University of St Andrews

Source: https://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/students/study-abroad/turingscheme/ Parent: https://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/students/study-abroad/

The Turing scheme

The Turing Scheme is a programme that provides funding for UK educational providers to support students in study and work placements around the world.  The scheme is managed by the Department for Education (DfE) and aims to help participants from all backgrounds develop new skills, gain vital international experience, and boost their employability. The University was successful in securing Turing funding for the academic year 2025-2026 and will apply for funding for the academic year 2026-2027.

Turing scheme funding is available for students on study and work placements which are an integral part of their degree whether optional or compulsory.  We are also able to fund additional activities including short term research placements for post graduate students.  We will contact all confirmed study and work abroad students early in the calendar year to invite applications and will open applications for other cohorts throughout the cycle if funding allows.

We also offer a range of University of St Andrews scholarships and bursaries.  These are subject to their own deadlines and application processes and we are committed to continuing our exchange programmes and supporting our students on their placements.

Funding information

Awards for Turing are made based on our institutional application, which are submitted annually in March.  The Global Office will circulate a call for applications each year from students participating in study or work abroad opportunities, and the University will then communicate results directly to students who have responded to the internal application for the scheme once we have our institutional award which is usually received at the end of the summer.

Funding levels for 2025-2026

• Funding is provided to help with daily living costs.
• The amount each student receives depends on the destination, which is categorised into two groups based on the general cost of living: Group 1 (higher cost) and Group 2 (lower cost).
• There are different rates based on placement length.  Students who complete placements lasting more than 57 days will receive the 57 to 365-day rate for the entire placement. Please see below for the funding amounts.
• Additional funding is available for students from disadvantaged backgrounds.
• For non-disadvantaged students the rates are:
• 14 to 56 days: £19 per day in Group 1, £17 per day in Group 2.
• 57 to 365 days: £14 per day in Group 1, £12 per day in Group 2.
• For disadvantaged students the rates are:
• 14 to 56 days: £23 per day in Group 1, £21 per day in Group 2.
• 57 to 365 days: £18 per day in Group 1, £16 per day in Group 2.    Students who complete placements lasting more than 57 days will receive the 57 to 365-day rate for the entire placement.

Bank details on MySaint must be up to date for the funding to be processed.

Please be aware that the mobility start date is not the date on which you arrived at your placement, but the first date on which you must be in attendance at your placement.  Placements can only be funded from 1 September onwards.

Additional Support

Extra funding may be available for students from disadvantaged backgroundsor who meet the UK government's special education needs or disabilities criteria for additional support.

• Disadvantaged Students: Students from disadvantaged backgrounds receive extra funding for readiness to travel, travel, and higher rates for living costs. Disadvantaged students may include those with a household income of £35,000 or less, those receiving income-related benefits, care leavers, carers, estranged students, refugees, and asylum seekers.  Please refer to the DfE webpage for full details.
• Students with special educational needs or disabilities (SEND): Extra funding is available for students with special educational needs or disabilities to cover additional costs they may face on international placements, such as pre-placement visits. Funding should not be applied for if the costs are already covered by the Disabled Students' Allowance (DSA), but can be used for costs not covered by DSA. The Turing Scheme will also fund up to 100% of actual costs.  Support for the additional needs listed can only be funded with receipted expenditure. Evidence must be provided at the start of the placement to be able to request this funding, so we encourage students to make arrangements at their host destination as early as possible to allow a quick collection of evidence.  Please refer to the DfE webpages for full details.

Contact us at outbound@st-andrews.ac.uk for more details. The University will apply for this uplift in funding on your behalf if you have indicated to us that you may be eligible. Please note that you must provide evidence to demonstrate your eligibility as part of the application process to the Global Office.

Documentation

Students are required to sign and return documents before, during and after their time abroad. For more information, please refer to the documentation webpage.

• Attendance at thePre-Departure meeting in April each year is compulsoryfor funded students on study and work placements which are part of their degree.
• Pre-Departure Agreement- must be uploaded by May 31 using the Outbound Documentation Tool for the same group of students.

For all funded students.

• Award letter – must be signed and returned (first payment will usually be made within the week after letter is returned).
• A Certificate of Arrival to be signed by all parties, including the host institution, as evidence of dates of placements.
• After each payment has been received, the Global Office will require receipts in the form of a Student Acknowledgment of Receipt of Grant form (SARG), which will be sent directly to the student. SARGs are due four weeks after the receipt of each grant. Further payments cannot be made until you have returned your receipts.
• A Certificate of Attendance to be signed by all parties, including the host institution, as evidence of dates of placements.

Timeline:

• The Award Letter is sent towards the start of the placement.
• First payment is sent within two weeks of the Award letter being signed and returned.
• The first SARG must be sent back to the Global Office in order to receive the next payment.
• Semester abroad students or students on placements shorter than a semester receive 90% of their funding at the start of their placement and the final 10% as a balancing payment at the end of their placement. (2 SARGs to sign in total). Please note that students will not receive their final payment until the Certificate of Attendance is returned.\
• Year Abroad students receive 45% percent of their funding at the start of their placement, with a further 45% at the start of semester two and the final 10% as a balancing payment at the end of their placement. (3 SARGS to sign in total). Please note that students will not receive their second payment if their first SARG is not returned, nor their final payment until their second SARG and Certificate of Attendance are received.\
• The Certificate of Attendance document is sent to students and a signed copy must be returned prior to the end of the placement. Should the placement end early, it is possible that the Global Office may request repayment of a proportional amount of the funding for onward repayment to the National Agency.

Please note that any Turing Funding received by a student is not a loan – it is a grant administered by the University on behalf of the British Council who run the scheme for the UK government.

Extending placements

Extensions to periods that are initially identified in the award letter are not guaranteed due to the parameters of the University’s funding award, but the Global Office will aim to add to periods in that letter if informed about them before it is initially signed. We are happy to receive requests for extensions during a placement as long as we receive the request one month before the original end dates of the placement.

Future of Turing

The Turing scheme will operate until at least the end of the 2026-2027 academic year.  The University will normally apply for funding in March for the following academic year and we normally hear the result in July.

Student funding

Current student finance arrangements remain in place. We advise that students contact their student finance company directly for further information at present.

Annual funding

Please note: the University of St Andrews is unable to guarantee Turing scheme funding in any given year.  Turing scheme funding is awarded each year on the basis of our application as a University. We will invite applications from students participating in study or work abroad placements and other activities such as volunteering and summer placements and will apply on your behalf.  We will approach students with additional calls for applications throughout the year depending on funding. We cannot guarantee that our applications for funding will be successful, we will usually notify you of the outcome of our application funding in August prior to the academic year in which your activity will take place.

As part of the Turing programme, eligible students will be issued with a Turing award letter which must be returned to the Global Office. This contract or award letter will serve as a guarantee of funding.