General information

Erasmus+ is the European Union’s programme for education, young people and sport. Erasmus+ now combines the previous EU programmes for life-long learning, young people and sport and the European cooperation programmes at university level. The programme contains three key actions:

Key action 1 – Learning mobility for individuals

Key action 2 – Partnerships and cooperation projects

Key action 3 – Supporting political reforms

Erasmus+ is endowed with a budget of approx. EUR 14.8 billion. More than four million people will have benefited from the EU funds by 2020. The programme intended to last seven years is designed to boost skills and employability and help modernise the systems involving general and professional training and support for children and young people. You will find information on the Erasmus+ Programme at the European Commission’s website.

The funds primarily support mobility in Europe – and other parts of the world to a lesser extent since 2015. About two million students will have benefited from Erasmus+ by 2020, including more than 250,000 from Germany. Students in all study cycles up to and including PhD candidates are included, if they wish to complete part of their studies abroad or complete an internship there. Students of bachelor’s or master’s degrees or PhD students can obtain funding for up to 12 months for the first time. In order to increase the financial incentive for spending time abroad, the monthly mobility allowance for students is also being increased, particularly for host countries with higher costs of living. Internships abroad will also be possible after you have completed your studies. Finally, Erasmus+ offers students, who would like to complete their master’s degree in Europe, the opportunity of taking out a low-interest loan for this. The previous excellence support from Erasmus Mundus, which supports the complete master’s degree of outstanding students in selected European master’s degree programmes, is being continued within Erasmus+.

Erasmus+ also contributes to the ongoing internationalisation of universities by providing funding for short-term lectureships and further training periods for teaching and administrative staff. Universities can continue to invite company personnel from abroad to spend time teaching and now also become involved in multi-lateral strategic partnerships with other European partners (not necessarily from the academic world) and jointly develop innovative projects (e.g. in the field of curriculum development or issues covering several fields of education). Erasmus+ provides funding for cooperation with the business world in new knowledge alliances. Universities that wish to become involved in the field of capacity development in other countries, can do this within the programme’s international university partnerships.  

The funds for most of the mobility measures and the strategic partnerships are awarded by the national agencies in the 33 programme countries (28 EU members, Iceland, Liechtenstein, FYR Macedonia, Norway, Turkey) and the international partner countries. The German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) continues to perform this function in Germany, as in the past.  

The following mobility measures are funded under the umbrella of the EU training programme:  

  • Periods of study abroad for students (SMS)
  • Internships abroad for students (SMP)
  • Mobility for teaching purposes for university staff (STA)
  • Mobility for further training purposes (STT)

You can obtain more information and advice on the Erasmus+ mobility measures from:
Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst
Nationale Agentur für EU-Hochschulzusammenarbeit
Kennedyallee 50
53115 Bonn
Phone: +49(0)800 2014020
Fax: +49(0)228 882555
E-mail: erasmus@daad.de
Web: www.eu.daad.de 


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The 28 Member States of the European Union: Belgium, Bulgaria, Denmark, Germany, Estonia, Finland, France, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Croatia, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Austria, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Sweden, Slovakia , Slovenia, Spain, Czech Republic, Hungary, United Kingdom [only until 31.05.2023 - Funding rates (Project 2019)], Cyprus     

3 EEA / EFTA countries: Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway     

Candidate Countries: Turkey, Macedonia

Switzerland is currently not participating in Erasmus +.

Current information on funding rates can be found here.

Student mobility for study purposes (SMS)

Students can study in a different participating country through Erasmus+ after completing their first year of study at a European university in order to expand their social and cultural skills there and improve their career prospects. They get to know the academic system at a foreign university and its teaching and learning methods.
Periods of study are funded in all the programme countries.

Advantages of spending time studying abroad

  • Academic accreditation of the study results achieved abroad
  • Exemption from study fees at the host institution
  • Funding for additional costs caused by being abroad
  • Support with preparations (cultural, linguistic, organisational)
  • Special allowances for students with children
  • Special allowances for students with a disability

New Erasmus+ features since the 2014 project year

  • Students can repeatedly obtain funding for each study cycle (bachelor’s, master’s degree, PhD).
  • Funding is available for twelve months in each study cycle.
  • Funding is available for 24 months for some courses (state examinations, Diplom degrees).
  • Internships can be funded from two months onwards (three months in the past) during and after the conclusion of university studies.
  • Teaching degree assistantships are funded as internships.
  • Students, who wish to complete their whole master’s degree abroad in Europe, can do so with a low-interest bank loan.

