Checklist for exchange studies

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2 Checklist for exchange studies - Exchange studies in a nutshell - What next? - The application process to the host university - Studies - Before departure - Residence permits - Insurance - Financing - Grant - Erasmus+ documents - Safety - Accommodation - Culture shock - After the exchange

3 Exchange studies in a nutshell Before exchange During exchnage After exchange Thinking of study abroad Applying for exchange Confirmation of exchange place Applying to the host university Grant ja Grant Agreement Permits Studies at the host university Back at LUT Where to go? How to apply? Financing? Selection criteria? Studies International Exchange studies Travel reports/blogs Information sessions on exchange studies Language test Mobility online system Learning agreement of studies in exchange: 30 ECTS/semester Yes: Accept the allocated exchange place in the Mobility online Exchange studies as a part of your degree Orientation for exchange studies Nomination to host university Apply to the host university system The amount of credits during exchange 30 ECTS per semester Update your Learning Agreement) and have it accepted by your study counsellor. Housing application Accept Grant Agreement in the Mobility online Grants are paid in August (for autumn) and in December (for spring) FSHS: vaccinations Visa/residence permit issues 30 ECTS/semester Update your learning agreement If you face problems in studying, be in touch with LUT Student Services Bring the letter of confirmation signed by the host Credit recognition by the end of February or by the end of August Recalculation of the grant, based on actual dates and number of ECTS at the host > refund or additional payment During autumn term January-February April-May According to the Before Autumn term host university leaving for Lukuvuosi / instructions exchange Kevätlukukausi Asap after the exchange 3

4 What next? If your exchange takes place in the autumn, you apply during the spring. 1. Official nomination to the host university (Suvi and Anne) 2. Update your learning agreement (done in the Mobility Online) 3. Update your personal study plan 4. Bring your learning agreement for approval to your study counsellor (learning agreement and updated personal study plan) 5. Application information from host university check your regularly, also junk 6. Letter of acceptance, information package from the host university (orientation week, accommodation, local tutor/buddy) 7. Apply for a visa/residence permit if necessary (for the application you ll need the letter of acceptance and a proof of financing) Note! Make sure that your residence permit for Finland is valid when you return to Finland after your exchange - Many different types of application forms and also application schedule vary usually an online application - Some partners also use Mobility Online programme, but please note, there is no data transfer between different Mobility online programmes - If the application is to be sent in a paper format, the student takes care of the delivery. - After the nomination you can be in touch with the host university, if necessary - If the host university offers a language course consider participating in the course (possible extra cost)

5 Studies at the host university - Learning Agreement /Study plan commitment of three parties will be updated before departure and most likely also at the host university - Recommendation is 30 ECTS - Erasmus ja LUT grant: minimum of 20 ECTS/ semester - Apply for credit recognition soon after you have completed your exchange studies. Deliver updated personal study plan together with the application form to your study counsellor. - Save the course descriptions and exercises while at exchange in order to make credit recognition easier. - Note that you ll need to do all the exams at the host university - it is not possible to do them later at LUT. Note! Further information on study matters is available at the study abroad info on April 18, You ll receive a separate invitation to this lecture.

6 To do before departure Remember to register at LUT Absent or Present - Make a temporary notice of move to the registry office, when your stay abroad is more than three months. - Note! Add your phone number and update your address to the Mobility Online. - Remember to add you summer time address to the Mobility Online. - Check your regularly also the junk . - For discounts you may apply for an internationally accepted ISIC card (15 euros) - LUT PROMOTION - Promote LUT to potential exchange students to LUT

7 Residence permits A residence permit is needed for studies lasting more than three months Note! A visa is not sufficient. The host university will provide contact information for local immigration authorities. In most cases the application process is online. For the residence permit you ll need to pay the application fee, present the letter of admission from the host university and a financial statement An example: a student going to Sweden -> If the student wants to study in Sweden for more than three months he or she needs a residence permit for studies. To be granted such permit it needs to be clear that the student has been admitted in Sweden, has paid tuition fees (in LUT case: tuition waiver) and can support himself in Sweden. See further information on the website: Note! Remember to renew your residence permit to Finland before leaving for exchange.

8 Before departure - Usually you ll need a visa or a residence permit to non-eu countries for a stay over three months - A visa/residence permit is applied at the host country embassy before departure - Host university usually informs about the visa/residence permit procedure - Check the latest regulation at the embassy of the host country, as the regulations are frequently updated. - Check the validity of your passport (the passport may be required already at the application phase, e.g. China) - The passport should be valid at least 6 months after the exchange check the current rules with the embassy.

9 Insurance Make sure that you have a sufficient insurance coverage for your exchange period It is your responsibility to take an insurance Contact your insurance company or ask for offers from several companies. You ll need an insurance coverage for yourself and your belongings. Make sure that you have a certificate in English of your insurance and know how to act if an accident happens If you have a longterm illness, make sure that the insurance coverage is valid in the host country.

