- Overview
- Location and Housing
- Academics
- Pricing and Dates
- Application Instructions
- Additional Information
THIS PROGRAM IS NOT BEING OFFERED IN SPRING 2024
Founded in 1845, Queen's College Belfast is the ninth oldest university in the United Kingdom and in the top 200 of World University Rankings. At Queen's you can study virtually any subject taught by world-renowned faculty in state-of-the-art facilities. Immerse yourself in the campus culture as you learn alongside locals and other international students from all stretches of the globe. When you're not in the classroom, you will have the opportunity to maximize your experience through organized field trips and excursions, joining student clubs and organizations, and attending events on campus. A semester or full-year at Queen's College Belfast gives you the opportunity to advance your degree as you experience a new culture and perspective in the unique context of Northern Ireland.
Click here to download. (1.23 MB)As an active and engaged participant on this program, you will have the opportunity to develop:
- the ability to succeed independently in a foreign education environment.
- non-US based perspectives on your field of study and/or future career path.
- a global network of peer in similar fields of study and connections with faculty in the Ireland
Global Opportunities team
Careers, Employability and Skills Queen's University Belfast
BELFAST BT7 1NN Northern Ireland, UK
Tel: +44-28-9097 5255
Email: studyabroad@qub.ac.uk
Renowned for its beautiful beaches, coastal scenery, and fascinating history, Belfast is an ideal setting to explore all that Northern Ireland has to offer. During your time in Belfast, you'll have plenty to see and do, such as visiting the massive Titanic Belfast museum (the Titanic was built here!), exploring exhibits at the City Hall in the heart of town, and discovering local artisans at St. George's Market. As the capital of Northern Ireland, Belfast is well-connected to the rest of the UK and Europe at just a one-hour flight to London and a two-hour train ride to Dublin. Located in the heart of the artistic and cultural scenes of Belfast, the campus of Queen's College is the perfect blend of peaceful and cosmopolitan, making it an opportune place to study and socialize. Belfast has also been recognized as the UK's #1 most affordable student city, offering many budget-friendly activities and excursions. You will be welcomed to Queen's through an orientation program that will introduce you to your peers and get you familiar with your new surroundings of Queen's College and the city of Belfast.
All study abroad students are guaranteed housing at Queen's. The accommodations are self-catering, which means you will share a kitchen with other students and be able to make your own meals. There are en suite and non-en suite options, so you can choose an accommodation that has its own bathroom, or one without and you would share a bathroom with others. All rooms are singles and equipped with internet access. In addition, each accommodation has residence life staff who create a sense of community in the residence hall to help ease your transition and welcome you to life at Queen's. Most study abroad students will reside in either Elms BT1 and BT2 or Elms BT9. Both sites are around a 15 minute walk to campus, have laundry facilities, shared social spaces, and 24 hour security. Click the following links for a video tour of each the most popular housing options: Elms BT1, Elms BT2, and Elms BT9.
At Queen's University Belfast, you will have the opportunity to take virtually any course offered from any of the Schools and Faculties, provided any pre-requisites are met. The university has three faculties and within these faculties there are 15 academic schools, so you can take courses in a wide range of subjects. Modules within the Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences & the Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Sciences can be found here. Modules within the Faculty of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences can be found here. When looking at courses, take note that instead of "course" they use the name "module." Typically, three modules are taken per semester. Each module typically is worth 20 units (also known as CATS points) and equates to approximately 5 US academic credits, for a total of 60 units or 15 US academic credits for the semester. You'll work with the Study Abroad Office and your academic advisor to identify modules that you are interested in taking, along with one or two back-ups for each. Note courses taken at QUB will be treated as Pitt credits and will be marked as letter grades on a Pitt student's transcript. In other words, credits will affect Pitt GPAs.
Studying at Queen's University Belfast may be a bit different than what you are used to at Pitt. Details about what to expect can be found here.
Unlike Pitt, QUB’s grading scale assigns numerical values between 0 – 100, with 100 representing the highest grade achievable. It is important to understand that few students in the Irish system receive grades higher than 70. Participation on this Partner Program means that Pitt students will earn actual letter grades, and therefore grades earned through this program will affect the Pitt GPA, and appear on the Pitt transcript. Pitt will utilize the following grade scale to determine the letter grades:
70+ = A
65 – 69 = A-
60 – 64 = B+
55 – 59 = B
50 – 54 = B-
46 – 49 = C+
43 – 45 = C
40 – 42 = C-
35 – 39 = D
0 – 35 = F
Items Billed by Pitt |
||
|---|---|---|
| In-State | Out-of-State | |
| Tuition | $9,880 | $17,982 |
| Program Fee | $8,319 | $8,319 |
| Study Abroad Fee | $400 | $400 |
| Total Billed by Pitt | $18,599 | $26,701 |
- Tuition for up to 15 credits (3 modules) per semester
- Housing
- Full access to the services, clubs, and societies of Queen's College Belfast
- Orientation Programme
- International Health Insurance
Remember that your lifestyle and spending choices can greatly affect the amount of money you'll need while abroad.
