Student Exchange Programme

What is the Student Exchange Programme (SEP)?

SEP logo

The Student Exchange Programme (SEP) is a mobility programme that provides pharmacy students and pre-registration pharmacists the unique opportunity to undertake professional work experience and intercultural learning abroad. Currently, over 60 countries worldwide participate in the SEP and over 1000 international exchanges take place every year. In Great Britain, the SEP is coordinated by the BPSA in association with IPSF.

The member associations of IPSF organise the exchanges by finding host sites where the participants are trained. Possible host sites include:

  • Community Pharmacies

  • Hospital Pharmacies

  • Pharmaceutical Industry

  • University Research 




If you would like to have more information regarding the Student Exchange Programme (SEP), please email the Student Exchange Officer (SEO) Ana Cristina Guirola Carias De Newell seo@bpsa.co.uk

See how our February winter SEP group got along during their time here! We saw students from South Korea πŸ‡°πŸ‡· and Egypt πŸ‡ͺπŸ‡¬join us in London, Birmingham, Leicester and Portsmouth where they undertook their community pharmacy SEP placements #bpsa #i
Are you interested in networking with other pharmacy students from around the world?🌎 Do you want to hear about the day in the life of a pharmacy student and the career of a pharmacist in the USA πŸ‡ΊπŸ‡Έ Australia πŸ‡¦πŸ‡Ί and Canada πŸ‡¨πŸ‡¦? Why not join u
Over the past couple of months the BPSA have been hosting international pharmacy students for Winter SEP, and they have been loving every minute of it! In January, we saw students from South Korea πŸ‡°πŸ‡· and Hungary πŸ‡­πŸ‡Ί join us in London and Birmingha
Do you have any summer plans?β˜€οΈ Would you like to experience an IPSF event in Switzerland during July? 🌍 Why not, sign up for the IPSF European Regional Symposium (EuRS) in Bern, Switzerland πŸ‡¨πŸ‡­which takes place from 18th of July to 21st of July 20


Read about previous SEP attendees’ experiences!

Eligibility

All students who are members of the BPSA are eligible for entry into the SEP.

Duration

The SEP runs throughout the year, but the majority of the exchanges take place between May and September. The duration of a SEP varies accordingly depending on the country you participate with. Typically, exchanges range from periods of as short as two weeks up to periods of twelve weeks.

Application

Applications for the Student Exchange Programme 2023 are currently closed since January 2023. SEP applications will reopen in November 2023 for Summer SEP 2024. Please keep your eyes peeled on our BPSA Social Media and @ipsfuk for more updates on this.

Follow these steps in order to apply:

  • Apply for an account at https://www.ipsf.org/user/register

    • When your account is accepted submit an application for which will consist of a CV and Motivational Letter. The deadline date will be announced shortly.

  • If accepted you will be asked to complete a Waiver of Liability and pay a refundable SEP fee. Upon payment you will be moved on to the next stage of the SEP programme.

  • Once you have successfully completed your SEP placement you will be required to provide an evaluation of your exchange on your database profile. This is compulsory for your placement to be marked as a success and for you to receive a certificate.

Countries

A list of all participating associations and countries with their profiles can be found here: https://www.ipsf.org/countries

You will be allowed to select up to three official countries in order of preference. 

Fee Structure

The cost of applying for SEP is €42.00. This fee is only payable if you are accepted into the second round of the application process by the Student Exchange Officer. However, if your application is unsuccessful following this, or you cancel, you will only receive €18.00 back. If your SEP is cancelled due to COVID related reasons, you will receive a full refund of the SEP fee.

Costs

Students are responsible for all travel expenses and insurance. The host may also provide accommodation and/or pocket money in addition to the training site in order to support the student. In some countries, accommodation costs are subsidised by the home association.

Financial Support

There are several ways to seek funding, including:

  • IPSF SEP Grant

  • Your School of Pharmacy

  • Local Pharmacies or Pharmaceutical Companies

Offering a report is a good incentive along with your request for sponsorship.

For more information or any other enquiries about SEP, feel free to read more on the IPSF website by clicking here, otherwise have a read of our FAQs or contact the Student Exchange Officer.ο»Ώ