From Belfast to the World: My Queen’s Experience
Calling all current and prospective Queen's students – are you keen to explore new cities and cultures during your time at university? Hear from our students about their adventures while studying and volunteering abroad.
As a leading university within the Russell Group, Queen's prides itself on having a world-class standard of education, facilities and learning experiences. Queen's is ranked 25th in the UK, with 28 subjects in the UK top 20 (Complete University Guide 2025). In fact, when asked why they chose Queen's for undergraduate or postgraduate study, our students have mentioned 'teaching quality', 'high rankings' and 'wide range of university facilities' as main attractions.
However, as well as a high-quality education and vibrant student experience, studying at Queen's opens up various opportunities to develop new skills, enhance your CV, and experience cities and cultures that you otherwise wouldn't have had the opportunity to!
Through our Global Opportunities department within Careers, Employability and Skills, you can apply for study/work abroad programmes, exchange programmes and volunteering opportunities.
Some courses offer periods of study and work abroad as part of your degree. For Physics with Spanish student Amy, moving from England to Belfast was a no-brainer due to the opportunity to study abroad and enhance her language skills:
“Queen's was completely unique in its offer of physics with a language, and the idea of a year abroad speaking only Spanish was too good of an opportunity to pass up.”
However, all Queen’s students have access to a wide variety of travel opportunities suited to every study level and discipline - hear from our students on their study abroad experiences below!
Charlotte’s volunteering experience in Fiji with Think Pacific
Charlotte, a Politics and International student from London, recently had a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to volunteer for a month in a remote village in Fiji, with support from the AIB Travel Scholarship offered by Queen’s.
Charlotte had the amazing opportunity to host learning sessions for local youths, as well as preparing meals for an entire village using traditional methods.
Find out more about the local community project Charlotte volunteered with below:
“The whole project for me has been amazing and couldn’t have been accessible if it wasn’t for my scholarship money from Queen’s. From this whole experience I have gained so much, such as new skills, an introduction into a whole new way of life but also some personal goals such as living on the other side of the world for a month in the middle of nowhere.”
Read more about Charlotte’s experience with volunteering abroad!
Jadzia’s year abroad in Toulouse, France
Studying a Modern Language at Queen’s means that you will be given the opportunity to complete a work, volunteer or study placement abroad – it’s the perfect opportunity to enhance and develop your language skills and gain awareness of a new culture.
Having moved from Nottingham to Belfast to study at Queen’s, French and International Relations student Jadzia is now completing her mandatory year abroad studying at L’instituit d’études politiques in Toulouse, France. Read all about her first month here!
“Just throw yourself into it. I have never met so many people in my life and from the first day spoke to people from UK to Japan, which I never had the opportunity to do before this year.”
Check out our course list for information on language degrees with study abroad modules.
James’s study exchange at George Washington University, USA
If your course doesn’t include a mandatory year abroad, don’t worry – Queen’s offers various opportunities to participate in study exchanges in Europe and beyond, with schemes available to support living costs.
James, a History and Politics student from Bournemouth, enrolled in a study exchange programme at George Washington University for his first semester of third year. From joining local rugby clubs to volunteering for poverty relief organisations in DC, James made lifelong friends during his time abroad in America:
“Ultimately, for any student wanting to enhance their university experience, a study exchange programme is a brilliant way to do so! It was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and was honestly the best experience in my life.”
James benefitted from an exemption from accommodation costs due to studying at George Washington University, as well as support from the Turing Scheme. You can read about his once-in-a-lifetime semester abroad here!
Enhance your CV
If the idea of moving further abroad for a year or semester doesn’t appeal to you, Queen’s offers various opportunities to travel internationally for shorter periods.
Peter, an English with Linguistics graduate from Huddersfield, took part in the Queen’s Global Leadership Programme during his time at Queen’s. The programme allows undergraduate students to meet with alumni, professionals and companies to work collaboratively on projects and respond to real-world problems.
The programme has taken students to places like Kuala Lumpur, Hong Kong, Toronto and Boston – read about Peter’s experience of the programme in New York/Washington DC, and how it helped to enhance his CV!
If you aren't sure how to spend your summer in between semesters, why not apply for a summer job or internship via Queen's? It's the perfect way to explore new cities and cultures while also earning some money! Student Charlotte made the most of her summers and Easter breaks by working at Camp America in Pennsylvania as a water-sports instructor, a children's activity leader in Greece with Worldwide Kids, and a ski nanny in France with SkiFamille!
Where do I start?
Head over to our Global Opportunities page to find the right study, work or volunteer opportunity for you - our search tool allows you to filter opportunities by type of placement, duration and country.
If you need more information or advice on global opportunities in general, Queen's regularly hosts workshops, employer panels and careers fairs - keep an eye out on MyFuture and our events page for upcoming sessions.
Or if you have a burning question or can't attend any of our events, feel free to contact the Global Opportunities directly - good luck and enjoy your travels!
Find out more
Hannah ReillyStaff Writer | Queen's GlobalHi, I'm Hannah, a two-time graduate of Queen's University Belfast and now a current staff member of Queen's Global! As well as helping with general content management for the main Queen's website, I also collaborate with current students to create relatable and useful content for the student blog. I studied BA English and MA English Literary Studies at Queen's and have since worked in various editorial positions in Belfast, including previous roles as Editorial Assistant and Assistant Commissioning Editor for local and international magazine publications. In my spare time, I enjoy reading novels (and attending various book clubs), studying Korean at the Queen's Language Centre and attending Belfast Giants ice hockey games! |
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