Year Abroad Office
Year Abroad form downloads |
The Year Abroad Office webpages
Year Abroad Officer/Director of Year Abroad Studies: Dr Joachim Whaley
Year Abroad Enquiries: Mrs Amanda Law
Quicklinks
Miscellaneous information|
Finding Accommodation |
Foreign University links |
Employers database
Reading your email while away from Cambridge |
Personal Safety |
The Year Abroad Project
Contact details
The Year Abroad Office may be contacted:
- in person or by ordinary mail: Room 118, first floor of the Raised Faculty Building. The Office is normally open every morning except Friday.
- by email: mml-year-abroad@lists.cam.ac.uk
- by telephone: 35008 from the University network; (01223) 335008 from outside
- by fax: (01223) 335062 (marked F.A.O The Year Abroad Office)
- pigeonhole: Year Abroad (no. 8), 1st floor RFB outside Faculty Office
As you may appreciate, the Year Abroad office is an extremely busy office and on many occasions students' queries cannot be replied to immediately. As some of the messages we receive are genuinely urgent, we have to give these priority over messages requesting information which is already available elsewhere. Before sending a non-urgent message, you are, therefore, kindly asked and strongly encouraged to refer to this website, the Year Abroad Handbook and the FAQ document that you received in the October meeting in the first instance, as the great majority of the queries asked by students are dealt with there. Unfortunately, we normally cannot accommodate queries relating to finding specific placements abroad. We also do not make travel arrangements or find jobs or accommodation. This information can be found in the Viewing Room (RFB 118) and on the Employers Database, which we update on a regular basis. Please consult this information in the first instance, and then feel free to consult the Year Abroad Officer for further assistance. If a query you have sent us has not been answered for more than a week, then it is most likely that the answer can be found in the above-mentioned documents. If you are certain that it cannot, please contact us again. Your understanding will be greatly appreciated.
Contents of this page
1. Thinking about your Year Abroad
3. Basic rules
4. Ways of spending your Year Abroad
5. Summary of what you are required to do
6. Frequently Asked Questions (answered by the Year Abroad Officer)
1. Thinking about your Year Abroad
Your Year Abroad forms an integral part of your Cambridge course. It is worth spending time and effort in planning it so that it fulfils your expectations and requirements: as a general rule, the more thorough your preparation, the more successful and satisfying your year will be. In your plans you should bear the following in mind:
- How can my Year Abroad contribute to my Part II course, especially to my Year Abroad project and the Part II oral?
- How can I best gain practical experience of the foreign language and culture?
- How can I gain in personal development? Which of the options would be best suited to me? Teaching, studying or working?
- How might I gain useful experience for my future career?
The Faculty Year Abroad Office is here to help you, so please do not hesitate to consult our records and ask for advice. We want the year to be a positive and rewarding experience for you all.
You should begin to think about how you will spend your Year Abroad (normally the third year of your course) as early as possible, and certainly as soon as your second year begins. A Faculty meeting is organized for all second year students at the very beginning of the Michaelmas Term, and you should make it a priority to attend.
You should also try speak to returning fourth-year students about their year abroad experiences.
The Year Abroad Office keeps reports written by students, many quite detailed, on their year abroad, and has contact details of students and employers which can be made available to other students. The MML Library has a small collection of books concerning employment, studying and travel abroad.
2. Who can help you
Your College, the Faculty and the Careers Service all have roles to play in helping you arrange your Year Abroad and have slightly different responsibilities.
Several pages on this website are good starting points:
- Miscellaneous links to information such as finding accommodation, travel guides, security abroad and insurance
- List of foreign Universities
- Database of employers (password access only)
College
Your Director of Studies will be able to give preliminary advice and is the person best placed to help you decide which way of spending the Year Abroad is best for you. You can collect British Council application forms for assistantships from your DoS in Michaelmas Term. You can also collect copies of the application forms for French Universities from your DoS who is also empowered to certify the translations of your exam results. Translations of your birth certificate (proforma available from your DoS) must be certified by the French Embassy. The Year Abroad Office will send off your translation and original on your behalf. You will be required to submit them to the YA Office by a certain date (usually in February).
Your College (usually through your Tutor) will provide you on request with a number of the documents you are likely to need during your time abroad, e.g. authenticated academic transcript in English, and certificate that you are a full-time Cambridge student.
Your College (usually through your Tutor) is also responsible for giving ongoing
pastoral support during your Year Abroad, although the Year Abroad Office is a very useful
point of swift contact when you are abroad, and will relay messages to and work in
consultation with your Tutor.
