For Ghent Uni students

The European experience: Erasmus traineeships roadmap for Ghent University students

This page will answer all your questions on Erasmus traineeship mobility.

In addition to traditional exchanges, Erasmus also provides grants for internships at companies, training centres, research centres and organizations in another participating country.

On this page, you can find answers to all your questions on Erasmus Traineeship Mobility.

Before your exchange

Step 1: autumn semester: gather information

Who can help me?

For concrete administrative questions (e.g. application form or grants) about an Erasmus participation, you can always contact the International Relations Office.

  • Within your own faculty and study programme, you can turn to the FCI chair/staff member for all academic questions (e.g. compatibility with the study programme or internship contents).
  • In the autumn semester, each faculty organizes an information session about Erasmus. It is possible that Erasmus Traineeships will be discussed during this session, depending on the faculty. You can find more information from the FCI chair/staff member.

Can I choose freely when I participate in an Erasmus internship?

No, first you must be a Ghent University student during the year of exchange. In addition, you must check with your faculty during which period of your studies an internship abroad is allowed. For example, in some programmes it is customary to do an internship during the third bachelor.

The Erasmus Traineeship is part of your study programme and is equivalent to a certain number of ECTS credits. Upon successful completion of your internship, these credits will be included in your Transcript of Records. Therefore, an Erasmus Traineeship counts towards your diploma.

Be sure to check what the conditions are regarding GIT in your faculty or study programme.

Can I choose my destination?

Yes. You can do an Erasmus Traineeship in any private or public organization active on the labour market, except in EU institutions. You can apply for an internship yourself. Your FCI chair/staff member can provide you with a list of internships for students who went abroad before you.

Please note, this does not apply to clinical internships. These require a bilateral agreement with the institution.

What is the duration of an Erasmus Traineeship stay?

An internship lasts a minimum of 2 months (= 60 days) and a maximum of 12 months. The exact length of your stay is relevant for the calculation of your grant.

What is the duration of an Erasmus traineeship?

The minimum duration of an Erasmus traineeship is 2 months (=60 days) and the maximum duration is 12 months. The exact duration of your stay is relevant for calculating of your scholarship.

Do I keep my scholarship from the Flemish Government when I take an Erasmus?

Yes, scholarship-eligible students who benefit from reduced tuition fees fully retain this right during their stay abroad. Child allowance continues as well.

Will I automatically get an Erasmus scholarship?

Yes. So far, all students are entitled to an Erasmus grant, provided they comply with all administrative formalities.

Every year, the European Commission and the Flemish government provide scholarships for Erasmus interns.

  • Group 1: Denmark, Finland, Ireland, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Norway, UK, Sweden: for students with a study grant from the Flemish Government: €819. For all other students: € 569.
  • Group 2: (Belgium), Cyprus, Germany, France, Greece, Italy, Malta, the Netherlands, Austria, Portugal, Spain: for students with a study grant from the Flemish Government: € 769. For all other students: € 519.
  • Group 3: Bulgaria, Estonia, Hungary, Croatia, Latvia, Lithuania, North Macedonia, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Czech Republic, Turkey: for students with a study grant from the Flemish Community: € 719. For all other students: € 469.

These amounts apply for 2023-2024 and can be reviewed annually.

During your internship abroad you are still a Ghent University student. However, you are not a student, but an intern at a host institution. As a result, you cannot always enjoy the potential benefits of a host institution, such as student restaurants or the student doctor. This is the reason why the grant for the Erasmus Traineeship is higher than the Erasmus grant.

The International Relations Office is responsible for the payment of the Erasmus grant. Students leaving for their internship abroad during the first semester can expect their first deposit no later than the second half of October, provided their file is complete. Students who only leave in the second semester will receive their first grant at the end of the second month of stay.

Advance on the Erasmus grant

Students on a grant and concessionary students can request an advance on their Erasmus grant from the Social Services. If the family budget cannot bear the advance of the Erasmus grant, an advance payment is possible after an individual financial investigation.

You can find the conditions at this website

Do I have to pay a registration fee to the host institution for internships in a foreign university labo?

Erasmus students are completely exempt from paying tuition fees to the host university. You do have to keep paying the Ghent University registration fee.

Note: in Germany a ‘semester fee’ is charged per semester, which results in an extra cost. This can amount to 200 euros per semester. This amount often includes a subscription to public transport.

Is an Erasmus traineeship expensive?

