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Students on Erasmus in 2017/18

An information session was held on Thursday, 30th March for all students due to go on an Erasmus study visit commencing in autumn 2017/18.  There will be a further information session later in the year for students who aren't starting their Erasmus studies till early 2018.

View the Erasmus Outgoing Presentation.

Documents available to download:

Erasmus Grant Application Form 2017/18

Erasmus Outgoing Student Information Brochure 2017/18

NUI Galway Learning Agreement 2017/18

Grant Acknowledgement Form Erasmus Studies 2017/18

MY ERASMUS STUDY VISIT - WHAT DO I NEED TO DO, AND WHEN?

1) Erasmus Grant Application

Please be sure to submit your Erasmus grant application form to the International Affairs Office before the deadline (27th April 2017 for Semester 1 or Full Year study visits; 24th November 2017 for Semester 2 study visits).  Students interested in Erasmus traineeships (i.e. working instead of studying abroad as a recognised part of your course) should click on the relevant link on the left-hand menu.  If you applied for a study visit but subsequently opt for a traineeship instead (for instance, a teaching assistantship), you MUST submit a new application form for a traineeship and notify the International Office that you are no longer taking part in the study visit.

2) Facebook

We have set up a Facebook page for NUI Galway's 2017/18 outgoing students.  A link has been sent to all the relevant students by e-mail.  You should request to join the group, as it will be an important source of information and support before and during your study visit.

3) Learning Agreement

The NUI Galway Learning Agreement 2017/18  is a very important document in relation to your Erasmus visit and it should be completed before you begin your studies abroad. It may even be requested by your host university as part of your application. You should complete this in consultation with your academic coordinator. There is a flow chart to help you in filling it out. The first section of the learning agreement (entitled "Before the Mobility") is supposed to be completed before you commence your studies abroad. It is a matter for your academic coordinator(s) and, unless you are a BA non-language student, it does not need to be submitted to the International Office of NUI Galway.  Please make sure that your academic coordinator has a copy of the completed document when it's been signed by all three parties.  

If you make changes to your course choices after you start your studies at the host university, then you will need to record them on the section entitled "During the Mobility".  Again, this must be signed by all three parties, and you should make sure that both you and your academic coordinator have copies.

Please note that there is an important final section of the learning agreement entitled After the Mobility. This final section is aimed at guaranteeing the recognition of your studies abroad. The transcripts that you will receive from both your host university abroad and from NUI Galway will constitute this final section of the learning agreement and can substitute for the "After the Mobility" section, so that you should not need to ask your host university to provide the "after the mobility" page separately. 

4) Online Linguistic Support (OLS)

If you will be studying through French, German, Italian or Spanish, you will be required to take an online language assessment before you go on Erasmus.  An invitation will be sent to you by e-mail from @erasmusplusols.eu so please make sure you don’t overlook it or allow it to get lost in your spam folder. Please check the deadline for taking the test and make sure you adhere to it.  You will receive a grade according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages.  The result cannot be used to prevent you taking part in Erasmus, but if you do not do well, it might be an indication that you need to work on your language skills to bring them up to the required level.  Having completed the assessment, you may be given access to a free online language course.  It is highly recommended that you follow this course as a linguistic preparation for your studies abroad. You will be required to take a further linguistic assessment at the end of your studies.  See http://erasmusplusols.eu/. 

We cannot issue grant agreements (see below) to language students until they have completed the first OLS assessment.

5) Grant Agreement

Two copies of the Erasmus Grant Agreement will be sent to all outgoing students as part of their "Erasmus information pack" - that's a large white envelope that's sent out after the application deadline has passed.  It will also contain your nomination letter, Study Abroad Declaration, Erasmus Student Charter and other essential documents.  It is vital that you send us one copy of the Grant Agreement, completed and signed by you, along with the signed Study Abroad Declaration, BEFORE you leave to go on Erasmus.  Students going abroad in the autumn can expect to receive their pack in June, provided they have completed the OLS assessment where relevant.  Students due to start their Erasmus studies in January may expect to receive their Erasmus pack in December.

Please note that you will be required to provide, on the grant agreement, details of the insurance that you hold in relation to travel, medical treatment abroad and repatriation.  You should research and purchase a suitable private insurance policy in addition to the European Health Insurance Card.  Your grant agreement will not be considered valid unless you can provide us with the name and number of your insurance policy.

