Erasmus+ Grant

Enrolled students (also foreign degree-seeking students) at TU Dort­mund University may apply from the first semester on through the doctoral degree program.

Graduates may also receive a grant after finishing their degree (please see the FAQs).

two months (60 days) - twelve months (360 days) without longer disruptions.

Only the time between the first and last days of work count, not the dates of the stay abroad in general (with travel days to and from the host country). Only full months count toward the stipend: If your internship lasts 5 months and 20 days, you will receive the grant for a maximum of 5 months.

Please note that due to limited resources, it is possible that only a part of your internship will be funded. 

In case your internship will be shorter than two months, you may be able to apply for the PROMOS scholarship.

Both voluntary and mandatory internships are eligible, as long as the work hours are full-time (at least 30 hours/week). Internships are possible in the public or private sector, at companies, universities, schools or foundations.

Internships at EU institutions or institutions that administer EU programs are not elligible.

The International Office supports and assists students in the search for a host company with the country-specific links and information as well as with the Moodle page which lists current calls for applications and information relevant to your degree program.

The DAAD website also includes further information about the Erasmus+ program as well as a portal for European internships (in German).

Students may receive a monthly grant according to these categories (LG) set by the EU. The overseas territories  of the participating countries are also eligible.

Please note that you may only receive a grant for part of the internship duration.

Regular Program Countries

Project 2023 (may run through 2025)*

• LG 1: 750 EUR / month
  Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Ireland, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Norway, Sweden
• LG 2: 690 EUR / month
  Austria, Belgium, Cypress, France, Greece, Italy, Malta, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain  
• LG 3: 640 EUR / month
  Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, North Macedonia, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Turkey

Project 2024 (may not start until 2025)*

• LG 1: 750 EUR / month
  Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden
• LG 2: 690 EUR / month
  Estonia, Cypress, Czech Republic, Greece, Latvia, Malta, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain  
• LG 3: 690 EUR / month
  Bulgaria, Croatia, Hungary, Lithuania, North Macedonia, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Turkey

All amounts are subject to the DAAD's funding approval for the respective project year.

*These amounts already reflect a 150 EUR "Top Up" for Erasmus+ traineeships.

Other countries (Partner Countries)

Only internships in the countries listed above can currently receive Erasmus+ funding. The United Kingdom is - in some years - the only exception. For an internship in a country that does not participate in the Erasmus+ program you should apply for the PROMOS scholarship. Unfortunately, the PROMOS scholarship only consists of a travel grant, not a monthly stipend for living expenses. 

Also have a look at other scholarship foundations and programs that may work for your plans.

United Kingdom

Following the UK's withdrawal from the EU, the country is no longer considered a regular program country. Funding is generally not possible, however, applications for the UK may be considered if sufficient funds are available. 

To be considered for funding, you must apply by the separate application deadline, March 31, for the next academic year. Applications that are turned in after this date may also be considered if there is still enough funding. Feel free to ask in the International Office if this is still a possibility.

We recommend a parallel application through the PROMOS and nrw:exchange scholarship programs, as Erasmus+ funding for the UK is very limited, if available at all.

You will also need to research whether  you will need a visa for your planned stay.

Switzerland

You may be able to receive a grant from a Swiss university. Further information is available through the Swiss-European Mobility Programme (SEMP).

The Erasmus+ program aims to “promote equal opportunities and equal access, inclusion, diversity and fairness in all program actions. At the heart of these goals are the organizations and people with fewer opportunities themselves." Students with fewer opportunities can receive an additional grant of 250 EUR/month.

