What is Erasmus+?

In the current generation of the programme (2021-2027), Erasmus+ aims to support the objectives of the European education agendas to foster the modernisation, internationalisation and quality improvement of higher education in Europe, to strengthen students' international competences, personal development and employability, to enhance the attractiveness of the EU as a place to study and research, and to contribute to the sustainable development of higher education in third countries.

After all, the programme should also help to build more cross-educational bridges and intensify cooperation between the different education sectors. (erasmusplus.de)

Students in all study cycles who would like to complete a part of their studies or an internship abroad are eligible for funding. Students can be funded for up to 12 months in each of the Bachelor's, Master's and doctoral programmes. Internships abroad are also possible after graduation.

The program offers students and recent graduates at the European University Viadrina:

• secure work covered by an EU contract of employment between the university, the company and the student
• support in finding and planning an internship abroad
• financial support for the additional costs of being abroad
• a certificate (diploma supplement) showing that you carried out an internship or academic recognition of the internship
• foreign language lessons in the relevant language
• extra support for disabled students
• extra support for students with children

The EU Commission Erasmus+ website and information regarding Erasmus+ trainings for students.

The funding is awarded by the national agencies in the program countries. In Germany this task is carried out by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD). He provides further information and advice on the Erasmus + mobility measures:

Deutschen Akademischen Austauschdienst
Nationale Agentur für EU-Hochschulzusammenarbeit
Kennedyallee 50
53115 Bonn
Tel.: +49(0)228/882-8877
Fax: +49(0)228/882-555
E-Mail: erasmus@daad.de
Homepage: www.eu.daad.de

Requirements for applicants

• You are enrolled at the Viadrina as a regular studend (not exchange student)
• Graduates can also receive funding: There are special conditions for the funding of graduates
• You have not “used up” your Erasmus Budget of 12 months in your current degree program
• You have found an internship which fulfils the conditions mentioned below
• You can demonstrate that you have good language skills in the relevant language
• You may not carry out the internship in the country in which you are resident. International students who want to carry out an internship in their home country must be registered as residents in Germany at the time the Grant Agreement is signed.

Requirements for the internship

• The internship has to be carried out in one of the following Erasmus countries:
  The 27 EU member states (excluding Germany) and their overseas territories, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, North Macedonia, Serbia, Turkey, United Kingdom (til 2022).
  Switzerland is not involved in Erasmus+, funding can be received from the Swiss Programme for Erasmus+
• The internship lasts a minimum of 60 days (please note that the 31st day of a month does not count) and a maximum of 360 days (Viadrina supports a maximum of 5 months/150 days of an Erasmus+ internship)
• The internship consists of at least 30 hours per week (fulltime)
• The internship can be integrated into your degree course and is included in the diploma supplement. Ideally, it is included in the course regulations (compulsory or optional)

Criteria for non-recognition

The internship cannot be supported if

• You do not live in the host state during the internship

• You receive other EU support – more than one form of EU support is not permitted
• The internship is provided by an EU institution, any other EU body including special agencies (see list), a body which administers EU programmes (e.g. EU volunteer services)
• the internship is completed in a national diplomatic mission (embassies, permanent missions, etc.) in the recipient's country of origin.
• Support for internships which have already begun cannot be backdated

The financial support for an Erasmus+ internship (SMP), current project 2021/2022

 The rates are based on the living costs in the relevant country.

The first and the last day in the company are relevant for the calculation of the funding amount, not including the 31st of the month. Internship salaries are not taken into account when calculating the funding.

You can submit your application for Erasmus+ support for your internship at any time – but at least 4 weeks before your internship starts – to the Career Center personally or via e-mail. Late applications cannot always be accepted.

The following documents are required:

• a completed and signed application form
• a letter of motivation (1 to max. 2 A4 pages in German or English)
• a CV (in German or English) with photo
• the agreement of the internship provider, e.g. contract, e-mail etc. (can be supplied later in the case of graduate internships)
• a transcript of grades: printout from the HIS portal. Master’s students can provide a copy of their previous degree
• proof of language skills in the relevant language (excerpt from your study book showing language courses provided by the language center or, if applicable, other certificates. If you do not have proof of your language skills you should have your competence evaluated with the help of the German Academic Exchange Service language certificate form (English/French/Spanish – further languages can be found online) at the relevant language center department
• your current confirmatio of enrollment
• for international students who are carrying out the internship in their home countries: proof of main residence in Germany during your studies

What happens after I apply?

If your application corresponds with the conditions for funding, we then take your letter of motivation and course grades into account. You will receive your approval from us by e-mail together with the Erasmus+ required documents and other relevant information.

If your planned internship abroad conforms with the Erasmus+ support criteria, you will receive the following documents by e-mail:

The Grant Agreement regulates the financial support for the internship together with your rights and duties. The support is paid in 2 instalments: 80% before the internship begins and after receipt of all documents and 20% after all proof and reports have been provided after the completion of the internship.

The Learning Agreement for Traineeships is a contract signed by you, the internship provider and the person responsible for internships at the university.

Both documents have to be signed and submitted before your internship starts.

You will also receive the Erasmus+ Students Charter which details the rights and duties of students participating in Erasmus+.

OLS Language Assessment (obligatory)

As the EU Commission wants to measure the improvement in your language skills during your stay abroad, you are required to take an online language test in the relevant language before and after your internship – as long as this is not your native language. If you mainly work in your native language but you can speak the local language (but not at C2 level), you may take the test for the local language. You will receive a test result (level A1 to C2) for your own information, which has NO influence on your scholarship.

