Frequently asked questions
General
Turing Scheme grants will be in addition to any other grants that participants may already qualify for or are in receipt of (e.g., student loan funding). Organisations should not provide Turing Scheme funding to participants for any travel or other costs that are already fully covered by another grant. Organisations and participants are not allowed to access both Erasmus+ and Turing Scheme funding for the same placement (otherwise known as double-funding), which includes zero grant funding placements
The Turing Scheme is fully international and allows participants to travel anywhere in the world, as long as foreign travel advice provided by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) (available here) is adhered to. Students, learners and pupils should contact their education provider to find out what funding is available via the Turing Scheme.
Organisational support funding is provided to sending organisations as a unit cost based on the number of placements taking place through the project. This funding can be used to cover costs directly linked to the administration and implementation of the project (e.g. towards staffing costs for a project co-ordinator). Applicant organisations will be asked to provide details of what they expect to use their organisational support funding for in the application form.
No, the Turing Scheme currently offers funding only for physical placements that are in line with the eligible activities published in the programme guide.
No, Turing Scheme funding is only available for eligible organisations based in the UK or British Overseas Territories who wish to send students, learners or pupils on placements outside of the UK (or outside of the British Overseas Territory in question).
Anguilla, Bermuda, the British Antarctic Territory, the British Indian Ocean Territory, the British Virgin Islands, the Cayman Islands, the Falkland Islands, Gibraltar, Montserrat, the Pitcairn Islands, Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha, South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands and the Turks and Caicos Islands.
Yes, organisations should submit one application per sector which will cover all placements that they wish to have funding awarded for under the Turing Scheme. This can cover multiple host countries and territories.
Organisations applying for multiple sectors will need to submit a separate application per sector, e.g., a college which offers HE provision may submit an FE and VET application, and also an HE application. Even if participants are going on the same mobility trip, if they are from different sectors, then they will need to be on separate applications.
No, to allow maximum flexibility in meeting the needs of each sector, there will be no limits on participant numbers in respect of destination or the type of placement undertaken, which means that there is not a maximum grant that organisations can apply for.
No, the Turing Scheme is a fully international scheme and allows participants to travel anywhere in the world, as long as foreign travel advice provided by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) (available here) is respected. There is no prioritisation of countries/territories in terms of how applications will be assessed, nor is there a set allocation of funding for any country/territory.
If your Mobility Group details are up-to-date and you have added the relevant Participants’ details, you are ready to make Payment Request using the Project Reporting Tool.
Full details of how to request funds can be found in the Project Handbook. If you have any further questions, please let us know at turing-scheme@capita.com
Higher Education
Individual HE study placements may start before the 1 September 2022 or end after 31 August 2023, if necessitated by semester dates in other countries/territories, but the majority of the placement duration should happen between the eligibility dates of 1 September 2022 to 31 August 2023. Participants will only receive funding for the duration that takes place during the eligible time period, and placements will still need to respect the minimum and maximum durations of the programme during that window in order to be eligible for funding.
No. Turing Scheme funding should be used as a contribution to the cost of living whilst abroad on work or study placements. As such, it is not possible to fund full master’s degrees through the scheme, but a master’s student would be eligible for funding to spend a period of their degree studying or working abroad. HE participants need to be registered at a UK or British Overseas Territories HE provider and enrolled in studies leading to a recognised degree or another recognised tertiary level qualification up to and including the level of doctorate.
Only students whose studies are based in the UK (or in the respective British Overseas Territory), are eligible to take part in the Turing Scheme. HE providers cannot use the Turing Scheme to send students to their own branch campuses, but are able to use the funding for students to attend a placement with an overseas higher education provider that they have other TNE arrangements in place with (e.g. validation, joint or dual degrees, franchise etc).
Participating higher education providers will be responsible for ensuring that they have suitable agreements and arrangements in place with their partner/host organisations. There is no specific inter-institutional agreement template required by the Turing Scheme.
Turing Scheme funding is not available for tuition fees. There is an expectation that HE providers will agree tuition fee waivers with their partner HE providers, in order to facilitate student study placements. Cost of living funding, and travel funding where applicable, will be available.
FE and VET
A FE and VET project must comprise of one or more of the following organisations:
- an FE college or school active in the field of FE and VET
- a local or regional public authority, coordination body or other organisation with a role in the field of FE and VET
- a company or other public or private organisation hosting, training or otherwise working with learners and apprentices in FE and VET
- a company or other public or private organisation applying on behalf of a consortium of FE and/or VET providers
If you are applying as part of a consortium, it must include at least one college or school active in the field of FE or VET. A consortium can include organisations that provide administrative support to other members of the consortium. More information on the consortium responsibilities is available in the programme guide. Individuals cannot apply directly for funding.
FE and VET learners, including apprentices, that are registered at a UK (or British Overseas Territory) provider can take part in the scheme. You can send your learners on placements to FE or VET providers or companies abroad for the 2022 to 2023 academic year. For more information on eligibility, please refer to the programme guide.
Schools
The Turing Scheme website contains information on a number of methods that help schools find international partners. For more information visit our guide – ‘How to establish international partnerships for schools’.
Individuals cannot apply directly for Turing Scheme funding. To apply for schools projects, your organisation must be registered in the UK or a British overseas territory and either:
- a school providing general, vocational, or technical education on any level from primary school to upper secondary education
- a national school consortium applying on behalf of a number of schools, for example, local or regional authorities, school coordinating bodies or a social enterprise or other organisations with a role in the field of school education
For more information, please check the programme guide.
Schools can apply to fund short-term (three days to two months) or long-term (two to six months) placements for learners. These placements are designed to offer international learning experiences to develop an understanding of cultures and languages, and to help pupils acquire social, civic and intercultural competences for their personal development.
Short-term placements: three days to two months
Pupils can travel with their teachers and work together in the classroom with pupils from a school in another country/territory. Pupils should spend most of that time in the classroom working directly with their partners on activities that support their learning and development (for example soft skills, language skills, academic attainment), relevant to the school’s priorities and the aims of their project. These placements are designed to offer international learning experiences to develop an understanding of cultures and languages, and to help pupils acquire social, civic and intercultural competences for their personal development.
Long-term placements: two to six months (only for pupils 14 years and older)
Pupils aged 14 or over can carry out a longer-term placement at a partner school in another country/territory, attending lessons, living with a host family and having an immersive experience in the daily life of the receiving school. The sending and hosting schools are expected to ensure high quality learning outcomes, to provide appropriate recognition for the involved pupils, and to constantly support them during their time abroad. This includes funding for accompanying staff to chaperone participants where necessary as part of safeguarding or duty of care. For more information on opportunities for schools, please check the programme guide