3. Outgoing Study Mobility (SM)

3.1 SMS

To study abroad with Erasmus+, you must be registered in a higher education institution and enrolled in studies leading to a recognised degree or tertiary-level qualification. For students in the first cycle, you need to be at least in the second year of your studies. By studying abroad with Erasmus+, you can improve your communication, language and inter-cultural skills and gain soft skills highly valued by future employers.

The stays abroad will be sponsored in all programme countries.

Advantages of a study abroad

Academic recognition of the course achievements obtained abroad
Abatement of study fees at the host university
Sponsoring of additional cost
Support with preparation (culturally, linguistically, organizationally)
Extra allowance for students with children
Extra allowance for students with special needs

Erasmus+ updates since project year 2014

Students can be sponsored multiple times per study cycle (bachelor, master, doctorate)
Per study cycle up to 12 months can be sponsored
Comprehensive degree programmes (State examination, Diploma etc.) can be sponsored for 24 months
Internships of 2 months duration (to date 3 months) can be sponsored during and after completion of studies
Teaching assistant placements will be sponsored as internships.
Students who are planning to complete an entire Master’s programme abroad (in Europe) can apply for a low-interest loan

With Erasmus+ students can complete a study abroad in programme countries during each phase of their study:

Up to 12 months for Bachelor, Master and doctorate studies and up to 24 months for comprehensive degree programmes (State examination, etc.)
Stay abroad in Europe of 3-12 months duration (also multiple times)
Internships abroad in Europe of 2-12 months duration (also multiple times)
Internships within one year after completion of a degree programme, if the application has been submitted within the last year of the study programme.

Requirements for a study abroad with Erasmus

Regular enrolment at a German university
Completion of the first study year
Stay at partner university with which home university has an Inter-Institutional Agreement.
Sending and receiving university have a valid Erasmus Charta (ECHE)

3.2 SMP

Within the Erasmus programme students can complete internships at companies and organizations in European countries.

The stay abroad will be sponsored in all programme countries.

Advantages of an Erasmus-internship abroad

EU-internship contract between university, company, and student
Academic recognition of the internship
Supervision by academic supervisor and company supervisor
Sponsoring of additional costs
Support with preparation (culturally, linguistically, organizationally)
Extra allowance for students with special needs.

Requirements for an Erasmus-internship abroad

Regular enrolment at a German university
Sending and receiving university have a valid Erasmus Charta (ECHE)
No sponsorship of internships in EU-Institutions and other EU-facilities and institutions which administer the EU-programmes

3.3 Eligibility criteria

The selection procedure for Erasmus+ needs to be fair, transparent and coherent and properly documented. The relevant documents need to be freely accessible for all parties involved. Eligibility criteria need to be communicated to all potential participants. These criteria also apply to Zero-Grant-Students.

The number of available exchange mobilities is limited. In case a selection procedure must take place to select students who applied for the same partner university, the following criteria will be decisive:

Weighted grade point average (average and total number of credit points)
Language skill
Letter of motivation (max. 500 words).

3.4 Compulsory language test

The European commission provides an online language test for certain languages (DE, EN, ES, FR, IT, NL). Students/Graduates are obliged to take the test in the language of instruction both after selection/before start of mobility and after completion of stay. Yet, it does not constitute eligibility criteria for sponsorship within the Erasmus+ Programme and does not apply to native speakers. After selection of the participants who are to be sponsored within Erasmus+, the completion of the language test shall serve as placement test for documentation of the current language level. The test should take place both before their stay abroad and at the end of their stay in order to acquire comparable results and, if applicable, record achieved advancements concerning the language acquisition of the sponsored participants.

The systematic and European-wide review of the development of individual language competences enables an evaluation of the effectiveness of Erasmus+.

Agreements made between partner universities/institutions through the Inter-Institutional Agreement (IIA) and Learning Agreement (LA) about certain language levels may consequently not be proven by and shall not be confused with online examinations. These language competences must be secured through other evidence in the selection of participants.

3.5 Erasmus+ Student Charta

The rights and duties of students in the Erasmus+ Programme are settled in the “Erasmus+ Student Charta” which will be provided to each student before the stay abroad.

3.6 Reference Special Sponsorship

Erasmus+ shall promote equality of opportunity and inclusion which is why individuals from disadvantaged conditions (valid in Germany in the Erasmus+ Programme for single parents during their study abroad) and with special needs have eased access to the programme.

3.7 Special Sponsorship of Participants with Disability

Useful information about disability-friendly Universities of the European Agency for Development in Special Needs Education

3.8 Special sponsorship of students with children as allowance (Only SMS)

Students who wish to bring their child/children to a programme country during the Erasmus+ stay and who are single parents during the Erasmus+ mobility may receive special aid in the form of allowances. The maximal monthly sponsor rate is determined by the three country groups. This is also valid for sponsored students in SMP.

3.9 Note: Duty to report

All sponsored students who participated in an Erasmus+ mobility action are obliged to prepare a report about the mobility tool plus and hand it in together with corresponding evidences (e.g. length of stay) after completion of their action.