Everything you need to know about Erasmus+

If you have found this post, it's because you have heard of Erasmus, or maybe you're like me and, after a bit of curiosity, you've decided to partake in the competition that will ultimately help those who are about to experience their very own adventure with Erasmus. Four years have already passed since my first exchange programme, yet, that period has changed my life so dramatically that it remains deeply ingrained in my mind. Surely, many of you will have noticed the fact that in the previous sentence I've talked about my "first Erasmus", and nowadays everyone knows that one can take part in the Erasmus multiple times.

Well, one of the things that many don't know about Erasmus is that, up until the academic year of 2012-2013, such an exchange programme was an experience that could only be done once in a lifetime, while now it has become a repeatable thing to do in every cycle of study (1st, 2nd, 3rd cycle - bachelor, masters, PhD) for a maximum of 12 months per cycle. That's why it's called Erasmus+ now.

There are 3 different types of Erasmus: the Erasmus+ for Education, the one that we all know of, is the one at a University in the EU, which is already associated with our University, where we can attend courses for 1 or 2 semesters. The Erasmus+ Trainesship programme, instead, allows us to do an internship in a European company, and therefore to enter the working world. Finally, the Erasmus Mundus programme - which is not offered by all Universities, and could be presented with a different name - gives you the possibility of attending 1 or 2 semesters in a University, affiliated with your home University, outside of the EU (the majority of the Universities you can attend are located in South America, but there are some in India, China, South Africa, the United States, and Canada). Obviously, this programme calls for an entirely separate post, because of the complexity of the required documentation for your Visa, but I'll try to cover it in one of the following paragraphs.

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What you need to know about Erasmus

1. The Erasmus competition in Italy, where I'm from, usually starts after the Christmas holidays, sometimes almost simultaneously with the winter exam session. Normally, Erasmus is recommended for students attending the last year of their bachelor, the first year of their masters or, alternatively, the first semester of their second year, if they wish to write their thesis in Italy. The enrolment procedure always takes place one year before the academic period one wishes to attend abroad, in order to leave for the host University during the first or second semester of the next academic year. So, for example, if you want to leave in September 2018, be ready to be back from your winter holidays as soon as possible, because you will need to be at your home University between January and February. This period could be subject to relevant changes, as each University is organised differently, so I suggest that you visit your International Office for more information. Another thing to take into consideration are the competition rules: read them carefully and if you have any doubts contact or physically go and talk with somebody at the International Office. Don't ask for information to the professor(s) who will have to sign the documents for the programme: their help should be asked only and exclusively for what concerns the subjects. The documentation and all the administrative part are the International Office to take care of. Your professors can only suggest some tutors with whom you could follow the courses abroad, but they know as little as you do about the equivalence of the subjects.
2. Apply only if you are really motivated, if you have enough money to pay for your living expenses abroad and if you think this programme will improve your academic career, and not worsen it. Every University manages the distribution of the money from your scholarship in a different way - and you should ask about this matter to the International Office too. Some students receive their scholarship before their departure, during and after their stay in the foreign country; some, instead, receive everything in one instalment before, during or after their stay. So, I recommend leaving your home country with some money in the bank for the first initial expenses.
3. How should you choose your host University? Remember, not all Universities with a good reputation are the best ones for you. There are many other factors to consider: the cost of living, your personal interests, the location, the course program, the country you are going to live in, the political situation, etc.

   At first, you will only know about your budget and how much you can spend monthly to cover your living expenses: that, I think, is the most fundamental aspect you should consider, because if you don't have the money to sustain yourself in a foreign country you won't have anyone to help you, if not your own self and your family, and this will not allow you to deal with the programme well. Even the lifestyle that the people of that nation have is something to keep in mind. Generally, if you come from the North of Europe it will be uncomfortable for you to go to Spain, if you hate French it is useless to go to France, if you hate big cities do not choose European capitals as your dream destinations. You will only feel bad and you will just try to adapt to something that you won't even be able to enjoy for 6 months. The political situation is another important factor, especially for those who decide to leave the EU and that will have to convert the euro into the local currency.

