What is the Turing Scheme? Opening the World to Students

By Hannah Pentin | March 18, 2024

There’s a myth about international travel for UK-based students.

The vast majority of students simply can’t afford the associated costs of global travel, study abroad programmes, and cultural exchanges

Enter The Turing Scheme.

The UK government’s programme provides funding for international opportunities in education and training for students of all backgrounds.

Here is our guide to help you navigate the UK government’s pioneering initiative.

What is The Turing Scheme?

Launched in 2021 as part of the UK Government’s vision for a Global Britain, the initiative is a bold step towards making international exchange programmes more accessible.

The Turing Scheme was initially supposed to be a one-year programme only, but its positive momentum has led the government to extend it.

Having been introduced as a result of Brexit, it has now replaced the UK’s original and well-known Erasmus+ scheme.

Benefitting the educational landscape through funding, it gives students of different ages access to life-changing experiences.

The scheme funds a variety of activities including study and work abroad placements, post-grad research positions, summer schools, medical electives, and international volunteering.

Students from the UK can embark on educational tours (via the likes of Kagumu Adventures), which enhance their studies, expose them to new global perspectives, and help them develop transferable skills for future careers.

Programmes also include service work and language immersion.

By participating in the scheme, educational institutions can also forge valuable connections with other schools around the world as well as receive wider public recognition.

Who can apply for the Turing Scheme?

The scheme is open to a wide range of participants from schools, colleges, and universities.

To participate, students do not have to be UK nationals but must be enrolled in an institution that is part of a consortium application, is receiving funding under the Turing Scheme, and/or is based in the UK or a British Overseas Territory.

The scheme’s main goal is to provide students from disadvantaged backgrounds with international opportunities.

Nottingham Trent University, one of the UK’s largest recruiters of UK students from underserved communities, received £1.4 million of Turing Scheme funding between 2021 and 2022.

You can find the programme guide here for further details, and check whether your institution is eligible to apply.

Important: Students cannot apply themselves – if you want to sign up, please contact your institution for further information.

When can you apply?

Applications for the 2025/26 academic year are open until March 14th, 2025.

Education providers will discover if they’ve been successful with their application around the end of June.

A student learning how to knit in the Sacred Valley. Peru.

What can you get funding for?

Funding via the Turing Scheme means a contribution towards costs that make up global educational placements.

With the scheme’s assistance, educational providers can provide a unique platform for students to enhance their abilities, boost their career prospects, improve their language skills, and gain a greater awareness of different cultures.

Funding normally goes towards the associated costs of travel, such as flights, visas, insurance, and paying accompanying faculty staff.

If you are interested in applying for funding, then click here.