Student mobility is carried out in two ways:

1. Study mobility,
2. Internship mobility.

In higher education, student mobility is available to students enrolled in formal education programs at higher education institutions. Students enrolled in distance education or similar programs (e.g., open education) cannot benefit from this activity. Grants are provided for the following activities to be conducted abroad:

1. Full-time associate degree, bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral studies that are an essential part of the recognition of a diploma/degree at a higher education institution holding the Erasmus Charter for Higher Education (ECHE),
2. Full-time internships that are recognized as part of the student’s curriculum, either compulsory or optional, by the higher education institution. Full-time work is defined as a study/workload equivalent to 60 European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS) credits in one academic year. If the academic year is divided into terms, the number of ECTS credits is determined proportionally to the length of the term. A full-time internship is an internship performed based on a full working day during the activity period. The full working day is determined by the weekly working hours of full-time workers in the destination country.

3. Description of Activities

2.1. Student Mobility – Study The study mobility activity is carried out within the framework of ECHE and existing inter-institutional agreements of the higher education institution. The activity involves the student, enrolled at a higher education institution, carrying out part of their studies at a partner foreign higher education institution with which an inter-institutional agreement exists. The duration of the activity may be between 2 and 12 months, separately for each academic level (1, 2, or 3 terms depending on the system in some countries). The academic levels refer to associate degree/bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral levels. The activity can be conducted in any class during the study period. The higher education institution may decide, by management decision, to allow first-year students to participate in mobility starting from the second year at the earliest. Such a decision must be made before the announcement and should be stated in the application notice. Such decisions cannot be made after the announcement is made. Students wishing to participate in the activity must be enrolled in a diploma program at the higher education institution. It is expected that students will be sent abroad to complete studies requiring their diploma/degree for a full academic year equivalent to 60 ECTS credits; for a two-term academic year, for one term equivalent to 30 ECTS credits; and for a three-term academic year, for one term equivalent to 20 ECTS credits. Full academic recognition is provided for the credits obtained successfully in the program. Unsuccessful credits must be retaken at the host institution.

2.2. Student Mobility – Internship Internship mobility involves a student enrolled in a higher education institution completing an internship abroad in a business, research institute, laboratory, or another organization or institution related to their academic field. Course-taking within the institution is not considered as an internship. The duration of the activity is between 2 and 12 months, separately for each academic level. Internship activities can be carried out in any class during the study period and for students in the final year of their program, within 12 months after graduation. For internships carried out after graduation, the application must be made before the student graduates (while they are still an associate degree, bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral student). Graduated students cannot apply. Internship mobility after graduation must be completed within 12 months from the date of graduation. Military service for recent graduates who are conscripted during this period will be added to the maximum duration of 12 months. The total internship period after graduation and the mobility period undertaken at the same level must not exceed 12 months. Higher education institutions may choose not to participate in post-graduation internship activities. Those institutions that choose not to participate must make a management decision during the relevant application period and announce this decision to students. If no such decision has been made and announced to students before the application, the option of excluding post-graduation internship activities cannot be applied.

Examples of Suitable Internship Locations: The internship may take place in any public or private sector organization located in one of the countries eligible for the activity, in the labor market, or in the fields of education, teaching, youth, research, and development. Although not an exhaustive list, the following organizations can be considered as examples of suitable internship locations: – Small, medium, or large enterprises in the public or private sector – Local, regional, or national public institutions – Embassies or consulates of the sending country abroad – Trade chambers, artisan associations, stock exchanges, and unions – Research institutes – Foundations – Schools/institutes/training centers (including professional or adult education, ranging from preschool to high school education) – Non-profit organizations, associations, NGOs – Institutions providing career planning, professional consultancy, and information services – Higher education institutions (In countries related to the program, the higher education institutions must hold ECHE, and in non-program related countries, higher education institutions must be recognized by an authorized body according to their national legislation and must have signed an inter-institutional agreement with the sending institution before the internship activity)

The following institutions are not eligible for higher education internship activities under Erasmus+:

– European Union institutions and EU agencies (see EU Institutions) – National Agencies implementing EU programs, etc. The compatibility of the internship placement and the content of the study program the student is enrolled in is evaluated by the relevant faculty/department authorities.

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