Visiting students
If you'd like to come and study at the University of ºù«Ӱҵ for a short period without enrolling on a course, you may wish to consider applying as a visiting student.
A visiting student is anyone who studies a module or selection of modules, a semester or a full year of a taught course, or who conducts research at the University, but who doesn't undertake a full degree course, and therefore doesn't qualify for the award of a University of ºù«Ӱҵ qualification. The maximum duration of a period of visiting study/research is normally 12 months.
How to apply
- Applying as a visiting undergraduate student
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What can you study?
You can find details of the modules currently offered by the University in our Directory of Modules:
This directory contains a list of the University's academic departments. Click or tap on a department to see the modules it offers and their credit values. Visiting students can study a maximum of 120 credits in a year. Please note that not all departments accept visiting students. A list of the departments that do is included in the application form.
Modules where the code begins with a 1, 2 or 3 are those studied by ºù«Ӱҵ undergraduate students. The number indicates the year of study in which ºù«Ӱҵ students normally sit these modules, so modules with codes beginning 3, for example, usually require considerable prior experience in the subject area.
If you'd like more information about a particular module contact the academic department that offers it:
UK students - How to apply
UK students can apply to study at ºù«Ӱҵ as a visiting student using our application form:
Visiting undergraduate student application form (Word document, 93KB)
Please include with your application:
- Certificates/transcripts confirming your most recent academic achievements
- Certificates/transcripts confirming your English language qualification(s), if required (see below)
- Two references. The references should be supplied by academic staff at university-level institutions where you are currently studying or have previously studied. If you've been out of education for the last two years, you can send one academic reference plus one from your current employer if you wish.
Standard tuition fee rates are set out on our Student Fees webpages:
When you've completed the form, email it to us at visitingapplications@sheffield.ac.uk. Alternatively you can post a paper copy to:
Admissions Service
ºù«Ӱҵ
Level 2, Arts Tower
Western Bank
ºù«Ӱҵ S10 2TN
UNITED KINGDOMYour form will be considered by the relevant academic department(s). When they've made a decision we'll write to you to tell you what this is.
If we're able to offer you a place, we'll send you an offer letter confirming the details of the study for which you have been accepted, including the period of registration at the University and the tuition fees.
International students - How to apply
International students who want to study at ºù«Ӱҵ as a visiting student are admitted through the Study Abroad programme. If you want to attend as part of an exchange with one of our partner universities, you should arrange this through your home university. If you're studying at a non-partner university, you can apply for direct enrolment. See our Global Opportunities and Exchanges webpages for more information:
Attendance and assessment
As a visiting student you'll be able to attend all the classes associated with the agreed programme. If you wish, you can also be assessed in the same way as students studying for a University of ºù«Ӱҵ qualification, for example through coursework or examinations. Some departments may include as a condition of their offer the requirement that you complete assessments.
When you've finished, upon request we'll provide a certificate of attendance and/or a transcript confirming the modules you've studied and the results of any assessment. These can be either issued to you or forwarded to your own institution.
Tuition fees
Fees for visiting students are charged pro rata of the standard ºù«Ӱҵ fee (Home or Overseas as appropriate). ºù«Ӱҵ students study 120 credits per year. Therefore if you study, for example, 60 credits you will be charged half the full-time fee for one year's study.
- Applying as a visiting postgraduate taught student
-
What can you study?
Details of the modules currently offered by the University are in our Directory of Modules:
This directory contains a list of the University's academic departments. Tap or click on a department to see the modules it offers and their credit values. Visiting students can study a maximum of 120 credits each year. Please note that not all departments accept visiting students. A list of the departments that do is included in the application form.
Modules where the code begins with a 4, 5 or 6 are those studied by ºù«Ӱҵ postgraduate taught students, but visiting postgraduate taught students can choose modules from both our undergraduate and postgraduate curricula.
If you'd like more information about a particular module contact the academic department that offers it:
How to apply
You can apply to study at ºù«Ӱҵ as a visiting student using our application form:
Visiting postgraduate taught student application form (Word document 1MB)
Please include with your application:
- Certificates/transcripts confirming your most recent academic achievements (with an official translation if not written in English)
- Certificates/transcripts confirming your English language qualification(s), if required (see below)
- Two references. The references should be supplied by academic staff at university-level institutions where you are currently studying or have previously studied. If you've been out of education for the last two years, you can send one academic reference plus one from your current employer if you wish.