You will receive the link to your language assesment before and after the internship by email with your personal login, the deadline for participation and further information. The sender is [noreply@erasmusplusols.eu]. The language test takes about 45 minutes and requires a stable internet connection. Grammar, vocabulary, formulations, listening and reading comprehension are tested. 

To date there is Erasmus+ Online Linguistic Support for the following languages: Bulgarian, Czech, Danish, German, Greek, English, Spanish, Estonian, Finnish, French, Irish, Croatian, Hungarian, Italian, Lithuanian, Latvian, Maltese, Dutch, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Slovak, Slovenian, Swedish.

Online Linguistic Support

User Guide Language Assessment

OLS Language Course (voluntary)

After the first OLS language assessment, all participants have access to the online language course, which is adapted to the language level determined in the language test. For some (rarer) languages, OLS only covers the lower language levels. You can complete the language course in the main working language and / or in the local language of your host country, depending on whether you are at the required level in the test (German, English, French, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish, at least GER level B1, all other languages A2). If the level mentioned is not achieved, you will automatically be assigned a language course and will not be able to complete a course in another language.

User Guide Language Test

It is very much essential that you make sure that you have sufficient insurance coverage before you start your internship.

International Health Insurance

The conclusion of an additional international health insurance is strongly recommended! Although your national health insurance with the European Health Insurance Card generally also protects you when you go to another EU country, you are only covered to the extent of a statutory health insurance in the respective host country. In many cases, however, the level of care and cost coverage in the destination country is lower than the German standard. Furthermore you will have to cover the costs of treatment yourself first and can have these costs reimbursed to a certain extent by your national health insurance. This means that coverage by the European Health Insurance Card or private health insurance may not be sufficient, especially if repatriation or special medical treatment is necessary. Please seek advice from your health insurance company and take out a supplementary international health insurance, which will also cover pandemic situations and necessary repatriation.

Students who do a voluntary paid internship abroad generally have to take out statutory health insurance in the host country. Here, the European rule of compulsory contributions in the host country comes into force.

Accident and liability insurance

All Erasmus+ trainees are required to prove that they are insured against accidents and damage (accident and liability insurance) during their free time and at work.

You have the option of taking out private insurance or using the German Academic Exchange Service Group Insurance . This offers a combined health, accident and liability insurance policy for interns (rate 720) and graduate students on internships abroad (rate 726A). The DAAD Insurance Office will be happy to answer your questions. Proof of insurance cover must be provided in the Grant Agreement.

After your Erasmus+ internship you are required to submit the following proof and reports:

• An internship certificate or the EU Commission’s Traineeship Certificate confirming the internship and its duration
• A short report on your internship or the completed Career Center Online Form concerning recognition of a compulsory internship
• The completed EU Commission EU Survey (online questionnaire)
• The second language assessment in Erasmus + Online Linguistic Support (OLS)

You will receive comprehensive information and the necessary forms by e-mail before your internship ends. Please send us the required documents within 6 weeks of the completion of your internship. We can only pay the second installment of the financial support on receipt of the required proof stated above.

The Career Center assists you during your internship abroad. You can contact us at any time if you have questions or difficulties or if you are unhappy with your internship.

Extension of the Erasmus+ internship abroad

You can apply by e-mail for an extension of your Erasmus+ internship up to one month before the end of your internship. The financial support will be paid corresponding to the new period of time but for no longer than 150 days (see support rates).

Early cancellation of your internship

Please contact us if you want to shorten your internship or want to cancel it. If you want to shorten your internship, please submit the supplement to the Learning Agreement signed by yourself and your internship provider. We will calculate the new amount of financial support and, if necessary, request you to repay the amount overpaid.

If you have not completed the minimum period of 60 days due to personal or family reasons you have to repay all of the financial support received up to that point. This does not apply if you have a certificate from your doctor, in cases of force majeure, or if the German Foreign Office recommends you to leave the country urgently.

Additional funds for students with disabilities

Students or graduates with a degree of disability of at least 30 receive a top-up of EUR 200 per month as part of the Erasmus + funding. The top-up is added to the funding rate of the country of mobility. The funding rate, however, is the amount specified for the Erasmus + study abroad (SMS), which is 105 EUR less than the funding amount for the Erasmus + internship (SMP).

The additional financial needs of students with a GdB over 50 associated with international mobility can be calculated and supported individually. Please contact us!

Additional funds for students with children

Students and graduates who start their mobility with one or more children receive a monthly top-up of EUR 200. Couples can be funded, but the child cannot be given double funding. The top-up is added to the funding rate of the respective country. However, the funding rate is the amount specified for the Erasmus + study abroad (SMS), which is 105 EUR less than the funding amount for the Erasmus + internship (SMP). If you are taking the child with you, you must provide evidence of travel documents or proof of care.

In order to enable Erasus + mobility in times of the corona pandemic, Erasmus+ internships abroad can now be started and supported as virtual or “blended mobility” learning experiences.

If possible, the virtual Erasmus + internship should be based on a "blended mobility" approach: a phase with home office in a host institution abroad should be followed by physical mobility abroad. However, if there are still restrictions due to the corona pandemic, the physical mobility phase can be shortened or canceled and replaced by an extension of the virtual mobility phase. Interruptions between the virtual and the physical mobility phase are also permitted.

The financial support for the internship abroad begins when you travel to the host country. This means that you will not receive any financial support while you are in your home country, as there are no additional costs.

You can use the OLS language support for the entire duration of your internship.

FAQ on Coronavirus and Erasmus + from European Comission