All internships are eligible for an Inclusion Top Up for the following categories. Information about applying for extra funding and eiligibility are available on the website "Equal Opportunities for International Mobility":

• Students with special needs (GdB at least 20%) or chronic illness
  If your additional costs abroad are higher than this amount, we suggest an application for the actual costs (a so-called "Langantrag").
• Students going abroad with their child/children
  If your additional costs abroad are higher than this amount, we suggest an application for the actual costs (a so-called "Langantrag").
• First-generation students, whose parents/guardians never received a higher education degree
• Working students who have to give up or pause the job in order to go abroad

Please read the information about the exact conditions and turn in the "Honorary Declaration/Ehrenwörtliche Erklärung" (in the application materials section) with your application if one or more of these categories applies to you. Do not forget to hold on to all supporting documents and proof.

Choose an environmentally friendly method of traveling to and from your internship destination, and you will be rewarded. An additional grant for up to 6 travel days is available for "traveling green". For the travel days there are daily rates set according to the country category (LG). In order to apply for this extra grant, fill out the "Ehrenwörtliche Erklärung" in the application materials section. Do not forget to hold on to all supporting documents and proof.

Internships that are being funded through the 2023 project may also receive a one-time 50 EUR stipend in addition to the travel days (up to 4 possible in this project).

Applications for the regular program countries can be turned in at any time and up to one month before the start of the internship. In some cases later applications can also be considered. You will be notified by the International Office about the decision within four weeks.

For internships in the United Kingdom the application deadline is 31 March for the following academic year.  The decision about funding will be made approximately in June, if sufficient funds are at all available. You may also submit your application after the deadline, and you will be notified if funds become available. We also recommend applying for the PROMOS and nrw:exchange scholarship programs (different application deadlines).

Due to the limited funding we suggest that you apply early!
However, you cannot apply until you have been accepted by a company.

Applications turned in later in the academic year may not be able to be accepted for a grant if the funding has been exhausted. However, even without the grant it is still possible to be accepted into the Erasmus+ program in order to be able to benefit from the other advantages of the Erasmus+ status.

1. Fill out the online application form.

2. Upload the following documents to the application portal:

• The complete and signed "Learning Agreement for Traineeships"  (instructions)
  Your department at TU Dortmund University - not the International Office - is responsible for signing your Learning Agreement. If you are not sure who can help you, please read our answer in the FAQs.
• CV/resumé (German or English)
• Grade report/Transcript of records (all grades in all studies, Bachelor and Master level)
• Statement of Purpose (1 page, German or English)
• Current certificate of enrollment
• For an additional grant (Green Travel or Inclusion Top Up): Honorary Declaration Form (Ehrenwörtliche Erklärung)
• For graduate internships: Confirmation of removal from the register of students ("Exmatrikulationsbescheinigung", may be turned in later)
• Students who have previously received an Erasmus+ grant: Certificate about the exact duration of the Erasmus+ grant(s)

3. Send the online application form and the Learning Agreement through e-mail to going-abroadtu-dortmundde.

Academic achievement, motivation for the internship and volunteer work are important selection factors if the funding is very limited. 

If funds are limited, the following criteria will also be considered:

• Compensation: internships that are not compensated will be prioritized.
• Credit recognition: Compulsory internships will be prioritized over voluntary internships.
• Duration of studies: Students who are at the end of their studies will be prioritized.

International students may apply for a grant for an internship in their home country. However, these applications have a lower priority if funding is limited.

No one is entitled to receive an Erasmus+ grant! Due to limited funding an applicant may also only receive a grant for a part of the internship. Nevertheless, the Erasmus+ status remains throughout the entire duration of the internship.

Please note that the program generations are changing in the 2021 - 2025 academic years. This information could change at any time during the year.

Before the Start of the Internship

Within about two after turning in the application and Learning Agreement through e-mail you will receive notification from the International Office.

In case of very limited funding, you may be placed on a waiting list. Students on the waiting list will initially receive a "Zero Grant" Grant Agreement: this allows you to benefit from all the advantages of the Erasmus+ program, but you will not receive any financial support. Only if you sign a "Zero Grant" Grant Agreement and commit to the terms and conditions in the Erasmus+ program can you be considered for a later grant - possibly after the internship ends. You will be notified immediately and receive a new Grant Agreement if your stay can indeed be funded.

