Applications to the Erasmus+ should be made through your current institution. In order to find out which placements are on offer, you should speak to your university’s Erasmus+ coordinator.
Note that you should normally apply the year before you wish to undertake a placement.
Students wishing to undertake traineeships can also make use of the ErasmusIntern, a student networking site which brings together traineeship providers and students seeking opportunities abroad.
Eligibility
Placements must usually take place in an Erasmus Programme Country, though Partner Countries can take part in some activities. Speak to your Erasmus+ coordinator to find out more.
As noted above, placements can be undertaken after you finish your PhD, but you must:
- Apply for a placement before you graduate
- Complete your placement within one year of finishing your PhD
Online Linguistics Support (OLS)
As a prerequisite for entering the Erasmus+ programme, all students must undertake an OLS language assessment before departure.
This is to ensure that your language ability meets the requirement for the institution at which you wish to undertake your placement.
The results of the language assessment will not prevent participants from taking part in Erasmus+.
Instead, the OLS provides a support scheme through which your language acquisition can be improved.
OLS is available in Czech, Danish, Dutch, English, French, German, Greek, Italian, Polish, Portuguese, Spanish and Swedish. These are the main languages for the majority of Erasmus+ experiences.
Proficiency is increased through online tutoring, MOOCs, forums, and more.
Participants whose language ability is sufficient may opt to follow a course in the local language instead, provided the language is available on OLS.
In cases where linguistic support is not available through OLS, other means of support will be provided by either your sending or receiving institution.
When you return from your placement you will undertake another OLS assessment, to monitor how far your proficiency has been improved.
Learning agreement
Whether you undertake a traineeship or a studentship, you will sign a Learning Agreement which outlines how your placement will be undertaken.
For traineeships, it will outline the rights and responsibilities of the various parties involved in the placement, including yourself. It will also outline how your traineeship will be recognised upon successful completion.
For studentships, the Learning Agreement will outline how your study period will be successfully completed, as well as how your period abroad will be academically recognised.
Grant agreement
Even if you are not eligible for a grant, you will sign a Grant Agreement which acknowledges the duration of your placement and your rights and obligations.
Know your rights
Although EU laws apply to all EU countries, individual countries may have variations in laws which you might take for granted.
It is also important to note that Partner Countries will not follow EU law.
All students undertaking study abroad should read Your rights as a mobile student published by the European Commission.