Faculty
The Year Abroad Office acts as a focal point for all matters concerning the Year Abroad and liaises with Departments, Colleges, foreign Universities and employers. The Year Abroad Officer and Secretary will deal with any aspect of the Year Abroad and are available for consultation at the times advertised (click here for opening hours).
More formally, the Year Abroad Officer is responsible for considering applications to the Faculty Board for permission to spend a year abroad and for making refunds of fees to students.
The Year Abroad Office acts as an information centre, keeping records of all Year Abroad experiences and opportunities. We operate a Faculty-wide email list for the rapid dissemination of news about meetings, job opportunities, etc., and maintain this web page with its associated links.
The Year Abroad Office organizes a Briefing Meeting for prospective Assistants in June, and other meetings and opportunities as the need arises.
The Year Abroad Office will provide you on request with a number of the documents you are likely to need during your time abroad, e.g. letter of recommendation in the foreign language, authenticated academic transcript in English, certificate that you are a full-time Cambridge student, and translation of birth certificate. We also have a standard convention de stage which can be adapted by French employers, and a number of model contracts for other countries. We can offer guidance and certification as to the extent to which as an employee you are covered by the University's insurance.
The Year Abroad Office will put you in touch with students who are abroad and with fourth-year students, so that you can have first-hand up-to-date advice. While you are abroad, the Year Abroad Office will give you details of other students who are in your area, on request.
Several Departments have a nominated member of staff as Year Abroad Adviser, who has detailed knowledge of the country or countries concerned and can offer important advice, especially on University courses. These are currently:
French: Dr Hugues Azérad
German and Dutch: Dr Jo Whaley
Spanish & Portuguese:Dr Stephen Boldy
Italian:Dr Claudia Domenici
Slavonic Studies: Mrs Natasha Franklin
Modern Greek: Professor David Holton
If you have any concerns about arrangements for your Year Abroad, due to a disability or health problem, please contact the Faculty's Disability Liaison Officer, Mrs Nan Taplin, in the first instance, at nt272cam.ac.uk, or by telephone (3)35038.
Careers Service
The Careers Advisers have details of a number of employment opportunities abroad, and are able to offer specialist advice in this area, particularly with regard to how the Year Abroad can relate to future career plans (link to Careers Service website).
The Careers Service organizes, in conjunction with the Year Abroad Office, the scheme offered by the Overseas Training Programme (VSO). A number of our students have participated in this in recent years with evident success and enjoyment, and we are anxious to support and encourage the links that are being established in this area.
3. Basic Rules
How?
You may spend your year abroad in one or
more of the following ways:
How long?
You must remain abroad for not less than 8 calendar
months in total* and not less than 3 months in any one country.
(*Note: the standard assistantship contract in France, which is for 7 months, is
acceptable to the Faculty Board as the equivalent of 8 months. Those in French teacher
training colleges (IUFM) which run for only 6 months are not acceptable as the
equivalent of 8 months and students wishing to do this must organise another 2 months.)
Deadlines:
You must get approval of your preliminary plans (deadline for
application is the last Friday of Michaelmas Term) and then keep the Year Abroad
Officer informed of any changes.
Please take note of the deadlines for the
submission of official forms (click here).
IT IS A UNIVERSITY REQUIREMENT THAT YOU ORGANISE AT LEAST 8 MONTHS AND HAVE THEM APPROVED BY THE FACULTY BOARD BEFORE YOU BEGIN YOUR YEAR ABROAD.
NB. If you are planning to change Tripos after Part IB you will not normally take a year abroad under MML regulations, since you will not be a candidate for Part II of the MML Tripos. You should speak to your college Tutor or Director of Studies if there is any possibility of your changing subject. If you do decide to change Tripos or bypass your Year Abroad please make sure you inform the Year Abroad Office of your decision.
4. Ways of spending your Year Abroad
There are three ways in which you can spend your Year Abroad:
English-language Teaching Assistant
This is a very rewarding option for students with many different interests. The assistantship scheme is organized by the British Council, and the Year Abroad Office will contact you with all the information on how to apply during Michaelmas Term. Completed application forms and references from Directors of Studies should be returned to the Year Abroad Office who will send all the Cambridge applications to the British Council. The competition for places in Italy and Latin America is strong, and there is no guarantee that you will get a post - so you should have a fallback arrangement in place. Assistantships are not currently available in Russia.
Please do not use British Council assistantships as a 'backup' plan. If you find it necessary to withdraw your application at any stage, please be courteous in your dealings with the British Council; we rely on their goodwill and support.
