Study Abroad

Students walking in front of one of Amsterdam University College's buildings

Do you want to extend your learning and broaden your perspective by spending a year studying in another country? If so, we can empower you to study abroad at a leading university. We have partnered with world-renowned Liberal Arts programmes in Europe and Canada that share our passion for interdisciplinarity and critical thinking. Studying at one of these partners will allow you to broaden your Liberal Arts education and gain an international perspective on your own degree, preparing you for a career on the global stage. We also offer short-term opportunities, such as modules taught intensively in Venice.

Benefits of studying abroad

You will ask critical questions from new cultural and intellectual viewpoints, creating valuable insights to the pressing questions facing the world today.
You will be able to differentiate yourself from other candidates in terms of your employability, adding value to your applications and gaining genuine, credible examples from your experiences abroad.
Although the teaching is in English at our Liberal Arts partner institutions, your experience will be enhanced if you learn the main language of communication. By doing so, you will improve your ability to be resourceful and adaptable in different situations. In an ever-increasing internationally focused working world, language skills can be sought after by graduate employers.
By socialising and networking in a new environment, you will grow and develop as an active and engaged global citizen. This will allow you to approach the important challenges of contemporary life not only from an academic perspective but from a global viewpoint too.

Outbound students

It is not compulsory to study abroad as part of the Liberal Arts degree, however, we encourage our students to consider studying abroad. Our students who have studied abroad have found it extremely beneficial.

There are two routes if you wish to study abroad:

Liberal Arts partnerships

You could spend an intercalated (non-credit bearing) year at one of our Liberal Arts partner institutions. We’ve established partnerships with elite institutions in Europe and Canada. These partnerships allow our students to spend a year abroad on Liberal Arts programmes that share our passion for interdisciplinarity and critical thinking.

University-wide partnerships

You could spend an intercalated (non-credit bearing) year at one of Warwick's university-wide partnerships. These destinations are subject to annual confirmation and availability. Find out more about these options on the University's partner institutions page.

Applying to study abroad

You will need to apply to study abroad. Places available at overseas partner institutions are limited. Therefore, there is a competitive application and selection procedure. If you are interested in studying abroad, you will need to apply during the first term of your second year. More information about the process will be provided to you nearer the time.

What will I learn while I'm abroad?

You are free to study whichever modules or courses offered by the partner institution that interest you the most, if you fulfil the academic requirements. You may decide to continue to take modules that correspond to your route/pathway, or you may choose something completely different. Your personal tutor at Warwick will be able to guide you in your choice. All of our partners offer a range of options with a level of demand that is at least equal to Warwick’s and they are at an appropriate level. Your choices will need to be approved by your personal tutor at Warwick.

Support

While you are abroad, you will be required to maintain regular contact with Warwick staff as part of your compliance with our Student Attendance and Monitoring Scheme. Your main point of contact will be your Warwick personal tutor. They will be required to approve the courses which you study while abroad and will also be available to support you throughout your study abroad experience, particularly if you encounter any issues or have any concerns about your progress. You will maintain regular online contact with Warwick, and Warwick tutors may even visit you while you are overseas. Towards the end of the year abroad, you will need to advise us on your choices of modules for your final year at Warwick.

Cost

You will pay a reduced rate for home fees. You will need to pay fees to Warwick if you are studying abroad as you will still be in receipt of services from Warwick. For example, you will continue to receive the advice and support of your personal tutor while you are abroad. They will have to approve the modules which you choose to study while you are abroad in order to ensure that they fit in with your Warwick course. Find out more about fees for year abroad students for 2021/22. Please see the Student Finance website for more information.

Visa

Please see here for details about visas.Link opens in a new window

Accommodation

You will need to apply for accommodation. Please see here for information about accommodation.Link opens in a new window

Language

Our partner institutions in Europe all teach in English.

Liberal Arts partnerships

With unique partners in Europe and Canada, our study abroad programme allows you to make the most of both of these approaches to liberal arts.

Liberal education straddles a traditional approach to interdisciplinary thinking with a new wave of how arts and natural sciences can intersect. While American Liberal Arts courses tend to focus on 'great books' and more traditional approaches to Liberal Arts, we're witnessing a new wave of liberal education in Europe. American courses are traditionally delivered at small residential colleges, where students focus on individual critical interpretations of major texts and on personal development. In comparison, the European approach is typified by critical approaches to skills development and often features a more structured programme.

The particular approach and ethos of the teaching and learning environments at our partners will allow you to build on the toolkit which you'll have started putting together during your first and second years at Warwick. By taking a year abroad with another Liberal Arts programme, you’ll be able to put your education into context and learn about how Liberal Arts at Warwick works on the global stage.

Leuphana University

Lüneburg, Germany

"Following Anglo-American traditions, Leuphana College stands for an idea of education that aims at fostering personal development, practical ability, and social responsibility. Leuphana University of Lüneburg implements this approach in its unified Bachelor degree programmes under the roof of the College.

Bachelor degree programmes at Leuphana College encourage students of all disciplines to develop an open and inquisitive mind that questions assumptions and looks for solutions beyond the boundaries of academic discourse."

^{Image credit: Gerrit Gutzeit - Self-photographed, CC BY-SA 4.0}

University College Freiburg

Freiburg, Germany

"Liberal Arts and Sciences (LAS) is a specific approach to Bachelor level education and an alternative to disciplinary study. We understand LAS education as a process of intellectual discovery and personal development in an interdisciplinary and international learning community:

The LAS program at UCF enables students to learn broadly about the human and the non-human world, to systematically develop their capacity for high-level academic work in exchange with others, and to gradually unfold their own interests and abilities in ways suited to their aspirations. We encourage students to critically reflect on science and knowledge and to become skilled communicators and creative shapers of their environment."

