What are the advantages of being an Erasmus Student?
What do I have to do if I want to study abroad during my degree course?
Eligibility- what year of study can I go in?
Must I be fluent in another language?
Can I participate if I am a part-time student?
Can I study abroad if I am doing an Interdisciplinary Degree?
What does it cost? - Tuition fees
What does it cost? - Other costs
Can I receive any help towards costs that I will incur when studying abroad?
What is the Erasmus student grant?
What criteria do I need to meet in order to qualify for an Erasmus grant?
How much money will I receive?
When do I actually receive this Erasmus grant?
How will I get recognition for my academic performance? What is ECTS?
Will I have to organise my own accommodation?
Is it possible to take my family abroad with me?
Where can I get my ISIC card? (International Student Identity Card)
Return to top of page What is Erasmus?Erasmus, "European Community Action Scheme for the Mobility of University Students" is the European Commission's educational programme for Higher Education students, teachers and institutions. It allows European students to study for part of their degree programme in another European country and to receive full recognition of this period as an integral part of their overall degree.
What are the advantages of being an Erasmus Student?♦ Flexibility – Experience, which encourages and develops a flexible approach to learning and working, is an excellent preparation for employment.
♦ Adaptability - The Erasmus experience allows you to become immersed in another culture, make new friends, obtain a working knowledge of another language and develop skills that will contribute to your employability.
♦ Maturity - You will have acquired life skills which cannot be taught and which may take others significantly longer to acquire.
♦ Employability - The overall educational advantages of studying your subject in another country will contribute considerably to the enhancement of your employability.
You need to ask the Study Abroad Office if your course can include an Erasmus exchange programme. If it is possible, then you need to fill in an Erasmus Outgoing Student Application Form.
After you have completed your application form and had it signed by your School Erasmus Academic Co-ordinator, return it to the Study Abroad Office by 5 March for students wishing to go out in September or 8 October for students wishing to go out in the following January.
You cannot participate on the Erasmus exchange programme during the first year of your course. It is also advised that you do not go during the final year/final semester of your degree, even if course structure allows.
The period between this will then be subject to the requirements of the course you are taking.
It depends on what School you are from and what subject area you are studying. The University of East Anglia (UEA) has agreements with a large number of European institutions in different subject areas. To find out which institutions we have links with in your subject areas, please visit our Partners by School of Study page
Must I be fluent in another language?Speaking, reading and writing English is a major asset but it can also be a serious disadvantage. Your peer group in other European countries can increasingly speak English fluently as well as their mother tongue and frequently at least one other European language. The ability to work in another language will not only enhance your enjoyment of living and working in another country but also enhance your employability.
How fluent?For some links a good prior knowledge, such as A level, of the language is required. However, not all links require fluency. Many institutions provide facilities for you to start learning a language and some European host institutions even teach certain subjects in English.
For advice on what institution may best suit you, please contact the Study Abroad Office or the relevant School Erasmus Academic Coordinator. Do not let the lack of a language deter you however be realistic about your ability to manage studying in another language!
According to the guidelines set out by the Erasmus Council, only full time students are eligible to take part. If your personal and academic criteria allows you to continue your degree programme full-time during the period of the placement (to find out you will have to consult your Personal Tutor), you may be able to participate in the Erasmus exchange programme.
Return to top of page Can I study abroad if I am doing an Interdisciplinary Degree?It will depend on whether UEA has a link with a host institution for at least one of your subject areas. You also need to ensure that you comply with your course requirements, for example, if you’re studying Film and English Studies, and choose to spend your semester abroad at a Literature, Drama and Creative Writing link, it would be likely that this partner would not offer Film modules. This means that you would spend one semester abroad studying English modules and complete the Film Studies modules at UEA upon your return. It is important for you to note that it is not always possible to organise work your UEA course requirements to fit in with the Erasmus programme. It is recommended that you consult the Study Abroad Office or School Erasmus Academic Coordinator to see whether you can fit the programme into your degree.
If UEA has links in both of your subject areas at different host institutions, then you may consider spending one semester at one institution to study one subject, followed by another semester at the second institution studying the other subject, for those wishing to spend a full academic year abroad.
This is something you would need to discuss with your Academic Adviser and the Study Abroad Office.
Return to top of page What does it cost? - Tuition fees
Home/EU students
Outgoing Erasmus students, (classified by the University as either home/EU students) who spend a FULL ACADEMIC year on an Erasmus placement at a partner institution, will currently not be required to pay ANY tuition fees to UEA. You will currently not be required to pay the tuition fee to the partner institution either*. The UK Government will meet the cost of the tuition fee for this entire period as an initiative to encourage student mobility within Europe. This is confirmed for 2012-13 and 2013-14.
If however, you prefer to study for just one semester abroad on the Erasmus programme, you will pay the normal tuition fee for the semester to UEA but no fee to the partner institution*.
UEA International students
If you are classified by UEA as an Overseas student for tuition purposes, and spend an Erasmus period abroad, you will be required to pay the following tuition fees to UEA depending on your study abroad.
♦ Full academic year abroad = 25% of your normal overseas tuition fee
♦ One semester abroad = 100% of your normal overseas tuition fee for the semester at UEA and 25% of your normal overseas tuition fee for the semester at Partner Institution.
