UK Erasmus students normally receive an Erasmus grant provided by the European Commission which contributes towards the extra costs arising from studying abroad. Erasmus grants in the UK are paid through your home institution and are paid in addition to the standard grants or loans to which you are entitled. Please remember that this is a supplementary, non-repayable grant intended to offset any additional expenses you may incur while you are abroad. During your Erasmus study, you continue to receive any student grant or loan to which you are entitled.
When this monthly grant is combined with the new additionaal one-off options and tuition fee waiver scheme detailed below, it is a very appealing option for higher education students looking to inprove their CVs, have an unforgettable experience and stretch their finances as far as possible.
For 2011/12 the grant is €225 per month. However, there will be a second installment of grants, which usually means students receive more money. On average, over the last three years, UK students have received a grant from the EU of around €375 a month. In 2010/11 the final grant rate was €378 a month.
Students undertaking short-term work placements can receive additional supplementary funding in order to offset the relatively high initial setup costs of such placements:
- A one-off supplementary grant of €250 can be paid to each student, to assist with the higher expenses relating to shortterm accommodation.
- Up to €300 can be paid to each student for receipted travel costs.
These supplementary amounts apply only to work placements with a minimum duration of two months and a maximum duration of three months which are carried out by students registered for shortterm vocational higher education courses (foundation degree courses and HNDlevel qualifications).
As a new element this year, there is also a one-off supplementary grant of €400 for students undertaking mobility to the less-visited Erasmus countries. For 2011/12, the country destinations eligible for such additional funding are:
Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Greece, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia and Turkey.
As another new element this year, there is also a one-off supplementary grant of €500 to students identified as eligible for the various widening participation premiums already operating at HE level across the UK.
The aim of this supplement is to encourage greater participation in mobility by students who might otherwise be put off due to their own economic constraints. Widening participation in Erasmus is a key priority for all the Governments of the UK.
The Erasmus grant is not means-tested. To be eligible for an Erasmus grant you must:
- be registered at a UK Higher Education institution which holds an Erasmus University Charter (EUC).
- spend an approved study or work period of between 3 to 12 months at an institution which holds an EUC in another EU, EEA or candidate country (for students on short term higher vocational education courses, the minimum period on a work placement is two months)
You do not pay any tuition fees to the university you are visiting.
Currently students benefit from the tuition fee-waiver scheme. Therefore if you spend a full academic year on Erasmus, you do not pay any UK tuition fees for that year. An academic year is classed as 24 weeks, excluding weekends and holidays. However, if you study abroad for less than a year, you will have to pay the UK tuition fees. This fee-waiver option is reviewed annually by the UK Government.
The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills confirmed the continuation of Government financial support for universities and students participating in the Erasmus programme beyond 2013/14 which will ensure that students can continue to take part in the programme at a cost, to them, substantially lower than a year’s study in the UK, as is the case now.
The cost of living varies considerably across Europe.
During your period of study in the partner institution you will need to pay for accommodation, and general living costs. In many countries, living costs are lower than in the UK, while in some they may be more expensive than at home. Many countries have a variety of student reductions, in order to make life cheaper.
For a good source of information for students on general finance issues, loans and grants, please go to the directgov website Another useful website for general financial advise for students is the moneysaving expert website.
Student Finance has set up a website to help clarify the bursary application procedure for prospective students in England, with links to each institution's bursary and scholarship web pages. For students in Wales and Scotland, follow the links from their website for further information.
| 