You may be able to organise an assistantship independently of the British Council, for example, with adult education centres or private schools. These will always need the approval of the Faculty Board. Details of some of these assistantships are given on our Employers Database and in reports written by previous students in the YA Office.
Assistantships with the British Council are eligible for Erasmus status in participating EU countries. The financial benefits include waiver of Cambridge tuition fees during your Year Abroad, and the payment of a small monthly grant in addition to your salary as an assistant. The Erasmus student mobility programme is supported by the European Commission.
Studying at a foreign University
Cambridge University participates in the Erasmus student exchange scheme. A list of the current Erasmus links is maintained by the International Office. Information on placements available to MML students is provided at the October meeting. The financial benefits of studying under Erasmus include waiver of Cambridge tuition fees during your Year Abroad, and the payment of a small monthly grant. The Erasmus student mobility programme is supported by the European Commission. Because of the popularity of Erasmus places, there is a prescribed procedure for their fair allocation.
Those who are contemplating studying at a European university with which there is no Erasmus exchange or at a university outside the EU should read very carefully the section on finance in the printed Year Abroad Handbook.
The basic principle on which reimbursements of course fees are made is that the Faculty will, subject to available funds, normally refund a large part of any fee charged for a course followed by an EU student in a state university in the country of the language concerned (the 'standard' fee). This does not cover vocational courses, courses at language schools or courses intended primarily for foreigners, all of which tend to be very high cost, and for which (if approved) the Faculty will only reimburse the 'standard' fee. Fees at state universities in Russia and Latin America may also cost more than the Faculty can reimburse. You should therefore check carefully that the level of reimbursement available will cover the cost of your chosen course or that you yourself are able to meet the excess, and seek advice from the Year Abroad Office if you are in any doubt. In the case of French-speaking countries, the 'standard' fee is the fee associated with courses in France, and higher cost courses in other countries (including Canada) are reimbursed only at the 'standard' rate.
The Faculty is prepared to approve attendance at courses on a wide range of subjects, provided the medium of instruction is the foreign language, so this could be your chance to do something a bit different. Indeed, you will find that the more obvious courses (e.g. 'Modern French Literature', 'German Romanticism', 'Spanish Philology' and the like, are heavily subscribed, and you may find you get easier access and better attention in more offbeat areas. On the other hand, you could follow a course which will help you with your dissertation or one of your final-year options.
There is generally no centralised application procedure and you must make enquiries of foreign universities individually. It is a good idea to begin by looking up university pages on the internet(follow the links to foreign Universities) and to consult the reports written by previous year abroad students.
If you are considering applying to university in France, you will be required to have a translation of your birth certificate verified by the French Embassy. The Year Abroad Office sends out information on what you need to do towards the end of Michaelmas Term.
If applying for a corso singolo to a university in Italy, you need to have your documents authenticated by the Italian Consulate General in London. The Year Abroad Office sends out information on what you need to do during Lent Term.
You are strongly advised, if studying French or Italian, to equip yourself with these authenticated documents, in case you need them at a later date.
Bear in mind that universities in other countries are not so protective as British universities and do not go out of their way to ease the admissions process, so your experience of gaining access will not be at all like applying through UCAS here! Be prepared for a lot of red tape, queueing and general difficulty in obtaining information. It is a good idea to enlist the help of fourth-year students or students who are currently abroad studying, and the Year Abroad Office can put you in touch accordingly.
Some Colleges have their own exchange schemes, and some individual members of staff have personal contacts in universities abroad.
A series of meetings about studying abroad will be held by your departments during the Michaelmas/Lent Terms
The French Ministry of Education website, which is constantly updated, contains a great deal of information about studying in France.
EduFrance contains descriptions of courses at all French universities, as well as practical information to help foreign students during their stay in France; it also has information on accommodation, and a magazine for students listing cultural events.
EGIDE provides information on the French Higher Education system.
The Centre National des Oeuvres Universitaires et Scolaires (CNOUS) has information on all kinds of practical matters.
The Répertoire des Centres de Formation en France is also available in hard copy in the Year Abroad Office.
The ONISEP website helps students choose a career, and allows searching for a course by field, level of study and institution.
L'Etudiant is the most widely-read student magazine in France, and has a huge range of information on courses, student life, careers and current issues.
Paris Year Abroad website a free resource set up by students currently on their Year Abroad in Paris, updated daily.
Birth Certificate translation help from the British Council.
For Germany, the DAAD site has much useful information, including a virtual visit to a German university (you will need a special plug-in to your browser to access this (a link is provided on the same page). All you need to know about which universities offer what course in which language, and how to apply.
