Costs to consider

Flights and transport

This is the main area where costs are incurred when students undertake an activity overseas. It is important that you remember to shop around when booking travel and always check the small print. If you would like to be flexible with your travel plans make sure that your ticket allows for changes and/or flexibility.

Insurance

If you are undertaking an activity overseas you should always have the appropriate travel and health insurance. If your overseas placement is part of your degree or if it is organised through the University, you can find further information on the insurance cover that we provide on our website. It is important that you confirm with your placement office/coordinator whether you are covered under this insurance. Please note that you may be required to purchase additional insurance to meet the requirements of your host country or institution/company.

If you are ordinarily a resident in the UK but are travelling to another EEA country or Switzerland, you will need a Global European Health Insurance Card (GHIC).This entitles you to access the same state-provided healthcare as a resident of that country. You can find out more information on the NHS website.

Visas

Depending on the length and type of activity that you are undertaking overseas you may need to apply for a visa. Typical visa costs usually vary from £50 - £350, though you may also need to take into account additional costs such as travel to the Embassy, medical certificates, legalisation, translation etc. Some visa applications may require you to demonstrate that you have sufficient funding to support yourself during your visit and may require a visit the Embassy as part of the application process, which would increase the overall cost of the visa. You should always obtain visa advice directly from the relevant Consulate or Embassy. You can find links to Embassies and Consulates using this external service.

Accommodation

You will normally be required to pay for your accommodation during your time overseas, however some University activities do include accommodation so please check this with your placement office/coordinator. Housing costs will vary greatly depending on the type of accommodation and also your location.

You can find expected costs of accommodation for study exchanges on the relevant My Placement brochure.

Exchange rate

When planning any overseas activity you should always allow some flexibility in your budget for exchange rate fluctuations. You can check the current exchange rate online.

Cost of Living

Some countries can be more expensive to live in than others, so you may need to take this into account when planning your finances.

You can find more information about the cost of living in a specific town or city through Numbeo.

Many of our partner institutions will also provide resources about cost of living in that location on their own website.