The Turing Scheme

On the 23rd day of June 1912, a great man who would go on to make great contributions was born in one of the affluent districts of London, known as Maida Vale. Born Alan Mathison Turing but popularly known as Turing, Turing was many things. He was a mathematician, computer scientist, logician, cryptanalyst, philosopher, and theoretical biologist.

Turing was highly influential in the development of theoretical computer science, providing a formalisation of the concepts of algorithm and computation with the Turing machine, which can be considered a model of a general-purpose computer. He is widely considered to be the father of theoretical computer science and artificial intelligence and the movie The Imitation Game is based on his character.

He is also the one that the UK government chose to name its global study and work programme after.

What is the Turing Scheme?

The Turing Scheme is the government’s global programme to provide funding for international opportunities in education and training across the world. It supports the UK by providing an opportunity for UK organisations from the higher education, further education, vocational education and training and schools sectors to offer their students, learners and pupils to partake in valuable study or work experiences abroad. 

The Turing Scheme was brought in to replace the Erasmus programme because as a result of the UK leaving the EU it was no longer a participant in the programme. 

The new scheme will provide funding for more than 41,000 students in study and work placements across the world during the 2021-22 academic year. Funding for the scheme is now confirmed for the next three years to 2024-25.

How does the Turing Scheme work?

Schools, colleges, and universities across the UK can apply for government funding. If successful, they are then able to provide their students with funding to support study and work placements abroad. For 2021-22, funding is being provided for more than 28,000 higher education placements, more than 6,000 further education and vocational education and training placements, and more than 5,000 school placements, in over 150 destinations across the globe.

Who is Eligible for the Turing Scheme?

The first thing you ought to know is that the scheme is open to students of all nationalities. Your placement must last for a minimum of 4 weeks and can last up to 12 months. Those who are eligible include:

1. Higher education students: University students are provided with the opportunity of studying at another university or gaining valuable international work experience through a traineeship in an organisation abroad, across the world. 
2. Apprentices and learners in further education (FE) and vocational education and training (VET) can take part in short or long-term traineeships abroad, or learn at a partner FE or VET provider.
3. Recent university graduates and VET graduates (including former apprentices) can carry out a traineeship abroad within 12 months of graduating. 
4. Those not in permanent education or training: For example, people who are re-training or upskilling through a college or school can take part in a traineeship abroad.
5. School pupils: School pupils can take part by studying abroad in a partner school or organisation on short and long-term placements. Short-term placements are for pupils of any age, but pupils must be accompanied by school staff. Long-term placements are open to pupils aged at least 14.

Why Take Part in the Turing Scheme?

Free funding! This should be enough reason to run towards this programme.

Furthermore, studying abroad is a fantastic opportunity to broaden your horizons and gain valuable skills and experience which will look great on your CV and offer further growth opportunities for you.  

The Turing Scheme funding?

Generally, the best provider of this information will be your education provider. You’ll need to ask them what funding is available. Your school, education provider, college or university will soon be able to provide you with information about how they are using the Turing Scheme to give you opportunities to study and work abroad, including which countries you can visit and how to be involved.

Notwithstanding this, we can safely state in the coming year (2023-2024), students are set to receive a combined £105 million worth of grants to fund their Turing Scheme placements. The amount of funding you get will vary depending on the type of placement you take part in and the country you visit. So it’s much like the cost of a football ticket, it depends on which country you’re going to and how long you’re going for. 

Placements of four to eight weeks will receive:

• £545 per month (for group 1, high cost of living countries)
• £480 per month (groups 2 and 3, medium and low cost of living countries)

Placements of nine weeks to twelve months will receive:

• £380 per month (for group 1 countries)
• £335 per month (for groups 2 and 3 countries)

Students from disadvantaged backgrounds on a higher education placement could be offered:

• A higher cost of living grant, of up to £147.50 per month for four to eight weeks, or
• £445 per month for placement over eight weeks, plus funding towards travel costs – based on the distance of the round trip.

In the 2022-23 academic year, 20,000 (52%) of the approved funding opportunities were for disadvantaged participants.

For students with special education needs and disabilities (SEND), there is available additional funding able to cover up to 100% of costs for support directly related to the additional needs of students with SEND. This will also cover risk assessments to make sure students will be able to equally access and participate in all elements of their placement. 

Will my tuition fees be paid?

You can apply for full student finance as usual (if eligible). You should not need to pay additional tuition fees concerning a study placement abroad, because under the Turing Scheme universities are expected to waive tuition fees for the placement.

Do I need a Visa for the Turing Scheme?

It depends on where you’re going! So you should research the country you are going to.

Impact of Covid-19 on the Turing Scheme

At present, Turing Scheme placements cannot take place in red list countries, in line with the UK government guidance of “You should not travel to red list countries or territories”. The UK government does not consider travel under the Turing Scheme to be essential travel and any placements are therefore not exempt from travel restrictions.

For those students who travel to a country that is on the green or amber list at the point of travel, but then the host country is subsequently added to the red list during their placement, it is expected that all participants and their providers follow the current FCDO guidance (Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office) for the country they are in. Those students who remain in their host country in this situation will continue to be eligible for financial support under the scheme.

For placements to countries requiring hotel quarantine, it is recommended that placements are rearranged or postponed given the financial burden that hotel quarantine would place on participants. There is no additional funding available to support potential quarantine costs.

In conclusion, we believe that you should take advantage of this scheme to study and work abroad because it is a fantastic opportunity to broaden your horizons and gain valuable skills and experience which will look great on your application.

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Charles is a writer, practising lawyer and personal trainer who loves learning and developing himself. He graduated from Middlesex University, London with eight first-class grades in the second and third years of his law degree, and received a postgraduate offer from Cambridge University. He loves strength training, boxing and encouraging people to succeed in their pursuits (legal ones)
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