Procedures to apply for Erasmus scholarships 2020-2021
Although it is true that the Erasmus program is created so that students can improve their language learning in order to enter the labor market and, therefore, it does not have high standards of demand, there are certain requirements that must be met in order to be able to benefit from the opportunities this program offers.
In order to have access to the Erasmus program, it is essential:
- Have passed a minimum of 60 ECTS credits or the first full degree course. It should be noted that they have to be university studies validated as such and recognized by the educational institutions of the country of origin.
- Prove knowledge of the official language of the country in which you want to study.
- A copy of the academic record of the university of origin.
- Be a citizen of the European Union, of one of the countries of the European Free Trade Association (Iceland, Norway, Liechtenstein and Switzerland) or of Turkey. We can also have access if we have the status of permanent resident, refugee or stateless in the country in which we study.
- A minimum grade equivalent to the approved one, in the academic record.
- The student will have to enroll in a minimum of 30 credits and a maximum of 72 if he does it full time and do it in a range of between 18 and 42 if he does it part time. When registering, you will have to give priority to those subjects that you have pending from previous courses, if any.
- It is also an essential condition, to carry out the Erasmus program, that the universities of origin and destination have signed the "Academic Agreement", without which the studies could not be validated.
How much do they pay in Erasmus scholarships?
Erasmus scholarship requirements and how to apply
The conditions to obtain an Erasmus scholarship vary according to the destination country and contemplate, firstly, the academic record , the knowledge of the language of the country to which one is going and, finally, the availability to carry out the exchange. Also, depending on the place of origin, the socio-economic profile of the student will be assessed.
After examining the criteria, Erasmus scholarships are divided into three basic groups :
- the first grants 400 euros per month,
- the second 350 euros per month
- and the third 300 euros, and there may be extras of 100 euros if they are interns or professional practices and 200 euros if they have a disability greater than 33%.
Normally, both in the Nordic countries and in those of western Europe they tend to be paid with higher amounts as an Erasmus grant than in those of the east; however, it is very important to take into account the exchange rate with the national currency wherever it exists, since we are referring to amounts in euros and there are large variations in living standards depending on the country and its currency.
Erasmus contributions in Spain
With regard to Spain, it is very important to clarify that contributions can come through three very different channels:
- Community institutions.
- The State Government of Spain.
- Some Autonomous Communities that, through aid, can increase these amounts.
In reality, there are places in Spain where the amounts can reach 600 or 700 euros, while in other territories they reach just over 300 euros, so it is very important to consult each case specifically.
How to apply for Erasmus scholarships 2020-2021
Because of its importance, you must bear in mind that the Erasmus grant must be requested well in advance, the best thing will be at the end of the calendar year prior to the academic year that you have planned to carry out abroad. The reason is that it must be taken into account that each university is internally governed by different terms.
It is therefore important, for all that we have been discussing, to know that the most practical thing is for students to take this possibility into account and when they have already been at the university for at least two years, apply for the scholarship. For this reason, it is also essential, given the possibility of variations that may arise, consult the International Relations office for possible destinations and the specific level of demand for knowledge of the language.
Finally, and once you have controlled all the legal requirements, you must submit the application at your university. In the event that you cannot properly accredit your knowledge of the foreign language, you have the opportunity to take some tests, probably in English and the language of the country where you want to study. In some cases, they may also require a personal interview with you to see if your profile fits with the objectives of the program.
Publication of provisional lists
Once the provisional lists are published and the claims period has passed, you can finally check if your application has been accepted and, with that, you can now access the Erasmus program. Finally, you would still have to accept in writing the destination that you have been assigned, and then make an application to the assigned university and enroll in the subjects you have planned depending on whether you are going to be a semester or the entire course.
The good thing is that to comply with all these procedures, the universities almost all the universities have the figure of the counselor, who will solve any doubts that arise and will also clarify questions that are still doubts such as the validation criteria.
Never despair because if the process is somewhat bureaucratic, if you follow the steps in an orderly and methodical way, you should not have any kind of problem.