If you're taking part in a study exchange, work placement or short-term opportunity abroad, you may be eligible for funding through the Turing Scheme.
What is the Turing Scheme?
The Turing Scheme is a UK government programme that provides funding for international education and training opportunities across the world.
It aims to make global experiences more accessible, particularly for students who face barriers to studying or working abroad. Additional support is available for students from disadvantaged backgrounds.
You can apply for Turing funding if your experience abroad lasts between 14 days and 12 months.
Please note: Turing funding usually doesn't cover all your costs, and you can't use it for expenses already funded from another source.
You can learn more about the scheme on the gov.uk website.
What you can receive
Cost of living by destination
The amount of funding you’ll receive for living costs depends on your destination, which is grouped into one of two categories:
- group one – higher cost of living
- group two – lower cost of living
You can find the full list of countries in each group on GOV.UK.
Duration of your experience
The amount of funding also depends on how long you'll be abroad.
14–56 days
- group one – £19 per day
- group two – £17 per day
57–365 days
- group one – £14 per day
- group two – £12 per day
Support for underrepresented students
If you're from an underrepresented background, you may be eligible for a higher funding rate and a travel grant for your global opportunity.
You'll be eligible for a higher rate of funding and a travel grant if you're:
- a care leaver or have been care experienced
- a carer
- an estranged student
- a refugee or asylum seeker
- registered with the Disability Learning Support Team
Additional eligibility for UK students
If you pay UK course fees, you may also be eligible if:
- your household or family income is under £25,000
- you receive Universal Credit or other benefits
- you’re the first in your family to go to university
- you identify as Black, Asian, Mixed or another Minority Ethnic background – including Gypsy, Traveller and Roma communities (this includes New Traveller, Showmen and Boater communities)
- you’re a mature undergraduate student (aged 21 or over when you started your course)
- you accessed Higher Education through an access course or an integrated degree
- your home postcode is in an area of deprivation (defined as decile 1 or 2 on the Index of Multiple Deprivation)
14–56 days
- group one – £23 per day
- group two – £21 per day
57–365 days
- group one – £18 per day
- group two – £16 per day
If you're from an underrepresented background, you can also receive a travel grant for one return journey, including transfers.
Travel grants can vary depending on location. For more details, read the guidance on GOV.UK.
Please note: If you receive a travel grant through the Turing Scheme, you can't apply for a Student Finance England travel grant for the same trip.
How to apply
If you're eligible for Turing Scheme funding, the Student Mobility Team will contact you directly and support you through the application process.
Other important things to know
Long-term experiences
If you're taking a student exchange or work placement abroad:
- you'll receive 80% of your grant before your experience begins
- the remaining 20% will be paid once you've completed your experience and submitted all required documents
- travel grant payments are made after you submit your travel receipts
Short-term experiences
If you're taking part in a short-term opportunity supported by the Global Experience Bursary, your bursary may include Turing Scheme funding.
For more details, see our Global Experience Bursary page.
If your dates change
If the dates of your experience change, your Turing funding will be recalculated. You'll receive an updated agreement and may be required to return some funding.
Contact us
For general help and advice, contact our Student Mobility Team at [email protected].