Traineeship within Europe
The first steps of the application process are the same for every type of exchange. You can find them on the application page below.
Where can you do a traineeship?
Any company, business, or organization in the public or private sector is eligible to participate in an international traineeship, regardless of its size, legal status, or economic sector.
You organise this traineeship mobility without a partner study institution. Therefore, discuss your plans with the departmental coordinator internationalisation well in advance. Depending on your programme, you can choose from a set list of traineeship opportunities or search for a traineeship host organisation yourself, which must be approved in advance by the programme.
Please note: traineeships at EU institutions and at your home country’s national diplomatic missions (e.g., the Belgian embassy) are not eligible for an Erasmus+ grant.
After submitting your application
Warning! Traineeships in the United Kingdom (UK) are strongly discouraged
Since Brexit, a visa for the UK is required to complete a traineeship. The visa application process is complex and offers no guarantee of success. In most cases, it also involves significant costs (approximately €1,500, excluding the visa fee). An exchange in the United Kingdom is still eligible for an Erasmus+ grant.
In addition, the visa application process takes at least 10 weeks. Be sure to take this into account. Contact [email protected] for more information.
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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.
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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 mentor 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 the recommendation, 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 have to 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 re-upload the signed grant agreement. This amounts to 70% of the total grant amount.
During your stay
You are expected to stay in regular contact with your departmental coordinator internationalisation during your traineeship abroad. Your departmental coordinator monitors your traineeship and helps ensure its quality.
After your traineeship
- Have your Traineeship Certificate filled out and signed by the traineeship organisation, then upload it to Mobility Online. This document includes, among other things, an evaluation and your exact traineeship dates.
- Complete the online Erasmus+ survey via the link you’ll receive by email.
- If applicable, upload proof of your round-trip green travel.
- Participate in the mandatory debriefing session organised by your programme or the International Relations Office. 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 complete all of the steps above. This amounts to 30% of the total grant amount.
If your exchange lasted shorter than planned, the grant amount will be recalculated.
