Staying in Edinburgh doesn’t take your fancy this summer? Want to do something productive with your time, whilst travelling somewhere exotic? Then perhaps you should consider the Go Abroad Fund. Not only does our amazing uni supply internships on home turf (see my previous blog post on Employ.Ed), but they also have a rather well-supplied pot of money, tucked away for students to have incredible experiences abroad. The fund gives up to £350, or £700 if you are from a disadvantaged background.
Here are some of the ways you can use this fund to have an unforgettable summer…
Volunteering:
Over 100 people used this fund last year to volunteer. Why not consider helping to combat global issues by going on a 6-8 week project with AIESEC? Each project is £450, and there are 128 different countries to choose from. Consider popping into Potterrow to chat to EUSA about the other volunteering societies at Edinburgh, such as Project Mongolia or trekking Machu Picchu.
Research:
My flatmate spent last summer doing medical research in a children’s hospital in Khazakstan, and loved every second of it. Why not dabble in a STEM project happening in an exciting location? You could also choose to enhance your Classics skills in Italy, your History skills in France, you geography skills in Iceland…
Conferences:
From technological breakthroughs to women empowerment, there is always a conference happening somewhere in the world. These can be quite expensive, especially if you have to book the hotel yourself. These tend to last for two or three days, so perhaps consider what else you can do in your time in that country. The Go Abroad Fund will only apply if your experience lasts more than 7 days!
Internships:
If you’re considering a longer stay and a chance to improve your language skills, perhaps you should also consider the Erasmus+ Fund. This gives you either €380 or €430 per month in order to spend two or more months doing a work placement in Europe. This is a bit more work however, as you need to show certification of a traineeship accepted by the University. If you want more information, check out this link:
https://www.ed.ac.uk/global/exchanges/finances/erasmus-grant
Enjoy travel researching! Applications close on the 23rd of March, so be sure not to miss out on what could be a huge helping hand to making that dream project come true.