Newcastle University-Newcastle, England

Loyola established a relationship with Newcastle University in the late 1990s. We have expanded on this longstanding partnership and opened a dedicated Study Abroad Center in Newcastle. We have a team consisting of a full-time, on-site director and two part time assistants to look after all students studying at the Center, organizing excursions and activities specifically for Loyola Center students throughout each semester. Newcastle University is a large research-intensive university, ranked in the Top 150 in the world.
The Loyola Center at Newcastle is also open to students outside of Loyola from other American institutions. Historically, we have sent 10-15 students each September for the full academic year. We also offer fall and spring semester options to accommodate students whose major does not allow them to go abroad for a year.

Newcastle is regarded as the capital of the North East of England. It is a lively, compact, modern and cosmopolitan city, located beside one of the North's major rivers, the Tyne. Whatever your interests, the city has something to offer you. The city is located 1.5 hours from Edinburgh, Scotland and 3.5 hours from London. Continental Europe can easily be reached by air or rail. 

This program has a full year, fall semester and a spring semester option:

• The fall program runs from late September through mid-December. Single semester students come home just before Christmas and take their finals before departing Newcastle.
• Full-year students return to Newcastle in early January and take their final exams on Newcastle’s campus.
• The spring program runs from late January through mid-June. Students are not allowed to leave the spring program early to return home for summer internships and jobs. Instead, they should prepare to take all exams on-site in Newcastle in mid-June.

Students at Newcastle take anywhere from three to five classes, depending on the credit weight of each class. These transfer back to Loyola as either 2.5 credit courses or 5 credits courses. The goal is for each student to take a combination of credits that adds up to 15. Students should have a free elective available back at Loyola as it is frequently used up in the credit transfer. Classes and timetables are not released online until after the students arrive on-site in September. Therefore, classes are registered for on-site after the students arrive. Classes are much larger than at Loyola and are taught in the style of lectures as opposed to seminars. There is more focus on independent learning and students will often take classes that only have a final exam, or sometimes also a mid-term exam for their final grade. The academic style is very different than that of the United States.

• Consult the Office of International Programs as early as possible to get assistance on course selections at Loyola, so that you are prepared for an academic course load in Newcastle.
• This program serves students in nearly all majors.
• Pre-med students can take undergraduate medical classes at Newcastle's Biomed school.
• Students can partake in research opportunities.  Learn more about the research Faith Paysinger '21 started in Newcastle and is continuing from the U.S.

• Tuition and room at Newcastle University
• On-site support from the Loyola Center staff
• Occasional group meals
• Planned trips and activities throughout the UK with the Center staff

The course approvals and equivalencies provided are the most current.  Once accepted to a study abroad program, students will have an academic interview with the appropriate director and will be advised on their course selection.

Please be advised: All students are solely responsible for informing themselves about the status of these courses. Course approvals and equivalencies may change at a moment's notice. This means you should confirm if the following courses are approved, or if the courses have been removed.

If there are other courses you desire to take and they are not on the course equivalency list, you must ensure they are open to Study Abroad students at Newcastle, and get written course approval by the department chair. The courses that you choose should fit into your degree audit and enable you to graduate on time.

Students live on campus in Newcastle dormitories. 

• Several apartment complexes are utilized.  They are 15-20 minutes walking distance from each other, and they are on opposite corners of the large campus.
• All students have their own room and all flats are furnished with a shared lounge and kitchen
• Flats are self-catered; students are responsible for cooking their own meals
• Usually there are six to ten students per flat and are a mix of British students and other international students
• All communal areas are cleaned, although students are responsible for cleaning their own bedrooms
• The 24-hour University security team provides out-of-hours support for emergencies
• Flats can be either single-sex or co-ed.

Students are responsible for their own meals, and have access to a refrigerator and cooking facilities. Each flat has its own equipped kitchen with microwave, toaster, stovetops, oven and freezer. Students can purchase kitchen items and food quite easily from stores in downtown Newcastle, which is walking distance from all of the dorms.

