Traineeship Outside Europe
Students who complete a long-term traineeship outside Europe must take the preparatory course "Bringing Internationalisation Home".
Procedure
The first steps of the procedure are the same for every type of exchange. You can find them on the application page below.
Which scholarship are you eligible for?
For a traineeship outside of Europe, you may or may not be eligible for a grant. Possible grants include:
- a general scholarship
- the VLIRUOS travel grant
- Erasmus+ (international dimension)
- the Flanders Trainee Programme
- or without a grant
If you’re doing a traineeship outside of Europe, you’ll usually have to pay for your own travel and living expenses abroad. A grant provides additional financial support, but it doesn’t cover all costs.
Odisee does not have sufficient funds to provide every student with a grant for a traineeship outside Europe. Please keep this in mind.
You must apply for a grant no later than March 15th of the year before your exchange. You can find instructions on how to do this on this website.
Where can you complete your traineeship?
In the brochure “Traineeship Mobility Outside Europe” you’ll find organisations where you can do a traineeship.
These organisations have been approved by your programme. Your programme is building a long-term partnership with them. The traineeship locations are in various countries and regions worldwide, spanning Africa, Asia, North and Central America, Latin America, Oceania, and other destinations outside Europe. These are generally not tourist destinations. You’ll be doing your traineeship in a different environment, sometimes under challenging conditions.
The traineeship assignment must align with the programme you are pursuing at Odisee. Please note: it is possible that an organisation listed in the brochure may not have an available traineeship position at the time you wish to start.
For some countries or regions outside Europe, you are not permitted to do a traineeship through Odisee. This is because they are unsafe, politically unstable, or difficult to reach. Countries with a negative travel advice or where non-essential travel is discouraged are not eligible. Discuss your traineeship options with your departmental coordinator internationalisation.
This type of traineeship is usually arranged without the assistance of a partner study institution. Some degree programmes have a set selection of traineeship placements. For other programmes, you’ll need to find a traineeship organisation on your own. If you’re searching on your own, start early. This will give your departmental coordinator enough time to assess:
- whether your learning objectives and the traineeship’s content align with your programme,
- and whether the organisation provides adequate supervision.
You can only begin your traineeship after receiving approval from your departmental coordinator.
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Preparation
Over the next few months, you’ll prepare for your exchange. You’ll look for an traineeship organisation, work on your language skills, learn about your destination country and your traineeship assignment, find housing, and take care of the necessary paperwork—including a visa, if needed—…
Be sure to review all the information about insurance and useful travel advice on our website.
Keep in mind that a traineeship outside Europe often requires more time, planning, and financial resources than one closer to home. Read on to learn about the costs you may need to consider. -
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Advice
After the examination period following your application, you will receive an advice from your departmental coordinator internationalisation. If this advice is not positive, you can contact your departmental coordinator with any questions you may have. -
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Mobility Online
As soon as you apply, all administrative procedures related to your exchange will be handled through Mobility Online.After receiving your advice, follow these steps:
- Read the travel advice and check it off.
- Upload your language test results. You will receive information about the language test via email.
- Download a template of the Learning Agreement for Traineeships.
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Learning Agreement for Traineeships (LA)
You’ll create the Learning Agreement for Traineeships together with the departmental coordinator internationalisation and the traineeship mentor from the host organisation. All three of you will sign this document. Afterward, you’ll upload it to Mobility Online.
DEADLINE: The fully signed Learning Agreement must be submitted no later than 1 month before the start of your traineeship (preferably sooner).
You may only make changes to your Learning Agreement with the approval of your academic contact person and traineeship mentor. Any changes must be communicated to your departmental coordinator and the International Relations Office no later than one month after the start of your traineeship. -
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Grant Agreement (GA)
Once your Learning Agreement has been signed by all parties, you will receive your grant agreement. Read this document carefully, sign it, and upload it to Mobility Online. You must do this even if you are not receiving a grant.
If you are eligible for a grant, the first installment of your grant will be paid out shortly after you upload the signed grant agreement to Mobility Online again. This amounts to 70% of the total grant amount.
Costs and Practical Arrangements
A Traineeship outside Europe often requires more time and money than a traineeship closer to home. Therefore, estimate the total cost for your preferred destination. To estimate the average cost of living, you can use comparison websites such as Numbeo, where you’ll find information on food, transportation, rent, and daily expenses, among other things.
Be sure to factor in these costs:
- The average price of a plane ticket, including the option to cancel
- The average cost of housing
- The cost of a passport
- The cost of a visa, if required
- The cost of vaccinations and medication, if necessary
- The average cost of living for the entire duration of your stay
When should you book your flight?
An official confirmation can be:
- an email from the traineeship organisation
- an invitation letter from the organisation
Are you arranging your traineeship through a traineeship agency? If so, don’t book your flight until you’ve paid the agency fee or registration fee. This way, you’ll avoid extra costs if the traineeship ends up not going through.
During your stay
After your traineeship
- Have your Traineeship Certificate filled out and signed by the traineeship organisation and upload it to Mobility Online. This document includes, among other things, an evaluation and your exact traineeship dates.
- Did you receive a grant for your exchange (such as a VLIRUOS grant, a generic grant, or a grant from the Internationalisation Fund)? If so, submit the additional supporting documents according to the guidelines in your Grant Agreement.
- Participate in the mandatory debriefing session organized by your programme or the Office of International Relations. This will give you the opportunity to share your experience with other students and reflect on it.
If you are eligible for a grant, the second installment of your grant will be paid out shortly after you have completed all of the above steps. This amounts to 30% of the total grant amount.
If your exchange lasted shorter than planned, the grant amount will be recalculated.
