Why study or work abroad?
Going abroad for a year, semester, or summer school opens up a world of opportunities. You'll make lifelong friends, boost your employability, explore a new country, and gain valuable life experience.
Choosing to work or study overseas as part of your degree helps broaden your horizons and allows you to gain new perspectives. Being able to travel to another part of the world and explore a new country develops different life skills as well as building confidence. It’s also a fantastic opportunity to make new friends from all walks of life and build a global network.
Many students find their time abroad to be a life-changing and rewarding experience. It’s a time for self-discovery as well as personal development. There are a number of different opportunities to choose from and it’s all about finding the right one for you.
Enhance your employability
In today's global business environment, studying, working or volunteering abroad can greatly enhance your employability. There are many intercultural skills you will develop as a result of your time spent abroad that are valued highly by employers, including:
- An ability to understand different cultural contexts and viewpoints
- Knowledge of a foreign language
- An understanding of, and respect for, other cultures
- A willingness to try new things
- Confidence
- Resilience (which you'll build as you explore the world and discover yourself)
What's more, research carried out by the British Council shows that employers perceive staff members with these intercultural skills to be at an advantage within an organisation and although many employers do not actively screen for certain intercultural skills, they do see international experiences - such as study abroad, internships abroad or international work experience - as indicators of intercultural skills.
Research carried out by the UUKi in their Gone International Report 2025 has also shown that spending time abroad has a positive impact on your degree and job prospects.
Students studying abroad:
- 29.6% more likely to gain a first-class degree
- 5.1% more likely to be in a professional job following graduation than students who did not study abroad
- Earn more on average
"On my year abroad, teaching English in a school to people much older than me really helped with my confidence and vastly improved my interpersonal skills. I also look back on my year abroad as an opportunity I had to improve my adaptability / resilience, both of which are important every day at work."
"I chose to do my year abroad as I studied languages as part of my studies and it was a great opportunity to put it to use and improve my skills in professional and everyday settings."
Develop your language skills
There is no better way to learn a language than to fully immerse yourself in a new culture. This can feel daunting to begin with, but practising your new language with students from across the world in your host country is a big benefit of studying abroad. You don’t need to be able to speak a foreign language but there are opportunities to learn a language here in Sheffield before you go. Languages for all is a University-wide scheme that is available to all Sheffield students who want to either develop existing language skills or start a new language from scratch.
It's good to know
There are a number of scholarship schemes and travel bursaries available, plus students who spend a semester or year abroad are eligible for reduced tuition fees for that period.
You’ll have access to support from Sheffield and your exchange university while you are away.
If you want to spend a semester or year abroad, please be aware that opportunities vary by course and it's not possible to spend a semester or year abroad on some courses. View the list of partner universities by subject to find out if your course is eligible or get in touch to find out more.