Studying in France: the European exchange programmes Erasmus and Erasmus Mundus

The European exchange programmes for higher education

The ERASMUS programme was set up to encourage European students to undertake part of their studies in another country within the European Union. ERASMUS MUNDUS concerns Master level students, both European and non European.

Aims

ERASMUS and ERASMUS MUNDUS aim to:

• encourage students to live an experience abroad to improve their capacities to adapt;
• enable students to validate education received abroad: the study courses followed are integrated in their university curriculum and recognised throughout the world;
• encourage partnerships between European educational establishments (with the Erasmus programme) and partnerships between a European educational establishment and one in a non European country (with the Erasmus Mundus programme).

Erasmus concerns more particularly Bachelor’s degree (Licence) studies while Erasmus Mundus is an excellence programme for Master’s degree level

Advantages

These programmes have several advantages:

• the degrees that foreign students obtain in France are recognised throughout Europe and their educational level is recognised worldwide;
• the partnerships between educational establishments mean the student formalities and procedures are simplified.

ERASMUS

Participating countries

• the 27 Member States: Germany, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Denmark, Spain, Estonia, France, Finland, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Czech Republic, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, United Kingdom, Sweden;
• Iceland, Norway, Liechtenstein;
• Turkey.

Which students can take advantage of the Erasmus programme?

You must:

• be a national of one of the 31 participating countries or have a valid 10 year residence card or have political refugee or stateless person status;
• have validated one year spent in higher education in your country;
• leave as part of an exchange between your educational establishment and the one you will attend.

Who to contact to find out which educational establishments are partners?
The international relations department in your higher education establishment.

ERAMUS MUNDUS

Participating countries

• the 27 Member States of the European Union;
• Iceland, Norway, Liechtenstein;
• Macedonia, Croatia, Turkey;
• all other countries in the world.

Which students can take part in the Erasmus Mundus programme?

Students who:

• have validated 3 or 4 years spent in higher education in their country; the Erasmus Mundus programme concerns Master 1 and Master 2 courses;
• leave as part of an exchange between their educational establishment and the one they will attend.

Erasmus Mundus grants

Study grants are awarded to certain selected students. They amount to 21,000 € per year. For more information, contact the international relations department at your establishment.

To find out more about Erasmus and Erasmus Mundus

The Europe, Education, Formation Agency website : The EEF is responsible for setting up European programmes in France.

Information updated: 31st August 2010