International Office

Erasmus+ Traineeship

Degree programme students of the University of Vienna can complete a self-organised traineeship in another European country and apply for an Erasmus+ scholarship for a minimum stay of 2 months.

Students have great freedom in selecting their traineeship, as long as the traineeship is relevant to their studies (=a meaningful addition to their degree programme).

Quick guide

  • 1. Applying for Erasmus+ funding

    • You have found a traineeship position and the exact traineeship dates, the content and the working language have been defined? 
      You must submit the following application documents:
      • Learning Agreement for traineeships
      • Health insurance (e-card)
      • Accident and liability insurance
      • Proof of language proficiency (except when the working language is German)
      • Curriculum vitae
      • Proof of identity (passport)
    • Apply online via the Mobility Online tool:
      Create new application

  • 2. Before your stay abroad

  • 3. During/after your stay abroad

    • It is not possible to change the traineeship position or to transfer the grant to a new traineeship position. Contact us before you discontinue your traineeship to obtain information about the further procedure. 
      It is not possible to extend an Erasmus+ grant.
    • Take the following steps at the end of your stay:
      • Submit the final documents
      • Complete the Erasmus+ Participant Report
      • Submit the official notice of recognition or the transcript of records (only for compulsory traineeships)
      • Submit evidence for additional funding you have received (if applicable)

Any questions?

Prerequisites

  • Degree programme students of the University of Vienna (bachelor’s, master’s, diploma, doctoral programme)
  • You have not yet used all Erasmus+ mobility months of the relevant study cycle (i.e. quota of 12 months per study cycle (BA/MA/PhD) and 24 months for diploma students)
  • Bachelor's students must have completed at least two semesters in the relevant degree programme when they start their traineeship.
  • Master's students and doctoral candidates can complete the traineeship from the first semester of their degree programme onwards.
  • You must not have completed your degree programme at the University of Vienna when you submit the application and you must not complete it while you are completing your traineeship (i.e. you must have at least one examination left to complete).

Your nationality has no influence on your eligibility to receive a grant.

Where can I complete an Erasmus+ traineeship?

You can complete Erasmus+ traineeships at host institutions in the 27 EU member states as well as Iceland, Turkey, Norway, Serbia, Liechtenstein and North Macedonia.
Stays in Switzerland and the UK are currently not funded.
Companies, universities, associations, NGOs, schools, etc. are accepted as host institutions.

  • Which host institutions are not accepted for an Erasmus+ traineeship?
    • EU bodies such as the European Parliament or agencies that are decentralised and affiliated with EU institutions (list of EU institutions and bodies)
    • Institutions that carry out EU programmes, such as the national agencies

In case of doubt, please ask the legal department of your host institution to confirm that the host institution is not an EU institution (but rather, for example, an organisation formally assigned to a member state or an intergovernmental body, etc.).

Traineeship options

You have two options of completing an Erasmus+ traineeship. Which option is right for you depends on your curriculum.

If your employer additionally requires a Convention de Stage (traineeship agreement) for your Erasmus+ traineeship, please read the information provided in the following PDF on the Convention de Stage.

  • Compulsory internship (according to the curriculum)

    • Compulsory traineeships are recognised as an academic achievement in the form of ECTS credits and are listed in the transcript of records. In addition, the traineeship is listed in the Diploma Supplement. You must submit the notice of recognition or the transcript of records to provide evidence of recognition after the end of your traineeship.
    • The number of ECTS credited for the traineeship is based on the ECTS credits specified in the curriculum. Please discuss the relevant details with your directorate of studies.
    • In the case of compulsory traineeships, at least 3 ECTS credits per month of stay must be recognised (e.g. 6 ECTS for a two-month stay). If the curriculum specifies fewer ECTS credits to be completed as part of the compulsory traineeship, the traineeship is only partially recognised as a compulsory traineeship. However, this has no effect on the receipt of the Erasmus+ mobility grant.
    • Please note that also compulsory traineeships must last at least two full months (even if, for example, the curriculum specifies only six weeks of compulsory traineeship).

    In the Learning Agreement, select the section traineeship embedded in the curriculum for compulsory traineeships.
    If you are completing your compulsory traineeship abroad, you can apply for funding as part of the ‘Erasmus+ traineeship’ programme.

  • Voluntary traineeship (traineeship on your own initiative)

    • Voluntary traineeships (not required by the curriculum) are listed in the Diploma Supplement. They can also be recognised as an academic achievement (e.g. as a substitute for another course). The directorate of studies decides whether the traineeship is recognised as an academic achievement.
    • There are no requirements regarding the number of ECTS credits for voluntary traineeships. 

    Further information regarding language assistance
    You can work as a language assistant as part of a voluntary traineeship.
    Students who work as a language assistant at a school in another European country can also apply for the Erasmus+ mobility grant, provided their stay abroad is relevant to their studies.

    • An Erasmus traineeship can only be completed at a single host institution that confirms the entire stay in the Learning Agreement.
    • As part of the traineeship, you must have a full teaching load, i.e. usually 12-16 hours per week (this may vary depending on the host country). Language assistants are not subject to the minimum number of working hours of 30 hours per week.

    In the Learning Agreement, select the section voluntary traineeship for voluntary traineeships.

