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Applying for Study Abroad

Applying for Study Abroad

Follow our step-by-step guide to apply for a Study Abroad programme.

Further advice

  • Check your email regularly for messages from Royal Holloway. We recommend that you disable spam filters or add the Royal Holloway domain name to a 'safe list' to ensure that emails from us are not classified as junk mail.
  • We will provide pre-arrival webinars to all applicants in June and again in August. We will contact you via email to invite you.
  • Find out what you need to do to apply for a visa - our pre-arrival webinar in June will cover applying for a visa as well.
  • You can find our academic term dates here. The move-in date for the autumn term is usually Wednesday before the first day of term so that visiting students can take part in the 'New to the UK' induction programme which begins Thursday 19 September 2024 - visiting students are therefore advised to arrive on Wednesday 18 September in 2024. The Spring term move-in date for 2025 is to be confirmed, but likely to be Sunday January 12 2025.

Need to improve your English?

There is an Online Pre-sessional English Language Programme available which can bring your English up to the level you need to join us at Royal Holloway. Link to be provided here soon, but in the meantime, please contact studyabroadstudents@rhul.ac.uk with any questions about this.

Contact us

Need help filling in your online application? Not sure about something? Contact us using our query form. We’re here to help.

First, check you meet our minimum entry requirements:

Academic requirements

  • You should normally have completed at least one year of university study
  • The minimum entry requirement for most departments is equivalent to a cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA) of 3.0 (out of 4.0).
  • You can find out the specific requirements for a particular course unit on our Choose your module pages.

English language requirements

We require the following minimum standard level of English for direct entry to our credit-bearing courses:

  • IELTS: 6.5 overall (with no subscore below 5.5)
  • Pearson: 61 (with 54 in writing and no subscore below 51)

If your IELTS level is between  6.0 and 6.5, and you’re applying to start in September, you can take a the Online Pre-sessional English Language Programme to bring your English up to the required level. Please email studyabroadstudents@rhul.ac.uk for more details.

Masters students

  • To apply as a Masters student, first look at the department where you want to study for information on postgraduate courses.
  • Next, contact the Study Abroad team direct - studyabroadstudents@rhul.ac.uk - regarding your module choices (you can disregard ‘Step 2 - Choose your module’ below).
  • Apply online - see Step 3 below.
  • Take a look at our module information and find out what options are available.
  • For this reason, if you want to join us for a full year, you should choose modules that total at least 150 - 180 UK credits (75 - 90 ECTS). If you’re joining us for just one or two terms, you should choose modules that total 90 - 120 UK credits (45 - 60 ECTS).
  • Consult with your Study Abroad advisor when making your module choices.
  • Please be aware that due to possible timetable changes or clashes, we cannot always guarantee a place on the modules that you select. 
  • To register and apply, complete our online application form.
  • When you complete the online application form, you will need to upload the following supporting documents. You can begin your application without all of the items below present so that we can start to review your details, but an unconditional offer cannot be made until all the following have been uploaded:
    • An authorised transcript of your university studies
    • An English translation of your transcript (if necessary)
    • If your university is NOT a Royal Holloway 'study abroad partner', you will need at least one academic reference
    • Proof that you meet our English language requirements (see Step 1)
    • A photocopy of the personal details page of your passport
    • A personal statement
  • Please ask your advisor to let us know about your upcoming application by completing our Partner Universities Nomination Form.
  • Our deadlines for applications are:
    • 24 May for September starters 
    • 24 October for January starters

 

  • We’ll send you an offer by email. This offer will be subject to satisfactory agreement of your module choices.
  • Once you’ve accepted your offer, we will send your module requests to the relevant academic departments for their consideration. In some cases (for example, where there are no spaces on a module), they may suggest an alternative.
  • Once you’ve agreed your module choices, we will then send you a Study Plan to accept. This will show the modules you will study during your time at Royal Holloway. Very occasionally, slight changes may need to be made to your Study Plan during your first week due to timetable clashes or other unforeseen circumstances.
  • As soon as you’ve accepted your offer from us, you can register on our portal to apply for accommodation.
  • As a Study Abroad student, you are guaranteed campus accommodation provided you apply before the deadline.
  • See our accommodation pages to see the different options you can choose.
  • For all accommodation queries, email:  studentaccommodation@rhul.ac.uk.

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