Loyola financial aid applies and students are eligible for consideration for all forms of federal, state, institutional and private sources of aid except the Federal Work Study Program. Students studying abroad for either a semester or full academic year will forfeit the value of a Federal Work-Study assignment for the semester/s that they go abroad. If the student qualifies for federal work study, they can use the award for the semester they are on campus during their abroad year.

If you receive GI/Veterans benefits, please contact our Registrar’s office as soon as possible before you apply!!

Students/parents pay to Loyola the following charges:

• Loyola Tuition
• Loyola Housing
• Study Abroad Program fee
• International Insurance Premium
• Flagship fee

Students’ expenses in Newcastle will vary depending on how much they travel, shop, and go out at night. Most students will take advantage of the proximity to other European countries and cheap airline tickets and travel, and that usually accounts for much of their spending.

Medical insurance is provided for all students during the program term by Loyola University Maryland through Chubb Insurance. This insurance coverage includes medical evacuation and repatriation, as well as 24-hour support services for medical issues. This insurance functions as a primary insurance while abroad.

Full year students studying in the UK are eligible for the UK National Health Service, since they are student residents of Newcastle. Students studying for less than six months will need to pay out of pocket and be reimbursed by their U.S. healthcare provider. However, this is at the discretion of the doctor. Students can visit doctors or emergency rooms when traveling around the UK, but not outside of the UK.

Students are required to submit a copy of their U.S. health insurance card/policy. Please be sure not to cancel your US insurance policy while abroad since the provided insurances only function while on program and outside of the US.

American students studying abroad for the year are required to apply for a Tier 4 student visa. The visa is an additional cost to the students. The students will pay for this approximately 60 days before departure.  American students studying abroad for one semester only are required to obtain a Short Term Study Visa. This is requested by the student and granted by Immigration Control when entering into the UK.

Students will fill out an application online over the summer and must also attend an appointment to have their biometric information taken.  After the biometrics appointment, the application is then mailed to the British Consulate General of either New York, Chicago, or Los Angeles, depending on where a student permanently lives.

The visa process includes several steps and is very time-sensitive. Therefore, it is imperative that students follow all instructions on applying for the student visa very carefully. If any step in the process is missed or followed incorrectly, it could result in being denied a visa to enter the country. Guidance from Newcastle University on the student visa process.

Bank of America partners with Barclays in the UK, so if your student has a Bank of America account, they can use Barclays ATMs and branches without incurring any fees.  Students going for the full year also have the option to open up a UK bank account. 

Other ATM and debit cards should work in all ATM machines. It is also advised that students contact their banks and credit card companies to inform them that they will be out of the country so that their accounts aren’t frozen once international activity occurs. While doing so, they should also check to see what international fees are incurred when using each of their cards i.e. ATM withdrawal fees, currency conversion fees, etc.  Also, you should check to see if your student’s bank is partnered with any banks overseas. 

The group will arrive in Newcastle the day after departure from the US. After getting their bags, a bus will be there to take them to their dorms. They will check into their rooms and Loyola Center staff will take them on a walking tour of the city and the campus.

Most students will take their smart phone overseas and purchase an international sim card with a data/talk/text plan to use during their time in Newcastle. It is highly recommended to use WhatsApp, or other social media apps in order to keep in touch with friends or family back home. 

Application Requirements 

Students must submit an online application AND a Course Planning form by 11:59 pm on the first Wednesday after Thanksgiving break of their sophomore year to study abroad in the fall or spring term of junior year. 

• Attend a Study Abroad 101 information session.
• Declare a major before applying to the study abroad program.
• Discuss with your major advisor the possible courses you could take abroad and see if there are any potential problems, he/she sees with your plans to study abroad; Students cannot be on disciplinary probation nor have a history of serious disciplinary problems.

Criteria for Acceptance

• Minimum cumulative CQPA average of 2.750.
• Students who can find courses which fit their Loyola program and allow full-time participation and who are neither on disciplinary probation nor have a history of serious disciplinary problems.
• ROTC candidates can apply as freshman to study abroad in the spring of their sophomore year. 
• An academic interview with the program coordinator at Loyola University Maryland is required.