incoming Erasmus Students - frequently asked questions

Please click on one of the headings to go to the relevant section.

1. GENERAL QUESTIONS

Can I come to NUI Galway as an Erasmus student?
My university doesn’t have a link with NUI Galway in the area of my studies.  Is it possible to set up a bilateral agreement so that I can spend an Erasmus period at your university?
Do you accept Free Movers?
Is there another way for me to spend a semester or year studying at NUI Galway?

2. APPLYING TO COME TO NUI GALWAY AS AN ERASMUS STUDENT

How do I apply?
Do I need to send any other documents (transcripts, CV, etc) with my application form?
Can I e-mail or fax you my form?
What is the deadline for applications?
How will I know you have received my application?
Do you have specific English-language requirements?
Do I apply for housing through the International Affairs Office along with my Erasmus admission application?
I’m a non-EU national – do I need a visa to study in Ireland?

3. CHOOSING YOUR COURSES AND COMPLETING YOUR LEARNING AGREEMENT

May I select any courses I like, or are there restrictions on the courses that may be taken by Erasmus students?
I have a question about the content of a particular course – where can I get further information?
Who is my Erasmus academic coordinator at NUI Galway?
How many credits should I take?
Will there be English classes for Erasmus students?
Can I earn ECTS credits by taking these English classes?
Can I take courses in an area outside of the bilateral agreement, for instance, from a different College?  (at NUI Galway, College = Faculty) 
Can I change my Learning Agreement at the beginning of the Semester?

4. PREPARING TO COME TO NUI GALWAY

When do I need to arrive in Galway?
I won’t be able to be in Galway for the beginning of term – is this a problem?
Where can I find the semester dates?
How will I register as a student at NUI Galway?
I'm applying for a place in a student residence and I've been asked to provide my CAO number - what does this mean?

5. WHILE AT NUI GALWAY

Can I work while studying at NUI Galway as an Erasmus student?
I was nominated to come to NUI Galway for the first semester, and now I would like to extend my study period to a full year.  Is this possible?
May I use a dictionary during my examinations?
What should I do at the end of my stay at NUI Galway in terms of paperwork I must complete?
How will I get my examination results?
Can I repeat an exam?

1. GENERAL QUESTIONS

Can I come to NUI Galway as an Erasmus student?
You can apply to study in NUI Galway as an Erasmus student if (i) your university has a current bilateral agreement with NUI Galway in the subject area of your studies and (ii) the relevant academic coordinator nominates you to take up an exchange place under the terms of this agreement.  If you are unsure, the International Office of your home university will be able to advise you as to whether an agreement exists and who the coordinator is.

My university doesn’t have a link with NUI Galway in the area of my studies.  Is it possible to set up a bilateral agreement so that I can spend an Erasmus period at your university?
We regret that bilateral agreements cannot be set up in response to requests from individual students wishing to study at NUI Galway.

Do you accept Free Movers?
We are sorry, but NUI Galway does not accept Free Movers.

Is there another way for me to spend a semester or year studying at NUI Galway?
You would have the option of coming here as a fee-paying visiting student, either for a single semester or for a full academic year as part of our Study Abroad programme. 

2. APPLYING TO COME TO NUI GALWAY AS AN ERASMUS STUDENT

How do I apply?
Go to www.nuigalway.ie/erasmus/incoming/admission_procedures.html, where you will find our application form and information brochure. 

Please make sure that you
(i)                 fill in the form carefully, preferably by typing your answers; if completing by hand, please use BLOCK CAPITALS;
(ii)                affix a passport photograph to the form, and
(iii)               have it signed and stamped by your home university academic coordinator.

Do I need to send any other documents (transcripts, CV, etc) with my application form?
If your area of study is Arts, Commerce/Business or Law, then you need only send the signed and stamped application form; no transcripts are required, although you will need to complete a learning agreement.  However, if your area of study is Engineering, Science or Medicine, then you will be required to submit  examination transcripts along with your learning agreement, in order to allow your application and academic background to be assessed.  Your home university academic coordinator will be able to advise you.

MEDICAL STUDENTS should note the following: Incoming Erasmus Medical students will be required to present certification of  Health Screening on arrival at the Medical School and prior to placement at NUI Galway.  (Information on these requirements has been sent to the relevant coordinators at partner universities.)
They must also provide a Police Clearance Certificate from their country of origin.  This is also referred to as Garda Vetting (An Garda Síochána = Ireland's national police service).

Can I e-mail or fax you my form?
Only original, signed and stamped application forms with photographs attached will be considered valid.  E-mailed or faxed applications cannot be considered, and we would appeal to students not to fax or e-mail us their forms before posting them, as this wastes a lot of paper and can cause confusion when we are dealing with such large volumes of paperwork. You should, however, keep a copy of your form for your own records.

What is the deadline for applications?
If applying for Semester 1 or Full Year: 31^st May.
If applying for Semester 2: 31^st October.

