Study Abroad Opportunities
Study abroad with UON partners
The University of Northampton partners with prestigious institutions across the world to offer students various short-term study abroad and cultural exchange opportunities. Listed below are the opportunities available to current students.
International short study programmes at UON
Are you interested in in Studying in the UK? Each of the modules included in our International Short Study Programme has specific aims and learning outcomes, allowing you to apply the skills and knowledge you develop with us to your degree at your home university. Find out more on our webpage.
Study Abroad Programmes in Japan
Why should I apply for this Study Abroad Programme in Japan?
Studying in Japan through a student exchange programme offers unparalleled cultural immersion, fostering cross-cultural communication and global understanding. Students will gain invaluable insights into Japan’s rich history, advanced technology, and unique societal traditions. This experience can enhance your adaptability as a student, along with brushing up on your language skills, broadening your global perspective, and boosting your personal and professional development.
Am I eligible to apply for this Programme?
Please view the eligibility terms and conditions for each opportunity on the partner institution’s website to see whether you would be eligible to apply. If you have any further questions about a specific programme, you can find a list of contact email addresses for our partner institutions in the Key contacts’ section. Students must organise a study break with their course tutors if the dates of the exchange programme clash with their course.
Listed below are the institutions we are partnering with in 2024:
-
Please check back soon for more information on 2025 opportunities and application dates.
Kansai University is one of the leading private universities in Japan. With a history of over 130 years, KU has 13 undergraduate faculties, 13 graduate schools, and 2 professional graduate schools. There are over 30,000 students enrolled at KU, with 5 campuses located in Osaka, the second largest city in Japan.
Fees
Tuition fee between 250,000-450,000 Yen. Travel, accommodation and expenses are not included but funding is available to put towards these costs via the Turing Scheme.
Programme type: Summer Programme
- Duration: 4 weeks in July and August
- Start date: TBC
- Number of student places available: Up to 2.
- Fees: Tuition fee between 250,000-450,000 Yen. Travel, accommodation and expenses also not included.
Key contact: short_term@ml.kandai.jp
Applications for the 2024 summer school are now closed. Please keep checking back for opportunities at Kansai in summer 2025.
-
Showa Women’s University (SWU), founded in 1920, is one of the most globalized women’s colleges in Japan. It is a liberal arts college with approximately 6,000 students studying across 6 undergraduate faculties, and more than 120 students enrolled in 2 graduate schools. Since 2019, SWU shares its campus with Temple University Japan Campus, realizing a real global campus. With its motto ‘Be a Light to the World’, SWU continues to nurture female graduates who play significant roles in the global society.Applications for the 2025 Summer School are open!
Please note – we are currently accepting applications for SWU’s 2025 Summer International Programme. If you would like to be considered, please complete form below with your contact details and a short statement (400 words max) explaining why you would like to attend the Summer School and how you would benefit from participating. Please note if your studies clash with the dates of this Summer School then you may need the approval or sign off from your tutor if you are still in term time.
The closing date for expressions of interest is Monday 3 February 2025 and we will contact you after this date to arrange a short interview with you as part of our selection process.
If you have any questions about the summer school or the selection process, please contact international@northampton.ac.uk
Programme type: SWU Summer International Programme (SSIP)
- Duration: 3 weeks
- Start date: 17 June 2025 (Arrival on 16 June)
- Number of student places available: 4
- Fees: Free tuition and accommodation (travel and expenses not included)
Student Story – Samantha O’Neill
“The SSIP 2024 was a fantastic experience not only for my future professional aspirations but also on a personal level as it pushed me beyond what I believed I was capable of. The chance to experience the culture of Japan independently was fantastic as I explored areas such as Shibuya and Shinjuku. I was also able to develop my knowledge of Japan through the numerous workshops provided by Showa Women’s University on topics such as kabuki, calligraphy, education, economics, and cinema (to name a few).“Most of all, the friendships that I still hold from this course with people from across the world is something that I fondly cherish. I am very much an unsocial person, partially due to my neurodivergence, but the course leaders, interns and participants all helped me to come out of my shell leading me to take on the position of international representative at the closing ceremony of the SSIP, rounding off the whole experience and really allowing me to celebrate my growth throughout the duration of the programme. In short, I cannot be more grateful that I was selected for the SSIP.”
