Finance, Costs and Funding
The Study China Programme is funded by the UK Government.
The following costs are all covered by the government funders:
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Accommodation for the duration of the programme
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Airport pickup and drop off (at specific times)
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Tuition of language courses
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Activities and associated trips
You will need to fund the following costs:
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Flights (estimated at £450-£900)
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Visa - estimated at £170, dependent upon visa application processing office
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Spending money (based on previous programmes the average spend is £250 - £400)
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Travel Insurance
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Vaccinations
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Food
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Activities undertaken in free time
It is estimated that you will need to cover approximately £1150 to £1450 worth of costs.
Please note that this is an estimated figure and may be lower or higher depending on each individual's spending habits.
Additional funding options:
All universities wish to promote international student mobility, some universities will have specific funding to enable their students to participate in study abroad or short educational programmes.
Several universities are now providing funding and assistance specifically for the Study China programme.
In our experience the students who have successfully secured funding from their institution are those who have been very proactive in their approach, taking the time to explore all possible avenues of funding.
Where to start:
A good starting point for finding out how to apply for funding or a bursary are the offices listed below. We recommend that you contact them as soon as you are offered a place:
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International Office
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School Office
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Careers Office
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Student Finance Office
How to approach these offices: You are asking for funding, you need to be able to offer a return on the funding you are requesting.You may wish to consider the following:
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Produce a blog of your Study China experience, your university can use this on the relevant section of their website
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Offer your services at forthcoming careers and study abroad fairs, you could deliver a presentation to others on the benefits of studying abroad
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Write an article for your department's newsletter
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Offer your time as a student ambassador, sign up to provide campus tours for perspective students
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Produce a photo journal of your experience.
How to contact departments:
Start with a good list of contacts, do your homework and research who you need to speak to.
Your university website will provide a list of contacts for all staff and departments.
Send an email - Keep this clear and concise, include a summary of the Study China Programme, why you are participating, why you are requesting funding, what you can provide if funding were to be made available.
You will need to follow up on this email, include a line which says you will ring or pop into the office to discuss availability of funding. Make sure you do follow up.
Drop into the office - Ask who you would need to speak to regarding funding opportunities, if the contact is not available ask if you can make an appointment to come back and speak with them.
Telephone - Ask who you would need to speak to regarding funding opportunities, if the contact is not available ask if you can make an appointment to come and speak with them.
In our experience students that took the time and effort to request funding in person were more successful than students who sent out blanket emails to generic department email addresses.
It's likely that funding is available from your university; you will just need to do some detective work. Remember the funding won't come to you, it's up to you to find it.
How can the Study China office support you?
If you are successful in securing funding your university will require official confirmation that you have been accepted on the Study China programme. Upon request, the Study China office will liaise with your university department to provide this confirmation.
