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Undergraduate work and external placements terms and conditions

These terms and conditions apply to:

  • students undertaking an external placement programme through the School of Biology
  • students undertaking an external placement programme through the School of Chemistry
  • students undertaking a With Integrated Year Abroad (WIYA) programme through the School of Modern Languages.

Students who are undertaking a Russian Language With Integrated Year Abroad (WIYA) and studying (rather than working) abroad should refer instead to the Undergraduate study abroad terms and conditions.

The purpose of this page is to set out the framework within which the University’s external programmes operate and the obligations of participating students, all of which are essential to ensuring that students have a safe and successful external placement experience. It supplements information given to students pre-departure by the School and the Global Office.

Programmes and host organisations

  1. Students and host organisations are expected to complete relevant health and safety documents and return these to the School by stipulated deadlines. The School will review these as part of the Placement monitoring process.
  2. The School will undertake a risk assessment prior to final approval and commencement of the programme. This may be an individual risk assessment or adaptation of a generic one to suit a particular Placement and participating student.
  3. During the Placement programme, students must complete all academic requirements as stipulated by their School in St Andrews.
  4. Where a student wishes to withdraw from a Placement programme after arrival at the host destination, re-joining the St Andrews semester will usually be possible only until the end of Week 1 of the St Andrews semester. Permission to return to St Andrews after Week 1 of the St Andrews semester would be required from the Associate Dean Students. It is extremely unlikely that permission to return to St Andrews after Week 2 would be granted and consequently would entail a leave of absence from St Andrews for either a semester or a full academic year.
  5. Requests to extend a placement should be agreed at least one month in advance of the end date of the original mobility period with the Global Office. A change of placement dates must be agreed in advance, particularly if the student is in receipt of a scholarship or external funding.
  6. Students should read the University privacy notice: exchange of student personal data with partner institutions and other educational collaborations (PDF) prior to departure.
  7. At the end of the programme, students should complete an evaluation form, which will assist the University in reviewing and enhancing the programme.
  8. Students are expected to fulfil the commitments they have made to the host organisation in relation to responsibilities and duration of placement.

Information specific to WIYA placements

  1. With Integrated Year Abroad (WIYA) programmes involve a full academic year abroad in a host destination where either Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Italian, Russian or Spanish is spoken.
  2. The minimum duration of a WIYA programme is seven months, normally coinciding with St Andrews semester dates.
  3. It may be possible to split the WIYA between two placements in different destinations, but this is unusual. Students should seek advice and approval from their WIYA Coordinator.
  4. The School encourages suitable candidates to apply to the British Council’s Language Assistantship programme. This is a well-established programme and the University works closely with the British Council to facilitate and support student participation.
  5. Any student who wishes to organise their own WIYA work placement should consult their Work Abroad Adviser at an early stage during the first semester of second year. Permission will be granted only where the School is confident that the placement will provide a suitable WIYA programme. An approved and signed Work Placement Agreement must be in place by 31 May.

Pre-departure orientation

  1. All students undertaking work in the UK or abroad for credit are required to attend a pre-departure briefing session organised by the Global Office. Details will be sent to students via email. Any student who fails to attend, without being excused in advance, may have their permission to participate in the external programme withdrawn by the Associate Dean (Students) for their faculty.
  2. In addition, students are expected to attend any briefing sessions organised by their Department or School.
  3. Students are responsible for ensuring that they understand information given to them pre-departure. Any questions or concerns should be raised with the School or the Global Office before leaving St Andrews. Queries can be sent to studyabroad@st-andrews.ac.uk.
  4. If participating in a Placement abroad, students are responsible for ensuring that they have valid passports and visas for their destination. International students should seek advice from Student Services should they have any questions about returning to the UK at the end of a Placement programme.
  5. Students must register their travel with the University prior to departure. The Global Office will send a reminder email to students with a link to the travel registration tool.

UK student visas

  1. If you have a visa to study at St Andrews and have any questions about the implications of undertaking a Placement whilst matriculated at St Andrews, you should consult the Student Immigration Service International Advice Team by emailing advint@st-andrews.ac.uk.
  2. If your external Placement is an integral and assessed part of your degree programme, the University will normally continue to sponsor your visa while you are on Placement. Where we continue to sponsor your visa, we will inform UKVI that you are on an external Placement. You must ensure that you engage fully with the courses or activities stipulated in your Work Placement Agreement, and maintain regular contact with the University of St Andrews during your time away from St Andrews.
  3. Please note: if you have a Student visa, this will not cover you for work in other countries. If your Placement is abroad, you should investigate what visa you require for your host country as soon as possible.

Communication

  1. The University maintains regular contact with students on Placement programmes, primarily via their St Andrews email account. Students therefore have a responsibility to check their St Andrews email account regularly, at least twice per week, and to respond to University communications as requested and in a timely manner. This includes returning Placement documentation by stipulated deadlines.
  2. Students must complete Online Matriculation at St Andrews by the University’s stipulated deadlines.
  3. Students must ensure that their Personal Details are updated with their contact details via MySaint as soon as possible after their arrival at the host destination. This must include a contact telephone number, preferably both landline and mobile numbers, and address.
  4. While University staff are in regular contact with students during Placements, it is expected that students will also be pro-active and contact the University should they experience any problems while away from St Andrews.
  5. While away from St Andrews, the primary University contacts are the student’s Placement Adviser and the Global Office at outbound@st-andrews.ac.uk.
  6. In an emergency out of office hours, students should contact the University switchboard: +44 (0)1334 46 8999.
  7. The University will provide students with full details for University contacts, including emergency contacts, pre-departure.
  8. The University will only assist with enquiries relating to the Placement programme from next of kin where the student has authorised this pre-departure.
  9. St Andrews and the host organisation may share information about a student as appropriate and relevant to the Placement programme to assure students’ personal safety and facilitate academic progress.

Accommodation

  1. Students are responsible for organising accommodation on placement programmes. The University recommends that students research options thoroughly, and seek advice from the host organisation. Where problems arise with private accommodation, the University may be able to help in some circumstances, but cannot intervene in disputes with private landlords.

Finance

  1. Students who participate in a Placement programme will be liable for their normal tuition fee for the academic year. Students who participate in a 60-credit With Integrated Year Abroad Placement programme will be liable for half their normal tuition fee for the academic year.
  2. Participating students are responsible for informing their funding body of their intention to undertake a Placement and clarifying with their funding body the support available for Placements. Students should note that some funding bodies may not provide full tuition fee funding for Placement programmes. Further details can be found on the Global Office webpages.
  3. While on an approved Placement programme, students will be covered by the University’s travel insurance policy. Details will be provided to students at the pre-departure briefing.
  4. All other costs, including travel, accommodation, visas and vaccinations, are the responsibility of the participating student.
  5. Students awarded a Turing or Erasmus+ Mobility Grant must fulfil the conditions of their mobility contract. This includes the timely return of all documentation as specified by the Global Office. Students who do not meet the requirements of their mobility contract will forfeit their Turing or Erasmus+ Mobility Grant and may be required to return to the University any funds already received so that these funds can be refunded to the National Agency for the programme.
  6. The University offers a range of scholarships to support students who will be on Placement abroad as part of their degree programme through the Saints Abroad scholarship portfolio. The Global Office will promote scholarship opportunities widely, but it is the responsibility of students to apply for funding by the stipulated deadlines each year.
  7. While on a Placement programme, eligible students who have financial difficulties are entitled to apply to the University’s Discretionary Fund as normal.
  8. When a student in receipt of a scholarship or other funding, for example, Turing or Erasmus+ Mobility Grant, attached to the Placement withdraws from the programme prior to the agreed end date, they will be required to return all or a proportion of the scholarship or funding to the University, scholarship donor or funding body. The proportion of the scholarship to be returned will be determined by the point in the academic year at which the student withdraws from the placement.

Health and disabilities

  1. Students must be aware that health services and support arrangements will vary from destination to destination. It is vital to the success of the Placement experience that students disclose any medical conditions and/or additional support requirements pre-departure, so that the University can confirm that appropriate support will be available at the host organisation.
  2. Students with medical concerns should discuss these with their GP prior to departure.
  3. Students can download a copy of their current support plan in St Andrews from to share with the partner institution. However, students should be aware that the support available abroad will differ to that available in St Andrews and the partner may not be able to provide the same accommodations, for example, flexible absences, extra time for examinations.
  4. Students should consider what wellbeing support may be required during the placement and contact Student Services at the University to discuss this prior to departure.
  5. Students should contact the University should any wellbeing concerns arise during the placement by emailing outbound@st-andrews.ac.uk.
  6. If undertaking a placement outside the UK, students are responsible for ensuring that they have any necessary vaccinations prior to departure.
  7. Where appropriate, and in consultation with the student, the University may share information about medical conditions or disabilities with key contacts at the host organisation.
  8. Students are strongly encouraged to notify St Andrews of any health concerns that arise during their Placement period, and that may impact negatively on their academic programme or experience.

Safety

  1. Students undertaking Placements must comply with all workplace health and safety guidance issued by the School, where relevant, and by the host organisation.
  2. Safety and the welfare of students undertaking Placement programmes are paramount. Any student who feels unsafe in a host destination should report this immediately to St Andrews, and to the relevant authorities at the host organisation.
  3. Students should be mindful of general personal safety precautions and attentive to advice issued by the University pre-departure. This includes advice given about safety in particular destinations.
  4. If undertaking a Placement abroad, the University strongly recommends that students register with their embassy or consulate on arrival at their host destination. Students should refer to for their destination country prior to departure.
  5. In the event of any international incident, the University will follow UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office travel advice and will take account of UK government sanctions which may be imposed on a host destination. Instructions given by St Andrews staff in such situations will apply to all students, regardless of whether or not they are UK citizens. In the unlikely event of an evacuation from a host destination, the University will make every reasonable effort to assist students with travel back to the UK or their home country.
  6. If undertaking a Placement in the UK, students are expected to follow local and University guidance and advice.
  7. Students who do not follow the University’s guidance do so at their own risk.

Student conduct

  1. St Andrews students who undertake a Placement in the UK or abroad act as ambassadors for the University and consequently the University expects students to conduct themselves appropriately, with consideration and respect for the host organisation and the wider host community. While resident away from St Andrews, students should be mindful of the customs and laws of their host community. The University will view seriously any action by a student abroad, or elsewhere in the UK, that may bring St Andrews into disrepute.
  2. The Student Conduct Team may inform the Global Office of any serious non-academic misconduct issues which arise between the point of application to go on Placement and before the commencement of the Placement. The Global Office reserves the right to withdraw an application or a Placement programme when serious non-academic misconduct issues with an applicant come to light prior to the start of the Placement.
  3. While on Placement at a host organisation, students will be subject to the disciplinary regulations of the host organisation.
  4. While on Placement at a host organisation, students will continue to be subject also to the Student Conduct and Good academic practice guidance (PDF) at 精东传媒.
  5. If a student is subject to or witnesses behaviour from another student or staff member which constitutes non-academic misconduct whilst on Placement, the reporting student will refer to and be led by the disciplinary process and regulation of the host institution when making a report.
  6. Serious disciplinary incidents may be reported to the University by the host organisation. Depending on the nature of the incident, the University may be consulted about an appropriate course of action. However, students should be aware that, ultimately, St Andrews is not empowered to waive disciplinary action by a host organisation.
  7. The University may take additional disciplinary action where it deems appropriate. Such action may include:
    1. Conditions set on further participation in the programme.
    2. Expulsion from the Placement programme.
    3. Any disciplinary action as described in the Student Conduct Policy.
    4. The above is not an exhaustive list.

Data sharing

  1. Before commencing your Placement, you should read the University privacy notice: exchange of student personal data with partner institutions and other educational collaborations (PDF) which outlines the University’s policy in relation to the transfer of personal data to collaborative partnerships in the UK and overseas.