You are welcome to participate in the Erasmus exchange programme and like all other UEA students, you will also not be expected to pay tuition fee to the host institution*.
* Please note that if you decide to undertake an optional language course at the host university for whatever period abroad, it may require a small fee that you will be responsible for paying.
Obviously, during your period of study in the host institution you will need to pay for your accommodation, general living costs, books and entertainment. While in some countries this may be more expensive than at home, in other countries the strength of the UK pound makes it very affordable for you to live/study. The Study Abroad Office advises you to do some research on the local living costs of the country so you can budget accordingly.
Can I receive any help towards costs that I will incur when studying abroad?During your study period you will be eligible to continue to receive any student grant or loan to which you are normally entitled, from national or other sources, and you may also obtain an Erasmus student grant.
Return to top of page What is the Erasmus student grant?You may be eligible to receive an Erasmus grant, which contributes towards the extra costs arising from studying abroad, but it will not cover all normal student living expenses and it is not automatic. Erasmus grants in the UK are paid via your home institution (i.e. UEA), which receives an allocation from the UK Erasmus Council for distribution to students. It must be remembered that as the grant is cash limited there may be situations in which you will not receive an Erasmus grant.
What criteria do I need to meet in order to qualify for an Erasmus grant?You must:
• be registered as a full time student at a UK institution of Higher Education;
• spend an approved study period of between 3 to 12 months at an institution in another EU, EEA or "partner" country;
• Not have received a previous Erasmus grant in a similar type of mobility.
However, satisfying these criteria does not guarantee that you will receive a grant and because the grants are allocated on an annual basis UEA will not be able to give you any guarantee in advance.
The amount of grant allocations varies from year to year. It is decided by the UK Erasmus governing organisation in relation to the previous year’s number of outgoing students across the UK.
The amount you receive will depend on how much has been allocated to UEA by the UK Erasmus governing body for distribution to students, and possibly dependent on which country you are going to - and it changes every year. UEA will only be notified about the allocation of grant in August/September prior to the next academic year. Therefore we are unable to quote exactly what the monthly allocations will be.
However, as a guide, we can list the grant entitlement that was available to students in previous years – please note that there is no guarantee that the grant awarded will be in the region of these amounts. It is always possible, that the grant amount could be greatly reduced.
Total monthly grant:
2009-10 = € 225
2010-11 = € 225
2011-12 = € 225 (Please note this is the monthly rate currently offered. Additional funds may become available, but we will only be advised of this in April 2012)
The Erasmus grant is paid in two/three instalments (depending on the length of your period abroad): UEA aims to make the first payment within the first month of the commencement of your placement. Payment, however, is dependant on how efficiently you return all related Erasmus documentation upon arrival at your host institution. The grant will be paid into the UK bank account nominated on your Bank Details Form (which should be returned with your Grant Contract).
Students will be notified nearer the time of their placement about how the grant is paid.
While abroad, you are required to comply with the examination procedures set by the host institution. This may involve written papers and/or oral examinations. Unless there are good reasons to do otherwise, the language of the examination will be the language of tuition for your course at the host institution.
How will I get recognition for my academic performance? What is ECTS?The host institution will issue you an academic transcript in recognition of your study during your period abroad, usually with an ECTS grade attached. ECTS stands for "European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System". It is an arrangement between European educational institutions which makes it possible for the grades you received at your host institution to be translated into equivalent U.K. recognised grades. For further information about how UEA converts the academic grade, please contact the relevant School Erasmus Academic Coordinator.
Will I have to organise my own accommodation?In most cases, the host institution will assist you in finding accommodation. When the host institution sends an information pack to you, it should include information and/or an application form regarding accommodation. If there is an application form, make sure you fill it in and return it to them before the deadline - as places get booked up early and very quickly - and they will do the best they can in order to help you to find a place to live. If the host institution does not provide accommodation, do contact them, as they should be able to direct you to the best local services to help you find private accommodation.
Return to top of page Will I have to give up my rented accommodation in UEA when I go abroad? Will the university provide assistance with renting it out so that I will not lose it while I am away?It is up to you whether you give up your rented accommodation or rent it to friends while you are on your placement. Unfortunately, the university does not provide help with subletting your accommodation. However, if you cannot find candidates to whom you could hand over your place, the Students’ Union Advice Centre in Union House might be able to help.
Is it possible to take my family abroad with me?Yes, but you will not receive extra grant for your family. Also, it is unlikely that the host institution will have appropriate accommodation for families. Therefore, you may have to do some research on accommodation, jobs and possibly schools, prior to your departure.
Is insurance compulsory?The International Office strongly recommends that you take out separate, travel insurance for the period that you are abroad. Make sure that you have emergency coverage for a minimum of £1,000,000 medical costs and repatriation, in the event of an accident/severe illness while you are away. Also, please ensure that if you are taking any individual items of high cost (e.g. a laptop computer) that these items are individually insured or listed on your policy.
Some host universities also require that you have proof of insurance before you enrol. Even if the host university do not insist on private insurance, it is extremely important that you have additional travel insurance or as a minimum, an EHIC card.
It is very useful to obtain an ISIC cards as it is recognised world-wide and they will provide you with discounts in a large number of areas, eg. accommodation, travel, entertainment, clothing etc. You can find out more about it and you can apply for one at this web address: www.isiccard.com
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