Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) for outgoing students

On this page you can find a document with the frequently asked questions (FAQ).

Please consult this document before you contact the Exchange Office at WUR.

General questions

How do I organize my exchange period?

Study exchange: go to this page.

Internship: go to this page.

What is the deadline for the selection process?

For the deadlines take a look on the right side.

Are the credits I earn valid for my curriculum?

The credits (ECTS or from a non-EU university) are transferable if you go on exchange to a partner university. But, external courses (including minors etc.) require approval from your study advisor and from the Examining Board of Wageningen University, in order to count as part of your study programme. Since credit and grading systems differ among countries and between universities, the results you obtain with external courses (including minors etc.) will need to be converted in order to fit in the credit and grading system used by Wageningen University, this will be done by the examining board of Wageningen University.

How about tuition fees?

If you go on exchange to one of our partner universities, you do not have to pay tuition fees at the partner university. You need to be registered as a full-time student and pay tuition fee at Wageningen University.

However, fees for e.g. visas can be charged and need to be covered by the student. Note: if you go on an exchange to a university which is not a partner of WUR, you probably have to pay tuition fees!

 

Is the programme available to students with special needs?

All actions of Erasmus+ are open to people with special needs. The programme aims at promoting equity and inclusion by facilitating the access to learners with disadvantaged backgrounds and fewer opportunities compared to their peers including people with mental, physical, sensory or other disabilities. For more information, please contact the exchange office.

Can I go to my country of origin?

It is possible to do a mobility period (study or training) in your country of origin as an Erasmus+ student, provided that your country of origin is not the country you normally study and live in. As long as you are officially a WUR student, you can go to all Erasmus+ partner countries. So, if you are a Spanish WUR student, you can get an Erasmus+ grant if you go for exchange or thesis/internship to Spain.

However, the selection criteria are defined by the higher education institutions participating in the programme, which could decide that students applying to study in their country of origin should have a lower priority than those applying to a country different from their country of origin.

 

What about Brexit?

The Withdrawal Agreement foresees that the UK will continue to participate in the current Erasmus+ programme as if the UK was an EU Member State, until the end of 2020. This means that students that go on study exchange or do an internship in the UK can benefit from Erasmus+ grants until the end date of their exchange, even if it is after 2020. The possible participation of the UK in future programmes after 2020 will depend on the outcome of the overall negotiations on the future relationship between the two parties.

For now, all we can do is refer you to the FAQ on the Erasmus website. If we receive more information, of course we will keep you updated.

Study exchange possibilities

To which Universities can I go on exchange?

You can find the possbilities on our Partner Universities page.

However in most cases the agreement is in a certain field of study or with a specific faculty. This means that you cannot select just any university/course. When in doubt, ask your exchange coordinator for details.

Is it possible to go on exchange to a university that is not a partner of Wageningen University?

It is not possible to go on exchange to a non-partner university. Some universities accept ‘free movers’ or ‘contract students’, but the exchange office is not involved with the procedures. In most cases students have to pay fees to the guest university. For thesis it is sometimes possible to do a research at an university which is not a partner. However, this is dependend on the host university. Our office does not mediate or organize anything. You can apply for an Erasmus+ grant for thesis/internship.

Erasmus+ grant and other (financial) matters

What are the requirements to apply for the Erasmus grant?

Study exchange: you can apply for Erasmus+ grant after we have nominated you for an exchange period at one of the partner universities.

Internship/thesis: to apply for Erasmus+ grant (financial support), you need to fulfill the requirements, which you can find here.

How can I apply for Erasmus+ grant?

Study exchange: on this page you can find all information about the application process to apply for an Erasmus+ exchange and an Erasmus+ grant for study.

Internship/thesis: on this page you can find the procedure and the forms you need to fill in to apply for an Erasmus+ grant for internship or thesis abroad.

What is the deadline for Erasmus+ grant application?

Study exchange: the deadline for sending in the application forms for Erasmus+ Grant is June 1st (if you are going on study exchange in the first semester) and November 1st (if you are going on study exchange in second semester).

Internship/thesis: Preferably at least one month before the starting date, but not later than before departure (also applies for voluntary internship or thesis).

Is the Erasmus+ grant a guarantee?

No, the grant is never guaranteed, since it depends on the budged and the number of applications.

How much is the grant?

Depending on the living standards of the country you are going to the monthly grant differs. When doing an internship/thesis you receive an addition. Regularly the amount of grant changes. Although we try to keep the overview as updated as possible, please take the following amounts only as a guideline.

I am going abroad for my thesis. For which Erasmus +grant should I apply?

Be careful with which form you need to fill in. When you are nominated for your exchange period at one of our partner universities (by your exchange coordinator), you need to fill in the study forms. Otherwise you need to fill in the 'internship forms'. You can find the internship forms here.

How long will it take for the Erasmus grant to be on my bank account after I have finished the application procedure?

After you have submitted all application documents, you will receive an email from us informing you about whether or not you will receive an Erasmus+ grant. It may take up to six weeks after that message for the money to be transferred.

Will I receive the grant per month or in one go?

If you are selected for the Erasmus+ grant, you will receive 70% of the amount before your exchange and 30% after your exchange upon successful completion of all the forms.

I am going abroad for my internship and I would like to apply for an Erasmus Grant. However, I missed the deadline of June 1st / November 1st that is on your website.

This deadline only applies for students who are going abroad for STUDY (so who are taking courses or are writing their thesis at one of our partner universities). If you are going abroad for INTERNSHIP, you need to submit your forms one month before the start of your internship.

I want to extend my exchange. Is that possible?

If you want to extend your exchange by more than five days, you have to inform your Erasmus coordinator at least one month before the initial end date of your exchange. If your Erasmus coordinator agrees with the extension, you can send the confirmation and the section ‘During mobility’ of the Learning Agreement to erasmus.studentexchange@wur.nl. Depending on the budget available, they will decide whether you will receive an Erasmus Grant for the extra days.

What are the financial consequences if I do not earn all the credits of the courses I planned to do (and are in the learning agreement)?

The consequences are discussed individually. If it is clear a student did not study at all (without a case of force majeure), there will be financial consequences on the grant. Generally speaking, students earn credits. If not all credits are earned, this has only consequences for the proceeding of the study. This has to be discussed with the study advisor. The exchange office has nothing to do with this, except when the student did not study at all.

How about my OV student rights?

You can get a reimbursement for not using your OV-card if you study (or do an internship) abroad. Make sure you hand in the forms at DUO two months before departure. The form is signed by SSC (Student desk ground floor Forum building).

How about insurance?

Insurance is the students own responsibility!

Travel Insurance

Wageningen University & Research has arranged a collective continuous travel insurance agreement for business trips abroad for all employees and students of Wageningen UR, including those visiting a university abroad for work/study purposes. This insurance covers a maximum travel period of 365 days, including luggage and accidents and is subject to terms and conditions. For more information visit the SSC desk.

Health insurance

Check with your current insurance company if your stay abroad is covered (note a difference between EU and world insurance). Ensure that you are clear about your coverage. Does it include medical repatriation, access to medical specialists, and so on? Be clear about claim procedures – do you pay upfront, what percentage, are there co-payments, et cetera.

Download

FAQ Erasmus exchange outgoing.pdf