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Details
Internships in the National Assembly for Wales
Cardiff - Wales
Sponsored by:
Ohio University
and
Swansea
University
Passport, Visa, and ID card
All
students must have
a valid
US passport.
Passport applications may be picked up at the local clerk of courts
office or other designated government office. Check with the State
Department to find the
office nearest you.
The passport
fee is $97.00. Allow at least 60 days for a new passport to arrive.
Interns must also apply for a student Visa (Non-Settlement VAF1).
Applications will be provided to interns during pre-departure
orientation. Forms can also be found at
Britain’s Home
Office site. The Visa fee is $162. Allow at least 2 months for
processing.
For
arrival in the UK, students should also carry the following documents:
1.
Letters (to be provided) from Ohio University and Study Abroad Swansea
which will indicate the following: (a) your student status and
provisions of the internship, (b) the length of time of the internship,
and (c) the provision of housing;
2.
A letter from the National Assembly confirming your appointment as a
"research assistant;"
3.
A
return airplane ticket; and
4.
A statement of your financial support. (Such a statement might be a
notarized affidavit from parents or an official bank statement
indicating resources available to you.)
Each participant is urged to contact their
closest British Consulate to review these requirements. The address and
phone number of your nearest consulate can be found on the
British Embassy website.
The
American Embassy
in London provides up-to-date information and advice, as does
The American Embassy Welsh Affairs Office.
Health
Insurance
Ohio University requires all participants to be covered by a valid
health insurance plan. Participants must confirm that their plan
provides coverage outside the United States. Ohio University will ask
applicants to provide proof of insurance coverage overseas, and requires
students to register with Ohio University's health care system as well.
Transfer Credit
Students will receive 16-19 quarter hours of academic credit for this
experience. (This is the equivalent of 10-13 semester hours) Those
interested in transferring the Ohio University credit to their home
campuses should check with their departments and appropriate academic
offices in advance to avoid later difficulties in gaining credit.
Financial Aid
Usually, financial aid and scholarships apply to
study abroad programs such as this one. However, students should check
very early in the process with their local financial aid office.
Because of the timetable for financial aid, there could be delays in
meeting payment schedules for this program. Some additional financial
aid is available to Ohio University students through the
Office of Education Abroad.
Travel Guides
It is
recommended that students visit their local bookstore or library to pick
up a recent tour guide to Britain. Students most commonly use books
published by Let's Go and Rough Guide.
Clothes
Office:
Smart casual clothes, e.g., jacket and tie, polo neck sweater, shirt,
trousers or skirt. (Normally, coats and ties are optional for men.)
Formal occasions,
such as receptions, meetings or dinners: Suit, dress.
Leisure time:
Casual clothes. Bring warm, waterproof jacket or coat, and hiking shoes
or boots. Cardiff will be cool and frequently wet during the Autumn.
Winter can see days below freezing, with unpredictable wind and rain.
Money
Dollars can be changed into British pounds at any bank, but the least
expensive and most convenient method of exchange is to take advantage of
the readily available ATM machines. Visa, Mastercard, and American
Express are widely accepted in Britain. Discover cards will not work in
Europe. Make a Xerox copy of your card. It is also recommended that
students bring about £150 in travelers’ checks in the event that an ATM
card is lost or stolen.
To check the dollar-pound exchange rate,
click here.
Travel to Wales
In order to find the least expensive
rate, students should use their ISIC card when purchasing airline
tickets to London. The cheapest student tickets can usually be
found through STA
Travel.
Cardiff
is located in South Wales, just 2 hours west of London by road or rail.
Swansea
is one hour further west of Cardiff on the same route.
Most
students will arrive at either one of London's major airports:
Those
arriving at Heathrow may proceed directly to Swansea by taking
either the Heathrow Express train or a taxi directly to Paddington
Station. From there, take one of the hourly express trains to Cardiff
or Swansea.
Those
arriving at Gatwick will take a taxi to Paddington Station. From
there, take one of the hourly express trains to Cardiff or Swansea.
In addition,
inexpensive express buses run on a regular basis to Cardiff and Swansea
from both airports and from central London. Schedules can be found
here.
Arrival
Fall
interns should aim to arrive in Swansea in early September. Housing and
meals will be provided in university halls. Instructions will be sent
directly to each student with their acceptance. In January, interns will
spend 3 days in Swansea for orientation. Housing will be at a local Bed
and Breakfast.
Housing in Cardiff:
Fully-furnished flats in the Bay are pre-arranged; utility costs above
agreed usage may be incurred. All linens are provided, except towels.
Students are responsible for cleaning and care of flats and will be
assessed charges for any damages.
Cost of living (Estimates)
Budget $2000 for the term for basic
grocery, living and transportation costs.
Email and computers
Interns will have access to the computers
at the Assembly 24 hours a day for email and for typing papers. Laptops
may be useful since most of the apartments have internet access for a
small fee.
Telephone calls
Solutions vary. Our current recommendation is that students avoid
signing a phone plan with NTL for a land-line phone. While not
necessarily expensive, bill payment is difficult and customer service
unavailable. Instead, it is recommended that students purchase a local
mobile phone (cell) with a pay-as-you-go plan, it is not cheap, but it
is very flexible: convenient for local calls, and the phones will work
on the continent. There is typically no charge for incoming calls, so
calls from the states will not incur a charge. Students should research
options before leaving the states since plans are constantly changing.
US cell phones do
not work in Europe.
Travel
opportunities
There
will be ample opportunity on long-weekends and at other times to travel.
Students are encouraged to take advantage of this opportunity. However,
it is important to check with your supervisor before scheduling a trip.
While the Assembly staff is supportive of travel and willing to
accommodate trips, the work of the office comes first.
It is
essential that interns leave copies of their itineraries with the
program office in Swansea so that they can be reached in the event of an
emergency.
Bus and
Rail
Bus and rail travel are generally effective means for getting to London
and other UK locations.
While rail fares are expensive in Britain,
students can lower the cost per trip with a
BritRail
Pass,
purchased before leaving the United States.
A “Young Person’s Card” is available at rail stations and highly
recommended for 1/3 off most trips.
For travel in
the continent, interns might consider purchasing a
Eurail
Pass before leaving the states.
Health Care
Students studying in the UK for less than 6 months must bring medical
insurance from home. In the event of illness, students see the doctor
nearest to where they live, taking medical insurance information with
them. Depending on their condition, the patient may be given a
prescription for medicine which can be obtained from a local pharmacist
(chemist). Prescriptions cost about $10 each.
While
students are in Swansea, they can see doctors at the University Health
Centre. In Cardiff, names and addresses of doctors near the students'
accommodations will be provided.
Students who take regular medication are advised to bring a supply with
them since it may not be prescribed in the UK. If regular shots are
required for allergies, for example, please contact the American Studies
Exchange Office in Swansea before arrival for advice. Health centres in
the UK will not administer medicines which are not registered or
prescribed in the UK.
Emergency contact numbers
Swansea:
American Studies Exchange Office, 9 am to 5 pm Monday to Friday:
From the US: 011-44-1792-295-135
From in the UK 01792-295-135
University of Wales main switchboard, open 24 hours: (0)1792-205-678
Angela
Jones, American Studies Exchange Office
from USA: 011-44-1792.295-129
email:
a.jones@swansea.ac.uk
Cardiff:
(to be supplied upon confirmation of placement)
Ohio
University
(Athens) Office of Education Abroad:
tel: (740) 593-4583; fax: (740) 593-9758
Ohio University Department of Political Science:
(740) 593-4372
Program Director: Dr. Harold Molineu
Program Assistant: Saskia van
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