Turing Scheme

The Turing Scheme is the UK government’s programme to provide funding for international opportunities in education and training across the world. Each Year UWE Bristol bids for funding to support our students to participate in a range of projects.

For 2025/26, funding is available for the following eligible projects:

• Student Exchange (also known as Study Abroad)
• School of Health and Social Wellbeing (international electives)
• Think Pacific (international volunteering)
• Project Zulu (international volunteering).

Funding is limited and once all available funding has been allocated no further participants can be considered.

There is no formal application process. Instead, the Activity Managers for each of the eligible activities listed above will apply on your behalf.

The outcome of UWE Bristol's funding bid to the Turing Scheme will determine the levels of funding available.

Levels of funding

Funding levels are determined by three factors:

• Destination country:
  • group 1 – higher cost of living
  • group 2 – lower cost of living.
• Whether your household income has been assessed by Student Finance as above or below £25,000 and this information has been shared with UWE Bristol.
• Length of overseas activity falling within the Turing scheme year – minimum period 14 days, maximum period 365 days in the period 1 September to 31 August.

In addition, a different set of rates will apply depending on the duration of the activity. Students who complete a placement lasting 57 days or more will receive the 57 to 365 days rate for the whole placement, including the first 14 to 56 days.

For more information about country cost of living grouping, visit the list of destinations and grant rates on GOV.uk.

Types of funding

For all eligible students:

• Cost of Living Grant

For students with a household income below £25,000, as assessed by Student Finance and shared with UWE Bristol:

• Travel Grant
• Readiness to Travel Grant

Funding is only provided in respect of the specific period of activity that takes place within a single academic year, which the Turing scheme defines as the period from 1 September to 31 August.

If the activity straddles two academic years you will only be considered for the year in which the majority of the activity falls, and any funding will be based solely on the period of activity completed in that year, subject to meeting the minimum qualifying duration of 14 days.

Cost of Living Grant

For students who are not assessed by Student Finance or who have household income above £25,000, as assessed by Student Finance:

For students with a household income below £25,000, as assessed by Student Finance and shared with UWE Bristol:

Travel Grant

Students with a household income of £25,000 or below, as assessed by Student Finance and shared with UWE Bristol, may be eligible for a Travel Grant towards the direct costs of travel for one return journey, including transfers.

The Turing Scheme itself has set the maximum travel grant for each destination country.

For more information about travel grant rates, visit the list of destinations and grant rates on GOV.uk.

Students must provide valid travel receipts in respect of the Travel Grant. If you are eligible for the Travel Grant, the University will contact you with further information on how to upload your travel receipts.

Readiness to Travel Grant

Students with a household income of £25,000 or below, as assessed by Student Finance and shared with UWE Bristol, may be eligible for a Readiness to Travel Grant.

You must only use readiness to travel funding for:

• passports
• visa applications and reasonable associated costs such as translated documents and police certificates
• vaccines
• travel insurance
• medical certificates.

Students must provide valid receipts in respect of the Readiness to Travel Grant. If you are eligible for this grant, the University will contact you with further information on how to upload your travel receipts.

For students undertaking short term activities between 14 days to eight weeks, Turing Scheme grants are paid to students in one lump sum directly into a bank account.

For students undertaking long term activities between eight weeks and 12 months, Turing Scheme grants are paid to students in two instalments, at the start and end of the period abroad. The first payment will represent 70% of the entire grant entitlement, followed by the final 30% at the end of the period abroad.

The Turing Scheme is in addition to any funding received from Student Finance England. This might include:

• Tuition Fee Loans
• Maintenance Loans
• Disability Support Allowance (DSA).

The Turing Scheme is also in addition to any funding received from the UWE Bristol Employability Bursary.

Withdrawing from a Turing-funded activity

If you decide to withdraw part-way through a Turing-funded placement, you may need to repay some or all of the funding you received.

However, if your withdrawal is due to exceptional circumstances (known as Force Majeure), you can apply to keep the funding. Each case is reviewed by the Turing Scheme team, and funding may be retained if your application is approved.

View three different funding scenarios and what each student would be eligible for.