Program Highlights

The Office of Study Abroad is now taking applications from undergraduates of all majors to live and study at Harlaxton College, Eastern's partner campus in England. Located one hour north of London by train, Harlaxton is a nineteenth-century manor surrounded by 117 acres of park and woodland, and home each semester to over 150 students from the University of Evansville, Eastern Illinois University, and other partner institutions.

Students who live and study at Harlaxton take a core course in British Studies (6 credits, taught by Harlaxton's British faculty) while taking additional courses in a broad range of curricula: Literature, History, Health Studies, Political Science, Economics, Biological Sciences, Music, Art History, Business, and Marketing. Ideally situated for access to three major airports, Harlaxton provides students with opportunities to explore Europe at extremely low costs. In addition, Harlaxton offers students the chance to visit locales such as Paris, Rome, Venice, Florence, Ireland, the Lake District, London, York, and Bath through college-sponsored trips.

"I discovered so much. I loved the whole experience of Harlaxton College!" --Bridget Shanahan, Spring 2010

"One of the classes, British Studies, was required to be taken by all students. It was really nice because this way there was not one student that you didn't know. The rooms were amazing! They were original to the house. The locals are nice and friendly." --Katherine Brossard, Spring 2010

"I loved Harlaxton! I had the semester of a lifetime there and it changed my life for the better! I wish I could study abroad again!" --Clare Smith, Spring 2011



Hannah Tatlock's Spring 2011 Harlaxton blog

Academic Programs

At Harlaxton College, you will have the opportunity to take a variety of courses. Some faculty members at Harlaxton are British and teach at the College full-time while other faculty members come from schools in the U.S. (like EIU) for a semester or year. Course offerings change from semester to semester based on the specialities of the faculty who are present. You can look over upcoming course selections at Harlaxton by clicking here.

All students at Harlaxton take a British Studies course (ID H282/382) to help them gain a greater understanding of the culture in which they are living while in England. The British Studies course also has required field trips which take students to area sights and cities, such as Lincoln, Belvoir Castle, and London.

Classes are offered Monday through Thursday, so students have the opportunity to travel on the weekends.

After Your Trip:
Take STA4000G at EIU to fulfill your senior-seminar requirement!

 

Student Life

You will find plenty to do and see during your stay at Harlaxton. The staff at Harlaxton plan a wide variety of activities and travel opportunities for students throughout the semester. To help you become better acquainted with British culture and daily life, you will also having the option of being paired up with a British family in the "Meet-a-Family" program, which allows you the opportunity to spend time outside of the manor with a local family. Usually students who participate in the program visit the family's home for meals and socializing throughout the semester. Because Harlaxton classes are held Monday through Thurday, there is plenty of time available for personal travel.

Harlaxton generally plans the following excursions for students (at additional cost above your program fee) during each semester:

• London Weekend
• York Day Trip
• Nottingham Library Trips
• Oxford/Bath/Stonehenge Weekend
• Cambridge Day Trip
• Ireland Long Weekend
• EdinburghWeekend
• Lake District Weekend
• Coventry/Stratford Day Trip
• Paris Long Weekend
• Rome/Florence/Venice End of Semester Week or
• Barcelona/Madrid/Lisbon End of Semester Week or
• Vienna/Prague/Munich End of Semester Week

If you prefer to travel on your own while studying in England, trains and buses are very accessible across England, Wales, and Scotland. There are also affordable flights from London to other areas of Europe.

 

Housing

Housing and meals are included in your Harlaxton College program fee. Students will either live in one of Harlaxton Manor's student rooms or in one of the rooms in the Carriage House located next to the Manor.

Add an Internship to your 5-week summer program!

Students participating in the summer 5-week program have an exciting option! For an additional $2500 students can complete a three-hour internship while living at the Manor. They will offer students personalized attention in creating their placement and helping with questions throughout the process. Additional expenses for students are the Tier 4 visa costs and any transportation costs associated with the internship. The dates for the internship are July 2- August 1st for those attending the Italy trip. For those not attending the Italy trip, the dates are June 29th- August 1st. During this time, room and board at the Manor are included in the fee as well as the three-credit hour course. Students wishing to complete this internship in the summer will need to complete the summer internship application in addition to the 5-week application.

IMPORTANT NOTE: 

The educational system in the United Kingdom differs considerably than the one in the United States. We strongly suggest you do independent research online regarding this, but here are some fast facts that you should keep in mind when applying: 

• The fall semester usually starts in September and ends in January. The spring semester usually starts late January-early February and ends in June. 
• The UK educational system does not require general education for students entering university. This means that all the courses (called modules) from freshman year are intensive and based on a major. In order to graduate from a UK university, a student needs 360 credits in total within 3 years, meaning that each semester, students are required to take 60 credits. These credits are reflected through 3 classes of 20 credits each. When you fill out your course approval form, make sure to reach out to the host institution to ensure the number of U.S. credits each of their courses is worth. 
• The examination system in the United Kingdom is fairly different than the U.S. one too. Most of the times, there are no quizzes or small tests and each class has two, or even, one piece of assignment that holds 100% of the grade. For example, a module in the UK might be examined only through an essay. The UK places strong emphasis in academic writing rather than standardized testing, so any essays you will have to take will be of a significant length (ranging from 1500 to 4000 words). Some classes require one essay and one exam (50% weight of the final grade each) or just an exam, which usually includes essay questions. Make sure to research the teaching methods and assignments of each class you wish to register to! 
• The grading scale also differs. A student can achieve any of these below grades: First class, 2:1, 2:2, 3rd class, fail. 
  
  First class grade: 70-100
  2:1 grade: 60-69
  2:2 grade: 50-59
  3rd class grade: 40-49
  fail grade: <40
  
  If you see a 70, or a 60 on your transcripts, don't worry! There is a system to calculate equivalency. Most often, a First Class grade is an A, a 2:1 is a B, and so on. 

Foreign Entry Requirements

Passport
To enter the United Kingdom, you must have a valid passport. If you are a U.S. citizen and do not currently have a valid passport, or if your passport will expire during the time you will be overseas, please go to the U.S. State Department web site for information on how to apply for/renew your passport.

Visa
The vast majority of Harlaxton College students are ‘Student Visitors’ which is a sub-category of the ‘Visitor’ route.

• Maximum 6 months stay and intended for short-term study. But no work (paid, unpaid or volunteer) is allowed.
• Relatively simple and no fees. Non-visa nationals (e.g. US citizens) just require a letter from a UK sponsor (i.e. Harlaxton). However, visa nationals (see http://www.ukvisas.gov.uk ) will also need prior entry clearance (visa).
• Any off-campus work-place based academic activities (e.g. class visits, work-place observations, etc.) must be accompanied by the faculty member. For the avoidance of doubt, unaccompanied work-place visits (e.g. clinicals, internships, etc.) are not allowed as they constitute ‘work’ to the UK authorities.

For additional information, consult the visa-issuing Consulate General in Chicago (312/970-3800). You can also find information here.

Travel Document Systems (TDS) can also provide you with helpful information on every country, including entry requirements, cultural information, travel conditions, economy, and more.

You are strongly encouraged to read the U.S. State Department's Consular Information Sheet. It will provide you with a great deal of information to help you prepare for your trip.

**Please be aware that you are responsible for obtaining the most up-to-date information on entry requirements. The Office of Study Abroad only provides general information, as visa regulations and procedures are constantly changing. Please consult the Consulate for more information. **

Please note that EIU does not own, operate, or sponsor this program.