Overview

Erasmus+ Traineeships
Erasmus+ supports traineeships (work placements, internships, etc) abroad for students currently enrolled in higher education institutions in Programme countries at Bachelor and Master level as well as for doctoral candidates. These opportunities are also open to recent graduates.

By doing a traineeship abroad in Programme or Partner countries with Erasmus+, you can improve not only your communication, language and inter-cultural skills, but also soft skills highly valued by future employers, as well as become more entrepreneurial.

You can also combine your Erasmus+ traineeship with a study period abroad.

Access to Erasmus+ Online Linguistic Support will help you learn the language used at your workplace.

Traineeships under Cooperation Agreements
Traineeships are also possibile under the Cooperation Agreements the University of Porto has established with multiple instituitions around the world. The applicable conditions are very similar to Erasmus+ decribed below, with the exception of the funding possibilities for the traineeship. Please ask for more specific information from your International Office about the opportunities available.

Duration

Your traineeship abroad can last a minimum of 2 months and a maximum of 12 months. Students and recent graduates can also do a blended mobility, combining a virtual period with a physical short or long-term mobility. The short-term physical presence abroad as part of blended mobility lasts a minimum of 5 days and a maximum of 30 days.

You can benefit of an exchange abroad with Erasmus+ and Cooperation Agreements multiple times, either as a student or as a trainee, but your total time abroad (study abroad periods included) may not exceed 12 months within one cycle of study.

"Cycle" refers to the level of study as defined by the European Qualifications Framework (EQF):

1. First cycle (Bachelor or equivalent) EQF 5/6
2. Second cycle (Master or equivalent) EQF 7
3. Third cycle (Doctoral or equivalent) EQF 8

For "one-cycle" courses such as medicine or architecture, you can go abroad with Erasmus+ for as long as 24 months.

You can also go for a traineeship abroad as a recent graduate. In this case, your traineeship must occur within one year of your graduation and you must apply while still being enrolled in your higher education institution.

Conditions

This opportunity is open for students registered in a higher education institution holding an Erasmus+ Charter for Higher Education.

Your traineeship must be relevant for your degree-related learning and personal development needs and, wherever possible, be integrated in your study programme.

You may carry out a traineeship at any organisation in an Erasmus+ Programme Country (with the exception of EU institutions, bodies and agencies).

Recognition

Before the traineeship abroad:

1. You, your higher education institution and the receiving organisation must sign a Learning Agreement for Traineeships to ensure a transparent and efficient preparation of the exchange abroad. This document sets out rights and responsibilities of the various parties, a detailed programme of the traineeship, information on insurance, and how your traineeship will be recognised upon successful completion.
2. You will receive the Erasmus+ Student Charter, explaining your rights and obligations with respect to your traineeship abroad.

After the traineeship abroad:

3. The receiving organisation/enterprise should send you and your higher education institution a Traineeship Certificate, normally within five weeks after successful completion of the traineeship.
4. Your higher education institution must recognise your traineeship abroad, according to the commitments agreed upon in the learning agreement and without any further requirements.
5. If your higher education institution is in a Programme country, the information contained in the Traineeship Certificate should also be included in the Diploma Supplement, except if you are a recent graduate. In this case, it is recommended to record the traineeship in the trainee's Europass Mobility Document.

Financial Support

You may receive an Erasmus+ grant as a contribution to your travel and subsistence costs and extra funding is available for traineeships. It may vary according to differences in living costs between your country and the destination country, the number of students applying for a grant, the distance between countries and the availability of other grants.

If you are moving between Programme countries, check with your National Agency and your sending higher education institution for applicable rates. There is also extra support for students from disadvantaged backgrounds or from outermost Programme countries or regions.

Grant levels and fixed rates for exchanges between Programme and Partner countries are published in the Erasmus+ Programme Guide.

Irrespective whether you receive an Erasmus+ grant or are an Erasmus+-zero-grant student, you will sign a grant agreement specifying the duration of your mobility, the amount of the grant and other rights and obligations.  

If your traineeship is in another Programme country, your sending institution will sign your grant agreement and it will be responsible for making all payments.

If you are moving between Programme and Partner countries, the Programme country institution will sign the grant agreement. Your sending and receiving institutions will decide which one will make your payments.

You may be eligible for additional grants from your institution, government or other sources. Check the European Funding Guide.

How to apply

You can apply through the international office of your higher education institution.

You are selected by your sending higher education institution in a fair and transparent way.

Find out more

Make sure you know your rights when you study or do a traineeship abroad.

The Erasmus Intern Traineeship Portal, developed by the Erasmus Student Network, can help you find an Erasmus+ traineeship.

Students with further questions about taking part in Erasmus+ should check the frequently asked questions before contacting their institution or their National Agencies for Erasmus+ Programme countries.

The ESAA - Erasmus+ Student and Alumni Association offers Erasmus+ students and alumni a dynamic forum for networking, professional development and intercultural exchange.

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