If you are a Royal Holloway student and want to study abroad for part of your studies, there are a number of options open to you.
These options depend on whether you’re a first year, second year or PhD student - see below to find out more. If you’re a third year student or a Masters student, you can’t apply for a year abroad.
Options for first year students to take your second year abroad
You have two options:
Option 1: Students in the following departments can normally spend their second year abroad:
- Business
- Computer Science
- Economics
- Politics and International Relations and Philosophy
If you want to take this option, please check with your department first. In your year abroad you will be assessed on the marks obtained at the partner university. These will be converted and transferred to your Royal Holloway student record. For details on this process, please see the Credit Transfer Guidelines.
Please note: Due to the availability of relevant modules taught in English, you are not able spend your 2nd year abroad in China, Japan or Korea.
Option 2: You can apply for a place on an International Summer school.
Options for second year students to take your third year abroad
You have two options:
Option 1: Students on these degree courses can apply to study abroad between their second and final year on 'An International Year' pathway.
If you take this option, you will be assessed on the marks obtained at the partner university. These will be converted and transferred to your Royal Holloway student record. For details on this process, please see the Credit Transfer Guidelines.
Option 2: If your degree is not listed in Option 1 above, you can apply to take a ‘Placement Year' pathway between your second and final year
You will be assessed at the end of the year by means of written work set by Royal Holloway which will aim to give you the opportunity to reflect on the skills developed during the year.
Note: With both the 'Placement Year' and 'International Year' pathways, if you are successful in obtaining a place at a partner university, you will transfer onto a 4 year degree. This means your degree title will include ’with an International Year‘ or ‘with a Placement Year’.
Option 3: You can apply for a place on an International Summer school between your second and final year.
Options for PhD students
You must be in your second or third year of PhD study to undertake a placement abroad and are not normally encouraged to go on placement during your writing-up (fourth) year unless there are compelling reasons for doing so. Students may audit courses at a partner institution but will not gain credit for doing so.
If you would like to go on a placement abroad, please contact us at studyabroadstudents@rhul.ac.uk and we will enquire as to whether a partner university can accept PGR students. Please note that agreements with European partners are subject specific while International partnerships are University-wide.
How do I apply?
The application process is competitive, taking place through the Autumn term and starting with the Global Experiences Fair in mid-October and the Information Session in early November. The application form will be available shortly afterwards and you must submit your own completed application by the deadline stipulated, which is usually the end of the autumn term.
The Global Experiences Fair will be promoted in the student newsletter, on the student intranet event pages and in faculty communications.
Contact us
Got a query? Email studyabroadstudents@rhul.ac.uk