4. Should you learn the local language before you arrive? This will depend on the request of the Host University and your home University. In my days, it was compulsory only for those who chose France and for some universities in Great Britain to have a language certification, but things have surely changed since then, so see if you can find out about this in advance. In some cases, the Host University will offer some language courses without you having to invest in private courses.

   Instead, if the Host University does not require have a certificate before your arrival and you want to exercise anyway, there are various things you can do: find colleagues in your University who are fluent in the language of the country you have chosen and ask to have conversations with them (you could even help them improve with your own language! ). There is also an app based on this concept: look for Tandem on your App Store. Otherwise, you could use apps such as Duolingo - however, to learn most of the languages on this app you must have an English account. A valid alternative to Babbel and Duolingo is Busuu, which offers several languages: French, Portuguese-Brazilian, English, German and Spanish. Moreover, you could look for one of those phrase books that help you learn the basic sentences to ask for directions, to present yourself and to understand descriptive dialogues.

   The truth is that you will learn to get by and you will be fluent in your language of choice only when you'll be living in your new place.

5. Before departure, try to contact those who have already been to the University you'll be attending. Those will be the only people who will really help you organise your curriculum and guide you through your search for an accommodation, your day of arrival and departure, tips and tricks for the city, etc. Ask colleagues and the International Office to give you the contacts of someone who is going to the same University. On social media, look for groups of Erasmus students in that city. Contact the University that will host you to find out if there are any student associations that help international students to find a home or that organise events to introduce you to the University and the city. Don't be shy and go for it!
6. Remember that your curriculum can be changed when you arrive at your Host University. If you have any exams that you need to pass in your Home University, or you aren't satisfied with the Learning Agreement you compiled before departure, you can change it during the first month from your date of arrival.
7. For Italians who stay abroad for two semesters, I suggest you to cut ties with your general practitioner just before going abroad, and to reactivate the contract as soon as you return to Italy. It will sound strange to you, because not everyone knows that this can be done and it is not mandatory to do so, but it is a suggestion that I want to give you: this way, you won't spend money from the Public Health funds (which are on steady decline) that Italy uses to pay for a GP you will not contact for a whole year. It's quite a simple procedure: you will need to go to the USL of your city and ask to interrupt the contract with your GP because you are about to go abroad. When you return, just go back to the USL and get the doctor again.
8. Don't surround yourself with people from your mother country. Find them, chat with them when you need it (so you don't always have homesickness), create your own group to stay up to date on the news and events... and then, stay with other people entirely! If you have decided to go abroad, you should immerse yourself in a new culture, new experiences and, above all, stay away from everything that you already know. Putting yourself in the most comfortable position will not help you build your bones and learn another language. If you are about to leave with a university colleague and you feel audacious, try not to look for a room together. Obviously, you shouldn't abandon your friend, but if you try not to live under the same roof you will adapt much more quickly. However, if you aren't so daring and need more time to adapt to your new lifestyle, share your place with someone you already know for the first few months, so that eventually you could cut ties. In short, Erasmus is made to test you and there is nothing wrong with failing.

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What you need to know about Erasmus+ Traineeship

If you have decided to leave for an internship abroad, you must be sure that:

1. You still have the access to at least 3 of the 12 months available for the scholarship in your study cycle.
2. You already have an idea of where to go (country and company) to do the internship.
3. You can apply while you are attending the Erasmus+ for Education programme and start either immediately after the end of the lessons or at the same time, if the minimum monthly payments are available.
4. The internship can be done after graduation (within 1 year of graduation date), but the application must be submitted while you are still enrolled.

