Studying in an Erasmus+ programme country

• You will receive financial support
• You will not have to pay tuition fees at your host university, which in some cases can be quite substantial.
• Academic credits earned at the host university can be transferred to your study programme at Saarland University.
• You will be supported when preparing for your stay abroad.
• Top-up grants are available for students with fewer opportunities.

To be eligible for support from the Erasmus+ long-term mobility programme, you will need to meet the following requirements:

• one of the following criteria regarding citizenship or right of residence
  • You are a national of an Erasmus+ programme country.
    Exception: Nationals of Luxembourg or Liechtenstein are funded by the Erasmus+ National Agency of their home country.
  • You have a permanent residence permit for an EU member state.
  • You have been officially recognized as a refugee or a stateless person and have the relevant proof.
• You are enrolled as a degree-seeking student at Saarland University and have studied for at least one year in your Bachelor's degree programme. Master's students and doctoral students can begin their stay abroad from their first semester onward.
• You are sufficiently proficient in the language of instruction at your host university. Knowledge of the official language of your host country is also strongly recommended.
• The proposed duration of your stay is at least 60 days and no more than twelve months (360 days).
• The partner university you have selected has signed a cooperation agreement with Saarland University and must also be a signatory to the Erasmus Charter for Higher Education.
• You will earn at least 15 ECTS credits from modules/courses in your degree subject or, if agreed with your subject coordinator, from modules/courses in other subjects.

If no subject-specific selection criteria are specified by the Erasmus subject coordinator, candidates will be selected on the basis of the following criteria:

• Academic performance (transcript of records)
• Language proficiency
• Motivation (to be provided in a written personal statement)

Students who participate in a long-term Erasmus+ mobility receive financial support comprising a monthly grant to cover living expenses and, where applicable, a travel-day allowance and/or top-up grants. 

Monthly funding rates (2024 Call)

The size of the monthly grant for long-term Erasmus+ mobilities (from 60 days to 12 months) is calculated on the basis of the cost of living in the host country. Each host country has been assigned to one of three 'country groups'.

• Country group 1 
  • Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden
  • Erasmus+ International: United Kingdom and Switzerland
  • €600 per month or €20 per day
• Country group 2 
  • Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Greece, Latvia, Malta, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain
  • €540 per month or €18 per day
• Country group 3
  • Bulgaria, Croatia, Hungary, Lithuania, North Macedonia, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Turkey
  • €540 per month or €18 per day

The Erasmus+ programme will fund up to 12 months abroad per study cycle (Bachelor/Master/doctoral studies) or 24 months in single-tier degree programmes (Staatsexamen). Financial support will be paid for a maximum of

• 4.5 months for a stay of one semester 
• 9 months for a stay of two semesters

Travel-day allowances

Travel-day allowances depend on the means of transport used and the distance travelled (see distance table and Erasmus+ distance calculator)

• Non-environmentally friendly ('non-green') means of transport (subject to approval): up to two travel days 
• Environmentally friendly ('green') means of transport (bus, train, bicycle, car sharing): up to six travel days

Top-up funds

• Social top-ups
  You may be eligible for additional financial support in the form of a top-up grant of €250 per month if you
  • have a non-academic background, i.e. your parents or legal guardians have not completed a university degree and they affirm this in writing
  • are employed but will not be able to continue working when studying abroad and your average net monthly income is above €450 and below €850 (as shown by your pay slips of the last six months)
  • have a chronic medical condition and this is confirmed by a medical certificate issued by a physician
  • are disabled with a certified degree of disability of at least 20%
  • will be taking your child with you during your stay abroad and you provide supporting documents to this effect.

Please refer to the information on our website regarding equal opportunities, inclusion and sustainability in the Erasmus+ programme.

Erasmus+ funding in combination with BAföG student loans:

If you have applied to the BAföG student loans programme for financial support during your Erasmus+ mobility period, the amount of BAföG support you receive will be reduced. The following Erasmus+ grant components will be set off against your BAföG financial support: 

• Monthly Erasmus+ grants (country-dependent) 
• Top-up payments for students from a non-academic background
• Top-up payments for students who are employed but will not be able to continue working when studying abroad 

The following Erasmus+ top-ups will not be set-off against your BAföG support: 

• Top-up payments for students with a chronic medical condition
• Top-up payments for students who are disabled with a certified degree of disability of at least 20%
• Top-up payments for students who take their child with them during the stay abroad. 

