But first things first, you should know a bit more about the Erasmus programme:
Overview
ERASMUS - (EuRopean Community Action Scheme for the Mobility of University Students) dates back from 1987. More than 2.5 million students have experienced what it means to do an ERASMUS term in one of more than 4 000 higher education institutions in 33 participating countries. These include all the EU Member States as well as Croatia, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland and Turkey.
Periods abroad – both for studies and for placements – can last from 3 to 12 months each, for a combined total of 24 months.
ERASMUS student mobility is open to all students studying in a participating country and enrolled in at least the second year in their home institution.
To participate in ERASMUS student mobility, you should first contact the international office of the institution where you study at home. The office will be able to tell you about possible host institutions and host enterprises, the selection procedure and financial support.
Students taking part in the programme may be eligible for grants to cover part of the additional costs for living abroad and travelling. In all circumstances, tuition fees at the host university are waived. In addition, students with special needs, such as physical disabilities, may get extra funds to help them cover additional expenses related to their stay abroad.
The added value of an Erasmus experience
Many studies show that a period spent abroad not only enriches students' lives in the academic and professional fields, but can also improve language learning, intercultural skills, self-reliance and self-awareness. Their experiences give students a better sense of what it means to be a European citizen. In addition, many employers highly value such a period abroad, which increases the students' employability and job prospects. Staff exchanges have similar beneficial effects, both for the people participating and for the home and host institutions.
What are the objectives of student mobility for studies?
To enable students to benefit educationally, linguistically and culturally from the experience of learning in other European countries;To promote co-operation between institutions and to enrich the educational environment of host institutions;
To contribute to the development of a pool of well-qualified, open-minded and internationally experienced young people as future professionals.
Who can benefit?
Students registered in a higher education institution holding an ERASMUS University Charter.What are the preconditions?
ERASMUS students are selected by their home higher education institution in a fair and transparent way. This will depend of your faculty's rules - even inside the same university the selection criteria varies a lot.The EILC
Included in the Erasmus programme, you have the EILC - the ERASMUS Intensive Language Courses, these are specialised courses in the less widely used and less taught languages organised in the countries where these languages are used as teaching languages at higher education institutions. Notice that the languages English, German, French and Spanish (Castilian) are not eligible for EILC.
Apart from the ERASMUS grant, a supplementary mobility grant for participating in EILC may be awarded and paid by the respective sending higher education institution. ERASMUS students may not be charged a study fee for participation in an EILC course. However, fees may be charged for excursions and similar optional events and for other charges that ERASMUS students normally may be asked to pay.
The EILCs take place in the following countries for the eligible languages in brackets: Belgium (Dutch), Bulgaria (Bulgarian), Croatia (Croatian), Cyprus (Greek), Czech Republic (Czech), Denmark (Danish), Estonia (Estonian), Finland (Finnish and Swedish), Greece (Greek), Hungary (Hungarian), Iceland (Icelandic), Italy (Italian), Latvia (Latvian), Lithuania (Lithuanian), Malta (Maltese), the Netherlands (Dutch), Norway (Norwegian), Poland (Polish), Portugal (Portuguese), Romania (Romanian), Slovakia (Slovak), Slovenia (Slovenian), Spain (Catalan , Valencian, Basque and Galician), Sweden (Swedish), Switzerland (Italian) and Turkey (Turkish).
Organising institutions and course descriptions can be found on the website of the National Agencies of the countries where ERASMUS Intensive Language Courses take place.
Source: European Comission
Unfortunately since I wasn't able to participate in a EILC, I can't really share my experience with you - but from the feedback of all the people that have participate, it's definitely a must! Besides learning a new language (or at least try to do so) you'll be taken to a lot of historical/touristic places.
To apply for a EILC (generally the courses start about 2 months to 3 week before your classes) ask your international office about it.
