How to Get Turing Scheme Funding for Your Internship Abroad

If you are a UK university student planning an internship abroad, there is government funding available that most students never hear about. The Turing Scheme provides grants for living costs and travel to help you afford an international work placement - and you do not have to pay it back.

The catch? You cannot apply directly. You have to go through your university. And with the UK set to rejoin Erasmus+ from 2027-28, the 2026-27 academic year is the final year of the Turing Scheme. This is your last window to use it.

Here is everything you need to know.

What Is the Turing Scheme?

The Turing Scheme is a UK government programme that funds international study, work, and volunteering placements for students at UK education providers. It launched in 2021 as a post-Brexit replacement for the EU's Erasmus+ programme and is named after mathematician Alan Turing.

Since its launch, the scheme has supported over 40,000 students per year to travel to more than 150 destinations worldwide. Unlike Erasmus+, which was limited to EU and associated countries, the Turing Scheme covers placements anywhere in the world - from Barcelona to Bali to Tokyo.

For the 2025-26 year, the scheme had a budget of £78 million. The 2026-27 budget is still to be confirmed, but the UK government has committed to running the scheme for one more year before transitioning back to Erasmus+ from the 2027-28 academic year.

How Much Funding Can You Get?

Turing Scheme funding for higher education students covers living costs as a daily grant, calculated based on your destination and how long your placement lasts. Destinations are divided into two groups based on cost of living.

Group 1 (higher cost of living) includes countries like Australia, Canada, Japan, Singapore, Switzerland, and the USA. Group 2 (standard cost) includes most of Europe, Southeast Asia, South America, and Africa.

What does that look like in practice?

A 12-week internship in Cape Town (Group 2) would get you approximately £1,440 in living cost support. A 12-week placement in New York (Group 1) would be approximately £1,620.

Extra funding for disadvantaged students

If you come from a disadvantaged background - generally defined as household income of £25,000 or less - you may qualify for additional support including:

• Travel costs - funding for a return journey to your destination, based on actual receipted costs up to a set maximum
• Readiness to travel - covers passport fees, visa application costs, vaccines, medical certificates, and travel insurance
• Exceptional costs - any additional costs needed to support your participation, calculated on an actual cost basis

Which Universities Participate?

Not every UK university participates in the Turing Scheme every year. Universities must apply for funding as institutions, and not all are successful. However, most Russell Group and large universities have participated consistently since 2021.

Universities with confirmed Turing Scheme funding in recent years include:

• University of Oxford
• University of Cambridge
• UCL (University College London)
• King's College London
• University of Manchester
• University of Sheffield
• Loughborough University
• University of Bath
• Lancaster University
• Imperial College London
• Swansea University
• Aston University
• Nottingham Trent University
• Queen Mary University of London
• University of St Andrews

For 2026-27, universities were invited to submit applications from January 2026, with a deadline of 16 March 2026. Results are typically announced in summer, so if your university has applied, you should hear back by mid-2026.

How to Apply (Step by Step)

You cannot apply for Turing Scheme funding directly through the government. The process goes through your university. Here is how it works:

1. Check your university participates. Contact your international office or placements team. Ask specifically about Turing Scheme funding for work placements abroad. Not all universities apply, and not all that apply are successful.
2. Secure your internship placement. You need a confirmed placement abroad before you can receive funding. This is where we come in - our placement service matches you with verified internships in 30+ destinations. Your university needs to approve the placement as part of your course or as an extracurricular activity.
3. Get your placement approved by your university. Your university must formally approve your overseas placement. This usually involves registering it through their placements system, mobility office, or study abroad portal. The placement must last at least 14 days and take place between 1 September 2026 and 31 August 2027.
4. Complete the Turing Scheme application. Once your placement is approved, your university will invite you to complete a Turing Scheme application. At some universities this is automatic - for example, Manchester auto-assesses eligibility when a placement is approved. At others, you will receive an email invitation with a form to complete.
5. Receive your funding. If eligible, your university will arrange payment of the living costs grant. Timing varies - some universities pay before departure, others pay in instalments. Ask your university about their payment schedule so you can plan accordingly.

Which Internship Destinations Are Eligible?

Almost any country outside the UK qualifies for Turing Scheme funding. There is no restricted list - the scheme was specifically designed to be global, unlike Erasmus+ which was limited to Europe and partner countries.

Here are some of our most popular destinations and their Turing Scheme cost group:

Monthly rates shown are for placements of 9 weeks or longer. Shorter placements (2-8 weeks) receive higher monthly rates. See the funding table above for full details.

How We Help

We are one of the few internship providers that actively supports students through the Turing Scheme process. Here is what that looks like in practice:

• Verified placements in 30+ destinations - we match you with an internship that meets Turing Scheme requirements and your university's approval criteria
• Placement confirmation documents - we provide the formal documentation your university needs to approve your placement and process your Turing funding
• Visa and logistics support - from visa applications to accommodation, we handle the practical side so you can focus on getting your funding sorted
• Duration flexibility - whether you need a 4-week summer placement or a 6-month industrial year, we can structure placements to fit Turing eligibility (minimum 14 days)

Most students do not realise they can use Turing funding for internships until they start talking to us. We have helped hundreds of UK students combine Turing grants with our placements to make international experience affordable.

See our full placement service or get in touch to discuss your options.