Before going abroad, please check with your examinations office or your department to ensure that the academic credits that you plan to earn at the host university will be recognized and count towards your degree programme at Saarland University. 
Details about transferable academic credit will be set out in your Erasmus+ learning agreement. The learning agreement will be signed by you, by the subject coordinator in your department at Saarland University and by the subject coordinator at your host university.

If you complete academic work at the host university that cannot be directly credited to your degree programme at Saarland University, you can ask the examination office to issue you with a Diploma Supplement. 
This document records academic achievements that go beyond that formally required by your degree programme. It can therefore be included in applications as proof that you have acquired additional skills or qualifications.

Administrative formalities before you leave

• The first step is to apply for a place on the Erasmus+ programme by contacting your Erasmus+ departmental coordinator at Saarland University.
• Once your nomination has been accepted by your preferred host university, you will need to fill in the online Erasmus+ mobility acceptance form. The link to the acceptance form will be provided by your subject coordinator.
• After submitting the acceptance form, your subject coordinator will issue you with a trilingual Erasmus+ mobility certificate (in German, English and French).
• You can now apply for Erasmus+ funding by submitting all of the required documentation to the Erasmus+ team at the International Office. Your documentation (including an access link to your Erasmus+ learning agreement) will be sent to you by email shortly before you are due to start your stay abroad.

Insurance

Health insurance
Health insurance is compulsory for students in EU countries. If you have health insurance with a German statutory health insurance provider or you have private health insurance that covers medical expenses within the EU, you simply need to submit a copy of your European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) issued by your statutory health insurance provider or provide written confirmation from your private health insurer when you apply.

Please note that some health insurance providers do not cover the costs of medical treatment abroad in full. We recommend that you check with your insurance provider and, if necessary, take out supplementary international health insurance cover.

Personal liability insurance
We recommend that you take out personal liability insurance that covers your stay abroad.

DAAD insurance package
The German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) offers an insurance package that provides health, accident and personal liability insurance cover at a fair price for the duration of your stay abroad. For more details, please visit the DAAD website.

Finding accommodation

It's never too early to start looking for accommodation in your host country.
Host universities typically provide Erasmus students with information on how to find suitable accommodation or how to apply for a place in a student hall of residence.
If you respond to an advert or posting offering accommodation, please ensure that the ad is legitimate before answering.

Online language test and language courses

The European Commission offers Erasmus students an online language test in each of the EU's official languages. The test is completely optional, but you can use it to assess your proficiency in the language(s) you will be using during your stay abroad. You can also take free online language courses on the EU's Online Language Support (OLS) platform.

Leave of absence

You must be enrolled at Saarland University during your Erasmus+ stay abroad. However, it is possible to take leave of absence for this period. By taking leave of absence, the number of subject semesters you have studied will not increase while you are on your Erasmus+ stay abroad. In this case, your study abroad semester will not count towards your standard period of study. You are free to decide whether you want to apply for leave of absence or not.

If you do decide to apply for leave of absence, please contact your examinations office and the Erasmus+ coordinator for your subject to clarify any issues regarding recognition of academic credits earned abroad and taking examinations at your host institution.

Detailed information can be found on the Leave of absence web page.

Things to get sorted on arrival

• Ask the Erasmus+ coordinator at the host university to sign your Certificate of Arrival and send it by email to the Erasmus+ team at Saarland University's International Office.
• If you need to make any changes to your learning agreement, please notify the Erasmus+ team at Saarland University accordingly.

The first instalment of your Erasmus+ grant will be paid when all of the required documents have been received by the International Office at Saarland University.

Language courses at the host university

Many of our partner universities offer language courses to incoming Erasmus+ students. These courses are either intensive courses that run before the semester starts or in-sessional courses that run throughout the semester. These courses are often free of charge or are available to Erasmus+ students at a special low rate. For more information, please contact your Erasmus+ study coordinator at Saarland University or get in touch with the partner university.

