Erasmus is a European programme for students. More exactly, Erasmus is the higher education action of Socrates II programme.

There are already more than 2000 educational institutions participating in Erasmus and each year opens new destinations.

Going abroad is a certain advantage: proof of dynamism, motivation and a true experience. But this experience will be even more valuable that this project follows the path of further education. The Erasmus programme is a real adventure for a student, opening the doors of the European culture and demonstrating international ability with its diploma.

The Socrates programme

Overall responsibility for implementing Socrates/Erasmus lies with the European Commission. Its purpose is to enhance the quality the European dimension of higher education. It seeks to reinforce transnational cooperation between universities, boosting European mobility and encourage full academic recognition of studies and qualifications throughout the Union (with ECTS, European Credit Transfer System).

Currently 31 countries participate to the programme, with all 25 member States of the European Union, the three countries of the European Economic Area (Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway) and the three candidate countries (Bulgaria, Romania and Turkey).

Socrates covers also other European programmes on education (high education, adult courses, research...) :

• Erasmus : Higher education.
• Comenius : School education.
• Grundtvig : Adult education and other education pathways.
• Lingua : Learning European languages.
• Minerva : Information and communication technologies (ICT) in education.

Socrates is not only for students, but also for teachers, professors and other university teaching staff.

The Erasmus programme

Erasmus is the most important programme of education exchange organized by the Commission of the European Community. Since the Erasmus creation in 1987, 1.2 million students have benefited of a study period abroad. The Erasmus budget for the year 2004 is more than € 187.5 million.

This programme allows a student registered at university to do part of his/her study in another European country, with the insurance to have full recognition for your study period abroad at home (ECTS: European Credit Transfert System, see below).

Erasmus offers the possibility of studying abroad for a period of between 3 months and 1 year.

The programme of studies which you will follow abroad (as well as the confirmation of academic achievement protocol) is set out before the departure by the student, the home university and the host university, and must be agreed in writing by all three parties. The student's progress is followed by both universities during his/her stay, therefore all possible difficulties can be assessed quickly and managed expediently.

ECTS

The ECTS (European Credit Transfer System) system is attached to Socrates-Erasmus. Total recognition of periods of study abroad is a condition of quality and volume of student mobility in Europe. The aim of ECTS is to guarantee this recognition.

The ECTS is settled on three key elments :

• information on education programmes and results of the student;
• mutal agreement between the universities and the student;
• use of ECTS credits (values that represent the amount of work done by the student).

These 3 elements are made possible through three documents, i.e.: information package, learning agreement/contract agreed by the student, transcript of records showing the ECTS credits gained.

The credit system represents the volume of work that the student must give to each module/course, affected by a value. Student workload consists of the time required to complete all planned learning activities such as attending lectures, seminars, independent and private study, preparation of projects, examinations, and so forth.

60 Credits represent the workload of year of study; normally 30 Credits are given for semester and 20 credits for a trimester, one credit stands for around 25 to 30 working hours). Those credits allocated to modules and courses can only be obtained after successful completion of the work required and appropriate assessment of the learning outcomes achieved.

How does it work?

ECTS grades make study programmes easy to read and compare for all students, local and foreign, with respect for the marks of the host institution.
Students are marked on a statistical basis as ECTS credits express a relative value.

Example of graduation:

It is important to note that the ECTS grade does not replace that of the institution. The ECTS grading system gives information which is in addition to that provided on the host institution's standard transcript, after agreement with the home institution. The ECTS grade is indicated alongside the mark awarded by the institution on the student's transcript of records.

An ECTS student can, in case of success and approval of both home and host instittutions, carry on a longer stay or move to a third university.

Administrative procedures

It is advised to start preparing your stay at least 1 year before your departure, in order to find all the differents possibilities that are offered, and to avoid missing a deadline (registration time, allowances...).

It's usually better to leave after having achieved a first degree (ordinary degree, Bachelor of Engineering or B.Sc for example), or even after a post degree or Master in order to complete your studies.

It is possible to go without an exchange programme and to contact yourself a foreign university in order to continue your studies. You must first check that the degree will be recognised both in the host country and at home. Nothing worse than to realize at the end of the stay that you won't be able to use your new qualification in your home country.

Language level

In any cases, it's better to check your level in the language before to go, and possibly attend a language leaning course, as you will have to be able to follow the courses.

Some institutions organize tests and select the students based on their skills on the language: Deutsches Sprachdiplom in German, or Dele in Spanish and TOEFL in English.

In addition a student can get an Erasmus Intensive Language Courses (EILCs) offered at host universities.

Student allowance, grants

The Erasmus grant is intended as contribution towards covering the difference in living expenses abroad (do not expect a full scholarship, the amount is often no more than hundred euros per month). This allowance can be granted in addition to other grants or loans.

The good news is that no fees (for tuition, registration, examinations, access to laboratory and library facilities etc.) have to be paid to the host institution.

Registration

Explain in you candidacy:

• your level of qualifications,
• your level of language,
• the current degree,
• and the courses that you wish to get.

and attach the certified copies of all your diplomas since the baccalaureat or A Level. It is possible that some universities ask also for translations of these documents (get information from your home institution).

Most of the procedure has to be done on the Internet nowadays. By connecting to the chosen university, and by completing a dossier for candidacy, you will probably be able to follow the advance of your dossier on-line.

To register, some of the documents (such as the choice of courses) have to be validated by your Erasmus coordinator. Do not forget also that a transcript of records and a certificate for the language have often to be provided.