Financial information
Tuition fees
No tuition fees are payable to the overseas university. Some University have additional fees or standard charges which all students are required to pay. These may include things such as health and counselling services, students' union, student ID card, and academic fees (e.g. language or music tuition classes for which local students would also be charged). This will be outlined to you by the host university and you are required to pay them. If you have any queries about any additional fees, then check with the host university.
You continue to pay tuition fees to Sheffield only, which are reduced. For more information on tuition fee reductions for students with a semester or year abroad, refer to the information on the SSiD tuition pages (student login required).
Financial Guarantee
What is a Financial Guarantee?
Some countries require a financial guarantee. In order to study or work abroad you need to show the government of that country that you have the necessary funds to stay in the host country for before you can be issued with a visa.
Financial evidence is required by all USA universities at the overseas application stage. This can be before students have confirmed their student loan for the following year, meaning they have to provide alternative evidence that they can afford to be in the country. The host university will specify what documents they accept.
For other destinations, if you require a visa to be a student in that country, you may be asked for financial evidence when you apply for your visa, at the border, and when applying in country for a residence permit. Some countries do not accept student loan as evidence as it is not money already in an account, and some countries specify the funds must be in an account of the applicant, not a guarantor, and that it is a blocked account. Exactly which documents are acceptable will be specified in the visa application requirements of the host country.
The amount you must show varies and is based on the expected living costs at the university you will attend, so it is important to budget to have that amount of money available to you.
Why do I have to provide a Financial Guarantee?
As you will be an international student whilst studying abroad, the host country needs to see proof that you can support yourself during your studies, so that they can ensure that you are not going to try to live off state funding. If you cannot provide sufficient evidence, you may not be allowed to go, or may only be offered a shorter period abroad.
Do I need to actually give the money to anyone?
No, you are just asked to show proof that you can afford the living costs in the country you will be studying and living in.
Student loans and grants
Changing your loan instalments from Student Finance England
If you indicate on your Student Finance England application that you are studying abroad, you are automatically paid the first instalment 25 working days before the 'standard' course start date.
However, if your study placement starts earlier (e.g. if you are starting in Australia or New Zealand in July) Global Opportunities coordinate with the Student Registry so you should receive the first instalment of your Maintenance Loan on or around the first day of your study placement.
The standard is for you to receive your loan in three instalments, however Student Finance England offers the option of payment in two instalments by request. This is not automatically applied, so you must contact the Student Fees Team if you wish to request this. Students going to Australia will automatically receive their loan in two instalments, with the second instalment in January.
Payment in two instalments is also available for students who will study abroad in the USA, Canada, and New Zealand.
Students studying abroad in China, Japan or Russia can get the whole loan in one instalment. This is always requested for students going to these countries.
Course abroad forms
Student Finance may request that a Course Abroad form is completed and send you one as a PDF. If they do this before you have left Sheffield, take it to SSiD on level 3 of the Students' Union after 1st May and they will complete it for you. If you take it to them early, then your year abroad details may not have been added to your student record yet.
If you are asked for a completed Course Abroad form after you have left Sheffield, submit it to SSiD using their contact form. You will need to select "Other enquiries" to open the form. In the form, select "Something else" and you will then be able to upload the PDF form so they can complete it for you. Allow SSiD 10 working days to complete your form when it is submitted online.
Student Finance may not ask for the Course Abroad form, and may ask you to make sure Sheffield tells them about your year abroad details. This happens anyway as part of the university's standard reporting, and is done by Student Registry Services from May onwards.
Student Finance Travel Grant
Student Finance offer a non-repayable means-tested travel grant where you can claim back for certain travel related costs with evidence, providing you have not paid for these costs using funding from the Turing scheme.
The travel grant is income-assessed and can cover reasonable costs as decided by Student Finance. This can include:
- standard economy flights to and from their host country (usually limited to two return journeys)
- visa application cost (N.B. not the cost of obtaining supporting documents)
- health insurance application cost
Students must pay the first £303 of travel costs themselves, and the total grant available is capped based on the household income assessment.
If you apply for the travel grant you will need to complete a form which is available on request from Student Finance. You need to submit all of your receipts and booking confirmations that relate to the costs you are claiming as part of the application, so remember to save everything. You can apply for the Travel Grant at any time during the academic year, so you can wait until you have finished your year abroad before claiming, and there's no limit to how many forms students can submit. Once Student Finance have assessed your claim, if you are due a payment you can expect to receive it in 3-5 working days.
For further information on the travel grant, see the Student Finance webpage.
If you need to appeal your Student Finance assessment, contact the Student Advice Centre in the Students’ Union.
Financial Support Fund
As you will still be a fully registered student of the University of Sheffield during your period abroad, you may apply for the Financial Support Fund when it is open for unforeseeable expenses or emergency costs (student log in required).
Working whilst studying abroad
If you are thinking about working during your time abroad, you need to check the website for your host university and the embassy for that country to see what regulations and restrictions there are.
Some universities and/or countries do not allow students to work during their stay.
You must clarify this prior to applying for your visa as you may need to declare that you want to work at visa application stage.
All questions need to be referred to the embassy for the country you are going to.
If you are able to undertake part-time work abroad, GoinGlobal may be a useful starting point for finding part-time work opportunities in your host country. The Careers Service can also assist with CV writing, interview and application tips, and international resources. (student log in required)