Preparing to return home

• Make sure that the host university stamps and signs your Confirmation of Attendance and then send it by email to the Erasmus+ team at Saarland University's International Office.
• Ask your host university for a transcript of records or for a document that details the grades you attained in the courses you took during your time abroad. Transcripts are typically issued by the host university's international office or by the Erasmus+ subject coordinator at the host institution. Please find out about the relevant arrangements at your host university before you return home. The transcript of records is an important document that your faculty's examinations office will need in order recognize and transfer the academic credits earned at your host university to your degree programme at Saarland University.
• Before departing, please also remember to deal with the typical end-of-stay formalities such as terminating your rental agreement, cancelling contracts with internet service providers or public transport companies, etc.

After returning to Saarland University

• Send the transcript of records issued by the Erasmus+ host university to your examinations office at Saarland University so that the academic credits you earned abroad can be transferred to your degree programme here.
• The EU will send you an email telling you to complete the online Erasmus+ participant report.

The European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS) enables higher education institutions in countries within the European Higher Education Area (EHEA) to compare and assess course content and to transfer academic credits between institutions. Usually, ECTS credits earned abroad can be transferred directly to your transcript of records at Saarland University. We strongly recommend that you contact your examinations office or department before you go abroad to make sure that the courses you plan to take will be recognized when your return and have been correctly recorded in your Erasmus+ learning agreement.

You will receive the final instalment of the Erasmus+ grant once all of the required documents and the completed participant report have been submitted to the Erasmus+ team at Saarland University.

• You will receive financial support
• You will not have to pay tuition fees at your host university, which in some cases can be quite substantial.
• Academic credits you earn at the host university can be transferred to your study programme at Saarland University.
• You will be supported when preparing for your stay abroad.
• Top-up grants are available for students with fewer opportunities .

To be eligible for support from the Erasmus+ short-term mobility programme, you will need to meet the following requirements:

• one of the following criteria regarding citizenship or right of residence
  • You are a national of an Erasmus+ programme country.
    Exception: Nationals of Luxembourg or Liechtenstein are funded by the Erasmus+ National Agency of their home country.
  • You have a permanent residence permit for an EU member state.
  • You have been officially recognized as a refugee or a stateless person and have the relevant proof.
• You are enrolled as a degree-seeking student at Saarland University.
• You are sufficiently proficient in the official language or the language of instruction at your host university.
• The proposed duration of your stay abroad is at least 5 days and no more than 30 days.
• The partner university you have selected has signed a cooperation agreement with Saarland University and must also be a signatory to the Erasmus Charter for Higher Education.
• You will earn at least 3 ECTS credits from the courses you take at the host university and your blended mobility includes a compulsory virtual component to be completed before, during or after the physical mobility.

Students receive funding for the physical mobility component of their short-term Erasmus+ mobility activity. The funding comprises a monthly grant to cover living expenses, a travel-day allowance, a travel grant and, where applicable, top-up payments. 
 

Funding rates (2024 Call)

• €79 per day for stays of between 5 and 14 days
• €56 per day from the 15th day onward (maximum duration: 30 days)
   

Travel-day allowances

Travel-day allowances depend on the means of transport used and the distance travelled.

• Non-environmentally friendly ('non-green') means of transport: up to two travel days 
• Environmentally friendly ('green') means of transport (bus, train, bicycle, car sharing): up to six travel days
   

Travel grant

This lump sum is calculated on the basis of the Erasmus+ distance calculator
 

Top-up funding

• single payment of €100 for mobilities of between 5 and 14 days
• single payment of €150 for mobilities of between 15 and 30 days

You are eligible for top-up funding if you:

• have a non-academic background, i.e. your parents or legal guardians have not completed a university degree and they affirm this is writing
• are employed but will not be able to continue working when studying abroad and your average net monthly income is above €450 and below €850 (as shown by your pay slips of the last six months)
• have a chronic medical condition and this is confirmed by a medical certificate issued by a physician
• are disabled with a certified degree of disability of at least 20%
• will be taking your child with you during your stay abroad and you provide supporting documents to this effect.

