17 September 2014

A few things you need to know about the Erasmus scholarships

Are you interested in studying in another European country and experiencing a new educational system?
GEYC will give you some info about how you can enroll in the fascinating universe of the Erasmus scholarships programme.
Read away!







Have you always wondered how it would be like to live and study in a different country?
Then, the Erasmus programme is exactly what you need.

What is the Erasmus programme? It's a student exchange programme, established in 1987 that gives students in Europe the possibility to study abroad in another European country.
Currently there are more than 4000 higher educational institutions involved in the Erasmus programme, over 33 countries across Europe and millions of students benefiting from Erasmus scholarships.

What are the advantages of the Erasmus scholarship, you might wonder.
Well, it's pretty obvious.
You get to live and study in another European city, free of charge, while receiving a scholarship that will cover most of your living expenses, plus the programme guarantees that the credits you obtain in the partner institution are recognised by your home university.

But Erasmus is so much more than that - is, above all, a cultural phenomenon.
A once in a lifetime experience that will teach you a great deal in terms of adjusting to a new society, to a new educational system, about living in another place with people from all corners of the continent or even the world and will open up your appetite for exploring new cultures, languages and lifestyles.
The Erasmus experience changes the way you perceive your own culture and the way you relate to other, while introducing you to a completely different educational system.

So, who can apply for an Erasmus scholarship?

Any student of any nationality, studying at a higher education institution, awarded with the Erasmus Charter for Higher Education. The learning mobility is based on partnerships between sending and receiving educational institutions.

Therefore, the first thing to do is to address your international office or Erasmus office and ask them what are the partners of your university, what documents you require in order to apply and what are the modalities to apply and receive a grant. In most cases, you need to submit a motivation letter, at least one recommendation and pass a language test prior to your mobility, but these requirements differ from one university to another.  Any Undergraduate, Postgraduate or Doctoral student undertaking an Erasmus study program in a partner institution is eligible for an Erasmus Scholarship.

You'll probably have to go back and forth a few times and discuss your learning agreement both with your Erasmus coordinator from your home university and your host university, but once you get all the paperwork out of the way, you will realize that Erasmus creates a certain sense of community among students and it's an experience that you'll probably cherish for the rest of your life because it opens up a variety of different perspectives, culturally and educationally.

If you want to get even more info on the matter be sure to check out also:
Erasmus 24_7, the first documetary about the programme and
L'auberge espagnole, a movie that's going to give you an idea on how does it feel like to be a student in a completely new environment.

If you have already been an Erasmus student, don't despair, there is life (even) after Erasmus  - check out this platform meant to bring together the Erasmus generation and facilitate job mobility across Europe. garagerasmus