University Funding for Volunteering Abroad

Most students dramatically underestimate how much funding is available to help pay for a volunteer trip abroad. Between government mobility schemes, university travel grants, scholarships, charitable trusts, student finance and fundraising, it is realistic to cover a large share — sometimes all — of your programme and travel costs. The catch is that this support is scattered across many sources, each with its own rules, and most students simply never find it. This guide pulls every route together in one place, with who qualifies, what each covers, and exactly how and when to apply.

It is written for UK and US students (with notes for other countries), and it goes well beyond a single scheme — so whether you are heading off on a gap year, a summer placement, or a faculty-led group trip, there should be something here for you.

Can you really get funding to volunteer abroad?

Yes. Funding for volunteering and experiential learning abroad falls into six broad buckets: (1) government mobility schemes (such as the UK’s Turing Scheme), (2) university travel grants and bursaries, (3) scholarships, (4) charitable trusts and foundations, (5) student finance and financial aid, and (6) fundraising and sponsorship. Most funded students combine two or three of these rather than relying on one. The single most important habit is to start early and ask your university’s international or global opportunities office first — they hold the keys to several of these sources.

1. Government mobility schemes: Turing and Erasmus+

The UK Turing Scheme

The Turing Scheme is the UK government’s global mobility programme, introduced in 2021 as the UK’s replacement for Erasmus+. It funds UK students to study, work or volunteer abroad and is specifically designed to widen access to international experiences.

How it works in practice:

• Your university applies, not you. Institutions bid for Turing funding each year, then allocate places to their own students. So your route in is your university’s Turing or global opportunities team — not a national application.
• What it covers: a cost-of-living grant (with rates that vary by destination and length of stay) plus a contribution toward travel. Students from disadvantaged backgrounds receive higher grants and can claim additional costs such as travel, visas and insurance.
• Eligibility depends on your institution’s allocation and your circumstances; widening-participation students are prioritised.
• Duration: placements from a few weeks upward can qualify — check your university’s current rules, as minimum durations and rates are set annually.

Always confirm the current year’s rates, durations and deadlines with your university’s Turing team and on the official Turing Scheme website, as terms change each cycle. If your university runs Turing-funded placements, a structured volunteer programme can often fit the scheme — ask whether your trip can be set up to qualify.

Erasmus+ — the UK rejoins from 2027

When the UK left the EU it also left Erasmus+, the EU’s flagship mobility programme, and created Turing in its place. That is now reversing: on 17 December 2025 the UK and EU agreed that the UK will re-associate to Erasmus+ from January 2027 (the final year of the current 2021–2027 programme), with the British Council set to act as the UK’s National Agency. For UK students this means a second major funded route alongside Turing from 2027.

Erasmus+ funds student mobility for study, traineeships (work placements) and volunteering across Europe — typically a monthly grant plus support for travel and for students with fewer opportunities. Unlike Turing, Erasmus+ placements are usually reciprocal and run through formal partnerships between institutions.

The UK’s return is confirmed for 2027, but participation beyond 2028, exact grant rates and the application process are still being finalised. Confirm the latest with your university’s global opportunities or Erasmus office and the British Council before planning around it.

Erasmus+ for EU students

If you study at a university in the EU (or another Erasmus+ programme country), Erasmus+ remains the main funded route for international study, traineeships and volunteering, arranged through your home institution’s Erasmus / International office. The EU’s related European Solidarity Corps programme also specifically funds young people (typically 18–30) to volunteer on projects abroad. From January 2027, as the UK re-associates, EU–UK placements become possible again under the programme — so start with your home university’s Erasmus office.

2. University travel grants and bursaries

Separately from Turing, almost every university holds its own pots of money to help students go abroad — and these are routinely underspent because students don’t ask. Look for:

• Global opportunities / study-abroad travel grants — small-to-medium awards toward flights or programme costs.
• Widening participation funds — extra support for first-generation, lower-income or underrepresented students.
• Hardship and access funds — discretionary funds that can sometimes be applied to enrichment activities.
• Department or faculty grants — many departments have small budgets for fieldwork or experiential learning relevant to your subject.
• Alumni and college funds, and student union grants — often overlooked, frequently available.

Book a meeting with your global opportunities office and your department’s study-abroad coordinator, and ask directly: “What funding could I apply to for a volunteer placement abroad?” Then apply to several — these awards stack.

3. Scholarships and grants

For US students, the largest sources are tied to credit-bearing programmes through your university:

• Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship — for Pell Grant recipients; awards typically up to around $5,000 (more for critical-need languages). For study or intern abroad for academic credit.
• Fund for Education Abroad (FEA) — need-based grants for underrepresented students, with awards that can reach several thousand dollars.
• University and study-abroad office scholarships — most US universities have their own dedicated study-abroad scholarship funds.
• Subject and identity-based scholarships — many professional associations and foundations fund students in their field or community.

