FAQ – ERASMUS+

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What is Erasmus+ Programme?
Erasmus+ Programme is the new program applied instead of the Lifelong Learning and Youth in Action Programme which was carried out between the year 2007 and 2013 in the areas of education and youth by the EU. It is predominantly based on project activities and includes individual activities, as well.
What is not the Erasmus+ Programme?
  • The Erasmus+ Programme is not a “foreign language learning programme”.
  • The Erasmus+ Programme is not exactly a “scholarship” programme.
  • The Erasmus+ Programme is not a “diploma” programme.
  • The Erasmus+ Programme is not a “research” programme.
What is the objective of the programme?
This programme’s aim is to encourage the cooperation between the European countries and candidate countries and to bring Europe to forefront in higher education by enhancing this cooperation. For this purpose within the Erasmus+ Programme, every year the opportunity of spending a short amount of time abroad during their teaching and education activities is given to thousands of students and academicians, besides that the programme provides services such as mutual research programmes, intensive programmes, curriculum development studies and financing Thematic Web European-wide. When Erasmus+ Programmes were being created, it was aimed to enhance the quality of higher education in Europe, develop the skill of being tolerated to different cultures and lifestyles, train personnel who are appropriate for labor market, in order to take place in the most competitive economies in the world as a Union during the globalization process.
Who can benefit from this programme and how?

countries; countries which are not a member of EU but a member of European Economic Area such as Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway ; and from candidate countries such as Turkey and Macedonia.

When a university, institue, academy and similar institutions are accepted as a higher education institution by their country’s relevant institutions and when they gain the right to have Erasmus University Charter (EUC) by applying to European Commission Education and Culture Head Office, then students, academic and administrative personnel of these institutions can benefit from all activities of Erasmus and Lifelong Learning Programmes.

What is to be done to benefit from the Programme?
The prerequisite for joining the Programme is that there must be a bilateral agreement between your department and the related department in another university abroad. Consequently the students who want to train abroad via Erasmus+ Programme, first need to discuss with the coordinator in their department or faculty and learn the higher education institution they could go as an exchange student.
What are the criterias to be selected as an exchange student?
  1. Students can study abroad at least 3 months and at most 12 months within the scope of the programme. The time of Mobility for Placement is at least 2 months and at most 12 months. A student can benefit from the Mobility for Studies and Placement more than once for 12 months in total for each education degree (Bachelor’s, Master’s and Doctorate Degree) with or without grant. Even if the student is not granted, the activity period can’t exceed 12 months.
  2. Freshmen can’t benefit from the student exchange programme.
  3. Preparatory year students can not apply for the programme
  4. Associate Degree, Bachelor’s Degree, Postgraduate and Doctor’s Degree students can benefit from the Exchange programme
  5. For the Associate/Bachelor’s Degree students, the cumulative grade average must be minimum 2.20/4.00 or 58/100.
  6. For the Postgraduate and Doctor’s Degree students the cumulative grade average must be minimum 2.50/4.00 or 65/100.
  7. In the evaluations; for Study and Placement Mobility %50 of Academic Success and %50 of Foreign Language Knowledge are taken into consideration.
What is a “partner institution”? Can I go to an institution which is not related with my university?
Partner institution is a foreign higher education institution which is bounded to your home institution in scope of Eramus+ Programme with a Bilateral Agreement. When there is no such agreement between your institution and the institution you want to go to, you can’t be an Erasmus Exchange Student.
What is “Erasmus+ Student Charter?
Erasmus+ Student Charter is a document shows students their rights and obligations in scope of Erasmus+ Programme and it is valid in every country which has Erasmus+ Programme.
Do I have to pay fee for the institution I’m going to study at?
Erasmus+ Students enroll to the universities they study, freezing registration for the time of period that they would spend abroad is beside the point. Registration and tuition fees are paid to students’ home institution, not to the receiving institution. However the receiving institution could demand a small amount of payment from Erasmus+ Students except registration and tuition fees. For instance; membership fee to sport center or transportation fees.
How much grant do I get from Erasmus+ Programme?

