Students who will be going on Erasmus in 2013/14

 STUDENTS DUE TO GO ON ERASMUS STUDY VISITS IN 2013/14

MARCH 2013: Coordinators are currently sending details of nominated students to partner universities.  You will have to make an application for admission to your host university as an Erasmus student, and you may expect to receive instructions about this either from your NUI Galway coordinator or directly from the host university.  Please make sure to observe the relevant deadlines, and if you have any doubts about the procedures, please ask your coordinator or check your host university's Erasmus website.

When you make your application, you may be asked to complete a Learning Agreement.  Please ensure that you use the 2013/14 Learning Agreement that you can download here.

INFORMATION SESSION - 25th March
An information session for all 2013/14 Outgoing Erasmus students was held on Monday, 25th March.  The new information brochure and Erasmus grant application form are now available, and the strict deadline for return of the form to the International Affairs Office will be Friday, 26th April.  Students who submit their forms late cannot be considered for an Erasmus grant.

UPDATE: We regret that students whose application forms (for semester 1 or full year abroad) did not reach us by close of business (17.15) on Friday, 26th April, cannot be considerered for an Erasmus grant. 

View the presentation from the information session.

Some explanations to help you in managing your paperwork:

APPLICATION FORMS:  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.  Please do not confuse it with the host university's application form: it is likely that 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.

When do I need to submit my NUI Galway Erasmus application form?
If you are going on Erasmus for Semester 1 or the full year: 26th April, 2013
If you are going on Erasmus for the second semester: 29th November, 2013.
It is very important that these deadlines are observed, as late applications cannot be considered, particularly in light of a very limited Erasmus budget for student mobility.
Different deadlines apply for Erasmus placements: please click on Erasmus Work Placements, on the left-hand menu.

What happens after I submit my NUI Galway Erasmus application form?
The International Affairs Office will send each outgoing student a package containing a letter of nomination and other official documentation in connection with the Erasmus study visit.  For all 2013/14 full-year Erasmus students, the package will be sent in June to the home address that they provide on their application forms.  Please read all the material (including e-mails from the International Office) very carefully and follow any instructions given in relation to return of contracts, etc.   

INFORMATION FOR STUDENTS ON ERASMUS STUDY VISITS IN THE 2012/13 ACADEMIC YEAR

If you have mislaid your Erasmus Information Brochure, you can consult it by clicking here.

GRANT PAYMENTS: You must confirm receipt of each grant instalment by means of this Grant Acknowledgement Form, which should be completed, signed and returned to the International Office as soon as the payment reaches your bank account.

Students studying abroad for the full year received their first instalment in September.  Students who submitted their 1st grant form and their learning agreement will have received their second grant instalment on 28th January.  Students whose learning agreements have not been received by their NUI Galway coordinators are not eligible for any further payments, and will need to clarify their status with the relevant coordinator and with the International Office, as per the e-mail they received in December.
You will be due to receive a final payment in August 2013, provided that you have satisfactorily completed your Erasmus studies and returned all relevant paperwork to NUI Galway.

Students studying abroad for Semester 1 only received their first instalment in September, and, provided they have satisfactorily completed their Erasmus studies and returned all relevant paperwork to NUI Galway, are due to receive a final payment in August 2013.  Semester 1 students are requested not to delay in submitting paperwork: first grant acknowledgement forms, reports and certificates of attendance should all be filed with the International Office by January 2013.

Students studying abroad in Semester 2 only: Eligible students (i.e. those who have completed their institution-student agreements) should receive their first instalment in January, and, provided they have satisfactorily completed their Erasmus studies and returned all relevant paperwork to NUI Galway, are due to receive a final payment in August 2013.

Please ensure that you complete the Grant Acknowledgement Form to confirm receipt of all payments.  This form is for STUDY VISITS only.  If you are on an Erasmus work placement/internship, i.e. based in an enterprise, organisation, school or laboratory abroad, then you must use the grant acknowledgement form that you will find in the section "Erasmus Work Placements".

What is the difference between the Institution-Student Agreement and the Learning Agreement?
The institution-student agreement is your "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 International Affairs Officer.  It is provided in hard copy only.  It is vital that you return the Institution-Student Agreement to the International Office BEFORE you begin your study period abroad.  Please do not confuse this document with the Learning Agreement, where you will list the courses you are to take while abroad.  The Learning Agreement for 2012/13 is available for download.

The LEARNING AGREEMENT must be signed by both the departmental and institutional Erasmus coordinator at your host university and must then be returned to your academic coordinator at NUI Galway to arrive absolutely no later than one month after the commencement of your studies.  Should you subsequently drop any courses or select new courses (e.g. for semester 2), then you should use page 2 of the Learning Agreement to record these changes, obtain once again the relevant signatures and return the document promptly to your coordinator at NUI Galway.  You should make sure to keep a copy for your own records.

Student Report  (66KB) - for completion at the end of your Erasmus study visit.  You will receive an e-mail about this from the International Office in due course.  This document is a compulsory element of the Erasmus study visit: final grant instalments will not be paid to students who fail to submit the report.

It will be appreciated if you can complete the Narrative Report and send it to your departmental coordinator.  If you are a BA non-language student, you should send it to the International Office.

BEFORE YOU LEAVE YOUR HOST UNIVERSITY: Please make sure you get your Certificate of Attendance stamped and signed by a representative of your host university (e.g. International Officer or designated contact person in the faculty where you've been studying).  You should present the Certificate of Attendance for signature at the time when you are leaving the host university, and it must be dated accordingly.  You will not be eligible for a final grant instalment if you fail to return this very important document to the International Office at NUI Galway.  
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. 

Further information - e.g. on living/studying abroad 

A useful source of information for students who are moving to another EU country is the the webpage of UK-based research initiative Monetos - here you can access country-specific information on topics like renting accommodation, availing of medical services and opening a bank account abroad.

Another useful resource is the website of 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 (1358KB) 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.

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