Regardless of whether the internship is funded or considered a "zero grant" internship, these steps must be followed once accepted into the Erasmus+ program and before the start of the internship:

• Grant Agreement (send back to the International Office)
  The "Grant Agreement" will be sent to you in the mail. This contract includes the stipend amount as well as all conditions for the internship. One copy should be signed and returned to the International Office before the internship begins.
  At this time you will also turn in your insurance information for your stay abroad (see the FAQs below).
• OLS Language Test 1
  You will receive a link to the EU's Online Language System platform through which you will take a language test in either the working or the country's language before you go abroad. Only native speakers are exempt.
• Optional: OLS Language Course
  After the language test you will receive a link to optional online language courses which will help you improve your language skills for everyday situations.

At the Start of the Internship

When the Grant Agreement has been signed and the OLS Language Test 1 completed, you will receive the first grant payment just before the start (no earlier than six weeks before the start) of your internship (80% of the total).

Travel Safety

The decision to travel to risk areas lies with you and TU Dort­mund University, taking into account the regulations of the Erasmus+ program, the institution's internal strategies and the respective crisis management. This also means that you must inform yourself about the current situation in the host country on the website of the Federal Foreign Office and consult with the International Office before you begin your stay abroad. Please also read through this important information about travel safety from the DAAD (in German).

Please note that the program generations are changing in the 2021 and 2022 academic years. This information could change at any time during the year.

Within 30 days of the end of the internship you will submit the following online (you will receive links for both):

• OLS Language Test 2
• EU Survey

and turn in the following documents:

• Confirmation of internship duration (either the "Learning Agreement - After the Mobility" or a letter from the company)
• Experience Report and Consent Form
  (Template in the Checklist for Stays Abroad) 
• Proof of credit recognition  ("Anerkennung") for the internship
  If the purpose of the internship was to carry out research/a project for your final thesis, you may use this template.
• Certificate(s) of enrollment for the entire internship duration

The documents may be sent to going-abroadtu-dortmundde through e-mail or through Sciebo (with a public, not personalized, link)

After all of these documents have been turned in you will receive the final scholarship payment (20%).

Yes! Both mandatory and voluntary internships are eligible. The credit transfer/recognition of academic qualifications is set in the Learning Agreement for Traineeships. Please note that even for voluntary internships your department must guarantee some form of credit transfer or other recognition of academic qualifications, and proof of this must be turned in after the internship (e.g. ECTS, an entry in the transcript of records, etc.).

In case your department is unable to give you credit for your voluntary internship, you will not be eligible for an Erasmus+ scholarship. In this case you may apply for a PROMOS scholarship.

Internships are generally possible in any organizations in the public or private sector, schools or foundations.

The following internships are not eligible:

• at institutions of the EU and other special agencies (in  this list).
• at organizations that administer EU programs (for example National Agencies), in order to rule out double funding
• general customer service, order processing, data entry, office tasks

A special focus has been set on digital skills, since these are becoming more and more important and necessary for the entire work force. For example:

• Digital marketing (e.g. social media management, web analysis)
• Digital, graphic, mechanical or architectural design
• Development of digital applications, web design
• Installation, maintenance and administration of IT systems
• Cyber security
• Data analysis
• Programming and training robots and AI

It is possible to receive multiple Erasmus+ scholarships for multiple stays abroad: Each person is allowed up to twelve months for each study level (Bachelor, Master, PhD).

Example for one study level:

• 6 months studies and 6 months internship
• a total of 3 internships for 4 months each

In case you have already used up your 12 months in your current study level, you can apply for e.g. the PROMOS scholarship.

Yes! Graduate internships after the official removal from the register of students are possible: You must be selected for the Erasmus+ scholarship before you finish your studies, and your internship has to be completed within twelve months of your removal from the registry of students. Certification will need to be turned in with the application: Either the official confirmation of removal from the registry of students ("Exmatrikulationsbescheinigung"), the degree or a certificate from the university that you have completed all requirements for a degree will suffice.