10 Financing The amount of Erasmus grant depends on the length of your studies (months/dates). The European countries are divided in two categories, those with higher living costs (higher grant) and those of lower living costs (lower grant). Group 1, Programme Countries with higher living costs approx. 320,00 /month Austria, France, Ireland, Italy, Lichtenstein, United Kingdom Group 2, Programme Countries with medium or lower living costs approx. 270,00 /month Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Cyprus, Estonia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain Note! Letter of confirmation verifies the duration of the exchange signed by a host university representative Non-European destinations - Grant 700 Russia - Grant 2240 / semester (FIRST+ programme) NORDTEK (engineering) and NOREK (business) financing for Nordic countries- Varies from country to country, between / term There are no tuition fees if you are selected to the LUT exchange destinations

11 Final amount of the grant - Grants are paid in August for autumn exchanges and in December for spring exchanges Please check that you have the correct bank account number in the Mobility online, in the section Personal details. - Erasmus+ students will receive 80% of the grant before the exchange period starts and 20% after the return. - There is no separate application for grants it is sufficient that you have answered in the application form yes to the question Do you wish to apply for a scholarship? - In Erasmus destinations in Europe the grant is calculated per day and the final amount is checked after the exchange on the basis of the letter of confirmation. - Cancellation or interruption of the exchange > partial or full refund of the grant - Be in touch with Student Services, if the exchange period changes or the exchange is interrupted

12 What if you don t get enough credits during your exchange? Recommendation for exchange studies is 30 ECTS per semester The minimum demand for grant is 20 ECTS per semester Language credits based on the exchange duration are not included in these 20 ECTS. What if you didn t receive 20 ECTS? Refund percentages of grant: Less than 5 ECTS, full refund (100 %) 6-9 ECTS, 75 % of grant to be refunded ECTS, 50 % of grant to be refunded ECTS, 25 % of grant to be refunded If you face problems during your exchange, e.g. the course language changes in the middle of the course or you think that you cannot gain 20 ECTS, please get in touch with LUT Student Services. The refund rule does not apply force majeure cases (doctor s certificate is needed)

13 ERASMUS+ exchange documents - Erasmus Grant Agreement have to be accepted in Mobility Online - Letter of Confirmation confirms the duration of the exchange -> signed and stamped by the host university - Erasmus Testimonial A certificate stating admitted study place and amount of grant by LUT > you can print this out from Mobility Online - Checklist of required Erasmus documents by to the students going to the Erasmus destinations

14 Erasmus+ language test: OLS The Online Linguistic Support (OLS) supports language learning for Erasmus+ mobility participants. The OLS offers participants in Erasmus+ long-term mobility activities the opportunity to assess their skills in the foreign language(s) they will use to study, work or volunteer abroad. In addition, selected participants may follow an online language course to improve their competence. Language assessment is done before and after the exchange -> part of the grant terms The OLS language assessment is mandatory for all participants of the Erasmus+ programme before and after exchange. You ll receive an invitation to the Online Linguistic Support Tool Utilize the possibility to do an online language course it gives you a great opportunity to improve your language skills.

15 Accommodation in the host country - Student housing/ commercial market - Housing can be scarce is big student cities be early to apply for housing - You can find tips in old travel reports and blogs - LUT students who are currently studying at the host university contact them e.g. via Facebook - Be active and start early to look for accommodation.

16 PAY ATTENTION TO SAFETY - Scan you passport and credit card to your - If something happens (theft/robbery), it is easier to sort things out with the authorities. - Contact the international services of your host university and also LUT Student Services this same applies also to other incidents, e.g. if there is a terrorist attack in your host city, inform that you re ok. - Make sure that your emergency contact is up-to-date in the Mobility Online. - When you re travelling, make sure that someone close to you knows about your travel plans - Submit a travel notification to the mission and Ministry of Foreign affairs - A travel notification includes personal data, contact info valid during the trip, and information about the trip, supplied to the Ministry for use in case of an emergency or a crisis situation. - Save the numbers of your bank and phone operator with country codes. - Find out what kind of vaccination is needed for that particular destination (FSHS) - If you use some medication regularly, make sure how to guarantee the medication during your exchange. - Sufficient insurance coverage - check with your insurance company

17 Travel report/blog - Travel report gives tips for future exchange students published in the Uni portal Travel reports and blogs - Contents of the travel report/blog: Orientation days/week Possible language course Start and end of studies (so called academic calendar) Course selection (brief description of the courses you took) Holiday periods Exam procedures The length of the report: 4 pages or more. Think about the issues which you wanted to know before the exchange. Please return the travel report straight after the exchange or at the latest by (autumn exchange) or (spring exchange) (these dates don t apply for Germany) - Update your blog regularly at least twice a week

18 Culture shock - Honey moon Life is great! - Shock - We can do everything so much better at home - Adaptation - I can do this, I m capable of getting along, I know how to operate here - Return shock This was most unique time for me why don t anyone see that?

19 After the exchange I learned to understand that a different way of living is not necessarily worse than our way. Tolerance increases a lot when you live in another country. International tutoring at LUT ESN Lappeenranta

20 Further information Student Services International Coordinator Suvi Tiainen, room 2313 Erasmus+ destinations in Europe International Officer Anne Makkonen, room 2313 Bilateral destinations outside Europe, Russia, Scandinavia Opiskelijapalvelut/Suvi Tiainen

21 QUESTIONS?