Independent search for traineeship positions

Please note:

  • Relevance for your studies
    A prerequisite for receiving Erasmus+ funding is that the traineeship is relevant to your studies. This means that the traineeship must be a meaningful addition to your degree programme; however, the recognition of the traineeship in the form of ECTS credits is not a prerequisite. 
    Your directorate of studies must confirm that the traineeship is relevant for your studies on the Learning Agreement for Traineeships. You can find the contact details of your directorate of studies listed in u:find.
  • Required level of language proficiency
    To receive funding for an Erasmus+ traineeship, you must demonstrate appropriate knowledge of the working language of the host institution. Therefore, make sure to clarify the working language at your host institution in good time.

Applying for Erasmus+ funding

You must submit the following application documents:

  • Learning Agreement for Traineeships
    The Learning Agreement contains all relevant information about the traineeship. You, the host institution and your directorate of studies (SPL) must sign and stamp it. By signing the Learning Agreement, the directorate of studies confirms that the traineeship is relevant to your studies.
  • Declaration of insurance
    • Proof of health insurance 
      You must have a valid health insurance for the entire duration of the traineeship. To fill in the insurance declaration, please have your eCard/European insurance card ready to fill in the data in Mobility Online.
    • Accident and liability insurance (recommended)
      If the traineeship host institution does not provide accident and/or liability insurance coverage, we recommend that you obtain private accident and liability insurance for the duration of your stay. When submitting your application, you confirm that you will have adequate insurance coverage during your traineeship abroad.
  • Proof of identity
    Valid passport or ID card
  • Curriculum vitae
  • Proof of language proficiency (except when the working language is German)
    You have to provide proof that you have the required level of language proficiency in the working language specified in the Learning Agreement (at least level B1 according to CEFL).
    Exemption: You do not have to provide proof of German and English working language proficiency up to level B2; students of philology and/or translation studies are also exempt.

Language certificates accepted by the University of Vienna (not older than 5 years at the time of application):

  • Certified language tests (e.g. TOEFL, IELTS), completed courses: Download list of equivalent courses
  • Language-competence certificate of the Language Centre of the University of Vienna
  • Language course certificates showing the level achieved (to serve as proof of language proficiency for a level, you must have completed the highest phase of this level offered at the language institute, e.g. B1: phase 3 of 3 as proof of B1; e.g. B2.2 as proof of B2)
  • Course certificate ‘Erasmus Preparation Course’ or ‘Refresher Course’ (from B1) issued by the Language Centre of the University of Vienna
  • Secondary-school leaving certificate, if you have completed either the written or oral secondary-school leaving exam (Matura) in the respective language and the level is indicated on the certificate
  • If you have completed school in a country where the respective language is an official language: secondary-school leaving certificate (even if older than 5 years)  
  • If you have obtained your secondary-school leaving certificate at an international school where the respective language was the language of instruction and where you have completed the secondary-school leaving exam (Matura) entirely in this language (e.g. Lycée Français, IB Diploma): secondary-school leaving certificate (even if older than 5 years)
  • Teacher education: a degree in the relevant philology, specified in the student record sheet (u:space)
  • Completed degree programme in which all courses and exams were held in the respective language
  • University degree in the relevant philology or university degree in translation studies with the corresponding working language 

The following certificates are not accepted as proof of language proficiency: confirmation of secondary school attendance as part of an exchange year; citizenship; attendance certificates for language courses. 

In addition to foreign language courses, the Language Centre of the University of Vienna also offers preparation courses for Erasmus+ stays and language-competence certificate tests, which are accepted as proof of language proficiency.
If you have been nominated for an Erasmus+ place, you can apply for a refund of EUR 40.00 for completed language courses and language-competence certificates. Recipients of federal aid for students receive a refund of EUR 81.00 You can receive a refund for all courses and language-competence certificates of the Language Center if the language level achieved is specified on the certificate and if they took place within the last three semesters.
Students can apply for a refund at two specified refund periods of the year. You must apply for a refund in the period immediately following your nomination. Therefore, we recommend applying for the refund as soon as possible.
The refund periods are from 1 May to 30 June and from 10 November to 10 December.
Refunds are paid directly at the Language Centre upon presentation of an identity document. You can only apply for a refund in the refund period immediately following your nomination.
If you have any questions about language courses and language-competence certificates, please contact the Language Centre directly.

Statutory health insurance in Austria reimburses insured persons for the costs of necessary medical treatment. EU/EEA citizens receive free medical care in EU countries via their European Health Insurance Card (= back side of the e-card) for all treatments that are medically necessary during their stay abroad (generally this does not include check-ups and preventive screenings). If you are not insured in Austria or are a third country national, please clarify the issues of insurance coverage abroad with your health insurance provider.

Before starting your traineeship, you are obliged to clarify with your traineeship host institution whether they provide accident and liability insurance in addition to health insurance for the duration of your traineeship.
If the traineeship host institution does not provide accident and/or liability insurance coverage, we recommend that you obtain private accident and liability insurance for the duration of your stay. Relevant insurance packages are often included in home contents insurance or are covered by a credit card provider. Furthermore, students of the University of Vienna are covered by subsidiary accident and liability insurance as part of the ÖH insurance at the traineeship workplace or when travelling between the traineeship location and their place of residence. However, this insurance cover does not apply outside working hours. We therefore recommend obtaining insurance that also provides coverage outside working hours (i.e. in your leisure time).

Application via Mobility Online

You may submit your application only via the Mobility Online application tool.

Create a new application for an Erasmus+ traineeship

Use this link if you have already created an application and would like to view or edit it:

Access your application for further processing in Mobility Online

Once we have received your application, we will check it and contact you with information about the next steps.

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Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or OeAD-GmbH. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.

Erasmus+ Charter 2021-2027 (PDF)  | Erasmus+ Policy Statement (PDF)