ERASMUS is the Higher Education section of the European Community action programme called "SOCRATES" in the field of education. ERASMUS is a EU funded programme which contains a wide range of measures designed to support the European activities of higher education institutions, including mobility and exchange of their students and teaching staff.

The programme is open to the 25 Member States of the European Union, the three EEA countries (Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway) and the three candidate countries (Romania, Bulgaria and Turkey).

You can find more general information on the SOCRATES/ERASMUS programme, its objectives and implementation.

Who can participate in ERASMUS?
To participate in the SOCRATES/ERASMUS programme, you must fulfill the following conditions:

Being a student and enrolled in a formal programme of study at higher education level leading to a degree or a diploma (including doctoral level) in one of the participating countries.

Being a citizen of one the participating countries (or are recognised as having an official status of refugeee or statelesss person or permanent resident).

Having completed at least the first year of your university studies.

How do I participate in ERASMUS and where can I go?
If you fulfill the above conditions, you should contact the International Relations Office or the Socrates Office of your home University. These offices will provide you with information on all the exchanges your institution is involved in, i.e. which universities, which faculties, in which countries etc. You can also check on the website of your home university about its partner institutions!

You can study at selected partner institutions of your home university in one of the thirty participating countries. There are a certain amount of places and grants available at each host university which are given to the students after a selection process organized by your home university.

How long can I go and when?
In the framework of the SOCRATES/ERASMUS programme, you can spend between three months and a full academic year abroad. In general, students spend either the first or the second semester, or a whole year abroad. Academic calendars can vary in the different countries.

Are there any deadlines I need to respect?
There is no single deadline for the student's demands, because each university organises its selection procedure independently. Enquire at your university concerning its application deadlines.

Can I apply for an ERASMUS grant?
Yes. SOCRATES/ERASMUS provides mobility grants to many thousands of students. These grants are intended as a contribution towards covering the extra costs involved in studying abroad, such as travel expenses, language preparation costs, higher general costs of living in the host country. The SOCRATES/ERASMUS grant covers the period of study abroad (from three months to a full academic year).

How do I apply for the ERASMUS grant?
The application procedure for an ERASMUS grant varies from country to country. Contact the international relations office of your home university about the grant application.

How high is the ERASMUS grant?
The awarded amount varies significantly from country to country. In any case, don't expect a full scholarship. The SOCRATES/ERASMUS grant is intended as contribution towards covering the difference in living expenses abroad. It can be combined with additional funds provided by the university, by the member state or by other public or private bodies.

Do I have to pay university fees abroad?
It is a condition of the SOCRATES/ERASMUS programme that no fees (for tuition, registration, examinations, access to laboratory and library facilities etc.) have to be paid to the host institution. However, small fees may be charged for costs, such as insurance, student unions, the use of photocopiers, laboratory products etc., on an equal basis with local students. Where appropriate, normal fees are payable to the home institution.

Will I receive academic recognition at home for my study period abroad?
Yes. The SOCRATES/ERASMUS study period is an integral part of the programme of study at your home university. Full academic recognition must given for the study period abroad, as decided upon in the Learning Agreement.

What is a Learning Agreement?
ERASMUS students are expected to complete a Learning Agreement to be signed by themselves and the home and host institutions. The Learning Agreement is an informal contract that indicates precisely what modules you will be studying. It should be completed well before you arrive at the host institution. Subsequent modifications to the Learning Agreement are permitted as long as they are agreed by all parties concerned. At the end of the study period abroad, the host university will provide the exchange student as well as the sending university with a transcript reporting the results obtained in the agreed programme of study.

What is ECTS?
To facilitate academic recognition, the majority of European universities have adopted the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS). This system provides a common scale for measuring in credits the student workload required to complete course units (for example, one full year of studies generally amounts to 60 credits).

How well do I have to speak the language of the country I will go to?
You must have acquired sufficient knowledge of the language in which the courses you will attend will be taught. This can be through school qualification in a foreign language, foreign language courses at university or simply by having spent some time living abroad.

Are there any preparatory languages courses?
Yes, in general, you can follow preparatory language courses either at your home university before your departure or at your host university before the beginning of your study period abroad. In addition, host institutions of countries, where the national language is less widely used and taught, often offer Intensive Language Preparatory Courses (ILPC) to incoming ERASMUS students.

Who can help me with information about accommodation?
Finding accommodation is one of the first steps in your ERASMUS experience. Often the cheapest alternative is to have a room on campus. You should contact the campus accommodation office of your host institution about this as soon as possible. Both Socrates offices of your home and host university country might be able to help you also. You can also ask at your host university if they have any special places where they post accomodation ads. Generally, there are ads in the local press, too.

How will the ERASMUS study period abroad affect my employment prospects?
According to recent studies, your prospects for employment increase slightly if you spend some time abroad. Many former ERASMUS students, and especially « long-period » ERASMUS students (6 to 12 months), tend to succeed in finding jobs and work tasks linked to the use of the international competences acquired or reinforced during the study period abroad, for example language, professional knowledge of the host country, first hand knowledge of the host culture and society, etc