The Töpfer Foundation in Hamburg give grants specifically for students from Oxbridge. See: http://www.toepfer-fvs.de/ hanseatic-scholarshi.html.
Have a look at these reports from final year students on how they spent their Year Abroad in Germany Year Abroad Activities in German-Speaking Countries.
RLUS Ltd provides information about the RLUS (Russian Language Undergraduate Studies) courses.
You will find a wealth of useful information on a website maintained by one of our own students at A Year Abroad in Russia.
For up-to-date information about visas in Russia, see Way to Russia
Other
Click here for Links to foreign Universities, plus essential travel advice and guides.
Eurodesk has information relevant to education, training and youth fields.
Eurydice is a European education information network.
Monetos is a European financial and social research portal with guides and practical information on opening a bank account, visiting a doctor and finding accommodation in various European countries
Employment
It is your responsibility to organise such employment; the Faculty does not operate placement schemes, though it has close relations with certain employers. If you are interested in this option, you should start looking for a job as soon as possible. The Year Abroad Office maintains an online Employers Database which gives details of companies/organisations who have either employed, or offered to employ, our students. You will need a password to access it (ask the Year Abroad Office for this if you do not have it or have forgotten it). Firms interested in employing year abroad students usually make their first contact with the Year Abroad Office, and we disseminate information via our email list - they often ask for applications to be submitted at very short notice and during University vacations, so it is worth reading your email frequently.
We also exchange information with the University Careers Service, who will be able to offer you general advice, and of course they have information on all manner of general employment possibilities. The Year Abroad Office has placed guides to working and living abroad in the Faculty Library, and we have guides to writing CVs in various languages. Such guides are also available in many languages online.
You must submit to the Year Abroad Office proof from your prospective employer that you have a firm offer of employment before your application can be finally approved (this is usually sometime after the submission of your application form). The Faculty will approve a wide range of employments, provided that:
(a) you will be working principally within the medium of the foreign language and
(b) there is some intellectual challenge or professional skill involved.
Please note that the Faculty does not consider nannying, au pairing or waitressing as suitable employment for the Year Abroad.
You may be lucky enough to land a fully-paid job; but bear in mind also the possibility of working as a stagiaire which will give you a little remuneration and good work experience. (For work in France, the Year Abroad Office can supply you with an approved form of contract, known as a convention de stage, and the Year Abroad Officer acts as the University representative for the purposes of this contract.) You could also think of unpaid voluntary work which can be a very rewarding experience both personally and linguistically. If you do go for this option, please check first with your LEA that you will still be eligible for the student loan - voluntary work can sometimes still be classed as 'work' in their eyes!
Students going on approved work placements in EU countries can benefit from the advantages of the EU Erasmus student mobility programme. An Erasmus Training Agreement must be completed and signed by the university and participating employer before the start of your Year Abroad. Work placements can range from 3 to 10 months and benefit from the payment of a small monthly grant. If your Erasmus Training Agreement covers the full academic year you will also be eligible for a waiver of Cambridge tuition fees during your Year Abroad; more information is available from the Year Abroad Office. The Erasmus student mobility programme is supported by the European Commission.
5. Summary of what you are required to do
Please make sure you do all of the following - it will save you a lot of trouble and may contribute to your safety while you are abroad:
- Return your application form (YA.APP) to the Year Abroad Office by the final Friday of Michaelmas Term in your second year
- Return your application forms for Assistantships on time (if applicable)
- Keep the Year Abroad Office informed of any change of plan, both before and during your time abroad
- Tell the Year Abroad Office and your College your address(es) while you are abroad. The Address Form (YA.ADD) should be returned as soon as possible, but not later than 28 October of your year abroad. The Address Form should give both the address of your employer, university or school and your private address. Keep us informed of any changes.
- Submit your refund application form (YA.FEE) preferably by the end of the Michaelmas Term and by 30 April at the latest of your year abroad.
- Send in the Certificate of
Attendance (YA.ATT) and Final Report (YA.REP) forms immediately you
return from your year abroad, and by the second Friday of the Michaelmas Term of
the year following your year abroad at the latest.
The more you keep us informed, the more we will be able to help you and other students.
6. Frequently Asked Questions (answered by the Year Abroad Officer)
When do I need to start planning my Year Abroad?
You need to start thinking seriously about the Year Abroad from the beginning of your second year, and to have firm plans by the end of the Michaelmas Term of your second year.
What should I do first?
Everyone should (a) talk to their DoS and (b) visit the Year Abroad Office to read about the experiences of previous students and to find their way around the information available.
Should I make an appointment to see the Year Abroad Officer?
