Looking to apply to study abroad at Queen's University Belfast?
Our programme is open to those students currently undertaking an undergraduate degree from an accredited university. Here's everything you need to know about the application process.
01.
Choosing your course
Studying abroad is a unique time in your education and at Queen's we want to be as flexible as possible to ensure our incoming Study Abroad students have the option to make the most of their experience while studying here.
We therefore allow Study Abroad students to select a combination of modules from any School or Faculty providing any subject pre-requisites are met.
At Queen's, courses for study abroad are called modules. Most bachelor degree courses are composed of 18 modules and normally take three years to complete, typically with three modules being taken per semester.
View our full list of Study Abroad Modules
Modules in any particular subject are offered at a number of different levels which represent the different degrees of academic effort and intellectual challenge, and assuming different degrees of prior knowledge of the subject:
- Level 1- modules are normally taken in the first year
- Level 2- modules are normally taken in the second year and may require a knowledge of material covered in Level 1 modules
- Level 3- modules are normally taken in the third year and may require a knowledge of material covered in Level 1 and Level 2 modules
- Level 4- modules are offered only in certain cases of degrees lasting four years
Credits
A full workload for one semester is 60 Units (also known as CATS points). Study Abroad students normally select 3 modules, each with a weighting of 20 Units. However, some subject areas also offer half modules worth 10 Units and double modules worth 40 Units. Study Abroad students are expected to negotiate and arrange credit transfer with their home institutions, however, it may help to know that we consider one Queen's module (20 Units) to equate to approximately 5 US credits.
Module Codes
Every module has a unique code, which carries a range of information. For example, the module code HIS1008 - relates to the following information:
Subject: HIS (in this case History)
Level of study: 1 (in this case level 1)
Module identifier number: 008 (which is the unique module number for this particular module)
02.
Entry Requirements
- they are applying to come to Queen’s for a Study Abroad programme as part of a degree course at a university in: Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Canada, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, New Zealand, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, United States of America;
- and the normal language of instruction at their home university is English;
- and they have already completed one year of study at their home university at the time of application to Queen’s;
- and they have achieved a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0.
03.
Your Application
To apply for our study abroad program, you will need complete the following form.
Study Abroad Students may apply to attend for one semester, or the full academic year.
- Full Year: Mid-September to late May/early June
- Semester One: Mid-September to late December
- Semester Two: Early January to late May/early June
In this form, you will be asked to list the modules you are interested in. Please note, the normal full-time workload is 60 Units per semester, which is normally equivalent to 3 full modules. However, we ask students to choose at least 5 modules for each semester within their application to allow for timetable/class capacity issues.
Once you have completed the form, you will be asked to submit the following documentation:
- An official academic transcript of the courses you have taken at your home university
- An academic reference from a professor who can comment on your academic performance to date
- An English Language certificate (if applicable)
- A copy of your passport (personal details/photo page)
Late applications may be considered.
Once you have submitted your application, we aim to process it as soon as possible providing the correct supporting documentation has been submitted.
03.
Accommodation
As a Study Abroad student at Queen’s, you are guaranteed a room within Queen’s Student Accommodation. Once you have received your offer to Study Abroad, you will be able to apply online to secure your room.
We have options for everyone, whether you wish to live in a village type setting close to campus, or in the city centre, we have affordable rooms to suit your budget and lifestyle.
05.
Key Dates
| FEBRUARY | If you're applying to study in Semester 1 (Autumn/Fall Start Date) or to study with us for a full academic year, applications open in February every year. |
| 31 MAY | Applications close for Semester 1/full year of study. |
| 1 AUGUST | The deadline for international students on a single semester visiting or exchange program must have submitted an online application by 1 August for September arrival. Room allocations will be assigned before the end of August. |
| SEPTEMBER | If you're applying to study in Semester 2 (Spring Start Date), applications open in September every year. |
| 21 OCTOBER | Applications close for Semester 2 study |
| 1 DECEMBER | The deadline for international students on a single semester visiting or exchange program must have submitted an online application by 1 December for January arrival. Room allocations will be assigned before the end of [DATE]. |
06.
What happens next?
Once your offer has been accepted, we will start sending you information relating to your accommodation and visa documentation on an ongoing basis.
If you're not applying through a partner university, we will be in touch about how to pay any required fees. Single semester students are required to pay the full amount on arrival, before completing registration.
07.
Registering for Queen's
All students are required to complete online registration at the start of their chosen semester via the Qsis Registration Portal. As a new student, you will receive a welcome email with full instructions on how to register.
Orientation programs run in mid-September and late-January to coincide with the start of semester for all study abroad students to get familiar with their new environment. There will also be information on adjusting to university study, living expenses and tours of the recreational facilities and city of Belfast.
All that's left to do now is enjoy your time at Queen's University Belfast!
Still have questions?
If you still have questions about any aspect of studying abroad at Queen's University Belfast please reach out to us by emailing studyabroad@qub.ac.uk and one of our experienced team will be happy to help.