6) Certificate of Arrival

WHEN YOU ARRIVE AT YOUR HOST UNIVERSITY, you should bring your Certificate of Arrival to the International Office there and get it completed and signed. You should not fill in the dates yourself; they should be filled in by an official of the host university. You must send this form promptly to NUI Galway: without it we cannot pay your Erasmus grant. You can send it by post or by email.

7) Grant Acknowledgement Form

You must complete an acknowledgement form for every for every Erasmus grant instalment that you receive:  Grant Acknowledgement Form Erasmus Studies 2017/18 .  Please make sure to write in the correct amount and to SIGN the form.  You can return it to us by post, fax or e-mail (PDF only).  Do please read carefully the instructions on the form.  This form is only for 2017/18 students; students who were on Erasmus in 2016/17 should click on the relevant tab at the top of the page and use the form that they'll find on that page.

8) Certificate of Attendance

BEFORE YOU LEAVE YOUR HOST UNIVERSITY, you will need to get your Certificate of Attendance completed, signed and stamped by a representative of your host university (e.g. International Officer or designated contact person in the faculty where you've been studying).  
The dates on the cert of attendance should be the dates between which you were officially required to attend the host university, and they may include an orientation programme or a language course (if applicable) and examinations, but should not include flat-hunting or leisure days at the beginning or end. On no account should you request your host university to post-date this form; it should be signed and dated at the time when you are leaving. 
You must return this document to the International Office at NUI Galway or you will not be eligible for your final grant instalment.  You may send it to us by post, fax or e-mail, but if you are sending it by e-mail, please remember that we can only accept PDF files.  Please do not send jpeg files, photos or OneDrive files.
And remember: you should keep a copy of this very important document before you send it to us.

9) Other things you'll need to do when you're finishing your studies abroad

A few weeks before you are due to finish, you will receive an e-mail from a European Commission address requesting you to complete an online report on your Erasmus experience.  Please check your junk mail/spam folder if you don't receive the e-mail.  The online report is obligatory for every student taking part in Erasmus.  The Narrative Report, on the other hand, is not compulsory, but it will be greatly appreciated by future students if you would take the time to complete it.

If you had to take the OLS language test before your studies abroad, then you will be required to take a second assessment at the end of your study visit.  You will receive an e-mail inviting you to take this test two weeks before the finish date that you indicated on your OLS profile.  Please check your junk mail/spam folder if you don't receive the e-mail.

General Information

A useful source of information for students who are moving to another EU country is the website Just Landed, which contains extensive country guides with information on housing, visas, health, education, culture, and moving abroad.  They also have an online community, where people can ask questions, share experiences about living abroad, and network in specific country and city forums. Besides that, the webpage offers housing and jobs ads.

Philox is a useful tool for making contact with students around Europe to discuss issues related to studying and living abroad, travel, etc. It also provides information on career planning and job searching.

Students with Disabilities

The Higher Education Accessibility Guide provides information to students with disabilities who are considering study abroad opportunities. The database provides information to the student (in English and host country language) on the range of supports which are available in participating countries. You can find out more by downloading the HEAG flyer and you can access the database at www.european-agency.org/agency-projects/heag.

If you have a severe disability or exceptional special needs, you may be eligible to apply for a grant to assist with the associated additional costs in relation to spending an Erasmus study period abroad.  The International Office has e-mailed all outgoing students in relation to this.

Students going on Erasmus in 2016/17

GRANT PAYMENTS - LATEST

GRANT PAYMENTS, FINAL INSTALMENTS: These are being paid in batches, according as students complete all the necessary paperwork (see list below, points 6, 7 and 8).  Please don't forget to send a Grant Acknowledgement Form for the FINAL instalment.  This form is ONLY for 2016/17 students.  If you are a 2017/18 student acknowledging receipt of your first Erasmus grant instalment, please click on the 2017/18 tab above.

MY ERASMUS STUDY VISIT - WHAT DO I NEED TO DO, AND WHEN?

1) Erasmus Grant Application

Applications for Erasmus study visits in the 2016/17 academic year have now closed.  Students interested in Erasmus traineeships (i.e. working instead of studying abroad as a recognised part of your course) should click on the relevant link on the left-hand menu.

