Guidance

Overview of the Turing Scheme, 2026 to 2027

Published 20 January 2026

The Turing Scheme offers education providers the opportunity to apply for funding to support their students with study and work placements around the world.

Funding is open to organisations in the UK and British overseas territories from across the education and training sector, including:

• schools
• further education (FE) providers
• higher education (HE) providers

Applying for Turing Scheme funding contains more information about the process and a link to apply for funding.

Students taking part in Turing Scheme placements must be receiving their education or training from an eligible organisation in the UK or British overseas territories.

Students do not need to be UK nationals to take part. They must be located in the UK or a British overseas territory, and studying at the organisation which receives Turing Scheme funding, or studying at an organisation which is part of a consortium application.

The scheme is managed by the Department for Education (DfE). An independent organisation will assess applications.

Purpose and aims

The Turing Scheme funds education providers to create international placements. These placements help students gain confidence, global experience and transferable skills for life and careers.

These placements should support students’ studies and future careers by enhancing their transferrable skills, while widening opportunity and driving value for money.

For the 2026 to 2027 academic year, projects funded by the scheme should meet the aims of:

• enhancing transferable skills for life and careers
• widening opportunity
• driving value for money

Enhancing transferable skills for life and careers

The Turing Scheme gives students and apprentices the chance to build the skills, confidence and global outlook they need to thrive in study, life and work.

Placements should help learners develop skills like communication, problem-solving and teamwork, alongside intercultural understanding and, where relevant, subject knowledge.

Placements help learners grow in independence, resilience and self-awareness – providing experiences that set them up for future success.  

Widening opportunity

The scheme opens international opportunities to students and apprentices who might not otherwise take part, especially those from disadvantaged and underrepresented backgrounds, and those with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).

Providers should identify these learners and remove barriers to access, participation and completion of placements.

With additional funding and tailored support for learners from disadvantaged backgrounds and learners with SEND, placements become more inclusive and accessible – helping more learners take part, succeed and benefit.

This helps spread opportunity fairly across the UK and British overseas territories and unlock talent everywhere.

Driving value for money

The Turing Scheme funds providers to deliver safe, inclusive and high-quality placements that make the most of public funding.

Providers must plan and run well-organised projects with strong oversight, safeguarding and risk management.  

Destinations must lead to strong outcomes and strengthen international partnerships. Providers must also consider environmental impact and offer strong value for the cost.

Funding must be used efficiently, without compromising safety, wellbeing or inclusion.

The impact on students must be effectively measured, including for priority groups, and shared to improve delivery and inform wider sector learning.

Supporting other government priorities 

The Turing Scheme is part of our long-term ambition to support student international mobility.

Projects funded by the scheme should:

• encourage international engagement and new relationships
• enhance existing partnerships
• help forge new relationships for the UK

Eligible providers

Schools, FE and HE providers are eligible to apply for Turing Scheme funding if they are:

• registered or recognised in the UK or British overseas territories
• responsible for delivering education or training to the students going on placements

In accordance with HM Treasury’s guidance on managing public money and the Government Functional Standard for grants, applicants must be financially viable and have the delivery capability to be approved for Turing Scheme funds.

Turing Scheme funds cannot be used towards the activities of Confucius Institutes.

Students with overseas fee status in the HE sector can go on Turing Scheme placements. Where students with overseas fee status propose to go on placements to the country where they are ordinarily resident, providers should ensure that this is justified by the outcomes of the placement, over any alternative destination.

Students with overseas fee status are those who pay overseas fees rather than home fees for tuition purposes under the rules in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Consortium partnerships

Schools and FE providers may partner with other providers from their sector and apply for funding as a consortium. A limited number of other organisation types may join the consortium if they are acting in the coordinating role.

There is more information on the role of consortiums for schools and FE providers.

Available funding

Turing Scheme funding is a contribution towards the costs of international educational placements. In most cases, it is provided on a per-student basis.

Funding is available for:

• travel costs for one return journey between the UK or British overseas territory the provider is in and the destination the placement takes place in, including transfers
• contributions to living costs
• organisational support
• passports, visa application fees, vaccines, medical certificates and travel insurance for disadvantaged students (known as readiness to travel funding)
• language learning for students on FE placements
• specialist support for students with SEND – including students with additional learning needs (ALN) in Wales and additional support needs (ASN) in Scotland
• staff accompanying students on school and FE placements

Different funding amounts are available depending on:

• whether a student is at school, in FE or HE
• whether a student is from a disadvantaged background, or has SEND
• where the student intends to travel
• how long the placement is expected to last

Travel funding is provided at a set rate for each destination country or territory.

Where actual travel costs are below the suggested rate, providers can use the difference to pay for travel costs in other placements.

There is more information on the funding available for schools, FE providers and HE providers.

How Turing Scheme funding can be used

Turing Scheme funding is a contribution towards certain costs of international placements. Each grant has different elements, each with its own rules and funding rates which are set out on the sector guidance pages. You can only use Turing Scheme funding within the rules set out in this guidance.

As Turing Scheme funding is intended to be a contribution towards the cost of placements, you can also give students additional funding from other sources for costs that are not met by the scheme. You will not need to report this funding to DfE.

Turing Scheme funding should not be used for activities that have already been funded by another source, such as from a local authority, student finance or devolved government.

Funding awarded for the 2026 to 2027 academic year can only be used within that academic year and you must return any unused funds to DfE. Funds cannot be rolled over to the next academic year.

You must:

• regularly report how much of this funding you spend
• retain evidence of spending
• be prepared to provide a detailed breakdown of this on request

If your application is successful you will need to submit a detailed plan before you can receive funding. The plan must include:

• how you intend to use it
• the date by which you need to have successfully delivered the placements

You will be monitored against this plan.

Successful applicants will receive detailed guidance on how they can use their funding, and what evidence they will need to collect.

There is more information on how schools, FE providers and HE providers can use funding.

Complaints

Complaints can be made by education providers, consortium coordinators, students and members of the public who have interacted with us.

You can submit formal complaints to DfE at any time in relation to any stage of the application or project lifecycle by contacting us.