EU programme Erasmus+ in University of Forestry, Sofia, Bulgaria

As a general rule, participants in Erasmus+ projects must be established in a Programme Country. Some Actions, notably in the fields of higher education and youth, are also open to participants from Partner Countries.

The following countries can fully take part in all the Actions of the Erasmus+ Programme:

Member States of the European Union (EU)

Non EU Programme Countries

former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia
Iceland
Liechtenstein
Norway
Turkey

• For an application as individual HEI: higher education institutions established in a Programme Country and awarded with an Erasmus Charter for Higher Education (ECHE).For more information on the Charter, see the section "Erasmus Charter for Higher Education" below and the Annex I of this Guide).
• For an application as national mobility consortium: coordinating organisations established in a Programme Countryand coordinating a consortiumawarded with a higher education Mobility Consortium Certificate. Organisations that do not hold a valid Mobility Consortium Certificate can apply for this Certificateon behalf of a Mobility Consortiumat the same time of applying for a mobility project grant. All the involved higher education institutions from eligible Programme countries mustholdan Erasmus Charter for Higher Education (ECHE). These organisations will be eligible for a mobility project only if their application for the Mobility Consortium Certificate is successful.

Higher education students and staff cannot apply directly for a grant; the selection criteria forparticipation in the mobility activities are defined by the higher education institution in which they studyor are employed.

Student mobility for studies and staff mobility for teaching between HEIs shall take place as part of an inter-institutional agreement between HEIs. The templates are available at http://ec.europa.eu/education/opportunities/higher-education/quality-framework_en.htm. Inter-institutional agreements can be signed by two or more HEIs.

This inter-institutional agreement, in the case of mobility between Programme Countries and Partner Countries,laysout the general principles that are adhered to in an ECHE and ensures that bothor allsides will commit to implementing them.

The inter-institutional agreement may also be extended to cover student mobility for traineeships and/or staff mobility for training, relying on their partner institutions' knowledge of enterprises to identify receiving enterprises/organisations abroad.

At the earliest when the participants are selected, the beneficiary organisation must encode general information regarding the participant and the type of mobility activity s/he will carry out (e.g. participant name, destination, duration of the mobility, etc.) into the Mobility Tool. The Mobility Tool will support the beneficiary in the management of the Erasmus+ mobility activities. The beneficiary organisation is also responsible for updating the Mobility Tool with any change occurred to participants or activities during the lifetime of the mobility project. Beneficiaries will be able to generate prefilled reports from Mobility Tool based on the information they have provided. The Mobility Tool will also generate reports to be filled in by the participants in mobility activities.

More information about the Mobility Tool and how to access it will be provided in the grant agreement between the National Agency and the beneficiary.

Students apply to their HEI who carries out the selection of participants in the mobility action. The selection of students -as well as the procedure for awarding them a grant -must be fair, transparent, coherent and documented and shall be made available to all parties involved in the selection process.

The HEI shall take the necessary measures to prevent any conflict of interest with regard to persons who may be invited to take part in the selection bodies or process of students' selection.

The selection criteria -such as for example: the academic performance of the candidate, the previous mobility experiences, the motivation, the previous experience in the receiving country (i.e. return to country of origin) etc. -shall be made public.

Lower priority will be given to those who have already participated in mobility actions in the same study cycle under the LLP-Erasmus Programme, Erasmus Mundus Programme orErasmus+ Programme.

Once students are selected, they should receive from their sending institution the Erasmus+ Student Charter, setting out the student's rights and obligations with respect to her/his period of study or traineeship abroad, and explaining the different steps to be undertaken before, during and after mobility.

Student mobility for studies:

All participating Programme Country organisations (both sending and receiving) must be HEIs awarded with an ECHE. All Partner Country organisations must be HEIs and have signed inter-institutional agreements with theirProgramme Country partnersbefore the mobility takes place.