2) Facebook

There is a Facebook closed group for NUI Galway's 2016/17 outgoing students. It's called NUI Galway Outgoing Erasmus 2016/17 and a link was sent to all the relevant students by e-mail. You should find the group and request to join.

3) Learning Agreement

The Learning Agreement is a very important document in relation to your Erasmus visit and it should be completed before you begin your studies abroad. It may even be requested by your host university as part of your application. You should complete this in consultation with your academic coordinator. There is a flow chart to help you in filling it out. The first section of the learning agreement (entitled "Before the Mobility") is supposed to be completed before you commence your studies abroad. It is a matter for your academic coordinator(s) and, unless you are a BA non-language student, it does not need to be submitted to the International Office of NUI Galway.  Please make sure that your academic coordinator has a copy of the completed document when it's been signed by all three parties.  

If you make changes to your course choices after you start your studies at the host university, then you will need to record them on the section entitled "During the Mobility".  Again, this must be signed by all three parties, and you should make sure that both you and your academic coordinator have copies.

Please note that there is an important final section of the learning agreement for After the Mobility. This final section is aimed at guaranteeing the recognition of your studies abroad. The official transcripts that you will receive from both your host university abroad and from NUI Galway will constitute this final section of the learning agreement and can substitute for the "After the Mobility" section, so that there should be no need to request the After Mobility page separately from your host university. 

4) Grant Agreement

Two copies of the Erasmus Grant Agreement are sent to all outgoing students as part of their "Erasmus information pack" - that's a large white envelope that's sent out after the application deadline has passed.  It will also contain your nomination letter, Study Abroad Declaration, Erasmus Student Charter and other essential documents.  It is vital that you send us one copy of the Grant Agreement, completed and signed by you, along with the signed Study Abroad Declaration, BEFORE you leave to go on Erasmus.  

Please note that you will be required to provide, on the grant agreement, details of the insurance that you hold in relation to travel, medical treatment abroad and repatriation.  You should research and purchase a suitable private insurance policy in addition to the European Health Insurance Card.  Your grant agreement will not be considered valid unless you can provide us with the name and number of your insurance policy.

5) Certificate of Arrival

WHEN YOU ARRIVE AT YOUR HOST UNIVERSITY, you should bring your Certificate of Arrival to the International Office there and get it completed and signed. You should not fill in the dates yourself; they should be filled in by an official of the host university. You must send this form promptly to NUI Galway: without it we cannot pay your Erasmus grant. You can send it by post or by email.

6) Grant Acknowledgement Form

You must complete a Grant Acknowledgement Form for every Erasmus grant instalment that you receive.  Please make sure to write in the correct amount and to SIGN the form.  You can return it to us by post, fax or e-mail (PDF only).  Do please read carefully the instructions on the form.

7) Certificate of Attendance

BEFORE YOU LEAVE YOUR HOST UNIVERSITY, you will need to get your Certificate of Attendance 2016/17 completed, signed and stamped by a representative of your host university (e.g. International Officer or designated contact person in the faculty where you've been studying).  The Cert of Attendance is an official confirmation from the host university that you have finished your studies there. This means it should only be issued to you at the very end of your studies. You should leave it till the end of your time at the host university, or make arrangements in advance so that it is (a)  completed to show the date of your last exam and (b) signed close to that time.
The dates on the cert of attendance should be the dates between which you were officially required to attend the host university, and they may include an orientation programme or a language course (if applicable) and examinations, but should not include flat-hunting or leisure days at the beginning or end. On no account should you request your host university to post-date this form; it should be signed and dated at the time when you are leaving.  
You must return this document to the International Office at NUI Galway or you will not be eligible for your final grant instalment.  You may send it to us by post, fax or e-mail, but if you are sending it by e-mail, please remember that we can only accept PDF files.  Please do not send jpeg files, photos or OneDrive files.
And remember: you should keep a copy of this very important document before you send it to us.

8) Other things you'll need to do when you're finishing your studies abroad

A few weeks before you are due to finish, you will receive an e-mail from a European Commission address requesting you to complete an online report on your Erasmus experience.  Please check your junk mail/spam folder if you don't receive the e-mail.  The online report is obligatory for every student taking part in Erasmus.  The Narrative Report, on the other hand, is not compulsory, but it will be greatly appreciated by future students if you would take the time to complete it.

