The application period expires on 1st March every year. Applications received after that date are placed on a waiting list.
ERASMUS enables students to pursue studies at universities or institutes of higher education in another participating country for a period of 3-12 months. Students are to be able to transfer from one university to another, without incurring any delay in their studies. The condition for the awarding of grants to students is that the university sending a student off on a student exchange assumes the obligation of assessing in full his studies abroad as constituting part of his studies at home, in accordance with the ECTS system
Students in their first year studies are not eligible for an Erasmus grant. In other regards studies at all university levels receive grants, including doctoral studies. A collaborative agreement must be in force for the universities involved before any student exchange can take place. Grants are exclusively designed to cover travel expenses and additional costs sustained by students in transferring from one university to another, and other costs that they may have to pay because of language courses in connection with their studies abroad. Otherwise, students can be expected to retain their student loan or grant possibilities at home unchanged. Erasmus exchange students do not pay registration fees at the schools where they pursue their studies as guest students. Approximately 150 Icelandic students have annually gone abroad under the auspices of Erasmus.
Various reports and studies have disclosed that temporary studies in a foreign country can be very rewarding, both academically, personally and socially. The knowledge of the student of another country besides his homeland renders him more capable of adjusting to various conditions, it increases his competence in communicating with people of diverse educational backgrounds and it provides him with knowledge of European issues. This experience is also a major advantage when entering the job market.
Grants to students are of two types. On one hand, there are travel grants and on the other hand there are monthly payments towards defrayal of the costs of living. The grant amount can vary from
one year to another.
What is an Erasmus grant?
In order to facilitate student exchanges through ERASMUS, grants are awarded to defray travel expenses and additional costs relating to their study
stays abroad. Students, who do not receive grants, can nevertheless enjoy the benefit of planned collaboration of European universities and they can travel to other countries as ERASMUS exchange
students without grants.
Erasmus grants do not affect study loans from the Icelandic Student Loan Fund.
In the year 2011-2012 ERASMUS grants amount to:
- Air fare = 650 Euros
- Local Compensation= 300 Euros per month
- A supplementary grant can be applied for because of disability
Where can I go?
Please see a list of cooperative universities devided by faculties here
