Lancaster has a North American Office, which provides an extensive network of advisory and support services to visiting students from the United States and Canada. The philosophy and approach to education in British universities is different in some ways from the U.S. system. British students specialize in a specific subject, rather than study a wide range of subjects, as in the U.S. university system. In the British system, a greater emphasis is placed on independent study. Very often there is no detailed schedule and syllabus, as one would expect in the U.S. system, but rather a reading list from which it is the student's responsibility to chose what to read.
Assessment differs according to the course.
It may range from one essay with a final exam at the end of the course to 3 essays and 2 exams. UR exchange students may enroll in any course at Lancaster, as long as they meet prerequisites. Qualified full-year students may have the opportunity to pursue research with a faculty member. UR exchange students have access to all university facilities. Students may earn between 30-32 credits for the full year.