The majority of students manage to make satisfactory plans without the need for consultation, though I am always more than happy to see students for any reason. The Year Abroad Secretary is always in the Office, and can answer many of your questions herself. You should certainly come and see me if you are very uncertain about what to do, or are having difficulty getting hold of information through the normal channels. You must come and see me if you are planning to do anything that goes beyond the normal Faculty guidelines, or if your circumstances are special in any way (e.g. disability, non-UK nationality, etc.).
What sort of information does the Year Abroad Office have?
The list is too long to give here, but amongst other things, we have:
- Names and addresses of all students in your own year (you may find that useful to see who else is planning to do the same thing as you, or who is going to the same town as you), the present year abroad (who might be able to give you up-to-date information about universities, contacts for jobs and pass on accommodation), and the present fourth years (who will have a great deal of useful advice to offer if you ask them nicely).
- Reports from previous years' students which are full of information about a wide range of courses, jobs and places.
- A password protected database of jobs (in the form of student reports/questionnaires.
Why does the Faculty ask for the application forms to be submitted before I have a definite offer of a job or a firm place on a University course?
The Faculty wants to be sure that your plans are in principle acceptable, and that you have been thinking seriously about the Year Abroad. As Year Abroad Officer, I also have to tell the Faculty Board what the likely cost for the following year in terms of fee reimbursements is going to be, so that a budget can be set.
What if I change my mind after submitting my application form?
We recognize that this is highly likely, so don't worry! In general, we will always approve changes to your plans, even if there is a budgetary implication, provided that you keep us informed.
What is a stage?
A stage is what the French call work experience. It is a formal requirement of many University courses in France and so the system in France is fairly finely tuned and French employers are used to dealing with stagiaires. Basically, the employer offers work experience (often of a fairly sophisticated kind) and the student receives a modest remuneration (some employers are more generous than others in this respect). In France, the stage is normally governed by a formal agreement, or convention de stage, signed by the employer, the student and a representative of the student's home university (in the case of Cambridge this is the Year Abroad Officer). The Year Abroad Office has its own French proforma for employers who are new to the system. Much useful information is available here.
What is the extent of insurance cover provided by the University?
Students on their Year Abroad are covered by the University's Public Liability policy, but note that this cover only covers those activities for which the student has received formal approval from the Faculty Board (this is one of the reasons why keeping the Faculty up to date with your plans and securing revised approval for them is important). To repeat, you are NOT covered by the University's insurance unless you have received formal approval for your Year Abroad activity from the Director of Year Abroad Studies. See http://www.admin.cam.ac.uk/offices/ insurance/
The University's insurance does NOT cover Personal Accident, Personal Liability outside the approved Year Abroad activity or activities, or Health, and you are therefore strongly advised to take out your own cover for these (see /ya/ya_misc.html)
If you are in employment, it is a requirement that your employer holds Employer's Liability insurance (this is likely to be a problem only with individuals or very small organizations).
Does the University help me to find accommodation?
The short answer is 'no'; but you can sometimes make contact with a third-year student on the spot who may be able to help. If possible, you are strongly advised to find accommodation in situ during the Long Vacation prior to your year abroad. You should always book some temporary accommodation otherwise, so that you have an address to go to on arrival.
How do I claim reimbursement of University fees?
Pay the fees and obtain a receipt. Send the receipt (or a photocopy), together with form YA.FEE, to the Year Abroad Office. You (or your nominated payee) will be reimbursed as soon as possible after receipt, normally within a fortnight. Subject to your agreed budget.
What if I find myself in financial difficulties while abroad?
Unfortunately, the Faculty cannot help unless the difficulties are produced by an unforeseen emergency or change of circumstances. You must plan your Year Abroad realistically and take sufficient funds with you. Remember in particular that the cost of accommodation is much higher than in Cambridge and that the cost of living is likely to be higher in large cities.
What if I am ill, or in danger, while abroad?
You should ensure that you have adequate health insurance before departure; most conditions are best dealt with locally. If you think you should interrupt or curtail your year abroad for health reasons, then you should immediately consult your College Tutor, who will deal with the University on your behalf. You should always be alert to security, and take sensible precautions. If you believe you are in extreme danger which necessitates return to the UK you should not hesitate to do this, but try your best to make contact with the Year Abroad Office or your College first. The Faculty does have resources to send one of its staff out to help you in an emergency, but realistically it is rarely going to be the case that such a visit can be arranged in time to do any good. In a case of genuine need we would pay retrospectively for emergency repatriation. In all the above cases, you should keep the Year Abroad Office informed by telephone, fax or email
