Erasmus - What you need to know

Under the Erasmus+ student mobility scheme, you can study abroad as follows:

• stays of 3-12 months (multiple stays are possible) per study cycle (Bachelor, Master, Doctorate)
• stays in one of the 27 member states of the European Union as well as in Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Northern Macedonia, Serbia and Turkey

• There must be a student exchange agreement between the home university and host university. Individual applications are not possible.
• The home and host universities must prove a valid Erasmus Charter (ECHE).
• Participants must be enrolled at the University of Erfurt institution for the entire duration of the Erasmus exchange.
• Upon beginning their study abroad period participants must have completed the first year of their studies. Bachelor students must have completed the orientation phase.

The financial support for Erasmus+ student stays is based on the different costs of living in the destination countries ("Programme Countries"). For the academic year 2024/25, the following funding rates for study visits (SMS) apply:

• Hosting country group 1 (600 EUR per month, 20 EUR per day): Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Great Britain, Ireland, Iceland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Austria, Sweden
• Hosting country group 2 (540 EUR per month, 18 EUR per day): Estonia, Greece, Latvia, Malta, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Czech Republic, Cyprus
• Hosting country group 3 (540 EUR per month, 18 EUR per day): Bulgaria, Croatia, Lithuania, Poland, Republic of North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, Turkey, Hungary

The maximum funding period is expected to be 4 months for one-semester stays and 8 months for two-semester stays. Any additional days or months of stay count as a zero grant (no mobility grant). For shorter stays, the funding period is reduced to the actual study and examination period abroad in accordance with the grant agreement.

The mobility grant is usually paid out in two instalments. A large part of the mobility grant (in the 2024/25 academic year this is 75% of the mobility grant) should be available to Erasmus students before departure, the last instalment is paid after completion of the study abroad and after submission of all documents.

Top-up amount for students with fewer opportunities:
Students with a chronic illness (see RKI website) or a disability from GdB20 can apply for a monthly top-up amount of 250 EUR. Alternatively, it is possible to apply to the National Erasmus Agency for funding of the real costs (so called "long application"). Students who are going abroad with child(ren), first-time academics and students who have been in employment subject to social security contributions for at least 6 months prior to their mobility abroad and have earned more than €450 and less than €850 net per month can also apply for the top-up amount.

Top-up amount for green travel:
Funding for up to 6 days of travel is provided for "green travel" to and from the partner university.

The detailed funding criteria will be communicated to the participants in the ERASMUS programme in advance of the conclusion of the grant agreement.

Due to limited financial resources, it is possible that some of the outgoing Erasmus students in the 2024/25 academic year will receive the mobility grant from the funds of the 2023/24 funding year. The funding rates for the 2023/24 academic year will then also apply to these students. We will ensure that only students for whom the funding amount will not change in 2024/25 compared to 2023/24 are selected for this, so that it makes no financial difference from which funding year the funding is provided.

Information on the The German Federal Training Assistance Act (BAföG) is available online at https://www.bafög.de/de/europa-oder-der-rest-der-welt-589.php