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Working abroad

The Work Abroad option is principally organised by the Placements team. Much of the necessary information is available on the Work Abroad Placement page. Nonetheless, please read on for some basic information.

Who can work abroad?

All Modern Languages and Cultures students are eligible to work abroad. When deciding if you should work abroad, you should consider how it would contribute to your future. For example, if you are considering a career in marketing or translation abroad, then it might be beneficial to have some relevant experience in that environment. Bear in mind, however, that finding a work placement requires a lot of time dedicated to research.

Remember throughout the process that you are, in fact, applying for jobs - often jobs that are open either to any international student or sometimes even to students in the destination country. This means that you have to put the same amount of effort into your application as you would for any other job application if you expect to be at all successful. 

Where can you work abroad?

You can work in any country that speaks your target language subject to risk assessments and health and safety checks. Europe is obviously the easiest place to find a work placement in terms of distance to travel and as it is relatively risk-free. However, the most important aspect is that the local language of your placement must be the language that you are learning.

Furthermore, if you studied a language as a beginner (ab initio) in your first year, and if you wish to continue studying that language in your final year, you will be required to work for a mumimum of 7 months in the country that speaks that language. For example, if you studied Spanish as a beginner in first year and French post-A-level then you will have to go to a Spanish-speaking country for at least 7 months of your Year Abroad.

Please note, you have to have completed 60 credits in a language to be eligible to spend your Year Abroad in the country of that language. This means that if you have taken up a new language in your second year then you will not be able to go abroad to the country in which that language is spoken.

What can you do for work?

Any job that you apply for must be of a professional level. The term ‘professional level’ refers to roles where you are performing an activity that requires a certain level of education, skill, or training. There is a required standard of competency, knowledge or education (typically degree level) that must be demonstrated. It must also be classed as full time work so you will need to find a position or positions that amount to a minimum 35 hours per week. 

As a result, you will not be allowed to work as, for example, an au pair, a grape-picker, or a tea-person in a company. This is non-negotiable and even if you happen to have a friend or contact who can offer you such a job, it will not be approved. 

How long do you go for?

All Modern Languages and Cultures students must spend a minimum 28 weeks on one or more placements. If you choose to work for the year, then you must spend this minimum on placement. It might be that you do just one long placement or you decide to split it into two periods, or that you do two or more placements. All of these scenarios are fine as long as you meet the minimum requirement.

Having said this, we would always strongly advise students to do more than the minimum 28 weeks as the more time you spend on your Year Abroad, the more benefits it will bring, not just to your language skills but also to your other employability skills. All students have 15 months from the end of the second year to the beginning of the final year, so use your time wisely to take all the opportunities available.

Finally, if you decide to split the year between studying and working, you still need to fulfil the minimum 28 weeks abroad. To do this, the working period should be the amount remaining once you have subtracted your study period. For example, if your study period is 12 weeks, then you will need to work for the remaining 16 weeks to fulfil the minimum requirement of 28 weeks.