The duration of the internship is calculated into the maximum of twelve months for the last study level. For example, if you have already studied abroad in Erasmus+ for eight months in the Bachelor, then only four months remain for the graduate internship. 

Graduate internships are intended to facilitate the transition from higher education to the labor market, which is why graduate internships between Bachelor's and Master's studies (if this is the aim) are not eligible for funding. This means that they may not be completed between two phases of study, e.g. not after completing a Bachelor's degree and before starting a Master's degree.

If you will end your studies soon and want to be considered for a scholarship for a graduate internship, but you have still not found a host company, please contact the International Office before you finish your studies in order to discuss the application process.

Erasmus+ interns are given access to the Online Language Support Platform (OLS) from the European Union. The portal is used for a language test that you will take before and after your internship so that you can see if your language skills have improved over time.

The portal includes access to optional online language courses. These courses are free of charge and especially helpful for everyday situations in the host language. Language tests and courses (at least level A1) are available for all 24 languages of the European Union.

The earlier you apply for Erasmus+, the earlier you can start using OLS and practicing your language skills.

Yes! You can still apply.  If funds are still available, we may be able to award a scholarship for the internship. In this case, please be sure to also turn in a written authorization for someone in Germany  who may sign your Grant Agreement for you ("Vollmacht") and send it back to us.

Otherwise we could send your documents to you in the mail: Please be sure to give us your address in the host country.

The Grant Agreement has to be signed and sent back to the International Office by mail; we cannot accept a scan or copy. The first scholarship payment will not be made until the signed grant agreement has been turned back in.

Au pair stays are only eligible if an agency has placed you (due to the quality of support and academic experience).

Please note that only full-time internships are eligible. If you are completing a teaching internship at a school, you should also specify your perparation hours outside of the classroom as well as your hours in after-school groups.  Do not list just the teaching hours.

Your Learning Agreement should be signed by yourself, the host company and a member of your department at TU Dortmund University. The responsible person in your department is the person who is allowed to determine what type of credit or academic recognition you will receive for the internship. This could be various people in your department: the internship coordinator, the advisor for the final thesis or even the dean. If you are not sure who is responsible for you, the Erasmus+ Departmental Coordinator in your department may be able to help.

In case your department is unable to give you credit for your voluntary internship, you will not be eligible for an Erasmus+ scholarship. In this case you may apply for a PROMOS scholarship.

In certain countries (especially France, Italy, Poland, Spain) the host company is required to enter a contract with the intern and the home university. As the requirements of such a contract are very specific to the particular country, TU Dortmund University can not provide a template for this type of contract. The host company is responsible for providing a template. You may send the template to Laura Hope (through e-mail), who will coordinate the further steps.

Before your internship starts (not with the initial application) you will need to provide proof of insurance coverage. Make sure that you will be insured even if you go to a country with a travel warning and in cases of a pandemic.

We recommend the DAAD insurance policy for all Erasmus+ participants. Please note that the DAAD insurance does not cover financial loss (not required).

The following types of insurance are mandatory:

• Health insurance (including repatriation and pandemic coverage)
• Liability insurance (occupational and private)
• Accident insurance (including full or partial incapacity to work)
• Travel insurance (optional)

Moreover, you should already have a European health insurance card.

Participation in this scholarship program is only possible if no  travel warning has been issued by the Federal Foreign Office for the respective region and the duration of your internship. If you have already received an acceptance letter for the scholarship program, this will be withdrawn, should a travel warning be issued before your departure.

Read through the FAQs from the DAAD on this topic.

Possibly. Double funding from Erasmus+ or EU funds is not allowed, but further funding from private/German funds is permitted in the new program generation. This means that in addition to a "Deutschlandstipendium" or funding from the "Studienstiftung", you are generally also able to receive funding through Erasmus+. In any case, please indicate the scholarship in your application and we will check this on a case-by-case basis.