Drexel in England: University of Leeds
The University of Leeds is a research university located in Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. It is the third largest city in the UK. It is ranked 19th in the UK, 57th in Europe, and 139th in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings.
The University of Leeds, located in Leeds, England, came into being in 1904 but its origins go back to the nineteenth century with the founding, first, of the Leeds School of Medicine in 1831 and then the Yorkshire College of Science in 1874. Over 32,000 students are attached to 700 different first-degree programs and 474 postgraduate degree programs.
Leeds is a lively city, rich in culture and heritage with lots to explore. More than 750,000 people live within the city boundaries and over 100,000 people come to work in the city centre every day. Leeds is located approximately 2 ½ hours from London and 1 hour from Manchester. The Leeds Exchange program completely immerses Drexel students into British education and culture as you take classes with the local British and international students.
Readers of the prestigious Condé Nast Traveler magazine voted Leeds the number one city in the UK, above more well known locations such as London and Edinburgh. It was also named as the top city to visit by the Good Britain Guide, and praised for a 'good optimistic feel'. Leeds has just been voted as one of the top three places to shop in the UK by numerous independent surveys, and offers a huge range of shops and stores to suit all tastes. The Lonely Planet guide recently called it 'the Knightsbridge of the North.'
"The people in Leeds are by far some of the happiest and friendliest people I've ever met, and their attitude and perspective has surely rubbed off on me. The city itself is so lively, and has a fantastic nightlife..... [Studying abroad] has honestly changed me as a person - even in the short amount of time I've been here. Each day brings a new adventure, and a new lesson. I know that when I get back to Philly I'll try to look at it the same way and hopefully be able to open the eyes of others to the opportunities that each day brings."
- Michelle Martucci, Civil Engineering major
- 3.0 minimum GPA
- The exchange program is open to all Drexel majors. It is a great option for Civil and Architectural Engineering students.
- This program is not open to seniors.
Course Availability
Use the
Course Catalog to search coursework offered at the University of Leeds. Called the "Directory of Modules" in England.
Course Equivalencies
This
spreadsheet is a historical list of pre-approved courses Drexel students have taken at Leeds before. Students can choose to take courses from this list, but there is no guarantee that these courses will be offered in the future.
Students will need to get courses approved by the appropriate department for each course they plan to take at Leeds if the course is not on the course equivalency spreadsheet (linked above). For example, if you want to take a sociology course at Leeds for Drexel credit, its equivalent must be pre-approved by the Sociology Department at Drexel.
Grading
Students are taught and graded by UK faculty at the University of Leeds. Grades are noted as "CR/NCR" on their transcript and will NOT affect their GPA. In order to receive CR, students must earn a "C" or above at the host institution. Students must be a full-time student at the host institution while also taking the equivalent of a full-time load at Drexel.
The University of Leeds operates on a semester system.
Click here for the academic calendar.
Fall Semester Dates and Itinerary
| Program Start Date |
Early September |
| Program End Date |
Early February |
Coursework ends before Christmas but exams take place in January. Students will need to work with Leeds to see if they can either take their exams early or have the Drexel Study Abroad Office proctor their Leeds exams in January. It is your responsibility to ensure that you can take exams early or at Drexel, and to make the appropriate arrangements with both universities. Leeds will charge Drexel students taking advantage of this option a 50 pound, roughly $100, fee in order to arrange for remote exams.
Spring Semester Dates and Itinerary
| Program Start Date |
Mid February |
| Program End Date |
Mid June |
Drexel students will need to leave their fall/winter co-op early in order to be gone during Drexel's spring term. Students will return to Drexel in time for summer term.
University of Leeds residences are guaranteed to all students who apply for accommodation on time.
Program Costs
This is a Drexel sponsored program, thus all of your Drexel tuition and financial aid remain the same during your term abroad. For program costs, please consult the budget sheet. Students who receive Federal Work Study should consider applying for the Study Abroad Online Journalist work study position (after acceptance).
Scholarships
To seek additional funding, review the Scholarship & Funding Opportunities. Remember that scholarship deadlines may be much earlier than study abroad deadlines, so plan accordingly. Students may also want to submit a revised budget to the Financial Aid Office to see if additional funding may be available.
