad experience.

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Overview of funding

For summer 2024, applications for all funding are now open! You can find all the information you need, including the link to the application portal on the page below.

Funding available for summer 2024

  • Green Travel Grant - reimbursement of up to £100 for sustainable travel to your summer abroad destination
  • Turing Scheme funding - support towards your living and travel costs from £111.00 per week.
  • Travel insurance - free of charge and required for all students who receive funding via Essex Abroad. 
  • Essex Crowdfunding CLICK - a way to raise money for your international experience, supported by the CLICK team.
  • Summer Travel Grants - Travel grants of £250, £500 and £1,000 to support you with your international experience.
  • International Experience Bursary - Bursaries of up to £1,000 to support students from lower income backgrounds.

Green Travel Grant

For 2023-2024, the University of Essex are offering Essex Abroad students on a study abroad exchange or short-term international experience a Green Travel Grant. 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).

All students undertaking an international experience (term abroad, year abroad and short term programmes) can apply for this funding.

Eligibility criteria

In order to qualify for the Travel Green Grant, students must:

  • Travel by bus, ferry or train to your European short term programme as the destination (between 01 August 2023 – 15 July 2024)
  • Find alternative in country travel when travelling outside of Europe on a short term programme and when in the host country instead of travelling by plane (between 01 August 2023 – 15 July 2024)
  • You will need to pay for your travel beforehand. Any travel grants are to be considered as a reimbursement
  • Submit all evidence within the deadline below. Late submissions will not be considered.

Allocation

If there are more applicants than available grants, randomised selection will be used to choose successful candidates.

How to apply

  • Submit your receipts via email to eagrants@essex.ac.uk with evidence of your programme.
  • Students must also submit your Certificate of Attendance at the same time.
  • Deadline for short term programmes is 15 July 2024.
  • Summer programme students will be notified of their result by 31 July 2024.
  • For travelling sustainable travel information from the University of Essex, please visit our dedicated sustainability webpages.

Turing Scheme funding

We are delighted that we've been award Turing Scheme funding for the third year running and will be able to support more students to gain an international experience during 2023-2024. 

Turing Scheme funding can be accessed by students who are taking part in shorter term (minimum 28 days) activities including summer schools, international internships and volunteering abroad. These programmes can take place anywhere in the world.

Please note, we have limited funding and students will need to apply for the funding and are advised to read the eligibility criteria below before submitting their application. Applications are now open, and you can read more about how to apply below.

Turing Scheme funding is considered a general contribution to cost of living and travel costs, therefore students should budget accordingly based on their destination and duration of their programme.  We hope that this funding can help to provide life changing opportunities to students and additional support is available for students from a widening participation background.

There are no maximum number of placements a single student can undertake. Therefore you can apply for funding for a summer abroad programme as well as being eligible for study abroad year funding or future summer programme funding. In this case, the durations of the placements must not overlap (as this would result in dual funding).  If you have any queries on this please contact us.

Eligibility criteria

  • You must be a current fully registered student here at the University of Essex.  You must still be registered during the time of the programme that you are requested funding for.
  • The programme that you are requesting funding for must have a minimum duration of 28 days.
  • Programmes must be completed by 31 August 2024. The programme must be approved by your academic department or Essex Abroad.
  • Programmes must take place in person, and you must travel to the host country.
  • You must not be a national of the country that you are visiting
  • If you are successful in your application, you will be asked to sign a grant agreement whereby you will formally accept your grant and acknowledge the obligations associated with its acceptance.
  • If you are awarded Turing Scheme funding, you will familiarise yourself with the Turing Scheme privacy policy.

Funding will be prioritised in the following way

All students are welcome to apply for Turing Scheme summer abroad funding, but priority will be based on the below:

  • Students who meet the widening participation criteria as outlined below
  • Students who have not previously completed a period abroad at the University of Essex.
  • Personal statement
  • In cases where the above does not allow us to make a decision, your first year mark and attendance record may be taken into consideration (if you are a first-year student - we will ask what year mark you are on track for).
  • In order to release the funding in a timely manner, deadlines will be set for you to apply for funding.  Deadlines have been set and outlined below but will be extended if needed (e.g. not all funding is allocated by the final deadline).

Widening participation criteria  

The University of Essex and the Turing Scheme are committed to supporting all students to access international experiences and as such students from a disadvantaged background are eligible to additional costs related to their cost of living and travel costs.

Students from the following groups will be prioritised for funding and supported by the enhanced grant rate.

  1. Students with an annual household income of £25,000 or less (as assessed and verified by Student Finance England or other UK student funding provider).
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. 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.
  5. 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.
  6. Refugees and asylum seekers.

Please note as part of the group 2 - 6 above you will be asked to provide official proof of your circumstances.

Grant rates

2023-2024 Standard grant rates

Duration Country Group 1* Country Group 2 and 3*
4-8 weeks £545 per month (equal to £136.25 per week) £480 per month (equal to £120 per week)
9 weeks-12 months £380 per month  £335 per month

2023-2024 Enhanced grant rates

Students who meet the widening participation criteria above will be eligible for an enhanced grant rate based on destination.

Duration Country Group 1* Country Group 2 and 3*
4-8 weeks £655 per month (equal to £163.75 per week) £590 per month (equal to £147.50 per week)
9 weeks-12 months £490 per month (equal to £122.50 per week) £445 per month (equal to £111.25 per week)

Additional funding for students who meet the widening participation criteria

Students from this group may also receive the following:

  • Travel grants of up to £1360, depending on distance between home and destination
  • Additional travel expenses can also be claimed, including costs of visas, passports, and health insurance

(students will need to provide receipts against the above costs in order to be reimbursed).