How and When. In Italy, the competition for the Erasmus+ Traineeship program opens towards the end of the academic year (as always ask for confirmation at your University). Unlike with Erasmus+ for Education, you will have to find the company that accepts you as a trainee. You can ask the International office to show you the companies that have already accepted students from your Faculty in previous years. You will then have to contact the company and ask if they are looking for new trainees and for which period. This is a process that you will have to undertake before the application, because when you enroll in the programme you will have to get the confirmation from the company that they will accept you as a trainee. So, get in early!

Do not hesitate to contact companies that you like, especially if what you seek is a post-graduate internship: it's vital for you to start your career well.

Prepare your CV or Portfolio beforehand, and remember to always keep it up to date. You can create your Curriculum Vitae on the website europass. cedefop.europa.eu, which allows you to create a CV with the European model. For the Portfolio you can visit websites such as Issuu, Pinterest, etc. Remember, it's very important to know how to present yourself, so prepare a strong presentation letter: it should be as personal as possible, and it should show how indispensable you'll be.

Another difference from the Erasmus+ for Education is that by interning abroad in new countries or cities the possibility of meeting new people will be limited. This is because you will not attend a University and constantly meet with colleagues, but you will be surrounded by adults with different lifestyles and, above all, you will be there to work, so you will spend most of your time divided between work and home. So, how can you solve this problem? My suggestions are always the same: find Erasmus people on social media to spend time with them over the weekend, ask those who have already lived there if they know someone you might contact, sign up for the gym, play sports, go to some events that interests you (you could end up making friends with someone there! ) and, most importantly, choose good roommates. Home is home, and it will have to be a place where you can both rest and have a chat with your roommates: if your living situation isn't good, change accommodation immediately.

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What you need to know about Erasmus Mundus

1. The application process for this program opens in the middle of the second semester (always ask confirmation to your university)
2. If you choose countries in the tropical hemisphere (South America, South Africa, India, China) consider not only the inverted seasons but also, as a result of this factor, the beginning and end dates of the semesters. The first semester starts between February and March and ends in June, while the second semester begins in mid-July and ends in early December. The summer holidays coincide with those of Christmas and Carnival, and last three months - just like in Italy - between December and March.
3. The visa. The visa is one of the major things that you need to consider, because it takes quite some time to get it, from the moment you submit the requested documentation to the delivery. You must apply for a Study Visa, otherwise the Host University will not be able to accept you. For more information on how to obtain a visa, visit your national website (for Italians, visit ufficiovisti.com)
4. The plane ticket. It's not true that the earlier you book your plane tickets, the more you save. Normally, the airline companies start selling tickets 7 to 11 months earlier at a non-discounted price. Prices start to fluctuate between 7 to 2 months before the flight. Book your flights on Tuesday or Wednesday, which are the cheapest days of the week, and during the afternoon instead of the morning, because many people tend to make reservations when they're in their office, and thus prices increase. Always look for flights using the incognito search to not have the website on your search history, or delete it each time: airlines tend to monitor your searches and then increase the price to pressure you to buy the ticket. Look up Google Flight, Skyscanner, Edreams and Travelgenio. If you can, try to always pay with PayPal and activate the Travel Cancellation Protection policy: it's free, it allows you to cancel your booking and receive a refund in case of unexpected events. If possible, choose flights from different airports: for example, if you're Italian and your goal is to reach São Paulo, look for an outbound flight from Rome and a return flight to Milan. This way, you will save a little bit.
5. Health insurance. Health insurance is mandatory: you need it to get the visa, and its cost is not exactly cheap. You should choose an annual multi-trip insurance (if you'll be away for a year), or one for six months. Always read the insurance information booklet to ensure that you are covered for the duration of the trip, and not just for the first 30 to 60 days of travel. I can advise you:
   • Europ Assitance
   • Allianz

These are the main things you need to know about Erasmus Mundus. For what concerns accommodation, the advice is the same as beforehand.

Remember that whichever experience you'll choose it's always going to be an experience that will enrich you both positively and negatively. Choose with your brain, not with your heart, and start with a good positive spirit... The unexpected will always help you grow.

Good luck!

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