Estimated Additional Out-of-Pocket Costs |
||
|---|---|---|
| Travel Expenses: Airfare, Passport, Visa, Resident Permit | $2,000 | |
| Food | $3,000 - 5,000 | |
| Personal Expenses |
$1,000 - 5,000 |
|
Keep in mind that you are also responsible for the following:
- Deposit ($350, to be credited to your PittPay account)
- Books ($100-$300 per semester)
Pitt students enroll at QUB for either a full semester (fall or spring) or a full academic year (two full semesters). QUB's academic calendars may differ from Pitt's normal fall (August through December) and spring (January through April) semesters, so Pitt students should check the academic calendar at the exchange university. Like Pitt, QUB’s academic calendar follows a Fall-Spring progression, meaning Fall is the first semester followed by the Spring semester as the second. The dates listed above are estimated and therefore subject to change according to the host university’s schedule.
Pitt sends a limited number of students per semester to QUB. In addition to applying to the Pitt Study Abroad application above, be sure to review QUB's website regarding their application requirements for incoming exchange students. A formal nomination from Pitt Study Abroad is required for Pitt students to be recognized as a study abroad student at QUB. Therefore, Pitt students must complete all necessary Pitt Study Abroad steps in addition to QUB's requirements. In other words, acceptance by Pitt Study Abroad does not guarantee acceptance by the partner university.
The partner university may require the following to be submitted through an online application. Requirements may include but are not limited to the following:
- Application Form
- Copy of Valid Passport
- Official Pitt Transcript
- Official Pitt Verification of Enrollment
- Statement of Intent or Purpose
- Resume or CV
- Official Language Evaluation
- Up to 2 instructor letters of recommendations
- Up to 2 passport photos
Applicants do not need to provide evidence of English language proficiency if:
- they are applying to come to Queen’s for a Study Abroad programme as part of a degree course at a university in: Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Canada, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, New Zealand, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, United States of America;
- and the normal language of instruction at their home university is English;
- and they have already completed one year of study at their home university at the time of application to Queen’s;
- and they have achieved a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0. More details can be found on QUB's website.
Students studying abroad through Pitt Study Abroad are automatically provided health insurance coverage during the official program dates. Students entering the UK on the 'Visitor Visa for Study' DO NOT pay an Immigration Health Surcharge and won't have access to NHS services. Students entering the UK on the 'Student Visa' DO need to pay the Immigration Health Surcharge and will have access to NHS services.
In order to study as a student in specific countries, a visa is required. A visa is formal endorsement by the host country to grant permission for an individual to enter, live or stay in that country for a specific purpose and period. In addition to a visa, some host countries may require a residency permit upon arrival.
As part of your study abroad program in the UK, you may be required to apply for a student visa. Please be aware that UK visa processing times may be delayed due to ongoing impacts of the global pandemic. Obtaining a visa a solely your responsibility and is a very detailed process. You should be prepared to do the following:
- Begin your visa application process as soon as you receive the detailed instructions and guidance from your host institution or program manager
- Follow the instructions carefully, checking for mistakes
- Respond promptly to any requests for follow-up or additional information related to your visa application
- Check to ensure that your returned passport has the appropriate visa stamp prior to departing the U.S.
Failure to follow the visa instructions fully may result in additional cost beyond the visa application fee or visa denial.
For those without UK/Irish nationalities, students may be required to obtain a student visa to study in Northern Ireland. QUB's International Student Support Team will provide full information on visas and immigration. Following your application, the International Student Support Team will be able to guide you through which visa option is appropriate for you. Students studying for less than six months can apply for the 'Visitor Visa for Study' as either a 'Visa National' or a 'Non Visa National'. Students studying for more than six months will need to apply for a 'Student Visa'. Pitt students should also research the visa and/or permit process through the specified country consulate website. In general visa and/or permit application requirements include but are not limited to the following requirements:
- Visa application
- Valid Passport
- Verification of acceptance from sponsoring university (exchange university)
- Financial Documents, such as bank statements, tax documents or pay statements.
- Passport photos
- Application fee
- Medical/physical examination (likely to require a doctor's appointment so plan accordingly)
