Study abroad at Harlaxton College and enjoy all that the English countryside has to offer! Students live and learn in the 100+ room Victorian era Harlaxton Manor, located in Harlaxton, UK. Participants enroll in one or more Drake courses taught by our faculty-in-residence and choose from a range of courses taught by local British professors or visiting international faculty. Make the UK your classroom by participating in class field trips, weekly excursions, and planned activities throughout the semester.
In partnership with the University of Evansville, Drake University sends a cohort of 10-20 students, as well as a professor to act as our faculty-in-residence, to Harlaxton College every fall semester.
Harlaxton Manor is located in the village of Harlaxton, U.K., about an hour and a half north of London. Students will have access to a free shuttle that takes them to the nearby town of Grantham, where they may catch a train to London or other cities in the U.K.
Important Entry & Immigration Information:
All U.S. citizens (and travelers from several other countries) are required to complete the Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) prior to travelling to the UK. The application can be found on the UKETA app or the UK Visa FAQ page. The ETA usually takes 3 days to process, but decisions may be sent sooner or later. The application costs £10. Before starting the application, you need the passport you will travel with, access to email, and a credit card, debit card, Apple Pay, or Google Pay. You will need to upload or take photos of the passport and the face of the person applying.
Residence Halls:
Students are housed in shared dorms within Harlaxton Manor. Students should expect 2-3 people in each dorm, shared bathrooms, and small kitchenettes available nearby. Dorms are furnished with a bed, bed linens, towels, a wardrobe, a bulletin board, desks, chairs, and a sink. Students also have washer and dryer access and TV and lounge spaces available.
Meals:
Students are provided with 3 meals a day in the college refectory. Meals are included in the program fee. Students will also have access to kitchenettes to prepare and store personal meals and snacks. A bistro can be found in the basement of the manor offering morning coffees and late night snacks, paid for out of pocket.
Transportation:
Students will have access to a free shuttle that takes them to the nearby town of Grantham, where they may catch a train to London or other cities in the U.K.
Orientation:
The program kicks off with a welcome dinner and housing ceremony where students meet the group they will spend the semester participating in events with to earn points towards the house awards. On-site orientation covers important topics such as academics, housing and life in the manor, health and safety information, and more. Students complete their first week at Harlaxton by travelling as a group to the capital city of London to learn more about the history and culture of England!
Activities:
Students who are more active can enjoy the on-site sports facility, complete with a full size basketball court (also soccer and volleyball, a cardio area, and a weight room. Bikes are also available by check-out, and Harlaxton's grounds include a plethora of hiking trails waiting to be explored!
Interested in exploring more of what the U.K. has to offer? Harlaxton's dedicated Student Life team has you covered! Day trips to nearby cities and towns such as Lincolnshire, Stratford-upon-Avon, and York (just to name a few) are organized almost every weekend of the semester and are at no extra cost to the student. Harlaxton also prepares once in a lifetime weekend trips throughout the United Kingdom, such as North Wales or the Lake District, at a personal cost.
Students looking for an immersive British experience can opt-in to Harlaxton's Meet-a-Family program. Through this program, students are assigned local British families who can share more about daily English life in the beautiful countryside.
Curriculum Overview:
Drake Courses:
Drake courses taken abroad and taught by our faculty-in-residence to not require prior approval. These courses appear on a student's transcript and count toward their Drake GPA. Drake courses taught abroad are not restricted by major. Students should discuss courses with their academic advisor(s) to determine how it may fit in their degree plan.
Harlaxton Courses:
Harlaxton College courses will appear as transfer credit on the Drake University transcript, but will not be incorporated into Drake GPA calculations. Transfer credit still applies toward AOIs major, minor, and/or concentration requirements. To determine what courses abroad will count for when they transfer back to Drake, students meet with their Academic Specialist and/or Faculty Mentor who signs off on their course approval form. The form is then signed by the student and turned into the College or School’s Dean’s Office for review and a final signature. Students then upload a copy to their study abroad application. When the term is over, Drake’s Office of the Registrar receives students' official transcript from the university abroad. They compare the courses taken to those listed on the course approval form, ensuring credit is applied to students' degree audit correctly.
Fall 2024 DU England student, Sam Pollack, shares her experience with the program:
I am not sure how to convey that I am so glad I went, not only for the people, and the experience, but also because it created a buzzing in my stomach that glows whenever I think of the English countryside.
Meet with the Drake education abroad advisor by booking an appointment through Starfish.
Start your Drake application, then start an application with Harlaxton and select “Drake Semester”.
