Accounting & Finance, Year abroad or Year in the industry?

Should I choose a Year in the industry for A&F - considering it is a highly competitive industry where entry level jobs are asking for work experience?
With regret, I think I would err towards the year in industry. An exception to this would be if you speak a language reasonably well and can really build on that with a year in the country where it is spoken. Especially so if it is a marketable language.
Does a year abroad in my CV look attractive to employers?
Yes. It also helps when you apply for grad jobs as you are able to give real life examples to competency questions. You can also develop those skills in other ways - part time work in supermarkets and hospitality seem to work well.
What are the drawbacks in doing work experience in a Year abroad instead of just doing a Year in the industry at home?
Probably none so long as the work is of equal quality. You may lose the increased chance of returning to work at the place you did the year in industry for a permanent job. Getting jobs abroad isn't straightforward for visas so you personal circumstances may have a big bearing here.
Is one option more competitive than the other?
In terms of getting into the course - pretty certainly not unless you are applying to a course which is tied to an employer (the Flying Start degrees in the case of accountancy for example). Do note that years in industry are competitive - a significant percentage of people who get onto the degree won't find a placement year.
Are these programmes paid for by the university or are they additional costs on top of tuition fees?
Unfortunately you have to check for each university for study abroad offers. The real costs of studying abroad for a year are not always very clear. The year in industry should come with a salary paid to you. The universities tend to charge a reduced fee for the year.

Thank you for the detailed response. My family is already struggling to pay for settling in the UK so I'll take the safer option to postpone my goal of going abroad until later in life. My biggest priority is to kickstart my career in accountancy so I'll work hard to get a placement year.
The only university I'm considering that offers a Flying Start degree is Queen Mary's, so how does a Flying Start degree in QM compare to a placement year in say Durham or Birmingham?
Are there any specific characteristics that A&F recruiters look for/value in applicants for placement years?
For finance degrees in general, is there anything that universities look for in applicants?
I'm sending off my UCAS application rather last minute so will that impact my chances of getting into the universities I want? (Birmingham, Durham, Surrey, Queen Mary's, Bristol)

Oh - and with regards to getting offers what are your predicted grades and subjects? Have you checked that you meet any GCSE requirements for maths and English?

And yes I met the GCSE requirements for maths and english. My predicted grades are AAA - Maths, Physics and Biology. No idea why I picked biology. Also, is it a good idea to include the mathematical aspect of physics in my personal statement?

The only university I'm considering that offers a Flying Start degree is Queen Mary's, so how does a Flying Start degree in QM compare to a placement year in say Durham or Birmingham?
I may be a year or two out of date here. Basically with Flying Start you do your work in 3 blocks in the second, third and forth year of your degree, as opposed to a year in industry in the third year with most other options you are looking at.
The big differences are:

The biggest benefit is that the experience is guaranteed unlike a year in industry scheme.
Are there any specific characteristics that A&F recruiters look for/value in applicants for placement years?
Basically yes. Its probably a bit early to go through these but do try to come back and ask this question once you have completed your A levels. One thing its really worth being aware of is that work experience really helps a lot. So - if you have the chance to work in something like hospitality, retail, supermarket work over the summer and then once you have started at university its a very useful thing to have done.
For finance degrees in general, is there anything that universities look for in applicants?
If by finance you mean accounting and finance basically grades. Courses such as the ones at LSE and Bristol may have lower offer rates but these are outliers.
I'm sending off my UCAS application rather last minute so will that impact my chances of getting into the universities I want? (Birmingham, Durham, Surrey, Queen Mary's, Bristol)
It shouldn't. Maybe for flying start there may be some exception? I doubt it - especially as they were holding an open day today.
I'm not interested in the other universities that offer Flying Start courses. Personally, uni nightlife and the campus is very important so I'm set on the few unis that ticked off that criteria.
Thats fine - you mentioned Nottingham in your OP - they do have a flying start degree. Worth noting that their closest course to A+F isn't quite the same as more mainstream A+F degrees though.
Also, is it a good idea to include the mathematical aspect of physics in my personal statement?
I think it might be worth mentioning that through studying physics you found that you enjoyed using mathematical techniques to look into real world questions. Just a note - most accounting degrees are not very mathematical. The course at Bristol is an outlier in the ones you are looking at. In general people with grade 6 or 7 in GCSE maths do just fine.