Constructor University

Bremen, Germany

"Constructor University offers a broad spectrum of interdisciplinary study programs ranging from the natural sciences, mathematics and engineering to the social sciences and economics. Class sizes are small and for each student a professor acts as a personal mentor and academic advisor. Students are actively involved in research from their first year of study."

Leiden University College

The Hague, The Netherlands

"Leiden University College The Hague offers an English-language honours undergraduate programme in Liberal Arts and Sciences in an international setting. LUC's focus on Global Challenges sets us apart from other programmes and colleges with a thematic approach to the majors.

In keeping with the Liberal Arts and Sciences ethos, our students have a high degree of freedom to construct their own programmes."

Concordia University

Montreal, Canada

"The Liberal Arts College at Concordia teaches you to think critically, enhance your communication skills, and become a more resourceful, innovative and self-confident person.

You’ll join a small community of scholars to study great works in carefully constructed seminars. We aim to foster an intimate intellectual community by providing a rich student experience with activities, projects, and trips."

Hear from our students

^{Image credit: Sara Mahmud-Marshall}

Sara

Liberal Arts Graduate

Pathway: Digital Media Culture with Quantitative Methods

Intercalated study abroad: Leiden University College

What was the biggest difference between LUC and Warwick?

"The size. Leiden University College (LUC) is very small. All classes and student accommodation fit into one tall building in the centre of town, so it took some time to get used to! Due to the size, it was easy to meet new people and attend social events."

What was a highlight of your year abroad?

"I spent a week camping around Texel, a tiny Dutch island in the North covered in brightly coloured tulip fields. I had never seen anything like it before - I definitely recommend a visit!"

How have you benefited from your year abroad?

"I have learnt how to manage loneliness and how to find/stay in contact with like minded people in a foreign city. I have also discovered new academic interests and challenged myself to take intimidating modules."

^{Image credits: Cymroan Phadnis}

Cym

Liberal Arts Graduate

Pathway: Global Social Systems - Representation, Discourse and Ideologies

Intercalated study abroad: Monash University

What was the biggest difference between Monash and Warwick?

"I found Liberal Arts at Warwick to be more complex in terms of content and having an understanding of the Liberal Arts Problem-Based Learning process helped me do really well in Monash’s modules."

How have you benefited from your year abroad?

"I always thought of Australia as a ‘western’ country in the east, however, I was shocked to learn about Australia’s indigenous history and the enduring remnants of its colonial past. My perception of the country was challenged, and I was very glad to have the opportunity to learn about histories of other parts of the world. The lesson for me with this experience was to question my perceptions, learn to identify perceptions driven by the norm and challenge them."

What advice would you give to somebody thinking about studying abroad?

"Take the opportunity to learn about various histories and perspectives of other cultures. Take modules that teach indigenous history/politics; mainly ones that you wouldn’t have the opportunity to study at Warwick. These are the modules that will open your mind to the world!"

^{Image credit: Kornelia Kennedy}

Kornelia

Liberal Arts Graduate

Pathway: Social Anthropology and Media

Intercalated study abroad (split placement at Universidad Diego Portales and Leiden University College)

"Before studying in Chile, I never thought I would be able to have a proper conversation in Spanish, let alone learn new subjects. Through the University of Warwick's Language Centre I was able to prepare but I lacked confidence. Immersing myself in this challenging situation abroad made me open up to a new world, where I could appreciate how Spanish differs between countries, how cultures influence it, and where I could study and interact with natives in Spanish.

I feel very lucky to have had the opportunity to live in Chile and advance my Spanish."

^{Image credit: François Desaulle}

François

Liberal Arts Graduate

Route: Economics

"I have always liked travelling and discovering new cultures but it can be hard to really immerse yourself in a different environment for a long period of time when you have to go back to your regular life after a few weeks. I have chosen to do a study abroad placement because I think it is a great opportunity to discover a new culture, meet new people and get out of my comfort zone.

People don't always get the opportunity to live abroad for an extended period of time and I believe that when the opportunity presents itself, it's best to seize it. I have chosen to spend my year abroad in Hong Kong because Asia is the fastest growing economic region and I believe that it is and will be important in the future to have an understanding of how this region operates."

^{Image credit: Saskia Kaltenbrunner}

Saskia

Liberal Arts Graduate

Pathway: Social Justice

Study abroad placement at St Petersburg State University, Russia

"I wanted to make the most of the year abroad, and I couldn’t decide which one to do as I wanted to do both a study abroad and a work placement within the same year. The department made it happen so that I could do the two. I’ll be starting at my work placement in Austria, and then doing the study abroad in Russia. Through the Language CentreLink opens in a new windowLink opens in a new window I’ve been taking Russian classes, and they have a partnership with the University I will be going to.

I liked the idea of going to Russia, to live in a country that I wouldn’t otherwise be able to see so easily, and to continue learning the language. I’m hoping that my time there will mean that I can have a proper conversation in Russian, as I’ll be studying purely language courses for four months."

Inbound students

Even if you stay at Warwick for the entirety of your degree, your experience will still be an international one due to our intake of inbound students. Our department welcomes a number of students from our partner institutions, teaching you together in an inclusive and diverse learning environment. We value the unique combinations of backgrounds, experiences, knowledge and interests that inbound students bring to our classrooms and our department.

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