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-mobilitaet@daad.de
Web: www.eu.daad.de 

Liability clause
“This project was funded with the support of the European Commission. The author alone bears the responsibility for the content of this publication [message]; the Commission is not liable for the ongoing use of the information that it contains.”

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.

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 can apply for an additional grant of €250 per month on top of the regular Erasmus grant:

1) Employed students
The employment must have been carried out continuously for at least six months in relation to the mobility. A longer period of employment before the start of the mobility is not an exclusion criterion. The period of employment must fall within a time window of 6 months before the application deadline and the time of the start of the mobility. The activity must have taken place within the last 365 days before the start of the mobility (date of the first day of presence at the host institution).

• The activity in Germany will not be continued during the stay abroad (this also includes mobile working, online working, paid vacation, etc.). Notice of termination is not a requirement; the employment contract can also be paused.
• During the minimum period of employment prior to application, monthly earnings must be above EUR 450 and below EUR 850 (net earnings from all activities per month added together).
• As a rule, activities that are carried out on a self-employed basis and dual/part-time degree programs with a fixed salary are excluded.

2) Students from a non-academic background

• Neither parent or guardian has a degree from a university or university of applied sciences.
• A degree from a university of cooperative education that leads to a degree comparable to a university degree is considered an academic degree. In cases of doubt, please refer to the Internet portal Hochschulkompass provided by the HRK and the website of the Accreditation Council Foundation for the evaluation of degrees.
• In this context, a master craftsman's certificate is not to be equated with an academic degree.
• In case of doubt, the onus is on you to prove that your parents' qualifications are not regarded as academic qualifications in the country in which they were obtained and that you are therefore entitled to the top-up amount. This applies in particular to degrees obtained abroad.
• Degrees completed abroad by one of the parents that are not recognized as such in Germany (e.g. physiotherapy) are considered academic degrees within the scope of the eligibility criteria for receiving additional funding, so that there is no entitlement to the top-up amount.

3) Students with children

• At least one child must be taken along during the entire stay.
• The top-up amount is only granted once per student, regardless of the number of children accompanying them.
• The application is also possible if the partner is traveling with the student; double funding is not possible.
• If both parents are sponsored when taking at least two children with them, both parents can receive the grant for taking one child with them.

4) Students with disabilities

• Students with a degree of disability (GdB) of 20 or more
• or students with a proven disability, due to which there is an additional financial need.

5) Students with a chronic illness

• Students with a chronic illness (chronic physical or mental illness) that results in additional financial need.

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.