Erasmus Semester Step by Step: From Application to Arrival

Step 1: Check eligibility and pick a partner university

Erasmus+ study mobility runs through your home university's existing partnerships, not open choice. You apply only to institutions your department already has a bilateral Erasmus agreement with. Start by checking your department's list of partner universities and any subject or year restrictions, since some agreements only cover specific years of study.

Step 2: Apply through your home university

There is no central Erasmus+ application form . You contact your university's international or Erasmus office to start the process, usually through an internal application that ranks your preferred partner universities. Your department nominates you to your chosen host institution based on your ranking, grades, and available places.

Application windows typically open the academic year before your planned exchange. A semester abroad in autumn 2026, for example, likely means applying through your home university sometime in late 2025 or early 2026, so check your department's own deadline well in advance.

Step 3: Prepare your learning agreement

Once nominated, you build a learning agreement for studies with your home and host departments. This document lists the courses you plan to take abroad and confirms in advance how those courses map onto credits at your home university, so your semester abroad counts toward your degree rather than adding extra time to your studies.

Gather your transcript of records and, where the host university requires it, a language certificate showing you meet the minimum level for your courses. Some universities run their own language test or accept the Online Linguistic Support (OLS) assessment used across the Erasmus+ program.

Step 4: Sign your grant agreement and check your funding

Your grant amount depends on where you are going, not where you study now. Erasmus+ groups destination countries by living costs, and monthly amounts differ accordingly. According to Heidelberg University's published Erasmus figures for the 2024/25 to 2026/27 period , students heading to a higher cost-of-living country such as Germany, France, or one of the Nordic countries receive around 600 EUR a month, while most other destination countries pay around 540 EUR a month.

These figures come from one national agency and differ elsewhere, since your home country's Erasmus national agency sets the exact amount you receive. Confirm your specific figure with your own international office before you budget. On top of the monthly grant, most students also get a one-off contribution toward travel costs.

Step 5: Sort out visa, insurance, and housing

EU and EEA students moving within the Erasmus+ area generally do not need a visa for a study semester, though registration rules differ by country and are worth checking with your host university's international office. Non-EU students on an Erasmus exchange should check visa requirements for the specific host country well before departure, since processing times vary widely.

Carry your European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) or UK Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) if you are eligible, and check whether your host country or university expects additional private health cover on top of it. Start your housing search as soon as you have your acceptance letter. Popular host cities fill student housing fast, and many host universities offer a dedicated portal or guaranteed room for incoming Erasmus students if you apply early.

Step 6: Arrival and enrollment

Most host universities run an orientation week before teaching starts, covering enrollment, campus tours, and sometimes a buddy or mentor program pairing you with a local student. Bring your learning agreement, proof of insurance, and any local registration documents your host city requires for a stay over a set number of months.

Confirm your final course selection with the host university early in the semester. If your originally planned courses clash or fill up, update your learning agreement through the during-mobility change process rather than switching courses informally, so the credits still transfer.

After your semester

Your host institution issues a transcript after your exams, and your home university recognizes the credits and counts them toward your degree, without extra requirements, as long as you followed the courses agreed in your learning agreement. Keep copies of every signed document until your degree is fully confirmed, since recognition disputes are far easier to resolve with paperwork in hand.