The Erasmus grant is not a comprehensive grant, and thus covers part of the extra costs associated with an Erasmus stay. The real cost of an Erasmus stay depends on e.g. the country and city where you study, the type of accommodation, and travel costs.

Tip: set up a savings plan when you are abroad and use your scholarship sparingly.

Tip: in France, Erasmus students can benefit from an additional grant thanks to the CAF (Caisse d'Allocation Familiale). You can find more information on how to request this support here.

Can I participate in an Erasmus programme twice?

In theory, you can take a second Erasmus Traineeship on the condition that your study programme/faculty allows this. The Erasmus+ programme allows you to go abroad for up to 12 months per study cycle (i.e. bachelor, master, doctorate).

Other possibilities are Erasmus Studies, Erasmus Belgica (to French-speaking Belgium) or destinations outside Europe via the bilateral framework agreements (BIRAKS). However, your faculty always has the final say in this.

Taking an Erasmus exchange with a disability

Ghent University supports students with disabilities who want to go take part in an Erasmus exchange. You can find more information on this online or from your faculty’s FCI staff member.

Step 2: From January: applying

Important deadlines

If you want to apply for a specific internship position, submit this application to your FCI chair/staff member. It is possible that your faculty requests a completed and signed Learning Agreement for Traineeships (see below).

The deadline for submitting your candidacy is usually sometime in January or February, depending on the faculty.

What steps should I take before my Erasmus stay?

1. Exchange request

Via Oasis you must prepare an exchange application for every possible destination for which you wish to be considered. The application includes the following elements:

  • Details about the exchange
  • Motivation
  • Language skills
  • Emergency contact
  • Learning Agreement

2. Learning Agreement for Traineeships

  • In the Learning Agreement for Traineeships you describe which tasks you will fulfil during your internship. What knowledge and skills will you acquire? What will the results of your internship be? Who will follow up and how will you be evaluated?
  • Your preliminary Learning Agreement for Traineeships must be approved by your faculty prior to your departure abroad. In any case, check the procedure within your faculty. Any change to the Learning Agreement for Traineeships must also be re-approved by all parties and provided with the necessary signatures.
  • The Learning Agreement for Traineeships is signed by the intern, the internship supervisor and your faculty’s FCI.
  • It is the individual student’s responsibility to upload a fully signed copy of the Learning Agreement for Traineeships onto Oasis BEFORE the exchange.

Changes to this Learning Agreement for Traineeships must be communicated to your FCI as soon as possible after departure.

Depending on the faculty, the Learning Agreement for Traineeships is requested when you submit your application in January or February.

Important! It is crucial that the Learning Agreement for Traineeship is signed by the three parties and uploaded onto Oasis before departure. The three parties are: the student, the host institution and the home institution.

Step 3: Administrative procedure of the application

The applications selected by the faculty FCI chair/staff member are sent to the International Relations Office. The student contacts the internship supervisor abroad for further processing of the administrative formalities.

Step 4: After admission by the host institution, the preparations for your stay will start

What to do before I leave?

In the first half of July you will be able to consult a number of documents via the Oasis website, under 'Documents' in your exchange application. The following documents are made available:

  1. Erasmus + Student Charter
    Every Erasmus Traineeship student must read through an Erasmus Traineeship contract before going abroad. The Erasmus charter sets out the necessary provisions (i.e. conditions, rights, and obligations) of an Erasmus intern. It serves as proof of your participation in the Erasmus Traineeship.
  2. Erasmus + scholarship contract
    The scholarship contract regulates the payment of the scholarship. Please electronically approve your scholarship contract in Oasis. Watch out: you can only electronically approve your Erasmus + scholarship contract once you have re-registered at Ghent University (i.e. after you have received your exam results in the 1st or 2nd exam period).
  3. Refund language course at the University Language Centre (‘UCT’)
    As an exchange student, you can follow 1 language course at the University Language Centre at a reduced registration fee (see below). The UCT will automatically be informed of your Erasmus participation, so you can simply register with the UCT. To be eligible for this course, you must attend at least 80% of the course series. You can only follow a course for the language or languages of your host country. The refund will be made during your exchange period and after you have completed your contract and your confirmation of stay.
  4. Confirmation Erasmus statute
    This is an official letter confirming that you have been selected as an Erasmus intern, useful for your host country. You can print this letter from Oasis. Name certificate: certificate outgoing exchange.

Do I have to find a room abroad myself?

