ERASMUS – Studying abroad

You would like to go abroad for some month and study there? No problem. There are many student exchange programs within Europe. One of them is the ERASMUS program which I would like to tell you more about now.


What is it?

ERASMUS stands for “European Region Action Scheme for the Mobility of University Students” and is also named after the Dutch philosopher Desiderus Erasmus of Rotterdam. The programs aims are encouraging and supporting the mobility of students and teachers within the European Union, Switzerland, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Croatia and Turkey.


Who can participate?

Everybody who is studying for a degree or a diploma at a university and has finished the first year of studying can apply for taking part in the program if he or she is a citizen of one of the 31 countries involved in the program.


Details

You can stay and study abroad for 3 to 12 months and you don’t have to pay for your studies during this time, whether at your home university nor at the university you stay during your ERASMUS time. You won’t lose time because of your stay in one of the ERASMUS countries. The period which is spent abroad is fully recognized by your home university when you come back. It is also possible to apply for an ERASMUS grant to help covering your additional expenses of living in a foreign country. This grant can be between 220 and 320 Euros per month. The the final amount depends on the country.


It’s not only about studying

Another aspect of the program is to learn and understand more about the host country and to create a sense of student community. Young people from many different countries meet whilst participating in the ERASMUS program and learn how to work and have fun with people from different parts of Europe.


Interested?

Visit the international office or the ERASMUS coordinator of your university for more information or for applying.


Sources:
www.erasmus.at
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ERASMUS