Stressing about DD's Uni Yr 3 year abroad - Portugal

[andjustwhatfreshhellisthis]

DD is supposedly going to Portugal in September for her Yr3 - she's studying Spanish and Portuguese at a UK Uni (4 year course) and the year abroad is mandatory.

Up until now, there has been very limited information provided from her Uni, regarding what she needs to do to get things done because it all harnesses on the Portuguese Uni application process and I'm extremely worried that we will run out of time to get things sorted.

We've been told that the application window opens on the 23rd June (so next week) and we have no idea how long it will take for them to process her application. She's already provided them with a proficiency certificate and they were very quick to come back and say that it was sufficient. Fingers crossed they'll confirm her place just as quick. However, she has been told by her UK Uni that she can't apply for a visa or organise accommodation until she has her place at the Portuguese Uni confirmed.

I read on a FB post it can take months to get a visa appointment! so what happens if she doesn't get a visa in time before the academic year starts; what do we do?

And how does she go about looking/applying for accommodation? She's already been told that Halls aren't available so that means she'll be living with people she doesn't know albeit overseas students, but they may not be Portuguese language students and I'm worried she'll end up in a hell-hole.

The UK Uni hasn't opened up the 'blackboard' (that's what they refer to it as) section of their on-line information so we've no idea if they supply accommodation links or if DD has to sort all of that alone. (We've asked the Uni directly (as we need to organise ourselves) and they will only correspond with DD, not with us))

In addition, she wants us (DH and I) to travel with her and spend a few days prior to her starting her course, with her and finding her way around so we have to look to book holiday from work, book flights, find a place to stay and it's all last minute!! Starting to panic!! Help....

Hello, my DD is about to come home from a year in Spain. Solidarity, it’s pretty confusing and I agree the direction from uni is patchy at best. Are there other students from her course going to the same city/uni?

My DD didn’t get her Visa until about 12th Sept in the end and flew within a couple of days of it coming through. Her accommodation was booked and paid for privately from 1st Sept, she missed the first few days of term.

Apologies that all sounds quite negative… in contrast… she has had an amazing 10 months, met soooo many fellow European young people. It was all very worth it, but this time last year we were in this position. So do keep plugging away, write the emails and get her to send them, google, nag, chase, research, look at accommodation options and locations near campus etc. x

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/higher_education/5129893-year-abroad-costs-turing-scheme?utm_campaign=thread&utm_medium=app_share

Hey @andjustwhatfreshhellisthis what city is she studying in in Portugal? My sister is a lecturer in a Portuguese Uni- can offer some advice if it her uni or one she has links with

Sorry to keep spamming OP! My DD found accommodation on spotahome.com, it was like halls with multiple rooms with locks in a shared flat with shared kitchen and bathrooms. They do lots of shared student style accommodation, looks like they operate in Portugal (Lisbon) too. Or put into ChatGPT similar sites to spotahome for shared young person accommodation for the location she’s going to.

The Uk uni connected the 10 of them going to her host uni so 4 of them booked into the same 8 person flat which helped for settling in.

You are not alone being stressed about the year abroad. My DD is due to be in Italy - it's been a nightmare and remains so. Her Uni failed to tell her she needed a B2 language test approved by a particular provider. DD has now taken but the results take 2-4 months but Universitaly require an application by 30th June. Bonkers given it was multiple choice. So she will apply for a single course in English and then add on extra modules in Italian.
Her uni has no bilateral agreements which complicates matters.
I think she now has a plan but may well need to go on a tourist visa for the first couple of months and then come back to get a visa...

Not wanting to derail this thread but has this always been the case for students studying in Europe, or are these new requirements due to us leaving the EU? I don’t remember it being this difficult in the past.

Yes, it’s 100% a Brexit benefit.

There was the Erasmus scheme before which hopefully UK is working towards re-joining.

sadly not. she's the only one. The Portuguese class was originally 6 but has now dwindled to 2 and the other person is going elsewhere.

oh thank you! She's planning on going to Universidade de Lisboa.

You're not spamming; trust me you are really helping. Thank you! I shall send the link to DD!

I think it's possible that DD will have to do the tourist visa and then come back for the full visa. This is going to end up so expensive!!

Edited to say that DD freaked out the other day because she'd had an email to say that she had to do a 3 hour exam, including spoken via Zoom so they could assess her proficiency! I managed to calm her down and she spoke to her Tutor who confirmed that the certificate of proficiency would be enough - which it was, thank god.

This is my first interaction with the 'year abroad' so I don't know if it's become more difficult with Brexit. I imagine it has because the Erasmus scheme isn't available to the UK anymore, it's under the guise of the Turing scheme now.

I went with my 21 year old son when he was going to Spain for his third year abroad. (He asked me to. )
He/we had to sort his accommodation out in the few days we were there, he took the first place that was offered. It was not great but ok in the end. I just signed the cheques!

Thank you to everyone who's made suggestions, sympathised and provided links! Any help is gratefully received. 🙌

DD has asked us to go out with her too...just hoping we can sort accommodation before we go; it'll just be one less hassle for her/us to sort.

It does seem mad that this is a compulsory requirement and yet the uni in Britain doesn't seem to offer any help.

Obviously they can't be filling in all the paperwork for each individual student but you'd think that maybe a lecture at the beginning of the year explaining the general process and advising on dates would be part of their responsibility?

Before Erasmus ie 1980s it was really quite easy to go on a year abroad - I spent 6 months in two countries, one in the EU and another on a tourist visa, and sorted out classes and accommodation when I arrived. Since Erasmus and globalisation everything has got a lot harder as worldwide student mobility has skyrocketed meaning that universities need processes (for managing the volume of student inflow) that just weren't necessary pre-Erasmus.

Since Brexit and the ending of Erasmus privileges for British students, many UK universities, including really selective and prestigious ones, are behaving as if the situation had reverted to pre-Erasmus and aren't expecting to support outgoing students despite the fantastically increased and complex bureaucracy of a year abroad in the intervening 35 year period. It really isn't good enough.

According to DD, there have been a couple of lectures about the year abroad but she said she comes away from them knowing little else than she already knew. 🤷‍♀️ when I emailed the 'overseas' email, they replied to DD saying they were surprised that they'd had the email from us because they've provided information?! They may well have provided some information but it isn't enough when her start date is 3 months away when she has to still sort her application, her visa and her accommodation. Just seems crazy to me.

But, as i said, we await the opening of the 'blackboard' because they've said all she needs to know is on there. mind boggling that they can't access it yet.

[Edited by MNHQ at poster's request]

It really does seem like most UK/Ire universities manage this year abroad process with very much a hands off approach. The good news is those of us with returners will hopefully tell you it's all been worth it!

My DD's year abroad was also mandatory, her language combination of Arabic and Spanish meant there was no choice but one in Spain.

All processes between home university and YA will differ, but I hope some of these observations from DD's experience help. She will need to not rely on her university, it's on her to get stuff moving and be proactive.

• The application window for next week is usual, most European universities sit later semester schedules to home so plenty of staff still manning queries.
• Once you have a student ID generated from the application process, most follows swiftly after
• Your DD may need to sign off an academic study agreement for minimum 45 - 60 ECTs unless there is no requirement required. This can be a little chicken and egg, depending on the supply/demand of the courses that correlate with your DD's own study programme or areas of interest. She many not even know if she's accepted on them until first few days of matriculation where things change again with incoming students from global/home to reconcile. Some modules will have caps.
• Be prepared (I'm sure she is) that learning will all be in Spanish or Portuguese. If she chooses modules of interest outside 'language', she will more than likely be attending class with native/students who are studying subject as part of their degree (vs a semester/year like international students).
• There will be minimal if any leeway granted for the fact that you are international, you will be marked like everyone else
• Do join now all the IG and FB university groups. There will probably be one for UK students going to Lisbon, opportunity to house/flat share, it doesn't matter if other UK students are not studying same prgramme
• Accommodation searching is daunting and securing it can be late, DD's was a few weeks before departure, we would have airbnb'd her if needed, it's hard to navigate outside of country. Sounds like you already have access to the rental links
• Contact returning students to Y4, there may be accommodation to take over and at least understand the lay of the land.
• Read the T&Cs of the accommodation contract. Especially what's included, DD had to set up wifi contract once there.
• Her rent was 250EUR a month (Granada), plus bills (butane gas cylinders, water was the highest). Circa 35 EUR. Had a very responsive and kind landlord for a house share between 3 girls. Food/going out costs reasonable.
• eSIM for phone
• International Insurance certificate may be needed for her home Uni to issue Turing payment (if applicable)
• Whilst visa process does take time, download all the requirements now and get appointments in soon after student ID issuance, they can always be cancelled. DD didn't need a visa so can't help but she knew of a few who did the visitors and converted nearer the 90 days if they didn't finalise before departure.
• Even with pass/fail for home uni like DD's, the end of year exams are HARD if she picks challenging modules like DD did, resulting in double exam schedule to peers. So pick wisely :) However some of her peers have had to reschedule flights to respective homes due to failed papers with resits early July.
• Biggest tip from DD, sign up to all International networks and activities (it'll probably still be called Erasmus due to just us numpties opting out) and then she can deselect later.
• Hang in there, it does come together throughout the summer, we did book her flights ahead of it all being finalised. Didn't go ourselves, but lovely that you are with her to bed things in.
• Book flights now, with change with fee options.

So sorry for the long dump, it is both daunting and exciting but she will love it. What a great city to spend a year in, and even better, its location is ideal for lots of southern Europe/north African/ME travel near by if that's her thing. The great thing about YA is that they are amongst people who are equally up for adventure, so liberating to be away from home counties for a year!

Good luck!

Have to say DS’s university (Durham) was quite good in sorting out the lectures, courses etc, we just had to arrange accommodation.
This was before we left the EU so it was still Erasmus. He got pocket money from the scheme too. (What idiots we were.. enough said. )
He went to Granada too and had the most wonderful time, quite surprised he passed the course.

My son went in 2023, it was a nightmare and cost SO much money, the trips to London for visas were an added cost.

his university offered no help, the first he heard from them was in the April when they contacted to see how things were going when his time was nearly over.

he got no Turing funding.

he enjoyed it but I wish we’d known in advance about the mither and cost.

I’ve cut to the end. My DS went to Germany 2.5 years ago. By the time the German uni confirmed, the next (in person) visa appointment was 10 days after the start of term 🙄 (and quite a lot of money) so he was advised to apply while in Germany, which he did. There was a lot of to and fro, going to the foreigners’ office, but he was assured all was in order. Until he got detained at the airport coming home for Xmas, as he’d overstayed his tourist visa by 11 days. He was threatened with being deported and banned from Schengen for 5 years.

Thank god his uni was still open and the overseas students’ liaison officer available. They ascertained that his student visa had been issued so they let him go, running to catch his plane. Tense Xmas as we awaited an official letter, and he only relaxed after he passed back through into Germany in Jan.

So, if your student visa isn’t sorted by the time your DC goes, get them to fly home for the interview.

And thank Brexit.

When I did my Erasmus I just bought a plane ticket, that was it. I automatically had a room in an Erasmus hall of residence for €200 pcm, which was covered by my Erasmus grant. Another world entirely.