Study Abroad & Exchange Fact Sheet

General Institutional Details

Contact Information

Academic Calendar & Key Dates

Nomination and application deadlines are the same each year. The above dates are expected dates for 2027/28 academic year.

December finish option

The December finish option allows students to conclude their physical Autumn (Fall) semester mobility early, generally leaving in December before the main semester end date in early February if there is an academic calendar overlap.

Eligibility and Requirements:

• This option is only intended for students whose second semester at their sending institution starts in January and the academic calendars overlap.
• Partner universities must select the December finish option on the nomination form.
• Restriction: If the December finish is not chosen, the student is required to stay until the end of the semester in early February to complete any in-person exams and assessments.
• It is the student's responsibility to organise proctored exams by liaising with their home university and academic school(s) in Sheffield. Proctored exams take place during the standard assessment window (link).
• If students do not have in person exams in January, they are welcome to return home and submit any assessments online. 
• If a partner university is unable to facilitate a proctored exam for students, we recommend that students take modules with 100% coursework as the assessment method. Assessment method information can be found on the modules catalogue.

Important Notes:

• Students who take this option will need to liaise with the school(s) where they are studying to make alternative assessment arrangements.
• Not all schools or subjects within the University of Sheffield offer a December finish.
• Student registrations must remain 'live' until the end of the semester even if leaving in December to allow students to access online learning materials and submit assessments.

For more detailed information on the academic year structure and academic schools which do not offer December finish, you can refer to the relevant webpage: sheffield.ac.uk/globalopps/inbound/apply/year-structure

Academic Information

Credit load

• Full Year: 120 Sheffield credits (60 ECTS).
• One Semester: 60 Sheffield credits (30 ECTS).
• Minimum: 100 credits (50 ECTS) for two semesters / 40 credits (20 ECTS) for one semester.

Permission for reduced load must be indicated on the nomination form or shared via email if confirmed to Global Opportunities after nominations have closed.

60 credits / 30 ECTS is the maximum number of credits permitted each semester. Students requesting to take more than 30 ECTS will be subject to tuition fees for any credits over. 

Changing courses (modules)

The Module Add/Drop period is available at the start of both semesters for module changes once students have arrived and registered. Guidance will be communicated to students in advance.

Entry Requirements

Academic Requirements:

Minimum GPA equivalent to a UK 2.2 (50%) average. Please contact us if you are unsure if a student meets our GPA requirements. 

English Language Requirements:

Nomination & Application Procedure

1. Nomination: Partner universities nominate students using an online form. The form will be sent via email to partners when nominations open. 
2. Application: Students receive a link via email to the application portal once nominations close. For September entry, they will receive this on 1 May (or the nearest working day). For February entry they will receive this on 1 October (or the nearest working day).
3. Review: The Admissions team reviews the official transcript, translation and English language qualifications provided. The academic schools review module choices using the transcript provided.
4. Offer: Once a student has 60 credits or 30 ECTS of modules approved, the Admissions team undertake final checks and issue a Conditional or Unconditional Offer. Offers are usually received by mid-July for September entry or by mid-December for February entry as long as students have provide all the necessary documents and information.
5. Acceptance: Students accept the offer in order to create their Sheffield IT account (known as a MUSE account) and gain access to online pre-registration. They can also apply for accommodation after accepting an offer and creating a MUSE account.

Nomination checklist

• student name (as per passport)

• current major

• academic level 

• student's email address

• credit load confirmation 

• B2 English confirmation (for single-semester students)

Application checklist

• course choices (known as modules) 

• official transcript

• official transcript translation (required for two semesters if original transcript is not in English)

• English language qualification (if required)*

• backup module choices

• Architecture students must also upload a portfolio.

*For two semesters, if the English language qualification is not in English, both the original language copy and an official translation of the document in English will be required.

More information on supporting documents can be found here.

Practical & Arrival Information