Study Abroad (Subject pathway)

Programme details

This programme allows you to continue to specialise in your core academic subject while you're at Bristol. You will take the majority of your units (classes) in your host department, with the option to take a small number of credits in another academic area of interest.

Who can apply

You can check with your home university or the Centre for Study Abroad Inbound team about which Study Abroad programme you should apply for.

Students on the Study Abroad (Subject pathway) programme will be nominated by their home university to a department at Bristol which best matches their current degree programme. If you have already been nominated for a programme at Bristol by your home university, this information is included in your nomination email.

A small number of direct-enrol students (those whose home university is a partner with Bristol but not for exchange) may join the Subject pathway programme.

How to apply

1. Check you are eligible

To be eligible you must meet both:

• the academic requirements
• the English language requirements

2. Choose your units

You will select most of your units (a minimum 40 out of 60 credits) within your host department at Bristol. It may also be possible to register for a small number of units from another department. 

Read the guidance on choosing your units

Read through the guidance on how to choose your units before you start your application to Bristol. The guidance will take you through how our Study Guides work and which levels are most suitable for you, depending on your academic background.

Check the subject Study Guides

We provide a full list of Study Guides on our website to help you identify all of the units available to you as a Study Abroad student at Bristol. Check the subject Study Guide for the subject you have been nominated to. If you click on a unit in one of our study guides, this will take you to a more detailed overview of the unit including; a unit description, assessment details and teaching weeks.

Each subject at Bristol has a list of units (classes) that are available to Study Abroad students.

Not all units listed in the Unit Catalogue are open to Study Abroad students. Only the units shown in the Study Abroad Study Guides are available for you to choose.

Study Guides will start to be published in March for the following academic year.

‌3. Complete a Learning Agreement

You need to complete a Learning Agreement after choosing your units. You will need to upload this to your application along with your other supporting documents. Please check with your home university if they have a Learning Agreement template that they would like you to use. If not, you can download and complete a Bristol Learning Agreement template (Office document, 58kB).

4. Apply

Applications for the 2026/27 academic year are now open. Please click the link below to apply.

Apply Now

Please note that applications must be completed and submitted before the relevant application deadline.

When completing the online application form, you will need to upload copies of the following:

• scanned copies of official transcripts from all universities you have attended, translated into English
• evidence of English language proficiency
• a colour copy of the personal details page of your passport
• a copy of your Learning Agreement.

If you do not meet the academic requirement, you must also submit:

• an academic reference written by a faculty member at your home university
• a personal statement written by you explaining the circumstances that affected your academic performance

These additional documents should be submitted by email to: cfsa-inbound@bristol.ac.uk 

Please note that we cannot guarantee your acceptance onto the Study Abroad programme if you do not meet our requirements. Each application will be reviewed to assess your suitability for the programme.

After you apply

Find out what you need to do after you apply.