Study Abroad Experience

The Mount Holyoke Club of Britain welcomes Study Abroad Students in the UK to become involved with club activities!

Additionally, we would like to help set you up for success for your study abroad experience. Check out our Welcome Pack below for some fantastic tips on studying abroad in the UK put together by both previous study abroad students and UK alums! 

Welcome to your study abroad in the UK 2024

Please contact us on mhcbritain@gmail.com to receive your copy with the hyperlinks.

Events

We’re here to support you in every way possible, so please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us. We’ve set up a special fund aimed at making it easier for study abroad students to join club events. This fund is designed to help with covering entrance fees and travel expenses. Since the fund has limited resources, we’ll prioritise students who may face financial challenges and those attending universities located far from the event venues. Your participation matters to us, and we’re committed to ensuring that all students have opportunities to take part in these events.

Scholarships

Every Autumn and Spring term, the Seven College Consortium awards a £600 travel bursary for students studying abroad.  This money is for students to enhance their study abroad experience.  For example, students may want to use this money to access study resources in another city or country, enroll in special classes, or to cover travel costs incurred by an internship.  The one firm criteria is that a student’s plans must not interfere with their coursework while they are studying abroad.  As at Mount Holyoke, academics must come first.  Otherwise, the sky’s the limit!

Applications consist of a one-page essay explaining what you want to do with the travel bursary and how it relates to your development (be it academic, career, creative, or personal).  The applications are judged by a panel of alumnae from the Seven College Consortium.  All submissions are judged blind.  More information regarding formatting and submission will be released closer to the due date.  I strongly suggest, however, that you begin thinking about your proposals now.  Some helpful suggestions for crafting your award proposals are as follows:

  • Try to think of an opportunity that you can only access during your time abroad.  The judges will not be too persuaded by proposals that can be enacted anywhere.

  • Make a feasible proposal.  Europe and the UK are expensive and £600 cannot necessarily support travel to multiple countries.  Research exactly what the costs of things are and plan accordingly.  A budget is not required, but you should probably work one out anyway, if only for your own benefit.  Judges prefer to pick proposals that can be achieved by the bursary alone.

  • Judges tend to prefer proposals that lay groundwork for future endeavors.  For example, proposals concerning senior thesis research are generally successful, as are proposals concerning internships that might lead to a career.  Aimless travel is always fun, but isn’t a big winner with the judges.  Always try to connect your proposal with what you want to do in the future.  The judges like to know that they’re helping you on your way.

  • Write succinctly.  Anecdotal proposals or ones with passionate proclamations are generally not very effective.  Remember, you only have one page to explain your plan.  The most persuasive proposals are the ones that are well thought-out.  Prove your ambition and desire by showing the judges how well you have researched your proposal, rather than stating your ambition outright.

  • Don’t be afraid to expand a little bit on the background of your proposal where relevant.  If you want to do research explain what that research is.  If you are interested in a certain career, tell the judges about it.  Your interest in these subjects is most tangible when you talk about them.  So educate the judges about your interests rather than telling them how interested you are.  Not only does this tell the judges a lot about you, but it makes your proposals a lot more exciting to read!

I hope these suggestions help!  For more information you can check out last term’s flyer for the award here.

Resources

If you have questions before you come or during your time in the UK, please don’t hesitate to email the club at mhcbritain@gmail.com or reach out through a Facebook Group or WhatsApp.

We’re all really excited that you’re coming and we hope you enjoy your time in the UK!

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