If you budget well, and you really watch what you’re spending, you can enjoy your year abroad for the same cost as a year here. But to be on the safe side, we suggest budgeting for roughly £1,000 more than staying in Bristol. So, what do you have to think about? What costs do you need to keep in mind?
Currently if you're on a full year Erasmus exchange your tuition fees will be waived. However if you have questions about your Bristol tuition fees, you should talk to your Faculty Office who can confirm what fees you will be charged. We’ve put together some information for you, but this should be used for guidance only. Full tuition fee information can be found on the Income Office website.
Those students currently spending more than six months studying on an Erasmus placement enjoy a full tuition fee waiver. If you’re away for a whole year, and it’s outside Europe, you’ll receive a 50% Bristol tuition fee reduction. If you’re away for less than six months, and you’re spending the rest of the year in Bristol, you’ll have to pay your tuition fees as normal.
If you are an overseas fee-payer, you'll pay your normal tuition fees to Bristol.
Of course, you’ll need somewhere to live, and you’ll have to pay for accommodation at your chosen university. Some exchange partners can provide university accommodation, others will need you to find private accommodation. And as you’d expect, costs will vary, depending on where you study. For example, LA or Paris will be much more expensive than, say, Wisconsin or Montpellier. Mind you, some students have found that accommodation is cheaper than what you pay in Bristol. It’s also worth nothing that in many places, especially the US, shared rooms are the norm.
This is where the extra costs can really add up. You’ll need to cover the cost of your return flight – and these can vary wildly depending on your destination and how cunning you can be when it comes to finding cheap flights. Some LEAs will offer additional financial support to cover travel costs, so be sure to ask.
If you require a visa, make sure to budget for this, which can include an interview at the Embassy.
It’s also important that you take out adequate travel and health insurance. Outside Europe (Australia, Canada and the US in particular), there’s no state health insurance, so you’ll have to have your own. In most cases, you can take out a policy through your host university. We’d suggest budgeting for around £400 per semester.
Of course, full information about insurance will be provided in your pre-departure meeting. There will also be details in your host university’s admission materials. Information on University of Bristol travel insurance can be found on the following website
Now, this might sound like a bit of a sweeping generalisation, but overseas students tend to drink less and buy more books. So, you should be prepared to spend more on books than you do here in the UK, sometimes as much as £200 per semester. Not that you have to keep them. You can sell them at the end of your year.
It’s also well worth thinking about travel costs during holidays, at weekends and if you want to come home. Talk to other students when you get to your host university, try to find out about the cheapest, easiest ways to travel around.
If you’re a UK student, and you’re abroad for a semester or year as part of your degree, you can still apply for your full student loan and/or maintenance grant. Some LEAs also offer additional funding for spending time abroad, so it’s worth getting in touch with them to find out more.
Also, have a good look at your host university’s website. In some cases, they have scholarships available for exchange students. And if you belong to professional society, like the IMechE or RAeS, check its website and talk to your Year Abroad Coordinator for information about any travel awards they may offer.
If you’re venturing outside Europe, have a look at:
If you are studying in the US, you can also browse through information from the Educational Advisory Service.
The first thing to say is that the Erasmus grant isn’t a full maintenance grant. It’s intended to be a contribution to the additional costs of living abroad.
Whether you’re a home or international fee paying student on an Erasmus exchange, you’ll be eligible for an Erasmus grant, funded by the EU commission. The amount you can receive will vary from year to year, but it’s usually around £2,000 for a full academic year or £1,000 for one semester. You’ll receive a certain amount of Euros for every month that you have taken part in an Erasmus placement (three months being the minimum). If you receive a bursary from the University of Bristol then you may also be eligible for an additional grant.
You’ll receive your grant in two instalments. The first one will be paid at the start of your placement (once we’ve received your Learning Agreement and Confirmation of Arrival form). The second instalment will be paid around June. To receive the second half of your grant, it’s essential that you’ve completed the Online Study Feedback Survey and you’ve sent us your Confirmation of Departure form confirming the exact dates of your placement.
The Erasmus grant will be paid in Euros onto your Travelex cash passport which you will need to collect from the Study Abroad office by 24 June 2011.
It’s really important that you’re aware that your first grant payment might not come until after you've started your placement, and that your second instalment might not be paid until after you’ve finished. That’s why careful, considered budgeting is so important, taking into account travel, accommodation and initial living costs.
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