For UK and other students, look at subject scholarships, professional-body travel awards, and charity-funded scholarships (see the next section). Scholarship amounts, eligibility and deadlines change every year — always verify on the official programme website before relying on a figure.

4. Charitable trusts and foundations

This is the route almost no one uses, and it is full of money. Thousands of grant-making trusts and foundations support youth development, education, travel and volunteering. Strategies that work:

• Grant directories — in the UK, tools like the Turn2us grant search and your university library’s funding databases list trusts you can apply to; in the US, foundation directories and your financial aid office can point you to relevant funds.
• Community and place-based foundations — local community foundations often fund young people from their area.
• Service clubs — Rotary, Lions and similar clubs regularly sponsor young people’s service trips; approach your local branch.
• School, faith and community groups — many will sponsor a member doing meaningful overseas service.

Trust applications take time and a clear, personal case for support, so start months ahead and apply widely — a few hundred pounds or dollars from several trusts adds up quickly.

5. Can you use student finance or financial aid?

This is where the important nuance lives — and where PMGY-style pages go quiet. Whether student loans or financial aid can fund your trip usually depends on whether it carries academic credit.

• UK: Student Finance maintenance support generally continues if the placement is a formal part of your course (for example, a credit-bearing study or work placement abroad). A standalone volunteer trip that is not part of your degree usually does not unlock extra student finance — but it may still qualify for Turing and the grants above.
• US: Federal financial aid (via your FAFSA) can often be applied to credit-bearing programmes approved by your university, and some families can use 529 plans for eligible study-abroad costs. A non-credit volunteer trip typically falls outside federal aid.

The practical takeaway: if you want to tap loans or aid, see whether your trip can be tied to academic credit — for instance through a faculty-led programme run with your department. Rules differ by country and institution and change over time, so confirm with your student finance body and your university’s financial aid office.

6. Employer, sponsorship and professional funding

If you work, or are entering a profession, don’t overlook:

• Employer professional-development or CSR funds — some employers sponsor volunteering or skills-based trips, especially where they build leadership or cultural competence.
• Professional bodies — many offer travel bursaries to student and early-career members.
• Local business sponsorship — small businesses will often contribute in return for a thank-you on your fundraising page or social channels.

7. Fundraising and crowdfunding

Fundraising can close the gap that grants don’t cover — and done well, it can fund an entire trip. The essentials: set up a crowdfunding page with a clear story and target, share it widely and often, run one or two events, send personalised sponsorship requests, and ask local businesses and community groups for matched or one-off support. Documenting your preparation and the project itself keeps supporters engaged.

We have a dedicated, step-by-step guide here: fundraise for your volunteer abroad trip.

Funding options at a glance

Funding source	Who it’s for	What it covers	How to apply	When to start
Turing Scheme (UK)	UK students via their university	Cost-of-living grant + travel; extra for disadvantaged students	Through your university’s Turing/global office	6–12 months ahead
Erasmus+ (UK from Jan 2027; EU students)	UK students (from 2027) & EU students, via their institution	Mobility grants for study, traineeships & volunteering in Europe	Through your university’s Erasmus / global office	6–12 months ahead
University travel grants & bursaries	Enrolled students	Flights, programme costs, enrichment	Global opportunities office & department	6–12 months ahead
Scholarships (e.g. Gilman, FEA — US)	Eligible students, often credit-bearing	Programme & travel costs	Scholarship website + study-abroad office	4–9 months ahead (fixed deadlines)
Charitable trusts & foundations	Most young people	Part-funding (varies widely)	Grant directories, service clubs, foundations	3–9 months ahead
Student finance / financial aid	Students on credit-bearing trips	Maintenance / aid if part of your course	Student finance body + financial aid office	Aligned to enrolment
Fundraising & crowdfunding	Everyone	Any shortfall — potentially all of it	Crowdfunding, events, sponsorship	Start as early as possible

How to fund your trip: a step-by-step plan

1. Start 9–12 months out. The biggest awards have fixed, early deadlines — late starters miss them.
2. Cost the trip fully. Programme fee, flights, insurance, visas, vaccinations and spending money, so you know your target.
3. Book a meeting with your global opportunities / study-abroad office. Ask about Turing (UK), university grants, and which scholarships you’re eligible for.
4. Check whether credit is possible. If you want to use student finance or US federal aid, see if your trip can carry academic credit.
5. Apply widely. Submit to several grants and trusts at once — they stack, and rejection rates are normal.
6. Launch your fundraising in parallel. Don’t wait for grant decisions; build momentum early.
7. Track deadlines in one place and follow up on every application.

