The UK’s Turing Scheme is similar to the EU’s Erasmus+ scheme – and was designed post-Brexit to facilitate work and study placements for British students abroad. The key differences are that The Turing Scheme has more destinations than Erasmus+, and students can travel beyond Europe. Another key difference is that The Turing Scheme does not cover the cost of the students’ tuition fees – so only certain universities and colleges take part, offering waivers for their Higher Education partners. Despite this, there is still a wealth of opportunity available for British students and students from the British Overseas Territories to take advantage of.
Similar to the Erasmus+ scheme, students apply for a grant to cover various costs. The grant won’t cover everything, so it’s essential that participants budget efficiently and save money prior to their trip. Grants depend on the cost of living in Turing Scheme destinations, and countries fall into different groups. Group 1 countries being the most expensive (therefore students get bigger grants), Group 2 countries being less expensive and Group 3 countries being the least expensive (and students receive smaller grants). More on country groups below.
When budgeting as a university student travelling on The Turing Scheme, you should take into consideration the following:
This includes expenses relating to flights, trains or other transportation to and from your destination country. In some cases, your grant might cover transportation to and from your destination, especially if you are from a disadvantaged background, so do check but it might not cover every instance.
Your grant should go a long way to help with your budget for rent, utility bills and any housing deposits or fees required for the duration of your placement. If you travel with TravelEdventures, we will organise your accommodation for you which takes away the onus of organising your own. We have many partners in every country offering clean, comfortable and affordable accommodation options for students. You might benefit from a home stay (often the cheapest option), a shared dorm/student apartment or a hostel. As a good example of a safe, clean and modern hostel, we are in the process of organising our very own hostel in Malta, which is a country in Group 2, seen as affordable and extremely popular amongst marketing, IT, digital and tourism students. Currently we are offering a winter semester for 2024/25 in Malta which is extremely affordable. With regard to the different country groups, you can find out more by clicking here.
As well as accommodation and bills, you’ll need to budget for living expenses such as shopping, meals and local transport. Our best advice is to conduct thorough research of your destination before you travel and find out the costs of items and transport etc (we have a lot of information on our blog too). Do obtain student travel discounts and cards as well. We’d also suggest making a list of every single necessary expense you have during your first week in your new city or town – as this should be the basis of your monthly budget. Remember, you’ll always need extra money for emergencies and often an “emergency” credit card is a good idea, as long as you remain disciplined and don’t use it unless you genuinely have an emergency!
You cannot travel on a Turing Scheme placement without the correct insurance in place, which makes perfect sense! You need full medical insurance in case of a medical emergency or illness. You also need travel insurance, and you might want to consider insuring your suitcases in case they get lost.
You might need a visa for certain destinations. Do your research and budget for these if necessary.
Your grant may extend to study materials, or if not all of these materials, some should be accounted for.
This includes your socialising, entertainment and perhaps travelling to other parts of your destination country. Make sure you have enough money put aside to enjoy yourself!
Your grant will not cover everything! By doing research early, you’ll work out what you need to live comfortably and as long as you stick to your budget, you shouldn’t run out of money. To top up your grant, you should consider part-time employment or easy cash-in-hand jobs such as babysitting, dog walking or tutoring before you travel. It is worth mentioning that disadvantaged students should be able to secure larger grants to cover much of their living expenses, study materials, travel costs and miscellaneous costs – do speak to your organisers to find out if you qualify. Overall, the Turing Scheme grant should cover a large amount of the financial burden of studying abroad – the main aim is to allow students to benefit from the extraordinary advantages of a mobility in another country.