Students can complete study periods in the programme countries abroad in Europe during any study phase through Erasmus+:

  • Up to twelve months for bachelor’s, master’s degrees or PhD candidates or 24 months for some courses (state examinations etc.).
  • Periods of study abroad in Europe each lasting 3-12 months (more than once possible too).
  • Internships abroad in Europe each lasting 2-12 months (more than once possible too).
  • Internships within one year after completion of a study phase (graduate internships), if the application took place during the final year of the study phase.

Conditions for studying abroad under Erasmus

  • Regular enrolment at a German university
  • Completion of the first year of study
  • Study period at a partner university, with which the home university has signed an Erasmus cooperation agreement (Inter-Institutional Agreement).
  • The home university and host institution have a valid Erasmus Charter for Higher Education (ECHE)

Student mobility for internship purposes (SMP)

Students can complete internships at companies or organisations abroad in Europe.
These periods are funded in all the programme countries.  

Advantages of an Erasmus internship abroad

  • EU internship agreement between the university, company and student
  • Academic accreditation for the internship
  • Support from a contact partner at the home university and in the company during the internship
  • Funding for additional costs caused by being abroad
  • Support with preparations (cultural, linguistic, organisational)
  • Special allowances for students with a disability

Conditions for an Erasmus internship abroad

  • Regular enrolment at a German university
  • Home university and host institution have a valid Erasmus Charter for Higher Education (ECHE)
  • Internships at EU institutions and other EU facilities, including specialist agencies and centres that manage EU programmes, cannot be funded

Selection criteria

The selection and awarding procedure for Erasmus+ must be fair, transparent, coherent and properly documented. The relevant documents must be made available to all the persons involved in the selection process. The funding criteria must be made known to all potential participants. These criteria also apply to people sponsored with zero grants.

Mandatory language tests (OLS)

The European Commission has made available an online language test in all 24 official languages of the EU. This must be completed in the working language by all students/graduates both after the selection/before the period of mobility and also after the end of the study period. However, it is not a selection criterion for funding in the Erasmus+ programme and does not apply to native speakers. The completion of the language test should serve as an introductory test to document the current knowledge of the language of participants who are being funded within Erasmus+ after they have been selected. It should be taken both before the period of study and also at its end to obtain comparable results and, if necessary, to be able to record the progress made by the funded participants in acquiring the language.

The systematic checks on the development of individual language skills across Europe enable an evaluation of the effectiveness of Erasmus+.

Agreements made between partner universities/centres in the Inter-Institutional Agreement (IIA) and Learning Agreement (LA) about particular language skills must therefore not be proven by an online test or confused with it. These language skills must be proven by other certificates when selecting participants.
You will find more information on the OLS website.

Reporting obligation

All those receiving funding, who have taken part in Erasmus+ mobility measures, are obliged to prepare a report via the Mobility Tool Plus after completing their period abroad and submit this with the relevant certificates (e.g. on the duration of the study period).

Personnel mobility for teaching purposes (STA)
Erasmus+ provides funding for visiting lectureships at European partner universities that have a valid Erasmus Charter for Higher Education (ECHE). Visiting lecturers are meant to strengthen the European dimension of the host institution through their stay, expand their teaching opportunities and communicate their specialist knowledge to students who do not want to study abroad or are unable to do so.  

If possible, the development of joint study courses at the partner universities and the exchange of teaching materials and methods should play a role here.
Personnel from foreign companies and organisations can also be invited to German universities for teaching purposes.  

Personnel mobility has to take place in a programme country that is not the country of the sending university (except for incoming mobility – cf. below) and not the main country of residence of the person in question.  

University personnel from a German university with an ECHE may be funded to attend a recipient university with an ECHE (outgoing mobility) for teaching purposes. Any personnel from an institution based in a different programme country (incoming mobility), if they are working in the jobs market or in the fields of general and professional training or young people (cf. Annex C for examples), can be supported at a German university with an ECHE for teaching purposes too.

Periods of teaching within Europe last between two days and two months (without travel time in each case); the amount of teaching is at least eight hours per stay or week or part of a week.

Funding can be provided for the following persons:  

  • Professors and lecturers with a contractual relationship at the university
  • Lecturers without any remuneration
  • Part-time lecturers with work contracts
  • Emeritus professors and retired teaching staff
  • Research assistants
  • Company personnel

Personnel mobility for further training purposes (STT)
Erasmus+ enables further training measures for university personnel in programme countries in order to expand internationalisation.