Before going abroad, please check with your examinations office or your department to ensure that the academic credits that you plan to earn at the host university will be recognized and count towards your degree programme at Saarland University.
Details about transferable academic credit will be set out in your Erasmus+ learning agreement. The learning agreement will be signed by you, by the subject coordinator in your department at Saarland University and by the subject coordinator at your host university.

If you complete academic work at the host university that cannot be directly credited to your degree programme at Saarland University, you can ask the examination office to issue you with a Diploma Supplement. 
This document records academic achievements that go beyond that formally required by your degree programme. It can therefore be included in applications as proof that you have acquired additional skills or qualifications.

Administrative formalities before you leave

• The first step is to get in touch with the International Office at Saarland University to get information on short-term blended mobility options within the Erasmus+ programme.
• Once you have applied and your nomination has been accepted by your preferred host university, you will need to fill in the online Erasmus+ mobility acceptance form. The link to the registration form will be provided by the Erasmus+ team at the International Office.
• You can now apply for Erasmus+ funding by submitting all of the required documentation to the Erasmus+ team at the International Office. Your documentation (including an access link to your Erasmus+ learning agreement) will be sent to you by email shortly before you are due to start your stay abroad.

Insurance

Health insurance
Health insurance is compulsory for students in EU countries. If you have health insurance with a German statutory health insurance provider or you have private health insurance that covers medical expenses within the EU, you simply need to submit a copy of your European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) issued by your statutory health insurance provider or provide written confirmation from your private health insurer when you apply.

Please note that some health insurance providers do not cover the costs of medical treatment abroad in full. We recommend that you check with your insurance provider and, if necessary, take out supplementary international health insurance cover.

Liability insurance
We recommend that you take out personal liability insurance that covers your stay abroad.

DAAD insurance package
The German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) offers an insurance package that provides health, accident and personal liability insurance cover at a fair price for the duration of your stay abroad. For more details, please visit the DAAD website.

Finding accommodation

It's never too early to start looking for accommodation in your host country.
Host universities typically provide Erasmus students with information on how to find suitable accommodation or how to apply for a place in a student hall of residence.

If you respond to an advert or posting offering accommodation, please ensure that the ad is legitimate before answering.

Online language test and language courses

The European Commission offers Erasmus students an online language test in each of the EU's official languages. The test is completely optional, but you can use it to assess your proficiency in the language(s) you will be using during your stay abroad. You can also take free online language courses on the EU's Online Language Support (OLS) platform.

Things to get sorted on arrival

• Ask the Erasmus+ coordinator at the host university to sign your Certificate of Arrival and send it by email to the Erasmus+ team at Saarland University's International Office.
• If you need to make any changes to your learning agreement, please notify the Erasmus+ team at Saarland University accordingly.

The first instalment of your Erasmus+ grant will be paid when all of the required documents have been received by the International Office at Saarland University.

Preparing to return home

• Make sure that the host university stamps and signs your Confirmation of Attendance and then send it by email to the Erasmus+ team at Saarland University's International Office.
• Ask your host university for a transcript of records or for a document that details the grades you attained in the courses you took during your time abroad. Transcripts are typically issued by the host university's international office or by the Erasmus+ subject coordinator at the host institution. Please find out about the relevant arrangements at your host university before you return home. The transcript of records is an important document that your faculty's examinations office will need in order recognize and transfer the academic credits earned at your host university to your degree programme at Saarland University.

After returning to Saarland University

• Send the transcript of records issued by the Erasmus+ host university to your examinations office at Saarland University so that the academic credits you earned abroad can be transferred to your degree programme here.
• The EU will send you an email telling you to complete the online Erasmus+ participant report.

The European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS) enables higher education institutions in countries within the European Higher Education Area (EHEA) to compare and assess course content and to transfer academic credits between institutions. Usually, ECTS credits earned abroad can be transferred directly to your transcript of records at Saarland University. We strongly recommend that you contact your examinations office or department before you go abroad to make sure that the courses you plan to take will be recognized when your return and have been correctly recorded in your Erasmus+ learning agreement.

You will receive the final instalment of the Erasmus+ grant once all of the required documents and the completed participant report have been submitted to the Erasmus+ team at Saarland University.