How to become an Erasmus? Second part.

As I already explained in the previous article, the first two steps to become an Erasmus scholarship student are the following:

1st- To find out the date of registration (and logically to secure a place)

2nd- To do the different language tests

And here was where I left the second point, where I explained the types of exams, how to compute for the final result of the language tests along with the record and the dangers that can occur from copying or impersonating identity in a test of these types. We go to point number three.

3rd- To claim if we believe that the results are not according to our test

Do not hesitate to claim under any circumstances if you believe that your exam has not been corrected properly and, for example, to think about having a B2 in English, we now have an A1 because without any doubt, we will have to go to the corresponding office to put our claim for it to be corrected again. It does not take long to fill in the form and it can completely save the Erasmus scholarship for us, since as I say, the key of the scores is in the languages and not so much in the average of the academic record.

A deadline will then be opened for these claims, normally of a week, in which a form must be filled in, begging for the exam in question or all of them to be corrected again. There is no penalty for carrying out this type of act, only if whilst correcting they see that the grade is lower than before. It will then be lowered and you will keep this new one, this time without any possibility of claiming against it.

And already at this point, on the web where the results are uploaded, one can normally consult it using their username and password and its different results and grades where it will also be possible to see the average grade of our record.

How is it calculated so that everyone can see that everything has been done well for themselves?

Well in a very simple way, we use the credits from the different subjects and multiply them by the grade we have. For each result that each subject gives us individually, we then add it to those they have given us in the other subjects, until completing all the year of our course. Now, this is divided by the total number of credits and we will have the average of our record. Those subjects that we have failed will have to be counted as 0 in the total between 0 and 4, which is the maximum possible grade.

Of course, we will have to change the numerical result we see in our file from 1 to 10 to the aforementioned scale of 0 to 4, with simple rules of three of a lifetime. Taking into account that, for example, 7 is a 2 and 8 a 2. 5, and so on. We can find out the exact point of which we are told in each subject.

There is no doubt that due to the criteria followed, having higher grades in the larger subjects with more credits will give us a good boost in the final grade.

On the other hand, if we do not want to claim and we are satisfied with our grade, we will pass this week and go to the next step. Needless to say that if we do not claim we are accepting tacitly that we agree with the results that are offered on the web, so that forms after the deadline will not be accepted in any way.

4th - Choose the different destination cities we want.

And now comes the most entertaining moment, , which is none other than choosing the ten destination cities that we would like to have for the next year of Erasmus. Logically they will go by order of preference, being that the one that we would most like to visit is first on the list and so on.

On these dates, we will talk more or less about March when all the universities that your faculty offers will be set, so they will have plenty of time to inform you and you can choose the one that suits what we seek better.

It is clear that each country and city offers different things and it does not make much sense. For example, that if we look for a cheap place and then we choose Finland as the first option, not only do you have to stick to the country in question but you have to also go deeper into the cities and even in universities. There will be many that although offered, do not have many subjects for your degree and it would be a shame for you to find out about this once there.

That is why this step is the most important and it is in that we have to spend more time finding out all the information for ourselves before completing it. Once the application has been sent to the ten relevant places some universities do not let you modify it, and if they leave you to do it, it is with a cumbersome process in which it is better not to get involved in. In addition, why have to change the chosen universities if we can do it with peace of mind and choose well according to our tastes in the first place.

You can ask the coordinators, you can ask teachers and alumni who have been to the different options that you think are convenient and of course, look on the powerful tool of the internet that exists nowadays, where few things can escape your knowledge. Everything that you rethink this year will have been re-framed by many other people before you, and there is most likely forums, pages or even blogs like this in which anyone has been able to leave their advice or information to help the following students who will go to a particular place. So, it is not worth excuses and play days in front of the computer to find out about the good things that they offer throughout different cities and universities.

Why do I speak of countries, cities and universities?

Because, logically, cities in the same country change a lot. Do not tell me that doing the Erasmus in Granada will be the same as doing it in Puerto Real. Or doing it in Madrid is the same as doing it in Valencia. Of course not! That is why although it is clear that we want to go to Poland, for example, because of the good prices for everything that it offers, it is better to inform ourselves about the different cities so that we do not regret any decisions.

Even the prices change quite a bit depending on which area of the country you go to. For example, everyone says that the north of Italy is much more expensive than the south, and you can find more or less the same parties that you can find in some cities in both places. Therefore, with that information, we can make a better final decision.

On the other hand, I speak of universities because if we do not care about the cities available, for example, in Italy again but we know that in Bologna, the level of work demanded from us is much higher than, for example, Florence (this is hypothetical), it is clear that we will put Florence before Bologna, and with so many others examples; How can you find out this information? Again, by asking or by easily consulting the different pages of the Universities and in particular, looking at what subjects they offer and what they ask for from the Erasmus students (which language the classes are in, compulsory attendance or not, the type of exams, etc).

In short, patience (not too much as it is not going to be that you miss the deadline and have "liao"), and ask and investigate until you get good results.

To be continued.....

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