*For details of countries in each group please see the Turing scheme website

£380 per month

£380 per month

How to apply

Applications for summer 2024 are now open. Applications can be made using the portal link below.

We are operating rolling deadlines on the dates below:

  • 15 December 2023
  • 19 January 2024
  • 16 February 2024
  • 22 March 2024

At each deadline all completed applications will be considered. Please ensure that you have confirmed your programme and programme dates before you apply.

If you have any questions during your application, then please contact us.

Turing Scheme Application Portal

Summer Travel Grants

We offer a range of travel grants designed to help if you're planning to travel to support your research or studies over the summer. Your travel must usually take place between 1 May and 30 September and you must be a registered student on the date of travel to be eligible. Each summer, one of each grant is available.

  • Bloomfield Memorial travel grant - £1,000. Open to full-time undergraduate and postgraduate students continuing their studies abroad via a short term international experience. Awarded by the University Senate.
  • Essex Rotary University travel fund - £500. Open to full-time undergraduate students completing a short term international experience. You'll need to present the most interesting proposal for spending time abroad.
  • National Federation of Business and Professional Women's Clubs travel grant - £250. Open to female, full-time undergraduate and postgraduate students who are completing a short term international experience.
 

Eligibility criteria

  • Your travel must usually take place between 1 May and 30 September
  • You must be a registered student on the date of travel to be eligible.
  • Each summer, one of each grant is available.

Application information

These grants are available for summer 2024 and you can apply via our application portal below. Applications close on Monday 25 March 2024 at 09.00am.

Please contact us for further help or information.

Please note, you are welcome to apply for as many of the grants on this page as you like, we will always guide you towards the most suitable funding for your circumstances and in some cases you may be awarded from more than one funding stream.

Travel Grants Application portal

International Experience Bursary

Cost can be a significant barrier for students looking to access international internships, placements, volunteering or other educational experiences, e.g. conferences or summer schools.

Through the International Experience Bursary, we support students from lower income households to access these experiences by providing a bursary of up to £1,000 to fund their summer activity abroad.  The activity must be of 1 to 12 week duration over the summer vacation (7 to 84 Days). Your activity must commence and end in the summer term at Essex.  

Applications are now open and you can apply via our application portal below. Applications close on Monday 25 March 2024 at 09.00am.

In the meantime, if you have any questions, please contact us via eagrants@essex.ac.uk

IEB Application portal

Eligibility

  • Be ordinarily resident in the UK and assessed as “Home Fee Status”. Overseas and EU students are not eligible.
  • Be participating in an overseas experience for a minimum of 1 week and a maximum of 12 weeks (7 to 84 days).
  • Registered on a full-time undergraduate degree at our University (students completing their final year of their undergraduate degree will not be eligible).
  • Passed all of your 1st year modules.
  • Have an annual household income of less than £42,611 (as assessed and verified by Student Finance England or other UK student funding provider).
  • Completed and submitted the application form by the deadline.
  • Given consent to the sharing of financial details supplied by Student Finance England or other UK funding provider.
  • Provide a letter of acceptance confirming your international activity.
  • The destination country does not have an FCO travel warning in place.
  • Applicants have completed the risk assessment for the placement (this document is part of the application process and will be supplied to you).
  • Submit a certificate of attendance, signed and stamped by the host institution/organisation after you've completed your time away.
 

Application information 

Applications are now open and close on Monday 25 March 2024 at 9.00am. You can apply using the portal link below:

IEB Application portal

If you have any questions or issues with the form, please contact us eagrants@essex.ac.uk

Usually, priority will be given to students who:
  • have not participated in a programme abroad during their degree (i.e students currently not on a year abroad degree)
  • are not recipients of a scholarship, bursary or grant from the programme provider or from a University Department to support the activity
  • are not expected to be fundraising in order to participate in an activity
 

University of Essex Travel insurance

University of Essex Travel insurance and medical insurance is compulsory to take part in any of our Essex Abroad programmes that you have received funding for and must be in place prior to travel. We recommend that you apply for travel insurance as soon as you know you are going abroad. Hospital and medical bills can be a significant cost, even for minor problems, so it is essential that you have adequate and appropriate cover. 

More about our University of Essex travel and medical insurance

The University of Essex provides comprehensive travel and medical insurance cover for your time abroad.  Please note there is no cost for University of Essex travel insurance, it is free of charge for all students who are studying, volunteering or interning abroad as part of their University of Essex programme. The insurance is a comprehensive travel cover which includes cover for most medical emergencies. It does not cover personal possessions, personal holidays or routine healthcare. You will need to purchase your own insurance for this.

The travel insurance won’t cover medical expenses whilst in the home nation as other arrangements should be in place. E.g. NHS in the UK.

The travel insurance also excludes hazardous activities which are not part of your studies.

Please visit our preparing to go abroad webpages to get advice around accessing healthcare in the European Union via an EHIC or GHIC card.

 

 

Essex Crowdfunding - CLICK

Click is the University of Essex crowdfunding platform. Crowdfunding is funding a project or venture by raising lots of small amounts of money from a large number of people, typically via the internet.

Donation-based crowdfunding is asking a group to donate to your project in exchange for tangible, non-monetary ‘rewards’ such as an e-card, postcard or social media shout outs.

The University of Essex will match your funds – for every £1 raised, we will give you £1 (up to a maximum £250).

Visit the dedicated CLICK webpages to find out more and get started.

    
The Big Essex Award

We're offering an employability award based on extra curricular activities here at Essex. And you can get up to 50 Units for your international experience abroad. The award recognises all your extra curricular activities on your Higher Education Achievement Report!

Find out more
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For more information about summer funding