Exchange Master's Dissertation

Klik hier voor de Nederlandse versie.

This website is meant for students who are currently enrolled in an English Master's programme at the faculty of Bioscience Engineering at Ghent University. If you are studying at another university and are interested to come to our faculty for an exchange programme, click here.

Timeline

A short roadmap is displayed in the figure. Underneath you can find more detailed information on every step. Download the timeline.

1. Information session & Conditions

Information session

• Find the slides and recording of the information session on this site.

Conditions

• You can only include your master's dissertation in your curriculum in the academic year in which you can graduate.  
  This means you must either have already completed or be enrolled in all the courses of the master’s programme.
• You may go abroad multiple times for your master's dissertation, but each stay—even for short stay's of e.g. only one week —must be registered through a new exchange application to ensure you are properly insured.

2. Destinations

• Search for a master thesis topic under 'Subjects abroad' via the master thesis application.
  
  • 'List GUGC topics': topics offered by UGent at the Ghent University Global Campus (GUGC) for which there is already an FBE promotor.
    • For choosing a topic: contact the promotors
  • 'List VLIR-UOS topics': topics offered by UGent in a VLIR country for which there is already an FBE promotor.
    • For choosing a topic: contact the promotors
  • 'List bilateral topics': topics offered by UGent in a (non-VLIR) partner for which there is already an FBE promotor.
    • For choosing a topic: contact the promotors
  • 'Proposals from abroad': topics offered by a partner institution for which you still need to find an FBE promotor.
    • For choosing a topic:
      
      1. Send your desired topic to masterdissertation.fbw@ugent.be for approval from your programme
      2. When approved: programme helps you look for a promotor
• You can also submit a proposal yourself. In this case, you need to find a supervisor yourself.

Look at the topics

IMPORTANT: When you have chosen a master's thesis subject and have received approval to carry it out from both your FBE supervisor and a supervisor connected to the host institution in question, you should have this officially registered with the Faculty Student Administration (FSA). You do this by sending an e-mail to masterdissertation.fbw@ugent.be (with out.fbw@ugent.be and both promotors in CC) stating all the details concerning your master's thesis research (title, off-list or not, promoters, destination). Once you receive an official approval from the FSA (master dissertation FBE) by e-mail, you can proceed.

3. Mobility Grants

Depending on your destination, there are different financial support options. More information can be found here:

• The Erasmus+ studies grant (destinations within the Erasmus zone, min. duration 2 months)
• The Erasmus Belgica grant (destinations within French speaking Belgium, min. duration 3 months)
• Grant for outside the Erasmus zone (=Non-Erasmus Scholarship Possibilities for destinations outside of the Erasmus zone, including VLIR-UOS and GUGC)

  • Follow the guidelines listed on the webpage of the internationalisation department.

• The Swiss-European Mobility Programme (SEMP) (destinations within Switzerland, min. duration 2 months)

Travel allowance: depending on the distance to your destination. If you choose a "green travel" means of transport (bus, bicycle, carpool, train), the travel allowance is higher.

Find out more information in the Erasmus Study Roadmap (search for Green travel).

Combination of scholarships and mobility grants

• If you are not eligible for the previous mentioned grants: Commission Scientific Research (CWO) (min. duration 3 weeks)

4. Exchange Application in Oasis

Application

• Go to https://oasis.ugent.be . You will find general instructions in the Oasis manual.
• In the menu on the left, go to the academic year of your exchange:
  
  • Curriculum
  • Exchange
  • New application

Some important guidelines for your application:

• Mobility type: select 'Research'
• Funding: Depending on whether and which grant you are applying for, please fill in the following:
  • Within Erasmus zone > Erasmus+ studies
  • Within French speaking Belgium > Erasmus Belgica
  • Within Switzerland > SEMP
  • Outside Erasmus zone > Grant for outside Erasmuszone (this includes VLIR-UOS!)

    • For grant selection outside the Erasmus zone, we first look at the academic motivation that you provided in Oasis with your exchange application. This is not a motivation for the grant itself, but rather a motivation why that destination is of academic value to you. Additionally, positive and negative points are factored into the grant selection process. You can find details on these points in the document 'Guidelines for students for scholarships outside the Erasmus area'.