To express interest in the SWU Summer International Programme (SSIP) 2025, please complete the application form below:
-
Eikei University of Hiroshima is a ’22nd Century-type University’ that will deliver change makers who will positively change society. They nurture practical skills to change society and globally recognized cultural skills so that students can design a future map for the century ahead.Applications for the Eikei University International Exchange Programme are open!
Please note – we are currently accepting applications for Eikei University’s 2025 International Exchange Programme. If you would like to be considered, please complete form below with your contact details and a short statement (400 words max) explaining why you would like to attend the programme and how you would benefit from participating. Please note if your studies clash with the dates of this programme then you may need the approval or sign off from your tutor if you are still in term time.
The closing date for expressions of interest is Monday 3 February 2025 and we will contact you after this date to arrange a short interview with you as part of our selection process.
If you have any questions about the summer school or the selection process, please contact international@northampton.ac.uk
Programme type: One Semester
- Duration: 3 months
- Start date: Mid-September – dates TBC
- Number of student places available: TBC
- Fees: Free tuition (travel, accommodation and expenses not included)
Download the Eikei University’s brochure
Key contact: intlaffairs@eikei.ac.jp
Student Story – Nanami Fukutaka
Nanami Fukutaka recently spent a seminar studying at UON as part of the exchange programme with Eikei University. Find out about her experiences of the programme.
To register interest in the Eikei University’s 2025 International Exchange Programme, please complete the application form below:
-
Please check back soon for more information on 2025 opportunities and application dates.
Ohkagakuen University is located near Nagoya, in the centre of Japan, and is one hour from Chubu International Airport. The campus is in a convenient location to visit the traditional Edo-Era street, Arimatsu, Toyota, and the World Cosplay Summit.Programme type: Summer Programme
- Duration: 3-4 weeks
- Start date: TBC
- Number of student places available: 6-8
- Fees: Fee paying
Find out more about Ohkagakuen University’s Summer programme
Key contact: ikawa@ohkagakuen-u.ac.jp
-
Please check back soon for more information on 2025 opportunities and application dates.
Nagoya University of Foreign Studies (NUFS) is the only university specialising in international studies and foreign languages education in the Chubu (Central) Region of Japan.Programme type: One semester
- Duration: 3 months
- Start date: TBC
- Number of student places available: 4
- Fees: Free tuition (travel, accommodation and other expenses not included)
Find out more about NUFS’s exchange programme
Key contact: asae@nufs.ac.jp
Global opportunities – funding
The UK and Erasmus+
Following the UK’s departure from the EU, and the UK Government’s decision not to join the 2021-27 Erasmus+ Programme, UON no longer has access to Erasmus+ funding to support outward student or staff mobility under the main Key Actions of the Programme.
The UK is now classed as a “non-associated third country” under Erasmus+ and as such is only eligible for a very limited number of opportunities under Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters, Jean Monnet activities and other initiatives for higher education & vocational education mobility.
Please see the European Commission’s Erasmus+ page for full information.
More information can be found below:
- ECHE (Erasmus Charter for Higher Education) (PDF, 4MB)
- UON Erasmus Policy Statement (Word, 25KB)
The UK Turing Scheme
The UK’s Turing Scheme now offers funding opportunities to UK universities to support global study and placements (including volunteering) of between 28 days – 12 months for their current students and recent graduates.
All outward mobility is subject to the availability of funding, for which UON bids on an annual basis.
Full information can be found on the Turing Scheme website, with further information about HEI Scheme rules and funding.
Please email international@northampton.ac.uk if you would like to find out more about the Turing Scheme or international student mobility at the University of Northampton.