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.

It’s that global travel, study abroad, and world-wide cultural exchanges are all too expensive for the majority of students who simply can’t afford the associated costs.

Step forward The Turing Scheme.

The UK government’s programme provides funding for international opportunities in education and training across the world for students of all backgrounds!

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

 

What is The Turing Scheme?

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

The Turing Scheme was initially introduced as a one-year programme (2021-2022), but its positive uptake has led the government to extend this time frame.

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 offering funding, it allows students (of various ages) to have access to life-changing experiences.

Activities funded by the Turing Scheme include; 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 transferrable skills for future careers.

Programmes also include community service such as volunteering and language immersions.

By participating in these programmes, institutions can gain valuable connections with other schools around the world as well as receiving wider public recognition.

 

Who can apply for the Turing Scheme?

The scheme is open to a wide range of participants – from schools, further (FE) and higher (HE) education providers.

To participate, students do not have to be UK nationals. However, they 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 British Overseas Territories.

The scheme’s main goal is to provide students who come from disadvantaged backgrounds or varied educational levels with international opportunities.

In fact, Nottingham Trent University (NTU), one of the UK’s largest recruiters of UK students from disadvantaged backgrounds, received £1.4 million of Turing Scheme funding for 2021 to 2022.

“NTU is thrilled to have been awarded funding under the Turing Scheme for 2021 to 2022,” said Professor Cillian Ryan, Pro Vice-Chancellor International. “As founding signatory of the Social Mobility Pledge, we continually work towards widening access and the levelling up objective is central to our Turing Scheme project.

“The funding enables NTU to create an inclusive portfolio of opportunities that suit students’ current circumstances and future career goals and builds their resilience, perseverance and confidence, as well as nurturing their global citizenship.”.

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 are a student and want to apply, please contact your institution for further information.

When can you apply?

Applications for funding opened on Thursday, February 15 2024, and will close on Thursday, March 21 2024 at 4pm.

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

What can you get funding for?

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

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

Acting as a critical component of the government’s “long-term ambition to support student international mobility”, it holds a gateway to engagement on a global level, fostering more international relationships for the UK.

Those eligible can use the funding for; living and travel costs, organizational support (i.e. any kind of administration – from visa application fees to medical immunisations and travel insurance), language learning, specialist/additional support, and staff pay for those who accompany students.

The amount of financial support given depends on various factors; whether the student is from a school or FE or HE, if they are from a disadvantaged background, or have special educational needs or a disability, the destination which the student is traveling to and the duration of the placement.

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