How to Apply to go on Erasmus
Students who are interested in going on Erasmus should first speak to their School or Department Erasmus Coordinator(s) and thoroughly research all of their options early on in semester one of the year before they intend to go abroad. Students studying more than one subject should speak to the Coordinators in all of the relevant Departments. Your Erasmus Coordinator(s) can also tell you about how the application process is organised in that School/Department.
Each School/Department has their own application process but in general you will be asked to rank your preferred destinations and explain why you have chosen those universities. The Erasmus Coordinators will review all of the applications and take into account students’ previous academic performance when deciding who should go to which partner university.
Erasmus Coordinators make their placement offers early in the new year, generally in January or February. Every effort is made by the Coordinators to give as many students as possible their most preferred option.
After students have been told of their Erasmus placement, the Academic Registry will then make contact with all future outbound Erasmus students about the next steps which include nominating you to the partner university, and starting the paperwork needed to receive the Erasmus+ Grant. Students should note that after they have been nominated, the partner university will make contact with them to ask them to formally apply, but this is usually only a formality so that they are able to provide you with a student number at the partner university and so on. It is the student’s responsibility to ensure they respect any deadlines set by the host university.
Shortly before the end of the academic year outbound students are invited to attend the pre-departure meetings where they will be provided with lots of useful information about what to expect about living and studying abroad as well all of the steps they need to follow in order to obtain their Erasmus Grant and have their modules be approved.
Erasmus Deadline Reminder!
Schools/Departments must notify Academic Registry of their students’ placements by December 16th. Each School/Department sets their own internal deadlines for students to apply to go on Erasmus so make sure to clarify what the deadline is with the School/Department Erasmus coordinator.
Erasmus Coordinator Contacts
Every Department has a designated Erasmus Coordinator for outbound students. They are the initial point of contact for students who plan to go on Erasmus.
Please check with your School or Department office if you are unsure who the Erasmus Coordinator is.
Going on Erasmus with a Disability
Students who are registered for reasonable accommodations with the Trinity Disability Service who are thinking of applying to go on Erasmus should contact their Disability Officer (askds@tcd.ie), to discuss how best to prepare for Erasmus including disclosing a disability to a host university and seeking reasonable accommodations from them. This is best done as early as possible, even before submitting an application to go on Erasmus, and should not be left until the Summer before going abroad in the following academic year. The Disability Service has put together a helpful Checklist for Students with a Disability to go through when they are applying to go on Erasmus (available here).
Students with disabilities or special needs who are registered with the Trinity Disability Service may be entitled to apply for extra Erasmus+ funding which aims to account for some of the additional costs they might incur.
Erasmus Traineeships
Students who are interested in working rather than studying abroad, by undertaking an internship or work placement for instance, can, in certain circumstances, apply for an Erasmus traineeship. Typically, students choose to do so during the summer, though some students do undertake a semester long traineeship carrying out research in a partner university’s lab or on placement in a partner university’s associated hospital. It is generally the responsibility of the student to secure their own traineeship abroad. Departmental Erasmus Coordinators may be able to offer some assistance.
The traineeship must meet the following criteria to be eligible for the Erasmus grant:
- The traineeship documents must show that you will be working with the organisation/enterprise for a minimum of two calendar months.
- You must receive academic recognition for the period of the traineeship either through earning ECTS for it or having it the traineeship be recorded on your academic transcript.
- The traineeship should be full-time and must be related to your degree programme. It is, therefore, important that you discuss the placement with your departmental Erasmus Coordinator(s) and they must approve your traineeship.
- You may carry out a traineeship at any organisation in an Erasmus+ Programme Country (with the exception of EU institutions, bodies and agencies).
- Students MUST have insurance that covers them in the workplace. Students can combine studying abroad on Erasmus with a traineeship in the summer months, as long as the dates of the two activities do not overlap, but your total Erasmus+ Grant funding may not exceed 12 months.
Erasmus+ Grant
As a student, you will no doubt already be aware of the need to budget. It is even more important to plan a budget before going abroad. Thankfully, the Erasmus+ Grant is available for all students who take part in the programme. The Grant is intended as a contribution to your travel and subsistence costs and extra funding is available for traineeships. The amount varies from year to year according to differences in living costs from country to country, ranging from €300 to €450 per month.
If you are currently in receipt of any type of grant or loan, please note that these should not be affected by your exchange e.g. SUSI grant, Northern Ireland Student Loan. You will still be entitled to receive these during your exchange. The exception to this is any student who is in receipt of the US Title IV Federal Aid – the student should ensure that they remain eligible for this loan if choosing to study abroad. If you would like to clarify the status of your loan/grant during your studies abroad, please contact the Financial Aid Officer in the Academic Registry (Academic.Registry@tcd.ie) for further information.
In order to receive the Grant you must complete all of the paperwork that you will be sent to you in an information pack before departure by the Academic Registry. The Grant is paid in two instalments. The first instalment (80% of the total amount) will be transferred to your bank account shortly after you submit your Confirmation of Arrival (signed by your host university/organisation) and the Erasmus+ Grant Agreement. The second and final instalment (remaining 20%) will be issued at the end of your time abroad upon receipt of the Confirmation of Departure form and the completion of your Participant Report.
You must complete and return the following documents to receive you Grant:
- Grant Agreement
- Learning Agreement
- Confirmation of Arrival/Departure
- The above documentation must be sent to erasmus@tcd.ie
If for any reason you withdraw from the Erasmus Programme and return earlier than planned, and after you have been issued with the first instalment of the Grant, then you must contact erasmus@tcd.ie immediately so that your student record can be updated. In most circumstance you will have to reimburse the Grant.