How will my traineeship be academically recognised abroad?
If your traineeship contemplates academic recognition (curricular traineeship), at the end of the mobility period, your supervisor should issue a traineeship certificate describing your performance and evaluation. That document should be sent to the IRO and to the Academic Coordinator.
The recognition of the traineeship, total or partial, will be done according to the number of ECTS credits identified in the Academic Recognition Plan and in relation to the course unit(s) in which the mobility was undertaken (curricular internship, project research, dissertation, etc.). It should be noted that the final grade in this course may not be proportional to the total ECTS credits of the course unit(s) (curricular internship, project research, dissertation, etc.).
How are non-academically recognised traineeships certified?
Extracurricular traineeships are formally recognized in the Diploma Supplement. In the case of traineeships for recent graduates, the International Relations Office will issue a formal certificate/declaration.
To take part in this programme, do I have to be enrolled at the University of Minho?
Yes, you must be enrolled at the University of Minho.
In fact, all students of the University of Minho are entitled to apply as long as they are registered and enrolled in a regular course from the first, second or third study cycles which lead to a recognised academic degree. In the case of recent graduate traineeships, you must register in the Academic Services under the Regulation for Professional Training for the purpose of school insurance coverage and a mandatory link with the University of Minho. Please note that the pre-application to these types of traineeships should be done while you are still enrolled at the University of Minho.
Where and when can I apply?
Before you formalize your application, you should express your interest to participate by filling out the pre-application form available at
http://goo.gl/forms/KvZZsOHU9W (Portuguese) or
http://goo.gl/forms/9IbFniXwAF (English). The complete application must be presented to the International Relations Office, a minimum of 2 (two) months in advance of the traineeship start date. We emphasize, however, that the scholarship award depends on the availability of funding at the time of its confirmation, so the sooner you formalize the application, the greater the likelihood of funding.
Which are the application documents?
Before submitting your complete application, you should indicate your interest by filling out the online form:
http://goo.gl/forms/KvZZsOHU9W (Portuguese) or
http://goo.gl/forms/9IbFniXwAF (English).
After filling out the form, you must submit the following documents at least 2 (two) months before the start of the placement:
- Scan of the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC)
- Curriculum Vitae (CV) detailed, in English or in the national language of the chosen country (Europass is the recommended format)
- Letter of acceptance from the host institution, respecting the following requirements:
* Printed/issued on letterhead paper;
* Indication of the duration of the traineeship;
* Identify the name and supervisor contacts;
* Contain a brief description of the work plan to be developed;
* Indicate the amount of compensation/support to be awarded (if applicable).
- Learning Agreement for Traineeships duly filled out, validated and signed by the host institution.
- In the case of traineeships for recent graduates, Proof of Degree Completion must also be handed over as soon as possible.
How is the work programme to be performed in the defined host organisation?
At the University of Minho all fields of studies have an Academic Coordinator who will assist in the definition of your work plan (in conjunction, if applicable, with your traineeship/thesis supervisor), along with the head of the host institution. Before you go, your work plan which establishes a Learning Agreement for Traineeships, should be agreed on and signed by you, your Academic Coordinator and by your supervisor at the host organisation. As an integral part of the Learning Agreement, is also drawn up (if applicable) an Academic Recognition Plan, which is an internal document that clarifies the equivalence between the work plan in the host institution and the University of Minho.
Should I study a foreign language before going abroad?
At the outset previous language preparation is essential to maximize the success of the Erasmus+ period. Thus, all students are encouraged to invest in their previous language preparation, and start it as soon as possible, according to UMinho’s range of language courses, within and outside the University.
Will I have any language support during the mobility programme?
Erasmus+ Programme has a linguistic support tool for students/trainees in mobility, the Online Linguistic Support (OLS). This tool is available in several languages:
Bulgarian, Czech, Croatian, Danish, Dutch, English, Estonian, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Hungarian, Irish, Italian, Latvian, Lithuanian, Maltese, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Spanish, Slovak, Slovene and Swedish. All students/trainees covered by OLS have to undertake a language skills assessment test before their period of mobility. Based on the results of the first test and the licenses allocated to UMinho, some students will be given the opportunity to attend an online language course. All OLS features operate exclusively online and all of them are free. For further information about this linguistic support tool please refer to
http://erasmusplusols.eu/.
Where am I assessed?
Your mobility period is mandatorily assessed at the host institution. This assessement will be taken into account, in whole or in part by your Academic Coordinator and/or traineeship supervisor in accordance with the course units(s) provided in your Academic Recognition Plan, if applicable.
Where will I live and who takes care of accommodation?
The search for and reservation of accommodation and other conditions for stay are your responsibility. As there is no link/institutional protocol between the host institutions and the University of Minho, IRO does not have the capacity to ensure accommodation for students who participate in this programme.
Who will take care of my trip?
You are in charge of trip arrangements. You should do it in good time, in order to arrive at the host institution on the date set for the start of the traineeship.
Are there any compulsory procedures before going abroad?
