10 facts about Erasmus that you didn't know 5 minutes ago

What do you know about Erasmus plus other than the fact that it is a mobility program that enables students to study abroad? Keep reading if you want to know more interesting information about Erasmus.

1. Let's start from the beginning, as they say; Who was Erasmus?

In this post, we'll tell you everything about Erasmus, because yes, the name refers to a person. And what a person he was, he never left a single thing unfinished!

• He was a philosopher, theologian, a priest, philologist, teacher and writer at the time of the Nordic Renaissance. Erasmus of Rotterdam was his name, and the reason behind the naming of the popular Erasmus plus program.
• Erasmus of Rotterdam is the English version of his original name, have you heard of Desiderius Erasmus? Well, it is the same person, because Desiderius Erasmus van Rotterdam is his name in Dutch which is also almost the same as the Latin version, Desiderius Erasmus Roterodamus.
• As well as this, he shared his name with someone important in history several centuries later, ever heard of Erasmus Darwin? Well, he was no other than the paternal grandfather of Charles Darwin. Yes, you read it right, the great Darwin! He already came with the scientific gene because his grandfather also dedicated himself to scientific research among other things, although he never had the chance to publish any of his work while he was still alive.
• So now you might be wondering, why is the Erasmus+ program called Erasmus? It just so hap-pens that the official name of the Erasmus program is European Region Action Scheme for the Mobility of University Students, which as a name, is a bit long for day-to-day use right? Therefore to shorten it, they came up with the acronym of Erasmus, which happens to coincide directly with the name of Erasmus of Rotterdam and well, they liked it too.

2. When did Erasmus first start?

• Was it by any chance at the same time Erasmus of Rotterdam was around?

  Not at all, it in fact first began in 1987.

• When did Erasmus start in the UK?

  It actually started in UK at the same time it was established, so back in 1987.

• ¿When does Erasmus end?

  The Erasmus + program celebrated its 33rd anniversary last June 2020 and you have nothing to worry about in terms of it ending because it's still going strong, despite the harsh circumstances we are experiencing due to the pandemic; the European Commission is doing everything possible so that we are able to continue celebrating more Erasmus anniversaries. What they are doing now, is using a blended model, which means that at first, students participate virtually online and later they combine it with a physical mobility abroad. If you want to read more about this topic, you'll find more information in this article about how covid has affected Erasmus and what Erasmus will be like during the pandem-ic.

3. What is Erasmus?

Before we go into more specific details, we will start by describing the general idea of Erasmus.

Erasmus+ is a mobility in which students study abroad, for either half a semester or the full academic year at a university in another member country of the European Union.

And what actually is going on Erasmus? Going on Erasmus is winning in every single way; on a social, academic, mental, spiritual and cultural level, it is one of the most action-packed experiences you can have in a relatively short period of time, because honestly, it will fly by and you will want to try and make it last even longer if you can. It's a type of fulfilment in the literal sense of the word, which will be with you forever in one way or another. Whether it's the friends you make whilst you're there, that will almost become family to you, the place you go to that will feel like home after just a short amount of time, the food that you will try and then recreate at home for yourself, or the many experiences that will make you grow and change you as a person; by the end of your time away, you will see everything in a different light, meaning that you will learn to prejudge a lot less and understand a lot more.

4. The Erasmus program: most relevant information

What is Erasmus and what is Erasmus+? What's the difference between the two? Erasmus+ is defined by the European Commission as being a program, organised by the European Union, which has the main goal of helping students throughout Europe to develop in education, training, youth and sports.

Over time, the educational Erasmus program, which was originally aimed at only university students, developed into Erasmus+, which also includes masters students, teachers and professional trainees, whilst including as well, Erasmus internships, volunteering, youth animators and finally, merged with the Erasmus Mundus program; Which is the same as the Erasmus program with the Erasmus plus projects that we have just listed, but in this case the doors are opened to students from all over the world.

Perhaps you feel like you're left with the thorn in your side of not choosing to go on Erasmus during your degree and you think you missed the opportunity to become an Erasmus student... Well, let me tell you now that that's not the case because you can still apply for an Erasmus Mundus masters.

It's true, and just like when you apply for any project in the European Erasmus program, you will have the option of applying for the Erasmus scholarships, because there is also the EMJMD (Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters Degree) scholarship that is awarded to the best students so that they can submit their applications.

Who can do Erasmus?

If you're thinking about taking part in the Erasmus scheme, but you still don't know whether or not this amazing opportunity is within your reach, we have a few facts for you that could help to clear up some of the questions you may have.

• How to apply to Erasmus? Five basic requirements:

1. You do have to be a citizen of the European Union or of one of the other countries that form part of the Erasmus agreement.
2. You must also be be a student at an Institution for Higher Education, whether it be a degree, a masters or a doctorate.
3. You have to have passed the first year of said studies.
4. There has to be an agreement between your home university and the university that you are hoping to attend.
5. You must not have received an Erasmus grant within the 12 months prior to making this application.

• When to go on Erasmus>

Every person is different and their own personal situation has to be taken into consideration, but it is true that most students have to abide by two fundamental factors and these are: having the required language level of the country that they are going to according to the university, and the number of credits passed, normally a minimum of 60 approved ETCS is required before enrolment. If you want to find out more about applying for Erasmus, and to read some of the first-hand testimonials made by students who have previously taken part in the Erasmus scheme, maybe this article could help you out.

Who pays for Erasmus?

The Erasmus+ program is funded by the European Commission, the Educational, Audio-visual and Cultural Executive Agency and certain other national agencies.

However, if the amount given by this scholarship is insufficient, there are also the Santander Erasmus Grants. In this article, Alicia explains it all quite well.

7. Did you know that according to Erasmus statistics, Spain is the most popular country as an Erasmus destination?

The data and figures of the Erasmus+ program in Spain 2018 show that 34,775 students studied Erasmus in Spain and that another 31,090 Spaniards travelled to a foreign country to live their experience.

8. Would you recognise the Erasmus+ logo?

This is how the Erasmus+ program is photographically represented.

9. Do you know which are the best destination locations for your Erasmus experience?

Some of the most popular Erasmus destination cities are Bologna (Italy), Prague (Czech Republic), Groningen (the Netherlands), Coimbra (Portugal), Krakow (Poland), etc.

If you still don't quite understand everything as clearly as you would like to, do a bit more research and read this blog to discover the best, post-COVID travel destinations.

If you are now thinking more and more about heading off on Erasmus, in the following article you will find detailed step-by-step information about how to apply for an Erasmus scholarship.

10. Why is Erasmus a must?

Because despite having many more positive than negative aspects, not everything is rosy, and Erasmus also means facing fears and starting from scratch outside of your comfort zone, that's why if you have the opportunity to go on Erasmus, take advantage of it because it will 100% be a decision that you won't regret making.

Also, don't forget!

If you're looking for a place to stay, we can help you out! Erasmusu has hundreds of spacious rooms, studios, university dorms and apartments available, so that you can find your perfect place to stay once you get to your Erasmus destination.

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