Frequently Asked Questions

General

What is “affiliate study” and “affiliate student”?

At UCL we call study abroad students ”affiliates” and the programme you will be joining is called ”affiliate study”.

When will I receive my transcript?

Transcripts are issued by Student and Registry Services, usually from the beginning of March for Term 1 affiliates and the beginning of August for Term 2 and Full Year affiliates.  Transcripts for JYA, Exchange, Erasmus students are issued directly to home universities.  Please see the UCL website for further information about Transcripts and note the Department of Economics is not able to provide a copy. If you have a specific query about transcripts please email transcripts@ucl.ac.uk.

Do I need a visa to study at UCL?

The majority of affiliate students do need a visa to study in the United Kingdom (UK). Since the UK has formally left the European Union (EU) this now also includes EU/EEA nationals. You can find more information on visas at this webpage.

Application process

I’ve applied to another department. Will I be able to take modules in the Department of Economics?

Usually only modules under the ‘Elective Module Portfolio’ section of the module list are available to affiliates who are based in another department. More information on how to register for economics electives can be found here. If you’re interested in Second Year or Final Year Economics modules listed here, we advise you to apply for acceptance into the Economics Department as your main department. 

Can I apply as an exchange student?

We have undergraduate exchange agreements with universities in the USA, Canada, Australia, Argentina and several countries in Europe under. For more information or to check your eligibility, visit Study Abroad at UCL or contact central Admissions Office at affiliatestudents@ucl.ac.uk.

I need to take particular modules for credit transfer - can I pre-enrol for courses?

If you are admitted to the Department of Economics, your Offer Letter will state which modules will be appropriate for you. Students, who wish to take any other modules, should book a 1:1 appointment with Affiliate Tutor upon arrival to be approved and ensure prerequisites are met. Please note places on modules are allocated on first come first served basis and are subject to space. As there is no guarantee you will get a place on all the modules you want, we strongly advise you to consider carefully whether to accept the admission offer, especially if this doesn’t satisfy the requirements of your home institution. Students will be able to submit their selection during online module registration, which usually takes place two weeks prior programme commencement. It’s possible to amend module selection within first two weeks of the programme.  

I need to get my classes pre-approved at my home university. Where can I see a syllabus?

Check each individual module page on the module list or contact the Affiliate Programme Administrators at economics.affiliates@ucl.ac.uk for more information.

I am not majoring in economics back home. Can I still apply?

If you are applying through a reciprocal exchange agreement, applications from non-econ majors can be considered provided they have the relevant economics background. See entry requirements for more details. If you are applying as an independent (ie not reciprocal exchange) student, you should be enrolled at in an Economics degree programme or have your Economics major declared at least a year prior to applying.  

Module choice

Can I take modules in other departments?

Please see the your study options page at Study Abroad at UCL and the UCL Module Catalogue for details of electives that may be available to you. You may take up to 50% of your modules in other departments, subject to availability. Do some research and find teaching departments that correspond to the subject area you are interested in. Some of them publish the list of modules open to affiliate students on their web-page. You can also reach out to the teaching department directly, for example, if you want to check availability of a specific course. Remember to mention that you are an affiliate student hosted by another department (some departments restrict modules to their own students or a have a limited range open to affiliates). Make sure to check UCL Module Catalogue for any restrictions and pre-requisites first. 

What are the common prerequisites for Economics classes?

You can find each module’s prerequisites listed on the Economics module list. Generally speaking if you have already taken Intermediate Calculus, Intermediate Microeconomics, Intermediate Macroeconomics and Introductory Statistics/Econometrics, you will have a good range of modules to choose from in the Department of Economics. Students without this Econ/Math/Stats background will have a more restrictive choice of modules. 

I need to take particular modules for credit transfer - can I pre-enrol for courses?

If you are admitted to the Department of Economics, your Offer Letter will state which modules will be appropriate for you. Students, who wish to take any other modules, should book a 1:1 appointment with Affiliate Tutor upon arrival to be approved and ensure prerequisites are met. Please note places on modules are allocated on first come first served basis and are subject to space. As there is no guarantee you will get a place on all the modules you want, we strongly advise you to consider carefully whether to accept the admission offer, especially if this doesn’t satisfy the requirements of your home institution. Students will be able to submit their selection during online module registration, which usually takes place two weeks prior programme commencement. It’s possible to amend module selection within first two weeks of the programme.