Study abroad approval

Quality assurance of study abroad arrangements, including new exchanges, are supported by the Study Abroad office and overseen by the Education Partnerships Working Group via the Education Partnerships Approval Group.

Module specification and approval

Periods of study abroad which are part of the programme of study should be specified as a module(s) in the usual way. Details of the learning and teaching and the assessment are considered for approval by the Education Partnerships Approval Group and then entered onto the module catalogue.

Exchange agreements

When a school wishes to enter into a new arrangement with an institution and implement a student exchange agreement, the details of the proposal must be considered by the School Taught Student Education Committee and the Education Partnerships Approval Group. If the institution is not an existing study abroad partner, a Partner Report is also required.  More information and approval forms are available in the Study abroad section and below (see 'how to set up a new exchange').

How to set up a new exchange

If you would like to set up a new exchange for study abroad, please contact the Study Abroad Office (SAO) before completing any documentation. The SAO can give you advice and guidance on what information you will need and discuss the general suitability of the proposed partner. This includes consideration about whether the link is likely to be reciprocal, as agreements must balance student numbers given the tuition fee is waived.

For further information, please contact Ben Oldham, Study Abroad Manager.

New study abroad agreement

Follow the process outlined below:

1. Proposer to discuss the new agreement with SAO and check if the institution is an existing study abroad partner. A Partner Report must be completed before a new study abroad partner can be approved: The proposed partner can complete the Partner Report, however it should be checked and if necessary added to by the proposing school. A site visit is recommended before a new agreement is created, although this is at the discretion of the proposing school. If the institution is an existing partner, a new Partner Report is not necessary.

2. Proposer to complete a proposal for a new study abroad agreement.

3. Send a copy of the form(s) to both the School Taught Student Education Committee (STSEC) and the Study Abroad office.

4. School TSEC considers the proposal for endorsement and then sends it to the Quality Assurance team.

5. The signed documentation is then presented to the Education Partnerships Approval Group (EPAG) which reviews and approves the proposal. The Quality Assurance team manages this stage of the process.

If you are considering language preparation content for a new proposal then please refer to the Language Attainment Guidelines.

Education Partnership Approval Group meetings 

Please consult qat@leeds.ac.uk for details of Education Partnerships Approval Group meetings. 

Expectations for student support

There are a number of minimum expectations for student support in terms of study abroad and placement. Read the University policy on placement and study abroad support.

Guidance on unsuccessful Study Year Abroad Students

There is guidance provided for Schools who have students that are unsuccessful in meeting the learning requirements for their Study Year Abroad. Read the guiding principles for students who are unsuccessful in study year abroad.