You will spend Year 3 abroad, dividing your time between two countries. This is when you will really deepen your knowledge of your languages by speaking them daily and immersing yourself in local cultures.
Living abroad will also give you the wider perspective, experience and skills to embrace the opportunities and challenges of life after university.
How much time will I spend abroad?
You will spend a minimum of 30 weeks abroad. You will divide your time between a country in which French is spoken and one in which Portuguese is spoken.
To give you a balanced experience, you will spend at least eight weeks in each of your two destinations. How you further divide your time abroad is normally based on whether you study, work or combine the two.
Where can I go?
Transforming classroom learning into a lived experience, you will study or work in countries where either French or Portuguese is spoken.
For French, we typically have exchange places at partner universities across:
For Portuguese, we currently have study exchange programmes with institutions in:
- São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro in Brazil
- Lisbon and Coimbra in Portugal
It may also be possible to work in a wider range of countries in which French or Portuguese is spoken. If you are considering working abroad, the first step is to start thinking about where you would like to go. Visa requirements and application processes vary between countries, so it is a good idea to find out what documentation you will need and whether you are eligible to get it.
Study or work?
When you are abroad, you can typically choose to either:
- study in one or two destinations
- work in one or two destinations
- study in one destination and work in another
If you choose to study, you will take classes at one or two of the universities where we have available exchange opportunities. This means that you will spend either:
- two semesters at a single institution
- one semester at two different institutions (in different destinations)
A work placement abroad is another way to gain an international perspective, build professional networks and prepare you for your career after university.
Once you have checked if you are eligible to work abroad, and have talked through your plans with us, you might choose to do one or more placements. For example, you could:
- arrange to work or volunteer with a private company or charity
- apply to an established placement scheme, such as the British Council’s English Language Assistants programme
Whatever you decide to do, your time abroad is a chance for you to evolve and grow beyond Edinburgh. It adds an international dimension to your studies, showing future employers that you are open to new ideas and experiences.
Coursework while abroad
We will aim to ensure your experience abroad is as beneficial as possible to your final year, as well as to your wider language learning and cultural awareness.
Regardless of whether you study or work abroad, you will take e-learning courses in both French and Portuguese to prepare you for your Year 4 language courses. These courses will count as part of your Year 3 marks, alongside any coursework arranged by your host university (if studying abroad).
Depending on your Year Abroad activities, you also begin preparing for your dissertation while abroad, guided by your dissertation supervisor.
