Students on any level four course can take advantage of the Erasmus programme and do a study period or work placement in any of the 30 other participating countries. See our where to go page for further information on these countries.

Most students go for three -12 months, but students on short-term courses, such as foundation courses, who can do a work placement only, can go for shorter periods of time – from as little as two months. All students currently receive a flat rate grant provided by the European Union of €215 a month. There is an additional grant and funding available for students on short-term courses.

FE/HE Staff, both teaching and administrative, can take part in the Erasmus programme, as long as the institution holds the Standard Charter. Teaching staff can go for a teaching assignment for five hours up to six weeks. They receive cover of expenses that vary according to the country and period of time. They also receive a travel grant up to €450. Non teaching staff can take part in training, attending seminars, short secondments, job-shadowing and receive similar subsistence/travel grant support.

How Can You Take Part?

In order to take part in the Erasmus programme students must be enrolled at and staff employed by an institution that holds an Erasmus University Charter(EUC).

FE/HE colleges teaching BA/BSc level and/or offering provision at HND/Foundation degree level can apply for the Standard Charter that allows them to offer student and staff study/teaching opportunities and can also apply for the Extended Charter that allows them to offer work placement opportunities as well.

FE/HE colleges offering A levels/level 3 only are not eligible to take part in the Erasmus Programme.

Applying for an Erasmus University Charter

We encourage you to apply for an Erasmus Charter as there is no cost or commitment associated with applying. You apply once to the European Commission who makes an annual call for institutions to apply. The deadline is usually in June.

Institutions should see our section on how to Apply for further information.

Looking for Partner Institutions

Each institution sets up its own inter-institutional agreements. The European Commission provide grants for Preparatory Visits that allow a maximum of two people to go for up to five days to an institution/enterprise with which they don’t currently have any agreement/relationship. The applicant institution must hold an Erasmus University Charter. There is no limit to how many visits can be applied for although there is limited funding.

Eligibility

Students must be:

• Formally registered at an HEI in order to follow higher education studies leading to a recognised degree or other recognised tertiary level qualification up to and including the level of doctorate. The HEI must hold an Erasmus University Charter

or

• Enrolled in a short term higher vocational education course, which includes foundation degree courses

• Part-time students are eligible to participate providing they study full-time during their mobility period.

Staff must be:

Employed at a Higher Education or HE/FE Institution which holds an Erasmus University Charter (EUC) going to another HEI which holds an EUC and with which your institution has an Inter-institutional Agreement.

The Erasmus programme which forms part of the European Commission's LifeLong Learning Programme(LLP), is administered in the UK by the British Council.

The British Council and Ecorys administer other Lifelong Learning Programmes that will also be of interest to FE Colleges. See our website for further information on the opportunities available to staff and students taking part in the Comenius programme. Visit the Ecorys website for information on the vocational and training opportunities available on the Leonardo, Grundtvig and Transversal Study Visits programmes and download the 'Go Further in Europe' leaflet.