What is the scheme?
According to the UK Government’s website, ‘the Turing Scheme offers education providers the opportunity to apply for funding to support their students with study and work placements around the world.’
The scheme was announced by the UK government in December 2020. Through the scheme, education providers can enable their students to develop their hard and soft skills, gain overseas experience, and become more employable. It allows students to take up work and study opportunities internationally. Students will be able to develop stronger cultural awareness. The experience could enhance their CVs and boost their employability. As a result, they will be able to stand out from the competitive global and national job market. The education provider will be able to establish collaborations with other overseas education providers. If successful in their application, they will receive funding towards the administration and implementation of the project.
According to the British Academy’s report on the Turing scheme, the most popular countries in 2022/23 included: the USA, Spain, France, Germany, Canada, Australia, Italy, Japan etc. Virtual placements are not available on the Turing scheme.
Is it a replacement of the Erasmus scheme?
The scheme is a replacement of the Erasmus + scheme. As the UK left the EU, the country is no longer participating in Erasmus. While Erasmus offered valuable opportunities, it focused mainly on EU countries. The Turing scheme has a wider global reach and every country in the world can partner with UK education providers. The scheme aims to help students from a range of different backgrounds, including disadvantaged students. The Turing scheme may provide financial support in terms of travel costs, costs of living, visas, passports and insurance. There is no agreement to waive tuition fees. However, whether tuition fees are waived or not depends on the discretion of the participating institutions and their arrangements. Unlike Erasmus, Turing does not provide a reciprocal exchange and does not offer funding to overseas students coming to study in the UK. In terms of administration, Turing has a single-year funding model. Applications are made in February each year and funding decisions are announced in July/August the same year.
It is not possible to fund a postgraduate degree study via Turing. However, a master’s student may be able to spend a part of their degree overseas and benefit from the scheme.
What are the objectives of the scheme?
The Turing scheme has four key objectives as below:
- Global Britain: providing the opportunity for establishing and developing partnerships and collaborations across the world
- Levelling up: providing opportunities for students regardless of their backgrounds. Supporting social mobility and widening participation.
- Developing skills: providing students with valuable skills which can help boost their career prospects
- Value for UK taxpayers: optimising social value
In 2021/2022, based on the ucas.com website, funding was ‘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.’ In 2023, more than 41,000 participants were given the opportunity to study or work in a range of 160 countries during the following academic year.
Applications are on the increase. While the scheme received 520 applications in 2022/23, this number has increased to 619 in 2023/24. In addition, the number of students from disadvantaged backgrounds who have benefitted from Turing has increased. In the 2023/24 academic year, close to two-thirds of placements are provided for school children, young people, and students from disadvantaged backgrounds.
Where can I find out about recent applications and funding results?
For the most up-to-date information, please visit the Turing Scheme’s website.
Who can participate?
Higher education students can study in another university or students can gain overseas work experience in the form of traineeship with an overseas organisation
Apprentices and learners at Further Education and Vocational Education and Training organisations
Recent Higher Education and Vocational Education and Training graduates, and apprentices
Those who are retraining in a college/ school can take part in traineeships
School pupils
Students/ learners cannot apply directly to the Department for Education. They need to contact their education provider to learn more about being involved in the Turing scheme.
Who can apply? The UK Government website indicates that Schools, FE and HE organisations can apply if:
-they are registered or recognised in the UK or British overseas territories
– they are responsible for delivering education or training to the students going on placements
For further details on eligibility criteria, please visit the Turing Scheme website.
How to apply? As a student, you will need to contact your university department to see if they are offering any Turing activities. Once students submit their applications, they undergo a shortlisting process. The short-listed students then receive a link to complete the Turing Grant Application Form online.
Education providers can apply for projects on behalf of their students and receive funding per participant. When an application is submitted, it will go through an eligibility and financial capability check and an assessment to determine how well the application meets the criteria.
For more information on future application rounds, please visit the UK Government’s website.
What are the assessment questions? Applications need to include an overview of the project. In this context, the word ‘project’ means the application while a placement refers to the study or work activity.
In your application, you need to provide information relating to the assessment criteria. Further details on the assessment questions can be found on the UK Government’s website. You would need to provide responses in the below areas:
- Project vision (weighting: 10%)
- Enhancing skills (weighting: 30%)
- Advancing social justice (weighting: 30%)
- Delivery plan (weighting: 30%)
- Supplementary questions:
- Environmental impact
- Apprentices
Each application is assessed by independent assessors, highlighting to what extent the application meets the specified criteria.
Further guidance for education providers can be found here.
Higher education providers can find guidance here.
Further education providers can find guidance here.
Schools can find guidance here.
What happens if the application is successful?
The education provider will receive e-mail correspondence confirming that the application has been successful. They will then receive a grant funding agreement as well as information on payment processes.
Leave a Reply