Funding opportunities

• 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 2023. 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.

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).

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.

2022-2023 Standard grant rates

2022-2023 Enhanced grant rates

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

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

Applications will open in Spring 2023 and students will be able to apply using a simple online application form.  More information will be added to this website before the applications open. If you have questions in the meantime please contact us.

• 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 four weeks and a maximum of 12 weeks (28-84 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.

Applications are now open and will close on 02 June 2022.

Complete the application form making sure you have read the eligibility criteria. 

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

The application form can be found here.

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

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