Study Abroad options
All our undergraduate programmes (except MNutr and Certificate in Pre-Veterinary Science) may be taken in conjunction with the Certificate in European Studies (Biosciences).
On most courses you will also have the opportunity to spend a semester studying abroad through the Universitas 21 scheme.
Students taking Biotechnology, Environmental Science, Environmental Biology, Nutrition or Plant Sciences also have the opportunity to spend a semester or a year studying their subect at the University's Malaysia Campus.
Study Abroad Opportunities booklet 
Certificate in European Studies (Biosciences) 
This is taken as an extra year between years 2 and 3 and offers students the opportunity to continue their choice studies at one of our partner institutions in mainland Europe, encouraging the improvement of their knowledge of scientific language and their understanding of the scientific and cultural aspects of their host country.
Students study a special European Placement Module, including language study (and scientific terminology) in the summer of year 2, prior to the start of placement. Students can also take language modules in autumn and spring semesters of this second year.
Placements are arranged via the Erasmus European Exchange Programme - this is a European Commission initiative supporting a range of collaborative activities between universities and businesses across Europe, including student exchange.
The placement is on an exchange basis and so Sutton Bonington Campus life is enriched with students from our partner Institutions.
The academic year in most European countries finishes late May/early June so students can remain in their host country working (and on holiday!) before they return to Nottingham. This stay does wonders for further language development, making friends, experience of living in another country.
Entry Requirements : to be eligible you must have French, Spanish or German to minimum of grade B GCSE (or equivalent), as appropriate to the host country, but none of which can be your home language.
Benefits of the Course
Acquiring fluency in a second language is in itself very useful; however there are other benefits including personal development and having something very different to put on your CV when job-hunting.
It certainly sets you apart from other applicants!
Our European Partner Institutions:
FRANCE
Angers: Ecole Supérieure d’Agriculture including:
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Lille: Université des Sciences et Technologies de Lille
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Lyon : Institute Superieur d'Agriculture Rhone-Alps
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Toulouse: Ecole Superieure d'Agriculture de Purpan
Paris: AgroParis Tech (Institut des sciences du vivant et de l'environnement)
GERMANY
Göttingen: Georg-August-Universität Göttingen
SPAIN
Valencia: Universidad Politecnica de Valencia
Please note that the marks you are awarded as part of your Certificate in European Studies (Biosciences) do NOT count towards your BSc degree classification.
What do students who have followed the Euro programme think about it?
“time spent in Spain was invaluable, probably the most enjoyable part of my degree; it always gets a positive comment from prospective employers. I would recommend any student to take the course as I found it invaluable to my development as a person; It immediately places you above people in an interview situation as one tends to be more confident, self assured .”
“ advantageous in getting the job that I am in; is something else to add to your degree title and potential employers always pick up on this fact and ask what was entailed; benefits include studying abroad, going to classes which are taught in a foreign language, taking foreign exams, living abroad, improving language skills, self sufficiency ” .
“The whole experience of being totally submerged in a different culture was incredible . After the initial feeling of being rather stranded and isolated, one adapts, you have to. And that was an invaluable lesson from the whole of my degree. It gave me more confidence to try something, even though I wasn't too sure that I could do it.”
“Above all however I must emphasise the immense personal satisfaction and development the course, particularly the time spent abroad, conferred. I would recommend this course to anybody and everybody.”
Universitas 21
U21 is a global alliance of key Universities; through this exchange scheme undergraduates may have the opportunity to spend one semester with one of our partner institutions. The marks obtained count towards your Nottingham degree.
Students from the School of Biosciences are on placement for the Autumn Semester of their second year; if they are placed in one of our Australian / New Zealand partners then this will be from July.
As the academic year in these countries finishes in November, then Nottingham students will be able to remain in the host country (or take some time returning to the UK) until the beginning of the Spring Semester at Nottingham (currently end of January) – this is a great chance to do that back-packing you always promised yourself!
The scheme is competitive and interested students need to apply at the end of the Autumn Semester of their first year.
Further information and partner institution Factsheet
Natasha Blok, BSc Nutrition & Food Science who graduated in 2008 and now works for Sainsbury’s, on the advantages she gained from U21
Examples of our current partners are:
AUSTRALIA
The University of Melbourne, Melbourne
The University of New South Wales, Sydney
The University of Queensland, Brisbane
CANADA
The University of British Columbia, Vancouver
McGill University, Montreal
CHINA
The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
IRELAND
University College Dublin
KOREA
Korea University, Seoul
MEXICO
Tec de Monterrey (ITESM) Various cities
NEW ZEALAND
The University of Auckland, Auckland
SINGAPORE
National University of Singapore, Singapore
SOUTH AFRICA
University of the Free State, Bloemfontein (NB not all courses available)
SWEDEN
Lund University, Lund
USA
University of Virginia,Charlottesville
Student comments on U21
“Overall, I'm having an incredible time; college life continues to be homely with much to offer in the way of sports, great friends and generally a superb atmosphere. I've been involved in the tennis, touch rugby, and waterpolo comp, and I've just learnt to play the digeridoo! I'll be travelling over midterm break, and most likely be frequenting the beach.”
“… this incredible eye-opening opportunity to experience university somewhere so different. My exams are over now, so things have calmed down a little, and I'm preparing to do some travel before the icy climes of the motherland greet me once more!”
“The cricket's been amusing to put it lightly! I get a fair bit of stick from the Aussies, but we’re off to watch the next test in early January.”
Read about students' experience of U21 placements:
Sophie Ivil
Charles Roe
Malaysia Campus
The University's campus in Malaysia at Semenyih sits on a 101 acre site, 30 km from Kuala Lumpur. It opened in August 2005 and teaching began in September 2005. It is the first purpose built campus of a British university outside the UK.
Students taking our degree courses in Biotechnology, Environmental Science, Environmental Biology, Nutrition or Plant Sciences have the opportunity to study their subjects for a year or a semester at the Malaysia Campus.
Read about a student's experience:
Lorna Trimnell
Other opportunities
The School of Biosciences also has an exchange agreement with Oregon State University (USA).
Further information