SBufo - Studying in Europe. ERASMUS
[author: Sara Bufo - postdate: 2007-11-20]

Task: learn about the ERASMUS programme


OBJECTIVES
Cultural:learning about studying opportunities in Europe
Intertextual:/
Linguistic:improving writing skills (writing a summary)  

 

ERASMUS

Erasmus is a section of the Lifelong Learning programme of the European Union. Its aim is to encourage and support academic mobility of higher education students and teachers within the EU. In order to do so, it offers European students the possibility to study abroad for a period of between 3 and 12 months, with full academic recognition (ERASMUS is integrated in the university programmes). Students must obviously be citizens of the EU, and must be enrolled at their second or a higher year of University.

The main problems of studying abroad are language skills and expenses. But are they real problems? A basic knowledge of language is of course required. Anyhow, preparatory language courses are also provided to ERASMUS students. As regards financial difficulties, people often think studying abroad is too expensive. By the way, ERASMUS also offers study grants to cover part of the costs of the whole period of study. Study grants vary from country to country, according to the difference in living expenses abroad. If one wants to study in a country which has a high standard of living, one will of course have a higher grant than a person studying in a less expensive one.  In addition, students don't have to pay for university fees abroad.

Study grants and exonerations from paying university fees are just two of rights which ERASMUS students have, and as with all other rights and duties, they are included in the ERASMUS student charter. This charter mainly focuses on what ERASMUS students are economically entitled to expect, and on the recognition of studies abroad at the home university. As concerns duties, it obliges students to respect the rules of the ERASMUS contract and to spend the full study period as agreed at the host university. Furthermore, students are expected to write a report on their ERASMUS study period when they return.


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