In the summer of 2016, Indian universities will run a variety of short courses ranging from international relations, social entrepreneurship and gender politics to yoga and cinema.
You will spend two to three weeks living on an Indian university campus with between 20 and 50 other UK students. Your daily routine will include lectures, group activities, visits to local places of interest or local community groups and a chance to experience a bit of culture with your Indian peers. In the evening you will all eat together in the university canteen and weekends will include cultural activities and excursions.
Below is more information on the available courses offered in 2016:
Who can apply?
The beauty of the Generation UK-India study placements is that they are open to applicants from any subject or educational background.
We are looking for candidates who can explain how undertaking the course links to their interests and their future career. You should also be able to clearly demonstrate why you want to spend time in and your university of choice in India and that you are flexible and resourceful.
These placements will be engaging, interactive and fun but they are not a holiday and we will expect participants to be professional throughout. Everyone will be asked to sign up to a code of conduct prior to departure from the UK. Breaking the code of conduct could result in expulsion from the course.
To be eligible you must:
- Be at least 18 years old at the age of applying
- Have a UK passport OR have the right to work in the UK AND have completed either my secondary education in the UK or will have completed at least one year of my higher education in the UK by the time I start my placement.
- Be a native English speaker (or have a high proficiency in English i.e. full mastery of English across all 4 skills equivalent to user (Common European Framework C2) IELTS Band 8/9 in each of 4 sections of the academic module or Aptis level C.)
- Have a permanent address in the UK – you may need to provide proof of this address
All candidates must be available for the full amount of time of the placement they select and be flexible as to the location of their placement.
Please note you can only undertake one Generation UK-India placement per year although you are welcome to apply for all the opportunities.
How do I apply?
Applications for the 2016 cohort are now closed.
How much will it cost?
You will need to cover the following costs should you be successful:
- Return flights to India
- Insurance
- Visa
- Vaccinations
- A course fee (£480-£750) - payable by the end of May
SUPPORT WITH COSTS
Certain of the hosting universities may offer some scholarships to support with the course fees.
To be eligible for the reduced fees you must have received a maintenance grant whilst at university in England, Northern Ireland or Wales or a Young Students Bursary if you are based in Scotland.
The maintenance grant or bursary must have been received within the last 2 years.
Any available scholarships will be a limited number. We will base our final decision on who receives the reduction based on the amount of funding received and the quality assessment score of each applicant.
What does the course fee cover?
The course fee covers your costs whilst in India which includes:
- Airport pick up on arrival in India
- Accommodation provided by the university
- Three meals per day
- Travel costs related to the course you are studying
- Tuition
- Drop off to the Airport at the end of the course.
What support will I receive?
The British Council will be there to support you before, during and after the placement.
All successful applicants will be required to attend a pre-departure briefing in June or July. This will include important programme information, things to prepare before departure and advice and guidance on spending time in India. This will also be a chance to meet other participants in the programme and ask us questions.
You will also receive information documents prepared by the British Council in advance of your departure including guidance on applying for your visa.
On arrival in India you will be met at the airport and will receive an induction by your host university. Each university will have a course coordinator who will be your main point of contact during the course. You will also be buddied with Indian students who will be able to offer advice and support. The British Council in India and the UK will also be on hand to answer any queries and deal with any issues should they arise.
At the end of the placement you will be invited to join our alumni network which will support you to continue to engage with India, the British Council and those that you have met along the way.
What will I gain?
Studying in India gives you the opportunity to deepen specialist knowledge from within an Indian context. You gain an insight into contemporary Indian culture and university life as you spend time living on campus and interacting with Indian peers.
In addition to lectures, each placement will include excursions to visit places of interest and interact with the local community. This will help you gain a well-rounded impression of contemporary India, its culture and history. Interactive group learning and practical activities will develop your team working, communication and problem solving skills and equip you with important interview repertoire.
Studying with your Indian peers will help to build mutual understanding, create a greater awareness of the UK-India relationship and develop your intercultural fluency skills.
What happens after I've applied?
Once you have submitted your application it will be assessed against our eligibility and quality criteria. Candidates who successfully pass our quality assessment will receive confirmation by the middle of May 2016. You will then be asked to confirm your place by paying your course fee by the end of May.