To find accommodation is your own responsibility. A few tips:

  • The International Relations Office of your host institution can certainly help you in your search.
  • In some universities there is a housing service that can assist you.
  • Contact Ghent University students who are currently in your future host institution. Maybe you can take over their room or they can give interesting tips.

Always beware of fraud during your search!

Do you want to rent out your own room during your foreign adventure? You have the right to temporarily rent out your room when you go on Erasmus. You can find more information on www.kotatgent.be.

Can I improve my language knowledge at the University Language Centre before my leaving?

Outgoing exchange students can receive a discount for a language course that they follow in the academic year in which they leave or in the academic year before. This discount applies to a course in preparation for the exchange and must therefore also be taken before the exchange.

Contact the UCT for the courses they offer.

To be able to follow a language course at this greatly reduced registration fee, you must be present during at least 80% of the lessons. You can only take a course for the language or languages of your host country.

The partial reimbursement of your language course will happen during your stay abroad, after you have uploaded the documents 'Erasmus contract' and the 'Confirmation of arrival' onto Oasis.

What about insurance and safety?

As far as health insurance is concerned, you must inform your health insurance fund in good time before travelling abroad to know the formalities that must be completed in order to obtain a refund of the medical expenses abroad and the European Health Insurance Card – identifiable by its blue colour. Please note: the European Health Insurance Card is not valid in Turkey.

For accident insurance of the Ghent University Erasmus student, the same conditions apply as when the student takes lessons at Ghent University. Via my Oasis – Certificates, you can print a certificate as proof of insurance for the host university. Cases for which you are insured through Ghent University:

  • Civil liability: if you cause damage to third parties in the context of university activities, so NOT on the way to and from internship activities.
  • Personal physical accident: for medical costs if you are the victim of a personal physical accident in the context of university activities or on the way to and from internship activities.
  • Travel assistance: for medical costs, repatriation and the like if students travel abroad in the context of university activities. Medical costs abroad can sometimes be extremely high. In addition, good medical care is not available everywhere, which sometimes requires an evacuation by plane or helicopter. That is why it is important for everyone to have a good travel assistance insurance before departure. In this regard, be sure to contact your health insurance company to check what you are entitled to in any case. If your destination is outside the EU, you should definitely pay more attention to this.

You can find more information about insurance on the website of the Legal Affairs Department or via your private insurance policy.

In the event of an accident during your university activities at the host institution, please immediately contact the Ghent University Legal Affairs Department and the International Relations Office.

Register by email at your embassy or consulate in the country of destination, stating your name, period of stay and contact details.

We strongly recommend registering on the following website: www.travellersonline.diplomatie.be (in case you have the Belgian nationality). If you have a different nationality, it is possible that your home country has a similar system. Check the website of your Foreign Office.

In case of security problems, illness, accident, or loss of identity papers, you should contact the embassy/consulate on site as soon as possible. For more information about this, see the website of the FPS Foreign Affairs.

Remember that the emergency number 112 applies in all EU countries.

TIP! Be sure to read the Travelling Brochure of the Federal Public Service for Foreign Affairs. Here you can find recommendations regarding, among other things, insurance, and vaccinations. Do not forget to read the travel advice of the FPS Foreign Affairs before you leave. If travel advice is negative for a specific destination, Ghent University cannot allow its students to leave. Even when non-essential travel is discouraged, no authorization can be given. Moreover, it is possible that travel advice is positive, but that the university you are going to is closed due to local problems. In this case, if your academic activities cannot continue, Ghent University cannot allow your departure. When in doubt, contact the International Relations Office.

Can I revoke my Erasmus Traineeship application?

Provided that you have a good reason, you can revoke your candidacy for a stay abroad. Write a motivated email to the International Relations Office and your faculty contact person with the notification that you are withdrawing your application and why.

Do I need a passport or visa?

Owing to the free movement of persons within the EU member states and the EFTA countries, possession of an identity card is the only formality required when crossing a border within the European Union.

You do have to register with the municipal population service of your Erasmus destination for registration in Central Register for Foreign Nationals. However, there are no general rules on the documents to be submitted for this purpose.

The formalities regarding visa application for Turkey can change. Please contact the relevant embassy in good time or see www.evisa.gov.tr. Ask if you can obtain a visa with ‘multiple entries’. You can find detailed information about embassies, procedures, etc. at www.diplomatie.be.

Always take copies of your important documents with you or keep them on your laptop or a flash drive.

