Study abroad year: information for parents and guardians

View a list of our partner Universities.

We can only send students to countries that have been deemed safe to travel by the British Foreign office.

Students apply to the programme in the second year of their degree, typically in November. They are given four weeks to submit their application by a strict deadline. In January, students are informed of their placement and may choose to accept it. Please note, only one place can be offered per student. If the offer is declined, it cannot be changed or deferred, and the place is forfeited.

A second application round is available for students who were not allocated a place in the first round. There is also a late application round for students that did not apply in the first round.

We strongly encourage students to carefully research their seven preferred institutions and rank them in order of priority.

Parents or guardians may need to be involved in the visa application process for the host country. Students are usually required to show proof of sufficient funds for visa approval.

Find our more about visas for studying abroad.

In many cases, a parent or guardian must act as a financial guarantor and provide a bank statement along with a letter confirming their willingness to support the student. A student loan letter alone is not considered sufficient evidence, though it may be used to partially demonstrate available funds. The remaining balance must be covered by the guarantor.

In rare cases, some host institutions may require a temporary transfer of funds, which will later be refunded. Students are informed of these possibilities before applying, though requirements may change.

We organise a comprehensive pre-departure programme for all students. 

These sessions cover topics such as wellbeing, funding, insurance, and other important matters related to the year abroad. Information provided is based on advice from partner universities, feedback from previous students, and our internal expertise.

Students are also invited to attend a risk awareness session for their destination country. Following this, they must complete a country-specific risk assessment. This is a legal requirement to ensure they are covered by the University of Leeds insurance policy. These sessions also encourage students to do further research on their host country.

We support students before, during and after their year abroad. Prior to departure, we offer one-to-one meetings, in-person support, and multiple information sessions.

While abroad, students have access to wellbeing teams, funding and finance advisors, and student support officers. Students can withdraw from the programme at any point without penalty, and we provide full support for the transition back to final-year studies or alternative arrangements.

If parents or guardians wish to speak to us on behalf of a student, written consent via email must be provided by the student due to data protection laws.

Students on the study abroad year can contact the University of Leeds for support at anytime throughout the programme. 

They can email the Study Abroad team at outgoingstudyabroad@leeds.ac.uk.

The team will be in touch to arrange video calls with the student or speak to their host university directly.

All standard student support services remain available to students while they are abroad. These include Disability Services, Student Support Services, Insurance, and access to the Leeds Medical Practice.

Throughout the year abroad, the Study Abroad team and academic schools send regular emails to monitor students' wellbeing and progress.

Students are also kept informed about University of Leeds updates, including module enrolment, accommodation, and final year preparation.

While most placements proceed without issue, incidents such as natural disasters may occur. In these cases, we immediately contact students to ensure their safety and coordinate with the host university. We expect our partner institutions to provide a similar level of care.

Students represent the University of Leeds abroad and are expected to maintain a high standard of conduct both academically and socially. If an incident occurs, students must contact us as soon as possible to confirm they are safe.

All year abroad students are covered under the University of Leeds insurance policy.

In some cases, this may not meet the host country's requirements. Host universities may provide their own insurance policy, which students will need to enrol in. In such situations, parents or guardians may need to assist in finding suitable private insurance if necessary.

Students are eligible for Student Finance funding during the year abroad. The amount may be adjusted depending on the country of study. 

For privately funded or international students, costs will vary by destination.

No tuition fees are paid to the host university. Instead, students pay a reduced fee to the University of Leeds. 

Students may also be eligible to apply for Turing Scheme funding. 

Find our more about tuition fees for the study abroad year.

We encourage students to discuss their study abroad plans with their parents or guardians during the application process.