Standard tuition fee rates are set out on our Student Fees webpages:
When you've completed the form, email it to us at visitingapplications@sheffield.ac.uk. Alternatively you can post a paper copy to:
Admissions Service
ºù«Ӱҵ
Level 2, Arts Tower
Western Bank
ºù«Ӱҵ S10 2TN
UNITED KINGDOMYour form will be considered by the relevant academic department(s). When they've made a decision we'll write to you to tell you what this is.
If we're able to offer you a place, we'll send you an offer letter confirming the details of the study for which you have been accepted, including the period of registration at the University and the tuition fees.
Attendance and assessment
As a visiting student you'll be able to attend all the classes associated with the agreed programme. If you wish, you can also be assessed in the same way as students studying for a University of ºù«Ӱҵ qualification, for example through coursework or examinations. Some departments may include as a condition of their offer the requirement that you complete assessments.
When you've finished, upon request we'll provide a certificate of attendance and/or a transcript confirming the modules you've studied and the results of any assessment. These can be either issued to you or forwarded to your own institution.
Tuition fees
Fees for visiting students are charged pro rata of the standard ºù«Ӱҵ fee (Home or Overseas as appropriate). Full-time ºù«Ӱҵ masters students normally study 180 credits per year (including the dissertation/research project). Therefore if you study, for example, 90 credits you will be charged half the full-time fee for one year's study.
- Applying as a visiting postgraduate research student
-
You have to be registered on a PhD at another institution to undertake research as a visiting student.
In the first instance you should contact the academic department in which you'd like to undertake research to discuss your plans. When you're ready to submit a formal application, you can do so using our online application form:
Visiting research student application form
When you've submitted the form it will be considered by the relevant academic department(s). When they've made a decision we'll write to you to tell you what this is.
If we're able to offer you a place, we'll email you an offer letter confirming the details of the research for which you have been accepted, including the period of registration at the University and the tuition fees, where applicable.
When you've finished your period of registration, upon request we'll provide a certificate of attendance.
Tuition fees
You can register for up to three months without a tuition fee being charged. Subject to departmental and faculty approval, in exceptional circumstances the fee-free registration period may be extended to a maximum of twelve months, providing you are either:
- Part of an existing collaboration, or part of a plan to develop one, with an overseas academic or group; or
- Part of a departmental strategy to develop recruitment links with an institution or country
If this is not the case, you'll be required to pay tuition fees for the registration period beyond the initial three months.
Fees for visiting students are charged pro rata of the standard ºù«Ӱҵ fee (Home or Overseas as appropriate). For example, if you study for another six months after the fee-free period, you'll be charged half the full-time fee for one year's study.
WUN Research Mobility students
ºù«Ӱҵ welcomes applications from incoming Worldwide Universities Network (WUN) visiting research students under the Research Mobility Programme (RMP) to join us for short study periods of up to three months.
English language requirements
All visiting students are required to demonstrate that they have sufficient English language to study at the University. For International students, this is also a requirement of the visa application process.
English language requirements for undergraduates
English language requirements for postgraduates
Visa requirements
If you require a visa to study in the UK, the type of visa you apply for depends on how long you will spend in the UK.
Visiting students studying in the UK for more than six months must apply for a Student visa. To apply for this type of visa, students need a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) number. The CAS number is arranged by the institution where the student intends to study, and confirms that they have accepted an Unconditional offer of a study place. You can find information about how and when the University of ºù«Ӱҵ will arrange your CAS number, and what you need to do, on our CAS application webpages:
Visiting students studying in the UK for six months or less can choose to apply for a Student visa or a Visit visa. The Admissions Service will email you after you've accepted an Unconditional offer with information about each type of visa so you can decide which one best suits your needs.
ATAS requirements
Visiting students studying in certain science and engineering departments may require ATAS (Academic Technology Approval Scheme) clearance from the UK government before they can arrange their visa to study in the UK. We'll let you know if this applies to you.
Academic Technology Approval Scheme
Accommodation
Visiting students are able to apply for University accommodation, although we can't guarantee them a place. We'll tell you more about this if you accept an offer of a study place.