Money matters and customs

Before you leave, check with your bank whether your bank card works in the country of destination. In case of loss or theft of your bank card, call Card Stop immediately: 0032 70 344 344. This number is available 24/7. In the event of theft of your identity card or passport, call Doc Stop immediately: 0032 2 518 21 23. This number is also available 24/7.

Within the European Union, customs rules are very flexible. If your Erasmus is to Turkey, these rules are a lot stricter.

Tip: keep proof of purchase of goods and products that you wish to export when you want to leave the country.

Travelling healthily

Know where you are going and familiarize yourself with the main health risks at your destination. A lot of information about this is available online, but an excellent and reliable site is that of the Antwerp Tropical Institute: www.wanda.be (or available as the ‘Wanda’ app). Type in your destination and you will get an overview of the main health risks and recommended vaccinations. Consider specific circumstances following the outbreak of SARS-CoV-2 (Corona). Good preparation is even more important if you are dealing with certain health problems and/or need to take medication. Try to find out in advance where to go in case of health problems during your trip.

  • Vaccinations
    • Gather all possible information about the vaccinations you have already had: you may have a vaccination card (or your parents might have it), or contact your doctor. In any case, do this in good time (at least 8 weeks before departure) so that there is enough time for vaccinations that require multiple injections.
    • Make the necessary arrangements to arrange your vaccinations: Your doctor can administer most vaccinations himself, except for the Yellow Fever vaccine. The latter is only possible by a centre that is recognized for this (such as the Tropical Institute in Antwerp and the Travel Clinic of UZ Gent).
    • Provide at least a minimum of travel medications depending on your destination. These medications become all the more important should you have reduced access to good healthcare at your destination. Online information
    • Discuss this with your doctor or a doctor from the travel clinic. By the way, you need a prescription for certain medication. Consider the storage conditions of certain medications. Focus on the most important things, after all, you are not supposed to have to carry a whole suitcase full of bandages and pills.
    • Consider sufficient mosquito-repellent measures if you travel to southern or tropical countries.
    • During your trip, you can do a lot yourself to avoid getting sick: avoid unnecessary risks and pay sufficient attention to hygiene, not only in terms of personal hygiene (in particular washing your hands before and after eating and using the toilet) but also with regard to food and drink (Cook it, boil it, peel it or forget it!), sexual contacts, etc.
  • Travelling with medication

What about culture shock?

You may experience culture shock or feel homesick at some point. Remember: this is completely normal! Prepare for that! A few tricks?

  • Stay in regular contact with friends and family (social media!).
  • Keep a diary or blog of your experience; write down how you feel.
  • Get plenty of exercise and keep your body and mind active.
  • Learn the local language & culture/get someone to know your language & culture there.
  • Join social groups and expat clubs; meet people who have been through what you are going through/Join a local student organization.
  • If it is still too challenging: do not make hasty decisions, take the time to get used to the differences.

Intercultural preparation

Every year, the International Relations Office organizes two intercultural preparation days. If you go abroad, participation in this intercultural preparation is strongly recommended. You will receive information about culture shock, health and safety while travelling. Due to the current corona crisis, the International Relations Office has developed an online offering with videos and student testimonials.

More information

Curious how your exchange abroad will impact your knowledge, skills and attitudes? Take part in the Erasmus Skills assessment

The Erasmus Skills assessment is a self-reflection questionnaire designed for you to explore your knowledge, skills and attitudes before and after your Erasmus exchange. It will help you to identify the competences you achieve during your stay abroad and it will give you a clear vision on your personal development. 

Start the before mobility questionnaire now by going to this website.

Want to learn a bit more about European integration, European identity and the Erasmus experience? Check out the webinar of Prof. Ferdi De Ville.

During your stay abroad

Step 5: What is expected of me DURING my stay abroad?

You must keep in touch with your faculty during the internship abroad. The International Relations Office will occasionally write you by e-mail to handle your file. It is important to know that we only work with your Ghent University e-mail address.

Have the document 'stay period certificate/arrival part' signed

Once you have arrived in the host country and start the Welcome Week or the internship, we expect you to register with the internship supervisor as soon as possible. You have the ‘arrival’ section of the ‘certificate of residence period’ document filled out and signed and you upload the signed version onto Oasis via the ‘Documents’ tab.

