Balliol College, Oxford University: Junior Year Abroad Program for Yale English Majors

Description

English majors at Yale have the unique opportunity to spend their junior year studying in Balliol College at Oxford University. The English department is the largest in the UK and subjects include Practical Criticism, Introduction to Old English, Medieval Literature, Early Modern Literature, Shakespeare, Restoration and Augustan Literature, Victorian Literature, and Modern Literature. You are eligible to receive 9 transfer credits for the year abroad, and can earn credits towards the English major that may be applied towards its historical distribution requirement.

Application

Check the application deadline chart for when your application is due, including supplementary materials from your residential college dean, the DUS of English, and a recommendation from a Yale faculty member. To access the application, click on "How to Apply" below.

It is not designed to be competitive, but the Balliol program can only accomodate one student to participate, therefore we suggest you select a back-up study abroad program from our designated list if you intend to go abroad. St. Peter's College in Oxford has an English literature program that might fit your goals and interests.

Applying to the Balliol program is a single application, and not a two-part process like for other academic year programs. Yale Study Abroad will forward your application to Balliol for review.

Academics

Study at Oxford is focused on a single discipline – in this case, English literature – and instruction takes places in tutorials, in which students are taught individually, or in small groups, by a faculty tutor. Tutorials are supplemented by lectures offered by the university’s English faculty. You are eligible to attend any open lecture, even those in other subjects. You'll take one primary tutorial (meets weekly) and one secondary tutorial (meets every two weeks) in each of the three terms. You will choose your subjects in consultation with the DUS of English at Yale.

Credit

You will be eligible for 9 transfer credits after completing the three terms at Balliol. All credit is applicable to the English major. Please speak with a study abroad adviser if you already have transfer credits on your transcript, including transfer credits from a summer program. 9 is the maximum amount of transfer credit that Yale College allows.

Eligibility

• English Major
• Minimum 3.7 GPA
• Completion of three Foundational Courses (English 125/126/127/128)
• Junior status at time of enrollment
• Support of the Yale English Department
• Meet general eligibility requirements for a Year or Term Abroad

Housing & Campus Life

Balliol College is located in the heart of Oxford, with easy access to libraries, museums, theaters and shopping. You will be housed in the main college site alongside the regularly enrolled Balliol students (a mixture of first and third year students). All rooms are singles with shared facilities (some have private bathrooms). Your are allowed to stay in college during the break between the Hilary & Trinity Terms (at an additional cost), but will need to vacate the premises between the Michaelmas and Hilary terms (see below for term dates).

Visiting Yale students will have access to a variety of college and campus-wide activities. The University of Oxford has over 200 clubs and societies and a wide range of non-academic activities in which to become involved. In addition, you will be a member of the Junior Common Room (JCR). The JCR has an elected committee that brings issues to the college administration, arranges activities for the undergraduate population, runs a restaurant (The Pantry – reputed to offer very good food at cheap prices), and even provides the laundry facilities in the college.

Tuition & Financial Aid

You will be billed Yale tuition and room fees set for that academic year which you'll pay how you normally pay your Yale tuition and fees. For your meals (board), you'll pay that directly to Balliol/Oxford. If you choose to stay on campus during the breaks between the terms, you'll be billed an additional cost for that lodging which you'll pay directly to Balliol.

If you are participating on this program, and you are on financial aid, you may use your Yale financial aid to help meet the costs of attending. For more information, review the Student Financial Services website. 

Health Insurance

During this program, it is your responsibility to make sure you are covered by adequate health insurance, either through the program, or by subscribing to another travel health insurance. You will not be covered by Yale Health during the study abroad program if that is your current health inusrance at Yale. The Yale Travel Toolkit has information about how to identify adequate health insurance coverage.

Visa Application

Students studying in the UK for the full academic year must obtain a student visa. Once you have been admitted as a visiting student, the Balliol College admission office will provide visa documentation and assistance. You should start the visa application process at least 6-8 weeks prior to departing for the UK. When applying for a visa, you'll have to send your passport away to obtain your visa in your passport. This means that you might not be able to travel abroad in the summer prior to your year at Oxford depending on when you get your passport back. Before starting the application process, review the detailed information about obtaining a Tier 4 (General) Student Visa.

Resources

• Estimated Living Expenses
• Oxford Glossary
• Oxford University Academic Calendar
• Oxford University Student Union

Learn More

Find detailed information about this program, including course information, dates, fees, and housing options, on the program website.

Review eligibility requirements, the application process, and deadlines:

How to Apply