Yes, before you go to your host institution you should sign the Erasmus Contract (Financial Contract) with the International Relations Office and/or fill in the Power of Attorney form , appointing another person (family member, friend, colleague) who in your absence could sign financial documents related to your mobility. We emphasize that your proxy must be a person who we can contact easily and must be available to come to UMinho when/if needed.
What should I do if I am ill abroad?
Before you go abroad, you must apply for the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC). This application can be done online, in the Regional Social Security Centre (Centro Regional de Segurança Social) of your place of residence or in a multipurpose Administrative Services Centres ('Loja do Cidadão’). This card gives you access to medically necessary, state-provided healthcare during your stay in any of the EU countries, and Switzerland. For all other countries, you will be required to take out a private health insurance. Although the responsibility to safeguard medical coverage during the stay abroad lies with the student, before you go you must provide IRO a scan of the EHIC/health insurance for their records. At the same time, you will continue to be the beneficiary of the School Insurance of The University of Minho.
What about scholarships?
Undertaking an Erasmus traineeship does not necessarily imply receiving an Erasmus+ Mobility Scholarship. All students selected for these traineeships become automatically eligible for the Erasmus+ Mobility Scholarship. However, the scholarships awarded to the University of Minho may not be sufficient for all candidates, so undertaking an Erasmus+ traineeship does not necessarily mean receiving an Erasmus+ Mobility Scholarship.
How much are the “Erasmus+ Mobility Scholarships”?
The values of the scholarships vary depending on the host country, and the actual duration (number of days) of the traineeship. It should be noted that Erasmus+ scholarships are not maintenance scholarships, but mobility scholarships, which aim solely to offset the difference between the living standards of the home country and the host country. Therefore, Erasmus+ Mobility Scholarships are not intended to cover all normal student living expenses, but mostly the additional costs resulting from the completion of a exchange in another country. The value of the scholarships is determined annually but you may refer to the reference values in the following
table.
Can I receive an “Erasmus+ Mobility Scholarship” if I am already the beneficiary of another scholarship?
Yes, as long as the scholarship that you receive is not funded by the European Commission. For example, if you receive a Social Services scholarship from The University of Minho, you can continue to receive it, together with the Erasmus Mobility Scholarship. Should you already benefit from an FCT scholarship, please contact your grant manager and inform IRO that you are a beneficiary of this scholarship.
What if I am not eligible for an “Erasmus+ Mobility Scholarship”? Do I have to give up?
No, you can go without a scholarship. We point out that there is the chance to benefit from financial/logistical support by the institution that welcomes you. However, the host institution has no obligation to do so.
As a social services scholarship beneficiary, am I entitled to additional financial support?
Yes, all student and beneficiaries of Social Services are automatically entitled to receive a Supplementary Erasmus Scholarship, which can vary between € 100 and € 150 per month, depending on the value of the annual base scholarship awarded to the student. The amount to be allocated is included in the payment of the Social Services Scholarship during the period of mobility.
Is there any additional financial support for students with financial difficulties and for disabled students?
Additional funding could be provided if your health, physical or mental status, do not allow the mobility to be carried out without this support. If you find yourself in this situation, you should report it to International Relations Office in order to be provided with further information about application procedures and mandatory documents to be presented. Upon confirmation of your application, the request for additional funding will be sent to the National Agency Erasmus+ for analysis.
If I do not like it there, can I return? What are the consequences?
First, you must be aware that the adjustment could be more demanding in the early days. After all, it is a different country, and a different language and people will be strangers to you at the beginning, not always available to answer your questions. But soon you will make new friends and you will not regret this experience. Anyway, if for any reason or force majeure you have to come back, you will have to return part or all of your Erasmus Mobility Scholarship, and to resume your studies at The University of Minho (if applicable). It should be noted that you will not have to return the full amount of the scholarship if you stay a minimum of 2 (two) months and get an academic achievement/positive evaluation (in this case you must only return the amount corresponding to the period you did not stay there). Furthermore, it must be stressed that if the drop out is not fully justified; you cannot re-apply to any exchange programs with The University of Minho in the following academic years.
I was already an Erasmus+ Exchange Student. Can I apply again?
Yes, Erasmus+ Programme rules enable students to study or train abroad more than once as long as the minimum duration for each activity and a total maximum of 12 (twelve) months per study cycle is respected. So, you can be an Erasmus as many times as you like as long as you do not exceed the absolute maximum period! This means that, for example, if you did a 12 (twelve) months mobility under the Erasmus programme during your Bachelor’s degree and you would like to attend the second year of the master's degree abroad, you can do a period of study, a traineeship period, or a combination of both types of mobility, provided that the total duration of mobility does not exceed 12 (twelve) months.
Is this activity recognised in the Diploma Supplement?
Yes, in the case of curricular and extracurricular traineeships. Mobility periods carried out abroad, under the various international exchange initiatives offered to students and carried out while the student is enrolled at the University of Minho, are duly safeguarded and formally recognized in the Diploma Supplement.For further information please refer to
https://alunos.uminho.pt or contact directly IRO.