Report possible changes to traineeship learning agreement

After you have arrived in your host country, your duties may need to be adjusted. In that case, you must notify your faculty as soon as possible. Adjust your curriculum for this via Oasis. Your amended curriculum will then be submitted to your faculty for approval. After approval, you can request the officially signed form via the 'Documents' tab of your exchange application in Oasis.

Does my internship count towards my diploma?

Your internship period abroad is recognized as a comparable period of study at the home institution. Your internship counts for a certain number of ECTS credits. These credits will be listed on your Transcript of Records and therefore count towards your diploma. The credits are awarded to you based on the evaluation by your internship supervisor (see below). This evaluation document is called the Transcript of Work for Traineeship.

What to do in case of serious trouble?

If you encounter any problems of any kind during your stay at a host institution, first speak to your contact person at the host institution. In case of serious problems:

  • Do not hesitate to contact your Faculty internationalization contact and the International Relations Office.
  • There is Ghent University permanence 24/7. You can contact them on 0032 9 264 88 88 or via permanentie@ugent.be
  • In case of illness or accident, contact your health insurance company/insurance company.
  • In case of security problems or loss of identity papers, you should contact your embassy/consulate on site as soon as possible. For more information about this, see www.diplomatie.be or the website of your Foreign Office.
  • Always follow the guidelines of the local authorities or your host institution.
    • Indicate an ICE number in your mobile phone. ICE is the abbreviation for ‘In Case of Emergency’. This is a person (e.g. father, mother, boyfriend or girlfriend) who should be contacted first should something happen to you.
  • Be sure to keep in touch with fellow students

If you are dealing with unacceptable behaviour (e.g. bullying, aggression, or sexual harassment) you can contact the Ghent University confidential advisor, every working day between 9 and 12 o'clock via 0032 9 264 82 82 or vertrouwenspersoon@ugent.be. Discretion is assured and you will receive a reply answer no later than the next working day.

In case of security problems or loss of identity papers, you should contact the embassy/consulate on site as soon as possible. For more information, see www.diplomatie.be or the website of your Foreign Office.

Have the document 'stay period certificate/departure part' signed

At the end of your internship period, you must sign out with your internship supervisor. You can find this document via the 'Documents' tab of your exchange application via Oasis and upload the signed version there.

What can I do for Ghent University during my exchange?

During your exchange you are an ambassador of Ghent University. You can testify about what it is like to study and live in a city like Ghent. It is possible that you will be asked by your host institution to put Ghent University in the picture. If you want support for this, you can contact the International Relations Office. The International Relations Office can ask you to do an Instagram Take Over. Always keep an eye on your Ghent University email address, because all communication is sent via that email address.

After the exchange

Step 6: What formalities must be done AFTER I return?

Student survey

A final administration and obligation for the International Relations Office is to complete an online student survey. The information about this will be automatically sent to you after your specified end date. Once all formalities are in order, the last month of the grant will be paid.

Transcript of work for traineeship

Your supervisor will send the internship evaluation (i.e. Transcript of Work for Traineeship) to your faculty’s FCI. The results will be converted into ECTS credits and included in your Transcript of Records.

Beware of health complaints after your exchange

Be alert for health complaints during and AFTER the exchange. After all, it is always possible that only after your return you develop complaints related to a condition that you contracted during your trip. In case of fever during the trip or up to three months after return, urgent medical advice is always required to rule out serious infections such as malaria (if applicable in terms of region). Contact your doctor as soon as possible. If you need an antipyretic, use paracetamol and not aspirin.

Reverse culture shock

Once you are back in Belgium, you can experience a reverse culture shock. You have had many experiences, your interests may have shifted, you have made new friends. Everything has remained the same in Ghent, but you have fundamentally changed. Some students experience the reverse culture shock very subtly, others very violently. How can you deal with this? Be aware that reverse culture shock is normal and accept it. Find space and time to share your experiences with family, friends, and fellow students. Engage in international student associations, as a buddy. This way you keep the experience alive!

Once the previous administrative matters are all in order, it will be a successful exchange experience!

Finish your Erasmus Skills assessment and see how your mobility impacted you.

If you filled out the before mobility questionnaire of the Erasmus Skills assessment then you can now complete the after mobility questionnaire. 

Start the after mobility questionnaire now by going to this website 

The result of your assessment can be of help to you when you want to present your Erasmus Skills in a tangible way for recruiters and employers. You can take ideas and useful advice by watching the Erasmus Skills webinars from Nannette Ripmeester (Director Expertise in Labour Mobility):