Thank you for the help, you seriously cleared up some anxiety in my head now that I got a better foothold of what I should be doing.
Last question - since most accounting degrees aren't very mathematical, what are more relevant skills/education that I can mention in my personal statement? Oh and is it worth mentioning being very empathetic and able to understand a person's [financial] situation?

The universities that offer these 2 options for A&F are Bristol, Durham, Queen Mary's, Nottingham and Liverpool. I'm interested in taking a year abroad for the experience and to develop more soft skills as I had a very sheltered childhood.
Should I choose a Year in the industry for A&F - considering it is a highly competitive industry where entry level jobs are asking for work experience?
Does a year abroad in my CV look attractive to employers?
What are the drawbacks in doing work experience in a Year abroad instead of just doing a Year in the industry at home?
Is one option more competitive than the other?
Are these programmes paid for by the university or are they additional costs on top of tuition fees?

The universities that offer these 2 options for A&F are Bristol, Durham, Queen Mary's, Nottingham and Liverpool. I'm interested in taking a year abroad for the experience and to develop more soft skills as I had a very sheltered childhood.
Should I choose a Year in the industry for A&F - considering it is a highly competitive industry where entry level jobs are asking for work experience?
Does a year abroad in my CV look attractive to employers?
What are the drawbacks in doing work experience in a Year abroad instead of just doing a Year in the industry at home?
Is one option more competitive than the other?
Are these programmes paid for by the university or are they additional costs on top of tuition fees?

Hey there 😁
There isn’t a definitive answer, but you’ve started in the right direction. A thorough reflection is crucial here.
Work experience, whether at home or abroad, adds significant value to your CV. However, as you mentioned, living and working abroad fosters greater personal growth, which can be regarded beneficial by employers.
Securing work experience abroad can be more challenging due to the competition from international students. Nonetheless, this shouldn’t deter you from trying. Believing in yourself is the first step to success.
In terms of costs, these can vary depending on the university, as different institutions have distinct ways of organising such programmes. It’s worth checking their websites and exploring the details. For example, at DMU, there is a tuition fee for a placement year, but it’s significantly reduced.
Working abroad comes with additional costs like accommodation, travel, phone contracts, bills, and food. From my experience, this can be a financial burden. However, it’s not impossible. You would need to create a budget that includes your earnings and expenses.
In summary, gaining experience in another country can make you a more valuable employee and offer an unforgettable adventure. If your budget allows and you are prepared for the additional work involved in moving abroad, such as paperwork, money management, and visas, it’s a worthwhile pursuit.
Consider researching whether your chosen universities offer student exchange programmes. These function similarly to placement years but involve not working, but studying at a partner university. I participated in one and found it to be one of the best parts of my studies. I didn’t have to forgo work experience, as I also understand its importance. Fortunately, DMU offers internship programmes alongside studies, a summer internship programme, and a graduate scheme internship.
I applied for the first two. During my second year, I worked 10 hours a week for six months in a paid internship. In my third year, I participated in a student exchange in Spain, which was financially supported, receiving £400-£500 per month from the university. This helped cover my expenses and allowed me to enjoy my time there. I also joined the summer paid internship, working 20 hours a week for about 10 weeks.
When I saw your post, I thought this might be a budget-friendly option that allows you to pursue your dreams and aspirations without compromising. No matter what you decide, you’re already doing great by having these ambitions and researching your options. I’m sure you will achieve a lot during your studies!
I hope it will be 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.
Take care,
Julia
Psychology student
De Montfort University

Hi, thank you so much for the insightful response! This has urged me to follow my aspirations, and I will certainly prepare myself for all the budgeting and additional work that comes with going abroad. DMU seems like a great university and I will look into your website for further details.