MOBILITY PLANNER
If your mobility journey feels like reaching the top of a mountain without the right gear, this is your starting point. Here you’ll find the key steps to plan your experience abroad and practical tips to guide you from preparation to the return home.
APPLICATION
If you have been awarded an Erasmus+ grant or you are in general participating in an international mobility program offered by your home university, one of the first things you will have to deal with is the application as an exchange student heading to your host university.
This process differs from partner to partner. It might include information about your student career and your background. You could be asked to provide a copy of your ID or passport, or a photocard.
Some universities even test or ask documents about your language proficiency, but this is not necessary within Arqus thanks to the inter-institutional Arqus Open Mobility Agreement, which provides a remarkable flexibility, among the partners, when it comes to managing student exchanges.
The more you are aware of the terms set by your host university (required data and documents, deadlines etc.), the easier it will be to comply with the related requirements and to cope with this task. We warmly recommend you to gather information on the application process and deadlines as soon as you know which Arqus university you will be studying at during your exchange.
If you wish to know more about your application, visit our interactive map and check the information related to your host university.
VISAS AND IMMIGRATION
EU, EEA and Swiss citizens don’t need a travel visa to study in the European Union but if you are a non-EU citizen moving to another country for an exchange programme, it is crucial to prioritize and take care of visas and immigration procedures. These processes are essential for ensuring legal entry and to stay in the host country. If you fail to comply with visa regulations, you may face serious consequences, such as fines or bans from re-entering the country. Starting to think about these procedures well in advance will let you enjoy an enriching exchange experience without unnecessary stress or complications.
It is important to know that immigration regulations can vary from one country to another, and they also depend on the documents you hold. You should check the immigration requirements of the country you are going to visit, based on your specific circumstances.
Our suggestion is to contact, as early as possible, the diplomatic authorities of the host country in the European country where you reside to inquire whether you need a visa to enter the Host Country and obtain a Residence permit.
If you need an invitation letter, it has to be issued by the International Office at the Host Institution, which can also offer support and guidance on this matter. Universities may have dedicated international student services or offices that can provide detailed information on visa requirements, application processes, and other immigration-related matters. International offices themselves can in some cases offer assistance, such as clarifying specific regulations, helping with paperwork, and guiding students through the necessary steps before they arrive in the host country or during their stay.
In a nutshell: check whether you actually need a visa; check which documents are required for the application; and apply as early as possible.
For further information, here follow some useful references provided by our Arqus universities:
Lyon 1
Non European students can access all the useful information on visa procedures on this page: https://etu.univ-lyon1.fr/guide-pratique/accueil-des-etudiants/etudiants-etrangers
For support please contact foreignstudents@univ-lyon1.fr
Padua
A useful website on VISA managed by the Italian government https://vistoperitalia.esteri.it/home/en
For international students: https://www.unipd.it/en/visas-immigration
Granada
All information regarding administrative procedures can be found here:
For further information
If you are a BACHELOR’S OR MASTER’S STUDENT
Contact details:
África Mariñas del Río (africamar@ugr.es)
Phone number: +34 958 24 20 13
If you are a:
a) International doctoral candidate;
b) International researcher
c) International academic staff
d) International postdoc
International Welcome Centre, Centro de Transferencia Tecnológica (CTT), Edificio Florentino García Santos, Universidad de Granada, Gran Vía de Colón, 48. Granada 18071
Call us at: +34 958 24 90 40
Email: welcome@ugr.es
VILNIUS
CERTIFICATE OF TEMPORARY RESIDENCE
All exchange students – EU/EFTA citizens, coming to study in Lithuania for more than 90 days are required to register with the Migration Department within three months from the date of entering Lithuania. They must obtain a certificate of temporary residence in the Republic of Lithuania and declare their place of residence.
More information: here
NATIONAL VISA
All exchange students from non-EU/EFTA countries must obtain a national D-type visa. If a valid residence permit or visa for the purpose of study is obtained in another EU country, students can come to Lithuania for an exchange program and stay here without a Lithuanian visa for up to 360 days.
