Erasmus+ is the EU’s programme supporting education, training, youth and sport in Europe. It provides opportunities for over 4 million Europeans to study, train, and gain experience abroad.
Each individual enrolled in a Higher Institution or a recent graduate of a Higher Institution is eligible to 12 months of mobility per study cycle (that is 12 months during bachelor studies, 12 months during master’s studies and 12 months during doctoral studies), which can be used as they wish: for studies or traineeship abroad.
Students as well as doctoral candidates are able to study abroad for a period of min. 3 months (or one academic term or trimester), and up to a maximum of 12 months per study cycle.
The duration of a traineeship period is of a minimum of 2 months to a maximum of 12 months. The traineeships can be realized as per student’s availability at any time during the academic year once they have gone through an individual selection process at their Higher Institution. At this moment majority of students decide to do their traineeships during their summer break once they have finished their assignments at the university for a given academic year.
What’s in it for me?
The Erasmus+ programme aims to:
- Reduce unemployment, especially among young people
- Promote adult learning, especially for new skills and skills required by the labour market.
- Encourage young people to take part in European democracy
- Support innovation, cooperation and reform
- Reduce early school leaving
- Promote cooperation and mobility with the EU’s partner countries. (source: https://ec.europa.eu/programmes/erasmus-plus/about_en)
Young individuals, however, often see it as a great opportunity to:
- Expand their social network
- Improve their communication skills and foreign languages knowledge
- See the world and understand different cultures
- Gain a new perspective
- Learn how to achieve set goals
- Become more independent
- Go outside of their comfort zone and face obstacles on their own.
Except for the great non-material benefits of the Erasmus+ programme there are those which help students financially during their stay abroad. The amount of money that students can get for their Erasmus+ mobility depends on three main factors: the first is the country where their home Higher Institution is located, the second is the country that they are planning to study or train in, and the third is how long they are going to be there for.
That is why countries that participate in the Erasmus+ are divided into three groups:
| Group 1 Programme Countries with higher living costs | Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Ireland, Luxembourg, Sweden, United Kingdom, Liechtenstein, Norway |
| Group 2 Programme Countries with medium living costs | Austria, Belgium, ,Germany, France, Italy, Greece, Spain, Cyprus, Netherlands, Malta, Portugal |
| Group 3 Programme Countries with lower living costs | Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, North Macedonia, Turkey |
The EU grant provided to students will depend on their mobility flow, as follows:
- Medium range EU grant: 220 and 470 EUR per month, will apply to mobility activities towards a country of similar living costs: a) from Group 1 to Group 1, b) from Group 2 to Group 2 and c) from Group 3 to Group 3.
- Higher range EU grant: corresponds to the medium range applied by the National Agency plus at least 50 EUR and between 270 and 520 EUR per month. It applies to mobility activities towards a country of higher living costs: a) from Group 2 to Group 1 countries and b) from Group 3 to Group 1 and 2 countries.
- Lower range EU
grant: corresponds to the
medium range applied by the National Agency minus at least 50 EUR and between 170 and 420 EUR per month. It applies
to mobility activities towards a country of lower living costs: a) Group 1 to
Group 2 and 3 countries and b) from Group 2 to Group 3.
(source: https://ec.europa.eu/programmes/erasmus-plus/programme-guide/part-b/three-key-actions/key-action-1/mobility-higher-education-students-staff_en)
How to choose the perfect Host University- Host Company for the Erasmus+ mobility?
Students are often troubled by choosing the right place for their students’ exchange or traineeship. The number of the Universities taking part in the Erasmus+ programs is unlimited. As assistance to the candidates, the Home Higher Institutions usually provide potential participants with the list of Universities they cooperate with in other Program/ Partner countries. While choosing the perfect university for your exchange program, firstly, you should check its faculties and the list of subjects they teach so they are compatible with the studies you are currently attending in your home country. Your next step will be to complete the application form required by your university and follow the next steps of your Erasmus Coordinator. All potential participants must go through a selection process in their Home University within a specific time frame which is usually set by the Dean of International Relations. Make sure not to miss the deadline!
What about
traineeships?
Those, seeking to get experience abroad can choose any public or private
organisation active in the labour market or in the fields of education,
training and youth:
- a public or private, a small, medium or large enterprise (including social enterprises);
- a public body at local, regional or national level;
- a social partner or other representative of working life, including chambers of commerce, craft/professional associations and trade unions;
- a research institute;
- a foundation;
- a school/institute/educational centre (at any level, from pre-school to upper secondary education, and including vocational education and adult education);
- a non-profit organisation, association, NGO;
- a body providing career guidance, professional counselling and information services;
- a Programme Country HEI awarded with an ECHE. (source: https://ec.europa.eu/programmes/erasmus-plus/programme-guide/part-b/three-key-actions/key-action-1/mobility-higher-education-students-staff_en)
In order to apply for the traineeship abroad, the Home University, although advised, does not need to have a signed cooperation agreement with the Receiving Organization that the student have found for their traineeship. Potential future trainees can search their internship opportunities individually, through friends and colleagues, or through specialized internship providers which often help them with settling in the Host Country and advise on dos and don’ts.
