Study Abroad Programme

Study Abroad and Exchange Programmes

Studying abroad at Queen Mary is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. You will immerse yourself in your chosen subject(s) and study in one of the world’s most exciting cities, while living in the comfort and convenience of our self-contained campus. It is an academic adventure like no other, where you'll be able to discover one of the most exciting and diverse parts of the capital, on a campus where 48% of our student body is international.

Explore our programmes and how you can join us.

Explore Queen Mary

Thematic Programmes

Our School of English and Drama offers unique programmes which give you the opportunity to immerse yourself in the academic school and a subject you are passionate about! Learn all about English and Drama from experts in the subject area. Please visit our Thematic programmes page for more details.

Travelling to the UK

To travel to the UK, you may be required to apply in advance for immigration permission to enter the country (this is usually called a visa). This depends on your nationality, the length of your academic programme and whether or not you want to work alongside your studies. You can check our advice guide to see the current list of visa nationals. 

One semester students

If you are coming for one semester, on a course of study for up to six months you can either apply for student immigration permission in advance of your arrival or you can enter the UK as a Standard Visitor, if arriving on or after 9am on 1 December 2020.

Note students who are a national of a country on the visa national list will need to apply for immigration permission (a visa) before travelling to the UK. The visa national list is available in Appendix 2 of Appendix V of the Immigration Rules on the gov.uk website. Please see our Advice and Counselling Service’s Immigration page for further details.

Student immigration permission

If you are studying for longer than six months, you must apply for Student immigration permission before travelling to the UK, even if you are a non-visa national.

You should refer to our guide: Applying for Student immigration permission for detailed information on the application process. 

Visa advice for Erasmus+/SEMP students

Students from the EU, EEA or Switzerland studying on a course of up to six months, starting in January 2021

If you move to the UK before 11pm on 31 December 2020 you can enter under EU free movement rules. This would give you additional rights in the UK, including the option of applying to the EU Settlement Scheme free of charge to stay long term in the UK and working without restriction. 

Because the UK has left the EU, nationals of the EU, EEA and Switzerland (but not Republic of Ireland nationals) moving to the UK after 11pm on 31 December 2020 will need to have immigration permission in the same way as students from the rest of the world. You can enter the UK as a Standard Visitor to study for up to six months. The current requirements are explained here. This includes needing evidence of your studies and having enough money to live in the UK for the duration of your stay, and you must intend to leave the UK at the end of your studies. Guidance on entering the UK as a Standard Visitor will be added to the Advice and Counselling Service website once the rules are published, which may not be until early December. We will send you another email when the guidance is available. 

As long as you have a biometric symbol on the cover of your passport, you will be able to enter the UK through the e-gates and will not need to meet a Border Force Officer. 

Alternatively, you can apply for Student immigration permission. There are additional requirements than the Standard Visitor route, including applying for a CAS (Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies) from Queen Mary. This option is more expensive than Standard Visitor but it has some advantages for example allowing you to work up to 20 hours per week during term-time. You can read our guidance about applying for Student immigration permission.

Queen Mary and Brexit
If you are a prospective student from the EU wondering how Brexit might affect you, please visit our FAQ pages.

Travelling to the UK via the Republic of Ireland

If you plan to enter the UK from the Republic of Ireland, you need to check how this affects your immigration status. Please refer to our guidance What immigration permission do I need to study at Queen Mary?