More information: here
USEFUL LINKS
Republic of Lithuania Law on the Legal Status of Foreigners (Consolidated version valid as of 1 April 2022)
How can I declare my place of residence in Lithuania?
Can I work in Lithuania while studying?
Integration tips by International House Vilnius Website- https://ihvilnius.lt/about-us
Wroclaw
Students arriving to Wrocław can get help with the legalization of their stay at the Welcome Point which is a part of the International Office.
At the beginning of every semester Welcome Point helps:
- EU and EFTA students who stay for more than 3 months and are required registration of residence,
- non-EU citizens whose visas do not cover their whole stay,
- non-EU citizens with Temporary residence permits from other EU countries.
Students are provided with forms, lists of required documents and instructions on how to proceed with the legalization. If needed, Welcome Point ensures consultations one on one, or online meetings for larger groups.
Welcome Point is open from Monday to Friday, from 9:00 to 14:00 and is available at welcome@uwr.edu.pl.
A very helpful website to everyone interested in the process of legalization of stay widely used in Wrocław: https://przybysz.duw.pl/en/
Maynooth
MU International Office webpage regarding immigration: Immigration | Maynooth University
Official Irish Immigration website: Home – Immigration Service Delivery (irishimmigration.ie)
Some students with non-EU citizenship may require a visa to enter Ireland. It is strongly recommended that students check the Irish Immigration website to check whether they need a visa or not. Note: US and Canadian citizens do not require a visa to enter Ireland.
Students who are coming from outside the EEA / EU / Switzerland will need to register with Immigration and obtain an Irish Residency Permit (IRP) Card. Students can do this after they have arrived in Ireland.
Important note: Though Ireland is a member of the EU, it is not a member of the Schengen Area. Erasmus and Arqus students who are not EU citizens, but hold a residency permit for another EU country, will still need an entry visa. They will also have to register with Irish Immigration and obtain an IRP Card.
ACADEMIC CALENDAR
Arqus is dedicated to fostering collaboration and enriching experiences for students and staff across all nine member institutions. However, the diverging academic calendars present a logistical challenge for those seeking to participate in Arqus mobilities, joint initiatives, and other valuable opportunities. All partner universities have their own timelines and administrative procedures that must be respected, something that requires careful coordination and planning on the part of potential beneficiaries.
Recognizing the inherent differences in university-specific administrative procedures, the Arqus Alliance advocates for a culture of flexibility. Whenever feasible, member institutions strive to adjust internal deadlines to accommodate participation in Arqus initiatives. This adaptability ensures that valuable opportunities are not missed due to minor scheduling discrepancies, fostering a more inclusive environment for all participants.
The Arqus Alliance is also actively implementing initiatives that tend to harmonize administrative procedures across member institutions, especially when it comes to joint calls under the framework of the Alliance. Coordination in joint programmes can enhance participation by reducing administrative burdens and facilitating seamless accessibility.
For a better understanding of the differences between different institutional calendars at university level, a directory of links to each academic calendar is available, including detailed information on university-specific deadlines and semester schedules:
Vilnius University: https://www.vu.lt/en/studies/exchange-students/academic-calendar
University of Granada: https://www.ugr.es/personal/servicios/calendario-academico
Maynooth University: https://maynoothuniversity.ie/registrar/key-term-dates
University of Graz: https://studienabteilung.uni-graz.at/en/dates-deadlines/
Leipzig University: https://www.uni-leipzig.de/en/studying/current-students/academic-calendar
University of Minho: https://alunos.uminho.pt/EN/incomingstudents/Pages/CalendarioAcademico.aspx
University of Padova: https://www.unipd.it/en/key-academic-dates
University of Wrocław: https://international.uni.wroc.pl/en/current-students/academic-calendar
Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1: https://www.univ-lyon1.fr/formation/inscription-et-scolarite/calendrier-annee-universitaire
ACADEMIC OFFER
The Arqus website offers an overview of the partner universities’ course catalogs, which is available at this link.
