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Placement year and Study abroad ?

English Year 13 here! Is it possible to do a placement year/internship abroad for a year or even a University term? I can’t decide if I want to just study abroad because I am unsure about the costs and placement for my course I am applying to (Economics) seems beneficial.

Reply 1

De Montfort University

Official Rep

Original post by BintyMinty

Hey there 😀

The availability of placement years or student exchanges varies depending on the specific course and university. Most institutions provide information about these opportunities on their websites, which you should review before making your decisions. Opting for a degree in Economics can be advantageous due to the abundance of placement job options and the numerous reputable universities offering study abroad programmes for Economics students.

While it is important to acknowledge that securing a placement can be competitive and demanding, the skills and experience gained are invaluable for your future career. Many individuals have been offered permanent positions after impressing employers during their placements. In today's job market, having practical work experience significantly enhances your prospects. However, securing a placement abroad may require extra effort and time as you will need to search independently.

Personally, I opted for a student exchange because it aligned with my passion for travel and offered a chance to live in another country. Beginning my exchange in Spain last September has been the most thrilling adventure of my life. Recognising the importance of work experience, I secured a summer internship and also interned at De Montfort University during my second year of study. You can read about my experience here.

Ultimately, it is essential to prioritise your dreams and goals when making your decision, as you may even have the opportunity to pursue both options simultaneously.

I hope it was helpful 💪 Feel free to reach out if you have any questions 😉 You can also chat with me or other students directly through The Ambassador Platform.

Best of luck,

Julia
Psychology student
De Montfort University

Reply 2

abibrownstark

Original post by BintyMinty

Hey,

As mentioned in the response above there’s lots of opportunities and options for Placements and Study Exchanges across different Universities and the courses they offer. At my University I’m pretty sure everyone is given the opportunity to take a placement/internship/study exchange which is great because it really opens up opportunities for everyone. One of the other benefits was that at my uni you didn’t have to specify you wanted to do this year before applying and it could be added on to the course. Again, specifying which you wanted to do wasn’t required until the start of second year which helped take some pressure off so I’d definitely ask the question to the University you’re applying to!

Despite thinking I’d do a placement since it seemed to be what everyone around me was doing I went to the info sessions they held at the end of 1^st year and beginning of 2nd year and from hearing about these opportunities decided I’d try and apply. I was successful in my application to study in Heidelberg University almost exactly 2 years ago and spent September 2022-August 2023 having the best year of my life travelling around Europe, studying at a top University and meeting amazing people.

My advice to you would be that if you’re currently unsure on what you want to do, don’t feel like you have to rush into a decision now. Look into both options and maybe weigh up the pros and cons of both. Whilst Placements can be super useful in learning on the job and establishing connections in the industry, study exchanges can also create opportunities to stand out from others with lived understandings of different cultures and develop your international experiences and connections.

In terms of costs and other things I learnt from my study abroad, I wrote a blog with the FCDO Travel Aware Campaign about the 15 Things I learnt, in 15 Months, in 15 Countries which might give a bit more of an insight to the things you can get from a Study Abroad!

https://www.lboro.ac.uk/subjects/geography-environment/undergraduate/study-exchange/abi-brown-stark/?utm_medium=sba&utm_source=studentroom&utm_campaign=fcdotraveladvice&utm_content=sba5

I hope this helps a little and if you have any other questions let me know and I’d be happy to help!

Good luck with the A-Levels!

Abi Brown-Stark :smile: