ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½

• Students must be enrolled in studies leading to a recognised degree or other recognised tertiary level qualification (a bachelor's or master's degree), at a higher education institution outside the UK for the duration of their research placement. We are currently unable to host recent graduates
• Your research placement must be relevant to your degree-related learning and personal development needs and, wherever possible, be integrated in your study programme
• Research placements must be full-time (around 35 hours per week)
• Students should be of good academic standing and, if nominated to ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ by their home institution, must fulfil the selection criteria defined by their higher education institution, which may include academic performance, previous mobility experience, motivation, etc.
• There is no age limit or nationality restriction
• Research placements are open to people with learning differences, special needs and disabilities, and the University aims to promote equity and inclusion for these learners
• Students must have a suitable level of English for the research they will be undertaking and to cope with day-to-day life in the UK, ideally at minimum B2 level. Students coming to ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ for more than 6 months will need to provide one of our accepted English language qualifications at the required level for the ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ degree course equivalent to their own degree course (see Entry Requirements on our undergraduate / postgraduate course overviews). 

Visiting researchers do not pay tuition fees to ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ but you may need to pay a small fee to your home institution whilst you are on your placement. 

For students doing a placement in a scientific laboratory, bench fees may be payable but this is at the discretion of the academic department concerned. There may also be some costs associated with undertaking training or attendance at conferences. Your ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ supervisor should agree any costs with you and your home institution before confirming your placement.

You will need to cover any visa fee (if relevant), as well as your travel, accommodation and other living costs.

The UK government estimates that students living outside London need around GB£1,171 per month to cover living costs and accommodation. Student accommodation at ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ ranges from around £85-289 per week, depending on the type you choose.

ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ does not unfortunately have any bursaries to offer visiting researchers and does not generally pay or provide payment in kind to trainees/interns. You should therefore explore potential sources of traineeship/internship funding through your home institution's international/study abroad/Erasmus+ office.

Erasmus+ traineeship grant 

Erasmus+ traineeships offer students at higher education institutions the opportunity to do an EU-funded period of training, research or a work placement at a higher education institution or company in another Erasmus+ programme or partner country. If you are studying in the EU or EEA and your home institution has an Erasmus charter, you may be able to apply to them for Erasmus+ traineeship funding towards your travel and living costs for a period in another Erasmus+ programme or partner country. 

Students can do an Erasmus+-funded traineeship abroad for a period of 2-12 months per study cycle (bachelor's/master's/doctorate) and can receive an Erasmus+ study grant (for doing taught courses) or an Erasmus+ traineeship grant or both for a combined total of 12 months per study cycle (bachelor/master).

To be eligible, students must be registered at a higher education institution that has been awarded the Erasmus Charter for Higher Education (ECHE) and is in one of the Erasmus+ Programme Countries or in their Overseas Countries and Territories:

• EU: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden. 
• Non-EU: Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Republic of North Macedonia, Serbia, Turkey).

The UK can take part in certain actions of the programme (hosting students) as a 'third country not associated to the programme' (see eligible countries ).

The ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ hosts Erasmus+ trainees both from its student exchange partner and non-partner higher education institutions.

For further information, see the .

• For a placement that is an integral part of your curriculum, the sending institution must give full academic recognition for the period spent abroad, by awarding ECTS credits or the equivalent. Recognition will be based on the research placement learning agreement approved by all parties before the period of mobility.
• If the research placement is not part of your curriculum, the sending institution will provide recognition by recording this period in your  or , or your ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ supervisor will provide a research placement completion letter or a traineeship certificate (Table D of the Erasmus learning agreement).

Ask your international or Erasmus office at your home institution about potential sources of funding, such as Erasmus+ traineeship grants or scholarships. Your home institution should provide you with information about the funding application and selection process, the documents you need to prepare, which countries and institutions you can go to, how and when to apply, when you would receive the funding, and the requirements and responsibilities of your period abroad. This process can take a few months so be sure to make enquiries well in advance of your placement.

The ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ does not unfortunately have any bursaries to offer visiting placement students.

Non-native English speakers will need to show you have a suitable level of English to enable you to carry out your research successfully and to cope in an English-speaking environment.

Stays of more than 6 months

Students doing placements of over 6 months will need to submit one of the University’s accepted English language qualifications with your ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ placement application so that we can email you a CAS for your Student visa application.

You are expected to meet the English language requirement for the ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ course equivalent to your degree course - see the Entry Requirements section on the relevant undergraduate / postgraduate course overview. Our requirements are typically as follows, though there may be some exceptions:

• Faculty of Engineering & Physical Sciences (FEPS): a minimum of IELTS Academic 6.0 overall, with at least 5.5 in each of the components (reading, writing, listening and speaking), or an equivalent qualification from the University’s accepted English language qualifications list.
• Faculty of Arts & Social Sciences (FASS) and Faculty of Health & Medical Sciences (FHMS): a minimum of IELTS Academic 6.5 overall, with 6.0 in Writing and 5.5 in each of the components (reading, listening and speaking), or an equivalent qualification from the University’s accepted English language qualifications list.

Stays of 6 months or less

Students doing placements of 6 months or less and entering the UK as a Visitor (no work allowed outside your placement) will need to submit evidence of your English language proficiency. We require your English to be at B2, or ideally C1.

Evidence we can accept includes:

• A letter from your home institution confirming that your English language level is sufficient for a placement and at least at CEFR B2 level.
• One of the University’s accepted English language qualifications at IELTS Academic 6.5 for FASS or FHMS and 6.0 for FEPS (see section above)
• Another recent English language qualification or English exam result
• A formal CEFR assessment by your home institution's languages department.

English language testing

Your English language will not be tested by ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½, though your ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ supervisor may arrange an online chat to discuss potential research options and that will be an opportunity for them to check that you can communicate with each other effectively in English.

Linguistic support

Students who are awarded an Erasmus+ traineeship grant may be invited by your home institution to undertake an Erasmus+ Online Linguistic Support assessment test (OLS) to make sure you meet the recommended level at ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ and to identify any linguistic support needed. The results of this test will not prevent Erasmus students from undertaking the traineeship and we will not see the results, but your sending institution may grant you access to a free online English language course before and during your stay abroad in order to improve your language competency for your mobility abroad. Erasmus students will be asked to take a final OLS English language assessment on your return home to measure your progress.

Visiting researchers may be able to attend the University’s free if you start your placement at the start of the first or second semester (early October/early February) and there is space in the class. Our courses - which include grammar, pronunciation, presentation skills, dissertation writing, etc. - typically last 4 or 9 weeks and consist of a weekly 1- or 2-hour class. There are no exams but you can download an attendance certificate at the end.

You can also learn and practise your English through our Language and Culture Exchange Scheme (LACES), through which you meet up for a chat in a coffee shop with an English native speaker who wants to practise speaking your language.

It may also be possible for you to use the English language resources and language laboratory in our language study area within the School of Languages.

British and Irish passport-holders do not need a visa to study and/or work in the UK. 

For others, whether you need a visa to do a placement in the UK will depend on:

1. Your nationality: passport-holders need a visa to enter the UK; non-visa nationals (e.g. EU/EEA passport-holders) do not generally require a visa for placements of 6 months or less in the UK (unless you have a criminal record or have been refused a UK visa in the past). 

2. Your length of stay: will your placement be for 2-6 months or for 6-12 months?

You can check if you need a visa and which one.

Please note: all students enrolled on an overseas degree course during their research placement / research training placement / clinical or veterinary observation-only elective placement are considered by the UK government and the ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ to be doing 'study' rather than 'work'.

UK visa requirements

* Supporting documents include: 

• Your invitation letter or acceptance form from your ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ academic department/supervisor
• ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ learning agreement / Erasmus+ learning agreement
• Evidence of sufficient funds for each month of your stay - the UK government considers that students outside London need £1,171 per month, including accommodation. Evidence could be one or more of the following: recent bank statements or a recent letter from your bank dated in the last 28 days, showing the money has been in your account for at least 30 days; grant / scholarship / student loan documentation showing the amount awarded and the timeframe. There is no particular amount specified for Standard Visitor visa applicants but we recommend you show you have around £1,171 per month, and non-visa nationals are not required to provide financial evidence as part of their application, but we recommend all students carry evidence in your hand luggage when you enter the UK in case you are asked
• Evidence of your UK accommodation address
• Evidence that you intend to return to your home country or to your home institution to complete your degree at the end of your placement (return ticket, evidence of home address, home institution document or letter with your degree duration/end date, etc).
• English language evidence. Students applying for a Student visa MUST be able to provide one of the ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½'s accepted English language qualifications at an appropriate level for the equivalent of your degree course at ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ (see undergraduate courses / postgraduate courses). We need this before we can email you a CAS (sponsorship number) for your visa application.

For further information, see our visa advice page.

You will need to find a placement opportunity and a ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ supervisor before you can be awarded an Erasmus traineeship or other grant by your home institution. The ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ does not keep a list of placement opportunities in each department, so you will need to find a suitable opportunity yourself by checking out the research and teaching currently being undertaken by each department and emailing appropriate academic staff directly.

The best way to identify academics working in your field/s of interest and to find out their contact details is to visit the ‘Research’ and ‘People’ pages on the relevant ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ academic department webpages.

Students interested in a research traineeship in the School of Veterinary Medicine should email: vsmreception@surrey.ac.uk.

You may email staff at any time of year, but we recommend doing so at least 3 months before your proposed research placement, particularly if you are coming for more than 6 months, to allow time to get your visa (if relevant), and, if relevant, an  to study in a sensitive subject area at postgraduate level (see ATAS Certificate section below).

When you email academic staff at ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½, please provide:

• Your preferred mobility period / approximate dates
• Your official university transcript of records (in English or a certified English translation)
• Your CV and your particular research interest/s
• Evidence of your English language proficiency (see Eligibility section above).

Potential supervisors may wish to arrange an online interview to assess your suitability and discuss project options.

We are not able to arrange hands-on clinical placements treating patients at local hospitals or veterinary practices. However, we may be able to organise a research project in our School of Health Sciences or our School of Veterinary Medicine.

Once you have found a supervisor and agreed the details of your research placement:

1. INVITATION LETTER - Your ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ supervisor will send you an invitation letter or, if preferred, complete your home institution's acceptance form. You can use this to support your application for one of your home institution's Erasmus traineeship grants or another grant or scholarship. You should also carry it in your hand luggage as one of your supporting documents when you travel to the UK. Your supervisor will not sign general letters of intent or set up inter-institutional agreements to host trainees from your home institution on an ongoing basis.
2. RESEARCH PLACEMENT / TRAINEESHIP LEARNING AGREEMENT - You, your home institution and your ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ supervisor must also complete ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½'s learning agreement for research placements (we no longer accept the French Convention de Stage). Students applying for an Erasmus+ grant will also need their home institution's Erasmus+ learning agreement for traineeships to be completed by all three parties. These are effectively the study contract between you, your home institution and your academic department at the ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½. Your home institution should provide you with their Erasmus+ learning agreement, if relevant. ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½'s International Engagement Office will provide you with our Learning Agreement for Research Placements form (ieo.incoming@surrey.ac.uk).

The research placement learning agreement should outline:

• Key contact details, hours of work, start and end dates of the placement, the student's English language level
• The aims and nature of the work or research and the learning outcomes or skills to be acquired
• How the internship/traineeship will be recognised by the home institution (credits towards your degree, an entry in a document, etc.)
• Details of any pay or payment in kind from the host institution (we don't tend to pay trainees/interns)
• Who is providing the accident, public/civil liability, travel and health insurance cover.

The process for completing internship agreements/learning agreements is as follows:

1. The student, with help from their home institution, completes their personal details, contact details, academic recognition, insurance cover and any other sections relating to them and their sending institution.
2. The student emails the semi-completed agreement to their ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ supervisor to complete the host/receiving institution sections with their contact details, details of the proposed research project (title, working hours, activities, outcomes/skills to be acquired, monitoring plan, evaluation plan), details of any payments/contributions in kind and any insurance cover (we do not generally provide these).
3. Each of the three parties signs and dates the agreement in the signature section, and a fully signed pdf copy is emailed to all three parties.
4. The student completes ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½'s research placement application form and uploads their supporting documents, including a fully signed pdf copy of their placement agreement
5. After the student’s arrival at ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½, if any changes need to be made to the details or terms of the learning agreement, the parties must complete and sign the ‘Changes to learning agreement after arrival’ section and email an updated pdf copy to each party. The student uploads a revised and fully signed pdf copy to their placement application.
6. At the end of the visiting researcher/trainee’s stay, their ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ supervisor should provide a letter on headed paper or, in the case of Erasmus trainees, complete the final section of the learning agreement (Table D) to confirm the outcomes and that the research placement has been completed satisfactorily. A pdf copy should be sent to the student and the home institution contact.

Your home institution should ensure that you are covered adequately for liability to third parties as a result of your own negligent acts or omissions outside your placement work, and by personal travel, accident and health insurance for the duration of your placement.

ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ maintains public liability and any other appropriate insurance cover (including professional indemnity insurance) in respect of the Trainee, to cover ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½â€™s liability, including for the Trainee’s negligent acts and/or omissions whilst under the direct supervision of ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ during the Placement.

The courts of England and Wales will have exclusive jurisdiction to settle any dispute or claim.

The University does not provide travel insurance or medical or healthcare cover for visiting students, so you must ensure you have your own personal travel insurance with a suitable level of health and public liability cover. 

European students are advised to bring your national with you to take to appointments so you can claim back any charges for medical appointments, treatment or prescriptions in your country.

Before you travel to the UK, you will need:

• If required by your home institution, a letter of invitation/acceptance form setting out the details of your placement and signed by your ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ supervisor
• A fully signed copy of your research placement learning agreement
• A CAS or visa support letter to apply for your visa (if relevant) or, if you don't need a visa, a formal acceptance letter to carry in your hand luggage when you travel to the UK
• If relevant, an ATAS certificate (students coming to ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ for more than 6 months will need to receive their ATAS before applying for a Student visa; students coming for 6 months or less must have their ATAS before they can start their placement)
• If you have been awarded an Erasmus+ grant, your sending institution should provide you with:
  • A grant agreement covering the mobility period, stating your grant rate (the monthly amount of money you will receive), and signed between you and your sending institution.
  • The Erasmus+ Student Charter which sets out your rights and obligations with respect to your period of research abroad.
• Evidence that you can support yourself financially for the duration of your stay - Student visa applicants must show evidence of funding of £1,171 for each month of your stay to cover travel, accommodation and living costs; Standard Visitor visa applicants are advised to provide evidence of funding around this amount; visitors who don't need a visa are advised to carry evidence of sufficient funding in your hand luggage. Evidence can include bank statements or a letter from your/your parent or guardian's bank (parents/guardians should provide a letter confirming they are happy to support you during your stay, and, if relevant, your birth certificate as evidence of your relationship) and any scholarship, student loan or Erasmus+ traineeship grant documentation, setting out the amount awarded and the timeframe.
• A formal document with the address where you will be living in the UK (a rental contract or university accommodation confirmation email)
• Evidence of your/your family's home address or a letter or document showing the duration of your university degree overseas to show that you will return there after your placement
• Your travel insurance document, including accident insurance, liability insurance, and health insurance - if you are from the EU or Switzerland, take your EHIC (European Health Insurance Card) as well
• A printed or downloaded Confirmation of Pre-Registration form from your initial online registration with the ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ (see the link to this form on ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½'s Welcome website (you will need to complete your registration in person on your first day or two at ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½).
• Confirmation that you have activated your ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ IT/email account a day or two after registering online (see the link to the IT account activation form on ).

Once you and your ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ supervisor have finalised and signed your research placement/traineeship learning agreement, please complete our incoming .

You will need to register your email address and a password of your choice in order to access the application form and save and return to it as many times as you need to.

You will be required to upload to your application the following documents in pdf format before submitting it:

• Your fully signed internship agreement/learning agreement/convention de stage
• A copy of your passport photo page (the passport must be valid for at least 6 months after the placement end date).
• Your university transcript of records (in English or a certified translation)
• Any previous higher education degree certificates (bachelor's)
• Evidence that you meet our English language requirements - minimum of B2 (school English exam certificate / formal English test certificate / letter from your home institution confirming your CEFR language level).

You should receive an email confirmation after submitting your application. If you need to upload any further documents after submitting your application (e.g. copy of new passport photo page, English language evidence, degree certificate, etc), please email ieo.incoming@surrey.ac.uk so that we can set your application to 'In Progress' again.

If you require a or a , carefully read the visa details and requirements (our Apply for a Visa page also gives useful guidance on the supporting documents you need to provide as part of your visa application or carry with you when you travel to the UK if you don't need to apply for a visa).

Stays of 6 months or less - Standard Visitor visa or entry as a Visitor without a visa

must apply online and obtain a (£135) before travelling to the UK. You can apply up to 3 months before your placement. You will need to wait for a visa support letter from the University's International Engagement Office. Once you have received this, complete the online Standard Visitor visa application, pay your visa fee, and, if required, fix an appointment at your nearest visa application centre in your country to provide your passport, fingerprints, photo and supporting documents. You may be able to collect your passport later the same day. Visa processing time: 3 weeks (from the date of your appointment, if you have one). 

You should receive a digital eVisa. Your visa states the earliest date you can enter the UK (7 days before your placement start date). When you arrive in the UK, you must queue at passport control to see a border force officer. They will scan your passport to see your eVisa. Whilst in the UK, follow instructions in your visa decision email about how to prove your immigration status with your eVisa.

EU, EEA, Swiss and other non-visa nationals can come to ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ as a Visitor without a visa. Instead, you will need to apply for an (£20) at least a week before you travel to the UK. You should carry your formal acceptance letter from the International Engagement Office and the other supporting documents required for the Standard Visitor visa in your hand luggage each time you travel to the UK during your placement to show at UK border control. 

Nationals of the countries listed may use the faster automatic e-passport gates at UK border control, rather than queueing to see a border force officer, but we still recommend you carry the supporting documents with you in case you are asked.

If you use the e-gates, EU/EEA/Swiss nationals should keep your boarding pass or travel confirmation email as proof of your date of entry to the UK when you complete your university registration on your first day at ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½.

Stays of more than 6 months - Student visa

You must apply online and obtain a (£558) before travelling to the UK.  You can apply for your visa once you have completed your ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ placement application, gathered your supporting documents and the University has emailed you a CAS (Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies). 

If you have a Duolingo English test certificate, please log into your Duolingo online account and share your results with the ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½.

To apply for your visa, complete the online visa application, pay your visa fee, and, if required, fix an appointment at your nearest visa application centre in your country. EU, EEA and Swiss students do not need to attend a visa appointment but will be required to upload a passport-type photo to the as part of your application.

You will also need to pay the  (£776) as part of your visa application. This entitles you to free National Health Service (NHS) hospital and doctor's appointments, any necessary treatment and initial emergency medical cover. However, you will still need to purchase travel insurance with some additional health insurance to cover any repatriation, medical prescription costs, eye tests, glasses and dentistry. Some sending institutions provide insurance for students doing a placement abroad so check with them first.

Applicants who are required to attend a visa appointment will need to provide your passport, supporting documents, fingerprints and photo at the appointment. You should be able to collect your passport later the same day. Visa processing time: 3 weeks from your visa appointment. 

You will receive a digital eVisa. Please check that the dates of your stay are correct. You should be able to arrive in the UK up to 30 days before your study start date.

Follow instructions in your visa decision email about how to prove your immigration status with your digital visa.

The acceptance/invitation letter from your ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ host department should include the following:

• Must be on letter headed paper with an official stamp, signed and dated by the appropriate signatory (the ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ supervisor or head of department).
• Must contain the placement title, exactly as written on the internship agreement/learning agreement
• Must contain details of the tasks the participant will undertake and knowledge/skills to be acquired during the placement, as indicated on the internship agreement/learning agreement.
• Must contain the start and end dates of the placement, and total hours per week.
• Must confirm that the placement is supernumerary (not part of normal staffing requirements and not filling a job vacancy) and that the student is expected to return to their home institution/leave the UK at the end of their placement.

Insurance

The ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ maintains full Employers Liability and Public Liability insurance so you will be covered for any accidents, illness, damage to you, third parties or property when you are doing your supervised research work at ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½. 

The ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ does not provide travel, health or medical insurance for visiting research placement students so you will need to purchase your own insurance if your university or social security system does not provide it for students going on placements abroad. You should also check it is not included in your home insurance policy.

You will need Travel insurance which includes Personal Accident, Loss of Baggage, Health cover (so you can visit a doctor and receive any treatment you need under the UK's state-run health service, the NHS) and Personal Public Liability (to cover you for injury or damage caused to third parties or property through your own negligent acts or omissions in your free time outside of your research work).

Health care

Local healthcare facilities

The University has a  ('Guildowns') at the town centre end of campus and there are several other  (called 'GPs') nearby. 

You can register online as a patient at a local GP .

If you need to see a doctor, you will need to book an initial phone appointment - you can do this online or by phone. It is important that you have an eSIM or purchase a UK SIM card when you arrive so that you have a UK telephone number, as the GP will not be able to ring an international number. The doctor will decide whether you need a face-to-face appointment.

The University also has a Centre for Wellbeing next to the health centre, which has trained counsellors who can support students with emotional issues such as homesickness or bereavement, as well as a range of mental health conditions through one-to-one appointments, drop-ins and group sessions. They also provide a free family planning service.

The Royal ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ County Hospital, just up the road from the main campus by our Manor Park accommodation, is the main hospital for the area and has an Accident & Emergency service open 24/7.

Recommended vaccinations

All students coming to ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ are advised to ensure you have had:

• the – which protects against serious infections like meningitis
• 2 doses of the  â€“ as there are outbreaks of mumps and measles at universities
• the – which helps protect against genital warts and cancers caused by the human papilloma virus (HPV), such as cervical cancer.

Stays of 6 months or less

Visiting trainees doing a placement at ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ for 6 months or less may book an appointment to see an NHS doctor or nurse as a temporary patient if you need treatment at any point during your stay. There will normally be an appointment charge and prescription charges which you can get reimbursed under your Travel and Health insurance. EEA and Swiss students should apply for a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) in your country at least a few weeks before coming to ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ (for details of the EHIC and to apply in your country, see ). With the EHIC, you should be able to get reimbursed in part or fully when you are back in your country on presentation of your payment receipts. However, even with an EHIC, you will need to take out travel insurance with some health cover before coming to ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½, as the EHIC doesn't cover everything. Medical prescriptions in the UK cost around £9.90 per item (spring 2026).

Stays of more than 6 months

Most trainees applying for a Student visa to stay for more than 6 months will be required to pay an immigration healthcare surcharge with your visa application. This covers essential and emergency medical treatment in public National Health Service (NHS) hospitals, health clinics or GPs (doctors surgeries). The healthcare surcharge does not provide comprehensive health cover (e.g. it does not include medical prescriptions, dental care, sight tests or glasses). You should therefore take out some additional health cover with your travel insurance before coming to ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½, unless these are provided by your sending institution or social security system. Medical prescriptions in the UK cost around GB£9.90 per item (spring 2026). Trainees who have paid the healthcare surcharge should register online at the nearest ') to your accommodation before your arrival.

Pre-existing medical conditions

If you have an ongoing medical condition that requires treatment, you will need to purchase appropriate medical insurance, arrange to see your doctor before your come to ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ and ensure you bring your medical documentation (in English) and at least a month's supply of any medicine you need. We recommend you fix an appointment with your nearest in your first week at ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½.

Free treatment

Some healthcare is provided for free for everyone on the UK's National Health Service (NHS) - this includes initial emergency hospital treatment (but not ongoing treatment or repatriation), family planning, and treatment for sexually transmitted and some highly contagious diseases (including initial treatment for Covid-19).

Placement students are considered to be studying in the UK, rather than working, and as such, will be registered on ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½'s student records system, will have a student number and student id card (student campus card) to access the library and certain rooms and buildings (as appropriate) as well as student events. 

You will have automatic membership of the , which means you will have access to all the same student services and facilities, student events and activities, and clubs and societies as our ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ students, including student membership rates at our . You will also be eligible to apply for university student accommodation, although rooms are not guaranteed and depend on availability. 

You will continue to have student status at your sending institution throughout your placement.

University Accommodation

Students are eligible to apply for university student accommodation, although it is not guaranteed and depends on availability at the time of your placement. We have a range of price bands to suit different budgets.

University accommodation can normally only be rented for the whole semester and is typically full during teaching periods. We would therefore encourage placement students to come, if possible, for the whole semester (September - January or February - June) or else, ideally, during the summer break (mid-June – end August) when we usually have availability. University rooms for the summer break can be booked from late April. University rooms must be vacated by the end of August, when the residences are closed for cleaning, so if you need to stay longer, you will need to move to a local hotel, guest house or bed & breakfast for the last part of your stay. 

Our university accommodation is very reasonably priced and is in groups of small housing blocks called 'residences', containing flats for 4-10 people, each with a shared kitchen and either shared bathrooms or private ensuite bathrooms. For our range of accommodation, see our accommodation page.

For prices and payment options, see our prices and payment page. 

Our accommodation (view campus map (PDF)) is on two sites in the lively, historic market town of in southeast England, 35 minutes by train from the heart of London:

• The main Stag Hill campus, where most academic buildings and the university library are located, 10 minutes' walk from the centre of Guildford and from - it offers budget accommodation through to more expensive ensuite rooms.
• Manor Park residential village, 20 minutes' walk/5 minutes by bus () from the main campus, and 5 minutes' walk from the ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ Sports Park and Tesco superstore.

Private Rentals

Some trainees, particularly those coming outside the normal semester dates, will need to look for either:

• Lodgings in a property with a resident landlord (this can be for a short period by agreement with the landlord)
• A room in a student or private house share or a flat rental (6- or 12-month contracts).

For advice on renting in the private sector and avoiding fraud, together with details of local letting agents and private student accommodation providers, we strongly recommend checking out our privately rented accommodation webpage. 

Students

As soon as we have emailed you your ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ student number, please visit the International Pre-Departure Checklist on our . Before your arrival at ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½, please:

• Complete the initial online Pre-Registration form, accept the Terms & Conditions, upload your photo (if this facility is available) and then print off or download to your mobile phone the Confirmation of Pre-Registration document.
• After 24 hours, follow the link in the checklist to activate your ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ IT/email account.

Recent graduates

You must complete our Miscellaneous Application form to get an IT/email account set up as a visitor to the University.

Your ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ supervisor will give you an induction at the start of your traineeship to familiarise you with your academic department and the facilities you will be using. Make sure you email your supervisor in good time to agree your start date and get an induction programme for your first few days at the University.

We recommend you build in an hour on your first day or two for a more general mini-orientation by the International Engagement Office to help you settle in quickly to life at ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ and find everything you need - email us on ieo.incoming@surrey.ac.uk to book a suitable time.

We also recommend you book yourself onto one of our free campus tours to familiarise yourself with our wider facilities and the layout of the campus - these tend to be on Mondays and Wednesdays from 1-2.30pm - or watch our .

Just before or after arriving at ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½, trainees need to get a ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ IT/email account and a visiting researcher campus card. The campus card gives you access to the library and its resources, as well as to certain academic buildings. The form will need to be signed by a senior member of staff from your ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ department, then emailed to usersupport@surrey.ac.uk or taken to the IT Helpdesk at the 1st floor entrance to the Library.

IT Services will create an IT account for you which will migrate through to the Library management system. Once you have received email confirmation of your membership number from IT Services, you should visit the Library to have your photo taken and a campus card issued.

Depending on your mobility dates and availability of places, you may be able to access one or two of the ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½'s free . These tend to be delivered towards the start of each semester (early October/early February) and last between 4-9 weeks. If you are arriving at the start of semester and would be interested in taking one or more of these, please contact the International Engagement Office ieo.incoming@surrey.ac.uk before or just after your arrival.

The University’s International Engagement Office (IEO) organises a number of social and cultural activities for our group of incoming Erasmus+ Study, International Exchange and Study Abroad students during both semesters (e.g. visits to historic properties and towns, bowling, ice-skating, quiz night, etc). Erasmus+ trainees are welcome to take part in these.

The Exchange and Study Abroad students also have a Facebook page where they arrange their own social activities, visits and trips.

If you would like to take part in the IEO-organised activities or to join the current Facebook group, just drop the International Engagement team ieo.incoming@surrey.ac.uk an email to register your interest.