Exchange Students
Eligibility
To apply to study abroad at Reading as an exchange student:
- There must be a valid exchange agreement between the University of Reading and your home university.
- Your home university must officially nominate you and receive confirmation from Reading that you can apply to join our Study Abroad programme.
- You must meet all entry requirements stipulated in the information you receive.
Application
You will need to:
- Complete the online application form (including provisional module choices) – the Study Abroad Office will provide you with the links and details after you have been nominated by your home university.
- Email a scanned copy of the full application form, signed by you and signed / stamped by your home university, to the Study Abroad Office (studyabroad@reading.ac.uk).
- Provide a detailed transcript (in English), of your studies so far, confirming that you have achieved a cumulative GPA 3.0 (on a 4 point system) or the equivalent of 60% in the UK system. Please note: your transcript must be an official English language transcript produced by your home university. A document you have translated into English yourself is not acceptable.
- Provide evidence of your levels of English language competence, if required (see ‘English language requirements’ section).
NB – Students applying for Art and / or Typography & Graphic Communication modules: you will need to submit a selection of your most recent work (approximately 15 images) on a PowerPoint or PDF document).
Application Deadlines
1 June 2024 for our September 2024 intake
1 November 2024 for our February 2025 intake
Module selections
In principle, students can select any module advertised on our Study Abroad Programme module pages, if approved by your home university and permissible under the terms and conditions of the exchange agreement between the University of Reading and your home institution.
English language requirements
Students studying with us for six (6) months or less: If you seek to study with us for six (6) months or less (i.e. Semester 1 only, or Semester 2 only) with a Visitor Visa or with permission under the EU Settlement Scheme, you will not need to provide English language certification as part of your Study Abroad Programme application. However, it is advised that applicants have a competency level of B2 in English on the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR).
Students studying with us for the Full Academic Year (or using a Student Visa): If you seek to study with us for the Full Academic Year (September – June), or to use a Student Visa to study with us for one semester only, and are defined as a non-native English speaker by UK Visas & Immigration, you will need to provide one of the certificates listed in the table below. The certificate must be provided at the time of your application to the Study Abroad Programme along with other required documents. This certificate serves as evidence that you have achieved a competency level of at least B2 in English in each of the following four components: reading, writing, speaking, and listening. This is so that the University of Reading can provide support for your visa application.
Accepted certificates must have been issued within two (2) years of you applying to join the Study Abroad Programme.
Certificates produced by your home university cannot be accepted. There is no exemption to providing English language certification based on your home university, home degree programme, or if you study in English at your home university.
| Qualification Full Title | Qualification Short Name | Score Required |
| International English Language Test Score | IELTS | 6.5, with no component scoring less than 6.0 |
| Test of English as a Foreign Language iBT | TOEFL iBT | 88, with no less than 20 in Listening, Writing, and Reading, and 21 in Speaking |
| Cambridge English: Proficiency / C2 Proficiency | CPE | C, or a score of 176 overall, with no component scoring less than 169 |
| Test of English for Educational Purposes | TEEP | 6.5, with no component scoring less than 6.0 |
If you do not meet the necessary language requirement it is possible to register for the Pre-sessional English Language programme before you join our Study Abroad programme . You will though need to factor in the time and cost of attending this programme before the Study Abroad Programme.
Visa requirements
Please note: you must not apply for any visa until you have received and accepted your offer of a place on the Study Abroad Programme from the Study Abroad Office.
The type of visa / immigration permission you require depends on how long you are going to study in the UK.
If you are going to join the Study Abroad Programme for six (6) months or less (i.e. Semester 1 only, or Semester 2 only students) you can obtain a visa / immigration permission as a Visitor, or as a Student.
However, if you are going to join us for longer than six (6) months (i.e. Full Academic Year students), you will need to apply for and obtain a Student Visa before travelling to the UK. This includes EU, EEA, and Swiss nationals who enter the UK after 31 December 2020 and are not eligible for the EU Settlement Scheme.
The University will provide you with the relevant documentation to support your immigration application. You can use the UK Visas and Immigration online tool to check if you need a UK visa: “Check if you need a visa?”
If you need more information, guidance, advice, and support with immigration matters, you can contact the University’s International Student Advisory Team. The Study Abroad Office works closely with colleagues in this team to support students in this area.