Tips to maximise your funding

• Lead with impact and learning in every application — funders back outcomes, not holidays.
• Tailor each application to the funder’s priorities; reused generic letters rarely win.
• Combine sources — a grant here, a trust there, plus fundraising, often covers the whole cost.
• Ask for help early — your university’s funding advisers do this for a living and the support is free.
• Choose an affordable, ethical programme so your funding stretches further and your application is credible.

UK university funding offices: find yours

The fastest way to unlock the Turing Scheme, travel grants and bursaries is to contact your own university’s Global Opportunities / Study Abroad office — they administer the funding and hold the current application details, deadlines and contact email. Find yours below and get in touch early.

University	Global Opportunities / Study Abroad office
University of Aberdeen	Go Abroad
University of Bath	Studying Abroad (International Mobility)
University of Birmingham	Go Global
University of Brighton	Study Exchanges
University of Bristol	Bristol Abroad
University of Cambridge	Student Mobility / Turing
Cardiff University	Global Opportunities
Coventry University	Go Abroad (Global Mobility)
University of Dundee	Go Abroad
Durham University	GO Study Abroad
University of East Anglia (UEA)	Study Abroad & Exchange
University of Edinburgh	Study & Work Away (Edinburgh Global)
University of Exeter	Go Abroad
University of Glasgow	Go Abroad
Imperial College London	Global Opportunities
University of Kent	Go Abroad
King’s College London	Study Abroad / Global Mobility
Lancaster University	Global Experiences
University of Leeds	Study Abroad
University of Leicester	Study Abroad Unit
University of Liverpool	Global Opportunities
London School of Economics (LSE)	GO LSE
Loughborough University	International Exchange
University of Manchester	Go Abroad
Manchester Metropolitan University	Study & Work Abroad
Newcastle University	Go Abroad
Northumbria University	International Mobility
University of Nottingham	Study Abroad
Nottingham Trent University (NTU)	NTU Global
University of Oxford	Study Abroad
University of Plymouth	Global Opportunities
University of Portsmouth	Outbound Mobility
Queen Mary University of London	Global Opportunities
Queen’s University Belfast	Global Opportunities (Study Abroad)
University of Reading	Study Abroad
University of Sheffield	Global Opportunities
University of Southampton	Going Abroad
University of St Andrews	Study Abroad (Global Office)
University of Strathclyde	Go Abroad
University of Surrey	Study & Work Abroad
University of Sussex	Sussex Abroad
University College London (UCL)	Go Abroad
University of Warwick	Student Mobility
University of York	Study Abroad

Links go to each university’s official office page, where you’ll find the current contact email and funding details. Studying somewhere not listed here? Search “[your university] study abroad” or “global opportunities” — every UK university has an office that handles outbound funding.

Frequently asked questions

Can university funding cover the whole cost of volunteering abroad?

Sometimes, yes — particularly if you combine a government scheme like Turing or a major scholarship with university grants and fundraising. More often, funding covers a substantial share and you raise the rest. The key is to apply to several sources rather than relying on one.

What is the Turing Scheme and how do I apply?

The Turing Scheme is the UK government’s global mobility programme that funds UK students to study, work or volunteer abroad. You don’t apply nationally — your university bids for funding and allocates it, so you apply through your institution’s Turing or global opportunities team. Grants and durations are set each year, so check the current rules with your university.

Can I use my student loan or financial aid for a volunteer trip?

Usually only if the trip carries academic credit and is recognised as part of your course. In the UK, maintenance support generally continues for credit-bearing placements; in the US, federal aid and 529 plans can often apply to approved credit-bearing programmes. Standalone volunteer trips typically don’t unlock extra student finance, but may still qualify for Turing, grants and scholarships.

What scholarships are available for US students?

Major options include the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship (for Pell Grant recipients) and the Fund for Education Abroad, plus your own university’s study-abroad scholarships. Most are tied to credit-bearing programmes. Always check current amounts and deadlines on each scholarship’s official website.

How early should I start applying for funding?

Start 9–12 months before you travel. The largest awards have fixed, early deadlines, trust applications take time, and starting early lets you run fundraising alongside grant applications.

Where can I get help finding funding?

Your university’s global opportunities or study-abroad office is the best first stop — they know the schemes, grants and scholarships you’re eligible for and will help you apply. You can also contact our team to discuss affordable programmes and how to structure a trip that fits your funding.

Talk to us about funding your trip

Choosing an affordable, well-run programme makes every funding application stronger. Tell us what you’re planning and we’ll help you find a trip that fits your budget and your goals — and point you toward the right funding routes.

Funding schemes, amounts, eligibility and deadlines change regularly. Always confirm the current details on each scheme’s official website and with your university before applying.