Student mobility for traineeships:

The sending organisation must be a HEI awarded with an ECHE.
The receiving organisation can be: any public or private organisation active in the labour market or in the fields of education, training and youth. For example, such organisation can be:

• a public or private, a small, medium or large enterprise (including social enterprises);
• a public body at local, regional or national level;
• a social partner or other representative of working life, including cham-bers of commerce, craft/professional associations and trade unions;
• a research institute;
• a foundation;
• a school/institute/educational centre (at any level, from pre-school to up-per secondary education, and including vocational education and adult education);
• a non-profit organisation, association, NGO;
• a body providing career guidance, professional counselling and information services.
• a Programme Country HEI awarded with an ECHE

Duration of the activity

Study periods: from 3 to 12 months (including a complementary traineeship period, if planned).

Traineeships: from 2 to 12 months.

The same student may participate inmobility periods totalling up to 12 months maximum per each cycle of study, independently from the number and type of mobility activities. Participation with a zero-grant from EU funds counts aswell towards this maximum duration:

• during the first study cycle (Bachelor or equivalent) including the short-cycle (EQF levels 5 and 6);
• during the second study cycle (Master or equivalent -EQF level 7);and
• during the third cycle as doctoral candidate (doctoral level or EQF level 8).

The duration of a traineeship by recent graduates counts towards the 12 months maximum of the cycle during which they apply for the traineeship.

Venue(s) of the activity

Students must carry out their mobility activity ina Programme or Partner Country different from the country of the sending organization and the country where the student has his/her accommodation during his/her studies.

Eligible Participants

Students registered in a HEI and enrolled in studies leading to a recognised degree or another recognised tertiary level qualification (up to and including the level of doctorate). In case of mobility for studies, the student must be enrolled at least in the second year of higher education studies. For traineeships, this condition does not apply.

Recent higher education graduates may participate in a traineeship. Recent graduates must be selected by their HEI during their last year of study, and must carry out and complete their traineeship abroad within one year of obtaining their graduation.

Staff mobility for teaching:

The receiving organisation must be a Programme Country HEI awarded with an ECHE or a Partner Country HEI having signed an inter-institutional agreement with the sending Programme Country partnerbefore the mobility takes place.

The sending organisation must be:

• a Programme Country HEI awarded with an ECHE, or a Partner Country HEI having signed an inter-institutional agreement with the receiving Programme Country partner; or
• any Programme Country public or private organisation active in the labour market or in the fields of education, training and youth. For example, such organisation can be:
  • a public or private, a small, medium or large enterprise (including social enterprises);
  • a public body at local, regional or national level;
  • a social partner or other representative of working life, including cham-bers of commerce, craft/professional associations and trade unions;
  • a research institute;
  • a foundation;
  • a school/institute/educational centre (at any level, from pre-school to up-per secondary education, and including vocational education and adult education);
  • a non-profit organisation, association, NGO;
  • a body providing career guidance, professional counselling and infor-mation services.

Staff mobility for training:

The sending organisation must be a Programme Country HEI awarded with an ECHEor a Partner Country HEI having signed an inter-institutional agreementwith the receiving Programme Country partner.before the mobility takes place.

The receiving organisation must be:

• a Programme Country HEI awarded with an ECHE, or a Partner Country HEI having signed an inter-institutional agreementwith the receiving Programme Country partner; or
• any Programme Country public or private organisation active in the labour market or in the fields of education, training and youth. See examples in the previous page.

Duration of the activity

From 2 days (5 days from and to Partner Countries) to 2 months, excluding travel time. In all cases, a teaching activity has to comprise a minimum of 8 hours of teaching per week (or any shorterperiod of stay).

Venue(s) of the activity

Staff must carry out their mobility activity in any Programme Country different from the country of the sending organisation and the staff country of residence.

Eligible participants

Staff mobility for teaching: staff employed in aProgramme or Partner Country HEI or inany Programme Country public or private organisation active in the labour market or in the fields of education, training and youth (including employed doctoral candidates)that has been invited to teach at an HEI.

Staff mobility for training: staff employed in a Programme or Partner Country HEI.