  • CWO > Scientific Research Committee
  • Research project from a facultary department > Other resources
  • If you don't want to apply for a mobility grant > Own resources

Deadline

• This webpage lists the bilateral agreements of our faculty. If an institution appears on the list, it means a bilateral agreement is in place with them.
• The deadlines for the Commission Scientific Research (CWO) can be found here (look for 'Dissertation travel expenses').

5. Exchange Curriculum

Fill in a new exchange course 'Research in the framework of the Master's Dissertation'. Some important guidelines:

• Number of ECTS credits of the exchange course:
  • If you only conduct a part of the practical work of your master's dissertation abroad and another part of the practical work in Ghent: 1/3 of the total credits for your master's thesis (10 ECTS)
    
  • If you conduct all of your practical work of your master's dissertation abroad: 2/3 of the total credits for your master's thesis (20 ECTS)
    
  • If you go abroad for less then 2 months: count 1 ECTS credit per week.
• Indicate that the course 'Master's dissertation' from your master programme in Ghent is realised partly abroad.

6. Master's Dissertation Contract

If you collaborate with third parties (companies, non-profit organizations, institutions with which the faculty has no agreement) for your master's thesis, a Master dissertation contract must be concluded.

1. Begin by following the instructions outlined here to arrange your master’s dissertation contract. Then, download the agreement from this link.
2. Upload the fully signed document in your exchange application in Oasis, as 'Contract'. (mention in the comments: 'Master dissertation contract')

Start this procedure in time, to make sure that the document is completely signed before your departure!

7. Learning Agreement

Check on this webpage whether our faculty has an agreement with the guest university within Europe. If your destination is mentioned on this list, a learning agreement must be signed.

After you receive an email confirming that your exchange curriculum has been positively evaluated, a signature and stamp from Ghent University will automatically appear on your learning agreement. It is therefore best to wait for this email before taking any further steps.

1. Download the learning agreement in Oasis and sign.
2. Send a scanned version of the document to the receiving institution to get their signature.
3. Upload the document in Oasis when it is signed by all 3 parties involved (student, Ghent University, guest university), as 'Learning agreement'.

• If possible, upload in Oasis before 1 July

Start this procedure in time, to make sure that the document is completely signed before your departure!

8. Confirmation of Stay

 Download this document in Oasis.

1. Let the part arrival sign as soon as possible after your arrival.
2. Let the part departure sign at the end of your stay.
3. Upload in Oasis in your exchange application, as type 'Confirmation of Stay'.

9. Evaluation

The evaluation of your master’s dissertation will take place exclusively at Ghent University, with the exception of Erasmus Mundus students who have selected another consortium partner institution for their dissertation. You can find more information about the evaluation procedure on the master’s dissertation evaluation page.

FAQ's

Can I go on exchange more than once during my studies?

Yes, it is possible to combine an exchange for both an internship and your master’s dissertation. (Please note: IMNUFS students are the only ones eligible to go on exchange for courses and to combine this with other types of mobility.)
Each type of mobility can be undertaken once during your master's degree.

Am I insured during my stay abroad?

• For your health insurance, check with your own health insurance fund to find out what the conditions are for reimbursement of expenses abroad. Make sure you definitely have a European Health Insurance Card, recognisable by its blue colour.
• The same conditions apply to accident insurance as when you take classes at UGent.
• For students going abroad, travel assistance is also provided by UGent (in second rank, after your health insurance mentioned above.) If Erasmus Mundus students have questions on their Expat & Co insurance, please contact students.itc@ugent.be .
• Be sure to consider additional insurance.
• These insurances only apply if your exchange application has been completed before your departure.

If you have questions on these insurances contact verzekeringen@ugent.be

What about reimbursement if I don’t receive permission to go on exchange (e.g. due to travel risk)?

• Financial compensation can only be guaranteed if several conditions are met.

• A reimbursement of up to €4500 is possible.

Questions?

Feel free to contact us via out.fbw@ugent.be.