Monthly Erasmus grants are determined before the academic years starts and according to national priorities and criteria by National Agent.

Grant amounts in 2014/2015 academic year are as follows.

Country groups according to cost of living
Host Countries in the Mobility
Monthly Study Grant (€)
Monthly Replacement Grant (€)
1. Group of Countries
Australia, Denmark, Finland, France, Ireland, Italy, Lichtenstein, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom
500 600
2. Group of Countries
Belgium, Croatia, Czech Republic, Southern Cyprus, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, Turkey
400 500
3. Group of Countries
Bulgaria, Estonia, Hungary, Lithuania, Latvia, Malta, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Macedonia
300 400

Grants are paid by two instalments. Ratio of the instalments are arranged by National Agency in a way that first instalment does not exceed the 80% of the total grant. In order to pay the first instalment a contract is drew up before the student goes. Second instalment is paid at the end of the exchange period, after the student submits his/her Student Final Report, Transcript, Proof of Recognition, Certificate of Attending and Passports and after recalculating the total grant according to the beginning-ending dates of the education written on the Certificate of Attending. Students can only receive grant according to their period of stay abroad for their Erasmus+ Study Term.

In which cases the total Erasmus+ grant is not paid?

If the student doesn’t bring all the required documents when he/she comes back, If the student doesn’t fulfill the obligations about the courses he/she has taken (i.e. not doing the homeworks, not entering the exams), If the student fails.

Can I benefit both from Erasmus Study Mobility and Erasmus Work Placement Mobility during my education?
Students can study abroad at least 3 months and at most 12 months within the scope of the programme. The time of Mobility for Placement is at least 2 months and at most 12 months. A student can benefit from the Mobility for Studies and Placement more than once for 12 months in total for each education degree (Bachelor’s, Master’s and Doctorate Degree) with or without grant. Even if the student is not granted, the activity period can’t exceed 12 months.
Can I be an Erasmus+ exchange student one semester with grant and the other semester without grant in the same academic year?
Yes. 
How are the examinations done?
Unless otherwise specified, the examinations are done according to the rules of the higher education institution which you’ll study at. Again unless otherwise specified, the examinations are in the language of that institution’s instruction language. If you complete the exams and projects successfully you wouldn’t have any other obligations here.
Is there any specified course number which I should take when I go? Are the courses I take would be recognized?

The number of the courses you should take are specified in the bilateral agreement, so there is not a standard number. Courses at the receiving university which the student should take are determined according to their equivalence of the courses which should be taken at the student’s higher education institution in Turkey and recognition of these courses are enrolled and guaranteed with the Learning Agreement which is signed before the exchange between the student, student’s institute and receiving institute. It can’t be expected to have same names for the courses, course content’s being equal is enough. The recognition of the courses, within a Learning Agreement which must be singed between the student and executives of the institution, are committed while applying for Erasmus Student Charter. When violation occurs National Agency is obliged to report it to European Commission and it may result it disaffirmation of the institute’s Charter.

While selecting courses; 30 ECTS credits for a semester and 60 ECTS credits for a year must be aimed. Student’s getting 2/3 of the credits is regarded as success goal. Successful students’ semester(s) abroad will be accepted as it was in Turkey. Unsuccessful students will be have to continue from where they left before being an Erasmus+ student, however will be exempt of the courses equal to the credits that they have passed.

Recognition of the courses and issues relevant to grade transformations are done by academic coordinator of the department.

