On this programme, students add a year to their degree and spend that year doing a work placement or internship abroad. Students can normally do this during their degree - between second and third year, or after third year. Students on the majority of undergraduate degree programmes are eligible to apply for this option but there are exceptions, and some degree programmes only allow students to take the year abroad at a specific point (e.g. after final year).
Students are required to find their own work placement or internship abroad. Advice is provided on finding a suitable placement and approaching potential employers. The Exchanges Office cannot source or organise internship/work placement/traineeships/voluntary work or summer work placements on behalf of students. For placements to be considered for the International Experience Year programme, the following criteria is required:
- The placement will need to be at least 24 weeks in duration (any holiday periods must be in addition to this)
- The work must be full-time (and proportionate to the type of work)
- The placement must be with a registred company or institution (i.e. not a host family (au-pairing), farm-stay, etc).
Students should choose to do a placement or internship based on their academic degree which gives them work experience in the field they want to go into after graduating, and is beneficial to them professionally in the future.
Students looking for a placement abroad should contact Bangor University's Employability Service in the first instance for advice on how to look and apply for placements.
Applications are accepted from November to January each academic year. Students are eligible to apply for grant funding.
For more information, please contact the International Exchanges Office to discuss your options before making an application. Note that you do not needt to have made placements arrangements in advance of making your application for the International Experience Year (Work Abroad).
Depending on their circumstances, students may still be eligible to receive funding from Student Finance, although this is likely to be at a reduced rate. Student Finance also offers a means-tested travel grant to eligible students.
Once the student has successfully completed their year abroad, they will have 'with International Experience' added to the title of their degree. They must complete and pass an assignment for Bangor University worth 30 Bangor credits whilst they are abroad. The grade for this assignment will not count towards their degree weighting but the credits will be added to your normal credit load (normally 360 credits).