The Student Room Group

Can someone explain what a Sandwich year is?

I know i'll sound stupid, but what does a sandwich year exactly mean?...on simple words please.

From my understanding, after you did a 3 year course on Uni, you'll be given a work experience for the 4th year.

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Reply 1
I'm going to subscribe to this - I truely can't wait to see some of the replies :smile:
Reply 2
it's basically how it sounds
you get free sandwiches in every lecture
Reply 3
A sandwich year is a year spent eating sandwiches only

From what I understand of it - it's just a year you spend inbetween the start and end of your degree, working in a related area to gather experience.
Reply 4
you take a year out to do work experience usually before your final year
Reply 5
Yes, that's pretty much it. Though I think most places do 2 years at uni, then 3rd year work placement (UK or abroad) then a 4th year and perhaps 5th at uni depending on the course. Course descriptions should tell you which year the work placement will be in. It's worth bearing in mind that most universities are fairly lenient, so if you decide to go on a sandwich year, but then change your mind when you're at university, you can opt out, and vice versa.
Most university courses give you the option of a sandwich year which means that after the second year of your 3 or 4 year course you will be given the opportunity to gain work experience to give you experience in a certains ector of the work force depending on what your degree is. Its a great insight into what work in your chosen area is like and will look great on your CV giving you a better chance of getting a job. It is also great as you may become employed by the firm that you are working for. I know that I am extremely likely to be doing a sandwich year as I think that it would benefit me truely :smile:
hope that I have helped :smile:
Lool alot of sacasm in this thread..
But I was getting around to asking this question lol..
But I guess its covered now :smile:
Reply 8
Yep. As said, year out on placement to gain experience, usually in a role related to your degree if your degree is accredited by an institution. Often between 2nd and 3rd year, regardless of 3 or 4 year course, but this can change.

I'm on one myself and have done my placement.
Reply 9
Original post by Memphis

Original post by Memphis
Yep. As said, year out on placement to gain experience, usually in a role related to your degree if your degree is accredited by an institution. Often between 2nd and 3rd year, regardless of 3 or 4 year course, but this can change.

I'm on one myself and have done my placement.


Hi, I'm doing a 4 year sandwich course and I often see people doing their work replacement during 3rd year. I was wondering if I can do my work replacement after the 3rd year? Thank you!
Reply 10
what is a sandwich in university, seriously?
I hope there is still someone around to answer my question.
How are we supposed to get a placement? Is it done by our university with the companies it has partnered with, or are we going to have to look for a placement by ourselves? If it's the latter, is it going to be hard for international students as they might require work visa or whatsoever?
Original post by ainiysmn
I hope there is still someone around to answer my question.
How are we supposed to get a placement? Is it done by our university with the companies it has partnered with, or are we going to have to look for a placement by ourselves? If it's the latter, is it going to be hard for international students as they might require work visa or whatsoever?


That depends on the course concerned. There should be information on the university website concerned about how placements get arranged (whether you get assistance or have to arrange them yourself) and if they offer assistance then there will usually be some examples of organisations that offer placement years.

For international students there are often visa issues around sandwich degrees - again in that case they're best contacting the university concerned to see if the course is likely to comply with visa regulations.
1 human year is approximately 100 sandwich years.
You get wrapped in a sandwich cocoon and challenge yourself to eat your way out in a year. Develops determination and other skills lucrative to future employers.


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Original post by ainiysmn
I hope there is still someone around to answer my question.
How are we supposed to get a placement? Is it done by our university with the companies it has partnered with, or are we going to have to look for a placement by ourselves? If it's the latter, is it going to be hard for international students as they might require work visa or whatsoever?


It's mostly likely that you need to source the placement yourself. Some opportunities are available through the university, and you will be informed of any advertisements they receive but it's ultimately up to you to apply like a normal job. Some universities do try a bit harder than others though, admittedly.
u get sandwhich
Each lecture you go to, you receive one ingredient; each tutorial, up to three ingredients but you have to sauce-fight your tute mates to get the best ones. Bread is "unlimited" in that you can collect it as many times as you like, but to get to the breadstore you need to make your way through the breadknife labyrinth and climb Sandwich Hill, and even then you can only take as much bread as you can fit in your toastrack (distributed at the beginning of the year, and usually worn on a chain around each student's neck to avoid theft. That said, if you want to focus on fatties - fat sandwiches (with many ingredients) - rather than more numerous simple sandwiches, you can sell your toastrack for a handsome fee to someone who wants a carrying capacity of up to 16 slices, and you can just collect a small pile of bread in your hands when you visit Sandwich Hill. You just have to be careful you don't drop it when you climb over the Burning Toaster Stile to get back to campus). Obviously there are different bread varieties on the Hill.

Anyway about grading, once you have enough ingredients to make a good sandwich, you simply construct it and attend the daily lunch ceremony in Breadbin Hall at the centre of town. You present your sandwich to the Sandwich Master of your choice and they will award you a gold, silver or bronze pretzel token (or nothing at all) depending on various set criteria and their own personal taste. At the end of the year the person with the most pretzel points wins!

It's been a while since I did my sandwich course at university, but if you have any questions just ask!

Edit: As SnoochtotheBooch rightly pointed out, one human year is approx 100 sandwich years; as a basic guideline you should be aiming for one sandwich every sandwich year but some people make a lot more.
(edited 9 years ago)
Original post by Ege
Hi, I'm doing a 4 year sandwich course and I often see people doing their work replacement during 3rd year. I was wondering if I can do my work replacement after the 3rd year? Thank you!


But then you would be missing a slice of bread!
Original post by Niveken13
I know i'll sound stupid, but what does a sandwich year exactly mean?...on simple words please.

From my understanding, after you did a 3 year course on Uni, you'll be given a work experience for the 4th year.


fam a sandwich is that thing with bread and TEAAAAAAA

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