Financing mandatory year abroad

[Wonderwoman333]

My dd wants to study a degree in modern languages while living at home and this includes a mandatory year abroad.

Has anyone's dc done this? I am worried about how we will finance this as all I can find is information that tuition fees are lower for that year but this doesn't help with the living costs of being abroad for a year. Is there any extra help available other than the standard student maintenance loan?

I know @TizerorFizz, which is why I used words like some and dependent on to caveat I wasn’t referring to ‘all’ so sorry if my post implied that.

The OP is asking for feedback from posters with experience. I am contributing from the perspective of a DD just returning from a YA programme of study, where her peers would be not only be from other UK (mainly RG institutions), but also from Europe and US, less so from Asia/Australasia regions. Whilst we are talking MFL here, many students overseas would be studying other programmes but in same classes, dependent on YP’s interests.

I do agree with you @poetryandwine that UK students compete better with English speaking counterparts, but for those that do break through the challenge of language barriers such as access, they hold their own overseas, offsetting their ‘lack ofs’ with other strengths that comes with being a UK/Irish student. Language itself is only one component of experiencing a YA. Of course I can only comment from an anecdotal perspective through my DD’s experiences.

In relation to the poster asking when did university study be part of the requirements, I don’t know but it is mandatory for my DD’’s programme, with sign off needed by an academic excellence department to approve modules chosen, but this is just reference to hers, not all.

@ealingwestmum DDs uk university signed off the modules chosen abroad too. They would not want ones taught in English!

Even though dc can work and study I’m not sure many want this combination and it’s not easy to get jobs in some places. Also dc only there for a few months which can make it difficult too.

I think this might vary with the home country - the Welsh scheme promises to replicate the benefits of Erasmus so that might mean better funding at Welsh unis.

As her uni is so cheap I can probably fund the year abroad if I have to.

She does have an Irish passport so more work opportunities obviously.

I've no idea how she's going to cope as her French level seems nowhere near enough to cope but I guess there's little point worrying about that now.

@HPFAIs DD about to go on y3 abroad? To be honest they do really get to grips with language when immersed. That’s key though: dc must get immersed and not just use basic language.

Shes at the end of Year One so still a year to go.

Ive suggested she looks at getting a summer job in France as she has an EU passport.

DD is off to France next month for her YA.

Anyone got any tips for travel, medical and contents insurance as I understand you can't use regular annual travel insurance?

@HPFA That makes life easier but she needs to think about y3 as they start talking to students in y2, fairly early. She needs to think about doing academic study or more work, either what she finds or British Council. DD considered future work plans after university too.

DD used April Insurance @KatherinewithaC. Across 2 counties (one non Europe), made one claim for medical consult and meds which paid out swiftly. There are more but this one served DD’s purposes well.

I've no idea how she's going to cope as her French level seems nowhere near enough to cope but I guess there's little point worrying about that now

I share these concerns @HPFA and my DD has finished Y2 so will be sitting in a French lecture theatre in September 😂Fortunately, her UK uni requires her to sit the exams but she doesn't need to pass them.

Thank you @ealingwestmum - I'll take a look at April Insurance.

You can convert the GHIC into a student one which lasts a year.

I researched what the GHIC actually covers in France and thought it was quite good although obviously it wont cover everything that insurance would.

Yes, she's converted the GHIC but needs additional medical insurance too (I think).

Quotes are for £800!

@KatherinewithaC My DD is off in September and her Uni provides the insurance for the year so ask your DD to check with her Year Abroad tutor. She needed this to get her visa.

Our family annual policy only covers 90 days at a stretch so certainly wouldn't work.

@KatherinewithaC Yes. DD sat the exams but wasn’t required to pass. Different universities have different ideas of what a pass looks like. Never mind quality of lecturing and how exams are structured!

The requirement for my son’s university changed and he ended up having to pass exams in the February and again in May/June.

we did need to get insurance and also had to pay for a different phone contract.

DD's uni told them they don't provide insurance. It wasn't an issue when she dropped her papers off at the visa place.

What is interesting from this thread is how requirements both change over time and also how hugely variable they are between universities.

Clearly those doing British Council teaching assistantships aren't passing Uni credits and that is a very common route. I believe if you're working / teaching English you write a piece of work assessed by your home Uni tutor.

So the key advice is for DC to check all the requirements from their Uni. For my DD these were accessed via her online portal - ie can't be accessed by parents googling but maybe you can get more details on open days etc.

DD's home Uni charges DD £1,430 for course fees while abroad (student loan can pay these as in other years). And the Uni she is going to in Italy charges €300 per module but this may be waived through bilateral partnership arrangements.

Germany is cheaper accommodation than the UK & pretty sure fees are just over £1K for the year out. She will have a great time. If she is living at home for first 2 years she should be able to work a couple of shifts a week & save up.

@KatherinewithaC I paid £315 for worldwide cover excluding US and Caribbean, full works. Proof was needed as part her funding, she attends an Erasmus participating university. I hope you find an annual policy for less than what you are currently being quoted!

I have known many au pairs in full time higher education, including medics, mime artists, law students. UK students (and adults) do not always grasp that many students in other countries have no financing model for years abroad living away from home and au pairing is one of the easiest ways of ensuring comfortable accommodation and food.

@Juja Yes. That’s what dd did when attending a university. Wrote mini dissertations. Obviously people working never took exams. As I said earlier though, it was felt amongst the student body there was cheating going on.

I tried to suggest she did Spanish ab initio rather than French but she insisted on French because she'd done a bit on Duolingo but had no Spanish whatsoever

I'll probably offend any Spaniards on here but its so much easier than French IMO.

@ealingwestmum - I think I'll try calling them tomorrow - £315 sounds much more palatable!

I checked out backpacker insurance on Money Supermarket and the cheapest quote was £89.

Probably came with a lot of exclusions
but £800 seems way off.

My DDs uni cover you under their own travel insurance policy. You might have to top up if have certain pre existing conditions or take £££ possessions.