University personnel from a German university with an ECHE may be funded to attend a recipient university with an ECHE or a different centre based in another programme country for further training purposes, if they are working in the jobs market or in the fields of general or professional training or young people.

The time spent abroad must be at least two days and no more than two months.  

University personnel from all areas can attract funding through the STT programme, for example:  

  • General & technical administration
  • Library staff
  • Specialist departments
  • Faculties
  • Finances
  • International Office
  • PR work
  • Student advice
  • Technology & transfer
  • Further training

 Further training formats (examples)

  • Observers
  • Job shadowing
  • Study visits
  • Participation in workshops and seminars
  • Participation in language courses

Advantages of an Erasmus+ study period

  • Period of study based on a coordinated programme
  • Specialist exchange of ideas and new prospects
  • Strengthening the person’s own skills

Establishing and enhancing networks

Inclusion and diversity - these are the overarching priorities of the Erasmus+ program generation 2021-2027. With different measures and possibilities, the program aims to achieve the goal of more equal opportunities and inclusion in all areas of education. A key component in higher education is the additional financial support for participants with fewer opportunities through top-ups and real cost support.

Students with "fewer opportunities" receive a Top Up of 250€ per month in addition to the regular Erasmus grant:

1) Employed students
The employment must have been carried out continuously for at least six months with a time reference to the mobility. A longer period of employment prior to the start of the mobility is not a criterion for exclusion. The period of employment must be within a time window of 6 months before the application deadline and the date of the start of the mobility.
 

2) Students from a non-academic background
Studies have shown that students whose parents have not already studied themselves are less likely to consider a stay abroad. With additional funding, the Erasmus program aims to encourage these students to take the step abroad. In this case, students whose parents or relatives do not have a degree from a university or university of applied sciences are considered first-time graduates. Here, too, 250 euros are available in addition to the regular monthly Erasmus grant.
A degree from a university-like vocational academy counts as an academic degree. Likewise, courses completed abroad count as an academic degree, even if they are not recognized in Germany. A master craftsman's diploma is not considered an academic degree.
 

3) Students with children
Students who take their child or children abroad with them can also receive an additional 250 euros per month. The prerequisite is that the child or children is/are taken along during the entire stay. The allowance is 250 euros per month per family, regardless of the number of children. The application is also possible if a caregiver (partner) travels with the student.

4) Students with disabilities
Students with a degree of disability of 20 or more can receive a supplement of 250 euros per month.
 

5) Students with a chronic illness
Students with a chronic illness that leads to additional financial needs for the stay abroad can also receive an additional 250 euros per month.
 

Funding with "real costs"

1) Participants with a disability of GdB20 or higher
If particularly high additional costs arise from your stay abroad, a so-called "real cost application" can be submitted instead with a few months' notice, through which up to 15,000 euros per semester can be covered, e.g. for an accompanying person. It is also possible to receive a grant for a preparatory trip to explore the local conditions. This requires a lot of time in advance, so we ask students to seek advice early.

2) Participants with chronic illnesses
If particularly high additional costs arise due to your stay abroad, a so-called "real cost application" can be submitted instead with a few months' advance notice, through which up to 15,000 euros per semester can be covered, e.g. for an accompanying person. It is also possible to receive a grant for a preparatory trip to explore the local conditions. This requires a lot of time in advance, so we ask students to seek advice early.

3) Students with children
If particularly high additional costs arise from bringing your child/children along for your stay abroad, a so-called "real cost application" can be submitted instead with a few months' advance notice, through which up to 15,000 euros per semester can be covered. It is also possible to receive a grant for a preparatory trip to explore the local conditions. This requires a lot of time in advance, so we ask students to seek advice early.

Useful information on universities suitable for people with disabilities can be found at the European Agency for Development in Special Needs Education: www.european-agency.org

Representative for Studies and Disability:
Prof. Dr. Felix Welti
+49 561 804-2970
welti@uni-kassel.de
FB Humanwissenschaften
Arnold-Bode-Str. 10, Raum 3103

Service Center Study and Disability
Fatime Görenekli
+49 561 904-2946
fatime.goerenekli@uni-kassel.de
Campus Center, Moritzstr. 18, Raum 3115

European platform about inclusion and support services InclusiveMobility.eu.