How will I know you have received my application?
We receive a very large volume of applications, and so it will not be possible for us to acknowledge receipt of individual application forms in response to e-mail or telephone enquiries.  We kindly ask for your understanding in this matter. Usually we will send a brief e-mail to students whose forms were received, although this is not an acceptance e-mail.  The International Affairs Officer will issue a confirmation of acceptance to all students whose applications have been approved.  . These acceptance e-mails for incoming students will usually be sent out within one month of the application deadline.

Do you have specific English-language requirements?
We do not have a specific exam-based requirement in relation to Erasmus students’ level of English, but it is very important that you have a good command of the English language, both written and spoken, because otherwise you will almost certainly encounter significant difficulties in understanding lectures, taking part in class exercises, and in writing assignments and exams. We would suggest a minimum of Level B2 on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages.  This is a recommendation only; it is not necessary to send a certificate of English language competence with your application.

You should bear in mind that students with less than B2 level of ability in English are likely to encounter difficulty in reading and discussing academic texts with specialised vocabulary and abstract concepts.  Experience has shown that such students do not do well in exams or written assessments, and often struggle throughout their study visit to keep up with the rest of the class.  In large group teaching, lecturers will often not take account of or make allowances for students whose level of English is insufficient to allow them follow the course.  For these reasons, and to ensure that our incoming Erasmus students have a truly beneficial academic experience at NUI Galway, we would recommend that they have attained level B2, or at least that they have done intensive language preparation prior to their study visit.

Do I apply for housing through the International Affairs Office along with my Erasmus admission application?
No.  There are a number of student residences in Galway, but these are independently run and have no formal connection to the university.  You can find information on them, as well as their contact details, on our Accommodation Office website.

I’m a non-EU national – do I need a visa to study in Ireland?
You may need a visa, depending on the country you come from.  You can find out more about visa requirements on the following website: http://www.inis.gov.ie/ (click on “Visas”).  If you do need a visa, you should request a hard copy acceptance letter from the International Affairs Office and apply for your visa without delay, allowing 6 – 8 weeks for your visa application to be processed.  Visa applications should be made to the Irish Embassy or Consulate in the country in which you reside. If there is no embassy or consulate, you can make the application to your nearest Irish Embassy or Consulate, or directly to the Visa Office, Dept of Foreign Affairs, 13-14 Burgh Quay, Dublin 2.

3. CHOOSING YOUR COURSES AND COMPLETING YOUR LEARNING AGREEMENT

May I select any courses I like, or are there restrictions on the courses that may be taken by Erasmus students?  Restrictions do apply.  You should only select courses from the list of courses available to visiting students: you will find this by clicking on the link "Courses Available" on the left-hand menu.   The courses you choose should be in the subject area of the bilateral agreement we have with your university - ask your home university academic coordinator if in doubt.  In other words, if you are a Science student, then it is expected that you choose courses from the College (faculty) of Science, and not from Arts or Commerce.  Only in exceptional circumstances will students be allowed to take some courses outside of the subject area of the bilateral agreement, and they will have to seek permission from the relevant School or Discipline.

The Visiting Student Handbook will show the course offerings for the current year, but these listings do not change substantially from year to year, and are therefore a good guideline.  Erasmus students will not be permitted to register for any other courses that they might find, for example, on departmental websites.  Please do not attempt to make arrangements with lecturers to attend courses not open to visiting students, as it will not be possible for you to register for, take examinations in, or obtain recognition for such courses.

I have a question about the content of a particular course – where can I get further information?
In the first instance, we advise you to consult the relevant departmental website: http://www.nuigalway.ie/colleges-and-schools/.  There you will generally be able to find detailed information on course content.  If you still have specific questions, to which answers are not available on the website, then you should contact your Erasmus academic coordinator at NUI Galway. 

Who is my Erasmus academic coordinator at NUI Galway?
Here's a link where you can find the names of all Erasmus coordinators.   

How many credits should I take?
NUI Galway operates the ECTS credit system, according to which a full year’s workload is weighted at 60 ECTS credits and a single semester at 30 ECTS credits.  However, NUI Galway does not have a rule on the minimum number of credits to be taken by visiting students.  Your coordinator at your home university should inform you of the number of ECTS credits you are expected to achieve during your study period at NUI Galway, and should also advise you on the appropriate course choice.

Will there be English classes for Erasmus students?
Yes, a five-week course of introductory English classes will be offered free of charge to newly-arrived Erasmus students at the beginning of each semester.  Classes will take place on two evenings per week, Monday and Thursday, and each class will last two hours.  Students will be grouped according to level of ability (based on a language test on the first evening).  Details of current/upcoming classes are usually posted on our Latest News page.

Can I earn ECTS credits by taking these English classes?
No, the course does not carry ECTS credits and is not formally examined, but students who have attended all classes may receive a certificate of participation at the end of the course.