How many ECTS Credits should I take?
A student going exchange for 1(one) academic year should take 60 ECTS, the student going for 1(one)semester should take 30 ECTS and the students going for only 3 months should take 20 ECTS.
Can I benefit from Erasmus+ programme with grant even though I have another scholarship in Turkey?
Yes, you can benefit from Erasmus+ programme with grant even you receive another scholarship in your own country. Moreover the scholarship is still be paid when you are abroad. The reason for this situation is that Erasmus+ grant is not a scholarship. Erasmus+ programme is not a scholarship programme.
Can one be an “Erasmus+ Student” without receiving grant from Erasmus+ found?
Yes, even you don’t get grant from Erasmus fund, you can go to a higher education institution which we have a bilateral agreement as a “Not Granted” Erasmus Exchange Student in condition that you fulfill the relevant academic year’s student selection criteria and apply.
What are the procedures for visa?
Visa procedures and required documents vary according to the country. There are printable documents on the International Relations Office’s web site. Every student who is going to be an exchange student, should get a student visa and check the relevant country’s Embassy/Consulate’s web site.
Why is the orientation prgramme important?
Practical information such as required documents, difficulties they may face and things they have to be careful about are given in the orientation programme.
Will I be met when I go abroad and subjected to orientation programme? Who will be in charge of this?
Outgoing students will be met in the country they are going and subjected to an orientation programme as well as incoming students. This is generally organized by the partner institute’s student organizations and clubs, institution’s Erasmus Coordinators and people responsible from running the programme do not take place in this process actively. You have to check this and this kind of details from the brochure and information notes of the relevant higher education institution before leaving Turkey.
I continue with my graduate education programme. However, I am also a research associate. Where will I issue my Board Decision?
Both an assignment as staff and a board decision as student from the institute must be issued.
I was assigned in DEU according to Article 35. I continue with my graduate education programme in DEU. Do I have to notify my own university?
You are both responsible for notifying both DEU and your own university. Both an assignment from the unit the person is assigned as staff in DEU and a board decision as student from the institute must be issued.
How many ECTS Credits should I take?
A student going exchange for 1(one) academic year should take 60 ECTS, the student going for 1(one)semester should take 30 ECTS and the students going for only 3 months should take 20 ECTS.
Can I benefit from Eramus programme with grant even though I have another scholarship in Turkey?
Yes, you can benefit from Erasmus programme with grant even you recieve another scholarship in your own country. Moreover the scholarship is stil be paid when you are abroad. The reason for this situation is that Erasmus grant is not a scholarship. Erasmus programme is not a scholarship programme.
Can one be an “Erasmus Student” without recieving grant from Erasmus found?
Yes, even you don’t get grant from Erasmus found, you can go to a higher education insitution which we have a bilateral agrrement as a “Not Granted” Erasmus Exchange Student in condition that you fulfill the relevant academic year’s student selection criteria and apply.
What are the procedures for visa?
Visa procedures and required documents vary according to the country. There are printable documents on the International Relations Office’s web site. Every student who is  going to be an exchange student, should get a student visa and check the relevant country’s Embassy/Consulate’s web site.
Why is the orientation prgramme is important?
Practical information such as required documents, difficulties they may face and things they have to be careful about are given in the orientation programme.
Will I be met when I go abroad and subjected to orientation programme? Who will be in charge of this?
Outgoing students will be met in the country they are going and subjected to an orientation programme as well as incoming students. This is generally organized by the partner istitute’s student organizations and clubs, institution’s Erasmus Coordinators and people responsible from running the programme do not take place in this process actively. You have to check this and this kind of details from the brochure and information notes of the relevant higher education institution before leaving Turkey.
I continue with my graduate education programme. However, I am also a research associate. Where will I issue my Board Decision?
Both an assignment as staff and a board decision as student from the institue must be issued. 
I was assigned in DEU according to Article 35. I continue with my graduate education programme in DEU. Do I have to notify my own university?
You are both responsible for notifying both DEU and your own university. Both an assignment from the unit the person is assigned as staff in DEU and a board decision as student from the institute must be issued.
How can I get the document for Passport Fee Exemption, as an Erasmus+ student?
If you don’t have a valid passport, you can get the document that you can use to benefit from passport fee exemption, from the Student Affairs office of the academic unit where you study. It is necessary to bear the “student” status, for being able to benefit from passport fee exemption. For that reason, our students, who will exercise their right to participate in Erasmus+ Traineeship Mobility following their graduation, cannot demand a document for passport fee exemption.