If you had to take the OLS language test before your studies abroad, then you will be required to take a second assessment at the end of your study visit.  You will receive an e-mail inviting you to take this test two weeks before the finish date that you indicated on your OLS profile.  Please check your junk mail/spam folder if you don't receive the e-mail.

Some explanations to help you in managing your paperwork

I have to fill in various application forms - what are they all for?

The Erasmus Grant Application Form is an NUI Galway internal form; its purpose is to provide the International Affairs Office with all your details for our records and to allow us to pay your Erasmus grant into your bank account. Please do not confuse it with the host university's application form: you will have to apply to your host university for admission as an Erasmus student. Make sure you know what you need to do in this regard; if in doubt, check with your departmental coordinator. Please make sure that you are aware of, and observe, the deadline of your host university in relation to your application. If in any doubt, check the relevant website. The onus is on you, the student, to ensure that your application is properly filled in, includes all necessary documentation, and arrives at your host university in time. Bear in mind also that a housing application form will need to be completed if you plan to take a room in a university residence abroad - early application is advisable.

How do I get the application form for the host university?

The first stage in this process is that your coordinator at NUI Galway will officially nominate you to the host university, and after that you can expect to receive instructions by e-mail from the host university about the application procedure.  As there is a danger that legitimate e-mails can end up in your spam folder, you should check this regularly. If you haven’t heard anything from your host university a month before the deadline, notify your NUI Galway coordinator. 

Online application forms are widely used by our partner universities. However, you may have to print out the form or part of it and have it signed by your NUI Galway coordinator before sending it to the host university by post. Make sure you observe the application deadline!  You should receive a confirmation of acceptance from the host university within a month or so of the deadline.

What happens after I submit my NUI Galway Erasmus application form?

In advance of the start of their Erasmus studies, the International Affairs Office sends each outgoing student an Erasmus Pack containing your grant agreement, a letter of nomination and other official documentation in connection with the Erasmus study visit. This will be sent to the home address that you provide on your application form. If you are a language student, this package will only be sent to you when you have completed the compulsory pre-Erasmus OLS language test. 
Please read all the material (as well as any e-mails from the International Office) very carefully and follow any instructions given in relation to return of documents, etc. You will be required to complete two copies of the " Grant agreement for Erasmus+ Higher Education Studies 2016/17", which is your financial contract with NUI Galway; one copy is for you to keep, and the other copy must be sent to the International Affairs Office, NUI Galway, BEFORE you leave to commence your studies abroad; otherwise you will not be eligible to receive an Erasmus grant. You must also sign the blue Study Abroad Declaration and return it with your grant agreement to the International Office.

The information package will come in a large white envelope with a label that says "Important Documents Inside". If you are not going to be at home during the summer, please make sure it is put aside safely for you and that you send back the grant agreement before you set off on Erasmus in the autumn.  September is a very busy time of year for us and we won't be able to issue replacement copies of lost documentation.

What's the difference between the Grant agreement (for Erasmus+ Higher Education Studies 2016/17) and the Learning Agreement?

The Grant Agreement is your "financial contract" with NUI Galway, setting out the terms and conditions of your study visit and your Erasmus grant. It's a four-page document that requires your signature alongside that of the Dean of International Affairs. It is provided in hard copy only. It is vital that you return this document to the International Office BEFORE you begin your study period abroad.  You will have to provide the details of your travel insurance (policy name and number) on your grant agreement; without this information it's not valid.

Please do not confuse this document with the Learning Agreement, where you will list the courses you are to take while abroad. You will need to get the approval of your academic coordinators, both here and at your host university, for your course choices; this is indicated by their signature on your Learning Agreement. 

I've seen different versions of the Learning Agreement - which one am I supposed to use?

Some partner universities issued their incoming students with an older version of the learning agreement while they were waiting for the new Erasmus learning agreement to be published. Some may still be using this. However, the European Commission expects that all students pursuing Erasmus studies use the approved . There is a flow chart to help you in filling it out. Please note that the transcripts that you will receive from both your host university abroad and from NUI Galway will form a final part of your learning agreement, aimed at guaranteeing the recognition of your studies abroad.