Can I take courses in an area outside of the bilateral agreement, for instance, from a different College?  (at NUI Galway, College = Faculty) 
We do not recommend this.  One reason is the risk of timetable clashes and, consequently, examination timetable clashes.  Another reason is that bilateral agreements are signed with regard to specific subject areas and there is no obligation on any of our Colleges (faculties) to accept students coming to NUI Galway via a bilateral agreement that belongs to another College (faculty).  This means you may not be granted permission to attend courses outside of your general subject area, particularly where there is already high demand or where there are prerequisites for entry to a particular course.

Can I change my Learning Agreement at the beginning of the Semester?
You can change your learning agreement, but bear in mind that you will be required to formally choose your courses at NUI Galway (i.e. Course Selection, when you register for specific modules) within a month of the start of lectures in each semester.  It is possible to make minor changes to your course choice in the week following Course Selection, but after the Late Change deadline has expired, no further changes will be possible under any circumstances – no exceptions can be made to this rule.

4. PREPARING TO COME TO NUI GALWAY

When do I need to arrive in Galway?
If you have not pre-booked accommodation in a student residence, we recommend that you arrive at least a week before term begins, in order to give yourself time to find somewhere to live.  In any case, when you are making your travel arrangements please be sure that you will arrive in Galway in time to attend the Orientation Programme.  See the Section on Admission Procedures or Latest News for more details.  Classes will commence on the Monday following the Orientation Programme, and attendance is obligatory from the start.

You will find details of Orientation on our Latest News page.

I won’t be able to be in Galway for the beginning of term – is this a problem?
Yes, it is a problem.  Students who miss Orientation will be at a significant disadvantage as they will miss out on important information and guidance for newly-arrived international students.  They will also miss out on the crucial first days or weeks of classes, and this is not advisable. 

Where can I find the semester dates?
Please click on Academic Procedures.

How will I register as a student at NUI Galway?
We will register you as an NUI Galway student before you arrive. Shortly before the beginning of term, you will receive an e-mail with information about campus online services and e-mail, and you will be required to set up these accounts before you start your studies here, using the login details that will be sent to you.  All such correspondence will be sent to the e-mail address you supplied on your application form, so please ensure you have written it correctly and legibly.

I'm applying for a place in a student residence and I've been asked to provide my CAO number - what does this mean?
The CAO number does not apply to you as an Erasmus student: you should provide instead your NUI Galway student ID number.  You will find this in acceptance e-mail you receive from the International Affairs Office.

5. WHILE AT NUI GALWAY

Can I work while studying at NUI Galway as an Erasmus student?
If you are from an EU/EEA country, you can work in Ireland without a work permit.
EU/EEA countries are the 27 EU countries and Norway, Liechtenstein, Iceland and Switzerland.  Students from other countries can only apply to work in Ireland if they are on a full degree course here, in other words, Erasmus students who are not EU/EEA Nationals are not eligible to take up employment in Ireland.

I was nominated to come to NUI Galway for the first semester, and now I would like to extend my study period to a full year.  Is this possible?
We are sorry, but first semester students will not be permitted to extend their stay beyond the study period for which they were originally accepted. If you wish to stay for a full year, then you should indicate this at the time of applying, in consultation with your home university academic coordinator.

May I use a dictionary during my examinations?
NUI Galway's Examination Regulations state: Eramus (1EM1) and Visiting students (1OA1) whose mother tongue is not English are allowed the use of a language dictionary, from mother tongue to English and vice-versa only. However, dictionaries may not be used at the following examinations: French, German, Italian and Spanish. Dictionaries will be subject to inspection by the Invigilator during the Examination.

What should I do at the end of my stay at NUI Galway - is there paperwork I must complete?
You should bring your Certificate of Attendance to the International Affairs Office just before you leave and we will sign and stamp it for you with that day’s date.  Please note that we cannot post-date your Certificate of Attendance – the date we insert on the document will be the date on which it is signed.  This means you should call to this office with your cert no more than one day before you are due to leave Galway to return home.

If you request your Certificate of Attendance after you have returned home, you will be required to send us proof of your date of departure, e.g. copy of airline ticket.

How will I get my examination results?
You will be able to access your examination results online once they are made available via the Examinations Office website ( www.nuigalway.ie/exams/results.html).  If you are a full-year or semester 2 Erasmus student, your official transcript(s) will be sent to the International Office of your home university in late June/early July.  In the case of students who stayed for semester 1 only, transcripts will be sent to their home universities in late January. Transcript copies will also be sent to students' home addresses.

Can I repeat an exam?
Yes, but if you wish to do so, you must contact the International Affairs Office within three weeks of the issue of results.  You should e-mail visitenqnuigalway.ie stating your name, ID number and the module(s) to be repeated. Repeat exams for both semester 1 and semester 2 take place in August. Alternative repeat arrangements are not permitted. Students who wish to sit repeat examinations must pay the  repeat examination fee of €295, even if they are only repeating a single module. The fee can  only be waived if a student has been granted a deferral.

• Disclaimer
• Privacy
• Copyright
• Accessibility