What funding is available?

Living costs

The cost of living will vary depending on the country and city you're in. Our search tool includes estimated living costs, including accommodation and food.

Travel

Be sure to factor in the cost of travelling to your chosen destination, which can vary significantly depending on the distance and mode of transport you're using.

Additional university fees

Many universities charge additional fees, most often in the form of compulsory health insurance. For example, in Australia and New Zealand, a certain type of health insurance is a visa requirement. These additional costs can range from £50 to £600, so it's important to do some research before you travel.

Although these cost considerations can seem daunting, it's important to remember there's lots of financial help available from Student Finance, the University and the Turing Scheme. There's further information about financial support for study abroad students in the sections below. You can also attend our Budgeting Basics sessions during Global Opportunities Week to help you plan your finances whilst abroad.

Travel insurance

The University of Liverpool provides all students with free travel insurance that covers your stay in your host country. You will be covered for:

• Two weeks before you leave
• The duration of your visit or exchange
• Two weeks after you return.

This is the same policy that is used to cover University staff when they travel for business purposes, and is a very comprehensive policy.

Tuition fees

• For home students undertaking a semester abroad, your tuition fees will stay the same
• Home students spending a year abroad will pay a reduced tuition fee of £1,385. You can apply for a tuition fee loan as normal to cover this.
• International students spending a year abroad are entitled to a 50% tuition fee discount
• You won't pay tuition fees to your host university, with the exception of on some summer abroad programmes.

Student Finance maintenance loans

• You can still apply for a maintenance loan if you're studying abroad and should, as a minimum, receive the same amount you would be getting here
• You may be entitled to a slightly higher loan amount while studying abroad. Check the Student Finance webpages for further information.
• You'll still be able to apply for a tuition fee loan as detailed above.

Student Finance England travel grants

Students entitled to support from Student Finance England may be eligible for travel grants to help with the cost of studying abroad, including flights, medical insurance and travel visas.

Please note that students who receive funding via the Turing Scheme will not be eligible for these travel grants.

Thanks to the generosity of our alumni and donors, we're able to provide funding to all students participating in one of our central global opportunities programmes.

These grants are means-tested and awarded as below:

• Students with a household income of £25,000 and under who also meet the University's Widening Participation criteria: £1,000
• Students with a household income of £25,000 and under who don't meet the University's Widening Participation criteria: £750
• Students with a household income of between £25,001 and £35,000: £500
• All other students: £250

You will get the grant amount you're entitled to once during your studies with us, even if you participate in more than one study abroad programme.

In addition to the Liverpool Go Abroad Grant or Turing funding, students participating in global opportunities can apply for a BUTEX scholarship. The University of Liverpool is a member of BUTEX, which aims to promote study abroad partnerships between universities in the UK and around the world. Any Liverpool student studying abroad can apply for a £500 BUTEX scholarship. To find out how to apply, visit the BUTEX website.

Turing funding provides a weekly or monthly living costs grant (depending on the length of study abroad placement). Students from households with an income of under £25,000, along with some other eligibility criteria, will also receive funding towards their travel costs. In 2023/24, eligible students were awarded at east £335 per month.

The University will apply for funding on behalf of students, rather than students applying directly. We will then contact all eligible students to confirm details, depending on how much funding we receive.

For 2024/25, the University has agreed to underwrite Turing funding for students who meet Widening Participation (WP) eligibility criteria, which is as follows:

• Students in receipt of the Liverpool Bursary
• Students in receipt of the Liverpool Scholars Award or Realising Opportunity Bursary
• Students from a POLAR4 Quintile 1 postcode
• Students eligible under the Disrupted Education Programme i.e.
• Are care experienced
• Are a young carer for parents/siblings
• Are estranged from  family
• Forced migrants
• Are from a Travelling community
• Are from a military family

This means if we were to be unsuccessful in our bid for funding, the University will provide the equivalent funding that students meeting the above criteria would've received from the Turing Scheme. 

If you receive Turing funding, you won't be eligible for the Liverpool Go Abroad Grant or Student Finance travel grants.

Learn more about how Turing funding works on the Turing Scheme website.