You can immediately start exploring the learning opportunities available at your host institution. However, as a first step, we recommend contacting the relevant officers at your university to check whether there are any guidelines to consider when choosing which course units to attend and which exams to take during your stay abroad.
Once you start browsing the list of units taught at your new university, please bear in mind that differences between academic systems also lie in the way teaching activities are managed. In some cases, you may need to enroll in a course unit before attending classes, while in others signing up for exams may be the only registration required. Attendance may be compulsory for all classes or only for part of them. Learning platforms and devices may also vary significantly from one institution to another. These are just a few examples…
Do remember to explore all the peculiarities of your new learning environment and to contact the relevant staff for advice.
If you are preparing your first study plan, you will likely have further opportunities to reconsider your choices in the future; however, the more aware you are from the beginning, the better.
RECOGNITION
Your stay abroad will definitely enrich your life in various ways, including gaining new academic insights in your field of study, completing exciting courses, and earning academic credits to make progress toward your degree.
To be able to have the credits you gain at the host university validated in your study field at your home university, a process called “recognition” must be carried out. In many cases, especially if your stay abroad is organized through the Erasmus+ programme, preparation for recognition begins well before you actually go abroad. Within the Erasmus+ programme, you will have to prepare a document called a Learning Agreement. This document will outline your intended study plan at your host university as well as the recognition process at your home university.
During the preparation for your stay abroad, the international relations office at your home university will provide you with full information on: how to prepare the Learning Agreement, any additional documents required to ensure recognition after your stay, the contact persons who will approve your Learning Agreement, and the possible minimum number of credits you may need to successfully complete your stay abroad. As with every university, and sometimes even each faculty, different procedures may apply. It is therefore of utmost importance to observe the instructions provided by your home university or home faculty.
While you enjoy your stay at your host university, do not forget to communicate any changes to your initial study plan to your home university to ensure a smooth recognition of credits once you return home. When your stay abroad draws to an end and you’re almost done with your courses, make sure to ask your host university about how you will receive your transcript of records. This official document will contain all your courses, your grades and credits. It is issued by your host university and, in addition to the documents you prepared before your stay, is extremely important for the actual recognition of credits at your home university once you return home.
As before your stay, each home university has a different procedure for handling the recognition of courses after your stay abroad. In some cases, your home international office will initiate the process on your behalf once they receive your transcript of records; in other cases, you will have to initiate this process yourself. It is again important to observe the instructions provided by your home university or your home faculty. By completing this procedure, you will ensure that both the credits you earned and your mobility experience are properly recognized, rewarding the efforts you devoted to your classes abroad and bringing you one step closer to completing your degree.
REINTEGRATION
After an exchange experience abroad, returning to your Home University can be challenging. While the adventure of living in a new country may have expanded your horizons and enriched your perspective, settling back into familiar routines can feel daunting. It’s important to give yourself time to readjust, stay in touch with the friends you made during your exchange, and actively seek out opportunities to continue incorporating your newfound skills and experiences into your academic life.
Upon returning to your Home University, you can join various activities and initiatives to continue your personal growth and maintain a global mindset. Not only can you look for language exchange programs and cultural organizations to continue practicing the language(s) of the country where you recently lived, but volunteering opportunities, networking events, and workshops related to intercultural communication can also help you stay engaged and contribute to your academic community.
For instance, you can join the ESN student association as a volunteer or you can join the Buddy program at your university, providing support, assistance, and information to help the newcomers adjust and feel comfortable in their new surroundings (see the Mobility support section for further details).
Other opportunities may include Erasmus fairs, where you can contribute to promoting the University where you completed your exchange and give first-hand information and tips to students interested in that destination.
Additionally, your Home University might organize initiatives involving former exchange students, who are invited to spread the “Erasmus culture” by sharing their experience in various ways (written tales/resumes, podcasts, workshops, meetings, tandem learning, etc.). You can refer to the International Relations Office at your Home University.
Upon your return, you may also have the opportunity to become an Arqus Ambassador or participate in initiatives such as the Arqus Café, contributing to the promotion of international experiences and intercultural exchange within your university community.