Study the World
Shannon Schmelzer in Bath, England

"The study abroad program gave me the opportunity to spend eight months doing exactly that, studying the world!"
~ Shannon Schmelzer

Bath Spa Exchange Program

Exchange Details

The University of Maine at Machias (UMM) has an exchange agreement with Bath Spa University (BSU) in Bath, England.

Prerequisite: Sophomore standing and 2.5 minimum cumulative grade point average

During the exchange you will:

  • Study for one or two semesters at BSU.
  • Bring back 15 ungraded credits for one semester of study that will count toward your degree. If you attend BSU for a full academic year, you will achieve 30 ungraded credits. 
  • Pay your tuition and fees to UMM.
  • Room and board or home-stay expenses will be paid at BSU.
  • Gain invaluable experience which looks good on your resume.

VISA Information:

http://www.ukvisas.gov.uk 
This site will help you answer questions about a visa. If you are planning to stay less than 6 months you can arrive in the UK at the point of entry and obtain a visa as a ‘student visitor’ – there are certain restrictions: you cannot extend it so it will only be valid up to 6 months and you cannot be employed. 

If this is the visa that you require then you will need to provide the letter of acceptance from Bath Spa and the enrollment verification form from UMM when you arrive at the point of entry.

Alternatively, applying for a UK visa from the US is a relatively simple process and costs around 99.00 pounds or an estimated $250.00. If you apply and obtain a visa, you would be able to work in the UK during your studies (there is a restriction of 20 hours paid per week) and you could extend your stay if you chose to. Approval of a visa takes a few months so you should apply as soon as possible in order to have it before your trip abroad.

Transferring Your Coursework Back to UMM

• Credit Conversion.  Bath Spa courses usually equal 10 or 20 credits. We use a  divisor of 4 to translate the number of Bath Spa credits to semester hours, so a course worth 10 credits at Bath Spa is equal to 2.5 semester hours at UMM.
• Minimum Grade Required. You also need to earn a C- or better in a Bath Spa course in order for the  course to transfer to UMM.

The Bath Spa grading scale is as follows:
• >= 70% = A
• 60-69% = B
• 50-59% = C
• 40-49% = D
• <40% = F

Once you have completed the semester at Bath Spa, you will need to ask their Registrar to send an official copy of your transcript directly to UMM’s Registrar’s Office.

More Information:

You should check out the websites below to help answer any questions you may have:

http://www.bathspa.ac.uk/ 
Bath Spa University

http://ukcisa.org.uk
This site is a source of information for studying and living in the UK.

http://www.bathspa.ac.uk/services/international/students/Handbook.asp
This is the International Student’s Handbook and the Pre-arrival information is the section that talks about estimating costs for living in Bath Spa.  The estimate for the academic year is 6,600.00 pounds if you live off campus and a little less if you live on campus.  This corresponds to an estimate of approximately $11,500.00 per academic year or roughly $5,750.00 for one semester. 

GO OVERSEAS SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITY 

The Go Overseas scholarships are available to undergraduate students currently enrolled in or in the process of applying to study abroad programs.

Our largest scholarship is $1,000 and further information related to the application process can be found on the Go Overseas website at Study Abroad Scholarship.

The FAQ page also contains more useful information about the scholarship:  Study Abroad Scholarship FAQs.

Still have questions?
Contact Rose Mondville in the UMM Academic Affairs Office
at (207) 255-1342 or mondvill@maine.edu

 

 

 

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