Through Erasmus+ you can get grants when you go on exchange in Europe - both for study mobility and traineeship mobility. The mobility must be approved as part of your degree here at NMBU.

Erasmus+ is EU's programme for cooperation within higher education in Europe. It makes it easier and cheaper for you as a student to take part of your degree in another European country. To be able to travel as an Erasmus student, you must go to a university that NMBU has an agreement with. NMBU has more than 130 Erasmus+ agreements in nearly 30 countries, so your options for exchange are many.

The benefits of going on exchange through Erasmus+:

• You get an Erasmus+ grant of 470/530 EUR per month (autumn 2023)
• You don't pay any tuition fees
• You can get an online language course for free
• The host university will often help you to find accommodation
• You often get the possibility to participate in introduction programmes for Erasmus+ students at the host university.

List of the requirements for going on exchange through Erasmus+.

• You have to be a degree-seeking student in one of NMBU's study programmes when you apply for the exchange.
• The exchange must be approved as part of your degree at NMBU.
• You must apply to a university that has an Erasmus+ agreement with NMBU (for study mobility)
• You must have passed at least 30 ECTS when you apply
• You must have passed at least 60 ECTS before departure to the host university.
• Some Erasmus+ agreements have additional requirements, for example language requirements and the amount of passed ECTS. Always check the web profile for further information.
• Minimum length of stay for study mobility for Erasmus+ is 2 months (60 days).
• You can apply for exchange through Erasmus+ for maximum of 12 months per study level (BA/MA/PhD). 

Erasmus+ grant rates

The Erasmus grant will cover some of the additional costs you have when you study or are completing a traineeship abroad, but does not finance your entire stay. How much you get in scholarships depends on where you travel.

For the academic year 2023-2024, the rates for study stays are:

• € 530 per month in Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Ireland, Liechtenstein, and Sweden
• € 470 per month in the other program countries

You will get the grant for the actual mobility period (virtual studies will not be covered):

• Start date: the first day you must be present at the host institution for academic reasons, such as the first day of teaching, the welcome events, etc.
• End date: the last day you must be present at the host institution for academic reasons, such as the last day of the examination period.

All students travelling on exchange through Erasmus+ must complete a Learning Agreement. This is a contract that has to be signed by the student, the faculty at NMBU and the host institution. NMBU is using Online Learning Agreement (OLA), which will be digitally signed by all parts.

The Learning Agreement contains a description of which courses you should take on exchange, and gives you confidence that courses you pass can be approved as part of your degree.

1. Create your Online Learning Agreement (OLA) account or use the digital platform at your host institution. Prepare your OLA after you have been accepted to your host university.
2. When you have signed your OLA, your study advisor at NMBU will automatically receive a notification by e-mail to sign it.
3. The host university will automatically receive a notification by e-mail to sign your OLA once your study advisor at NMBU has signed it. When the OLA is signed by all three parts, please download it as PDF and send it to utveksling@nmbu.no
4. Download the Erasmus+ App to track your OLA and for other useful information.

PDF version of OLA? 

• You can download a PDF of the OLA if the host university requires a paper version. It can also be signed on paper if necessary.
• If the host university cannot sign online and requires a paper copy, you may print a PDF of the OLA. If this is the case, please send a scanned copy signed by all three parts to utveksling@nmbu.no  

From autumn 2024 travel support has been introduced and is based on the travel distance from NMBU to the host university.

The Erasmus program is dedicated to contributing to the reduction of our carbon footprint and students who want to travel in a more sustainable way on exchange receive a larger travel grant.

If you choose to travel by train or bus to and/or from your host university, you qualify for a green travel grant. Note that travel by car or boat does not initially qualify as sustainable, unless it is an electric vehicle.

At least half of the total journey to and from the exchange university (measured in km) must be completed through sustainable means in order to be eligible to receive a Green Erasmus travel grant. Distance from NMBU to the host university is calculated with the European Commission's distance calculator, Distance Calculator - Erasmus+ (europa.eu).

Students who travel sustainably must apply for a Green Erasmus travel grant after returning from exchange, within the deadline for submitting the Confirmation of Erasmus Period (30 January for exchanges in the autumn, and 30 August for exchanges in the spring). The green journey must be documented with train/bus receipts, and extra Erasmus grants are also given for travel days: 2 extra travel days in the Nordic region, 4 extra travel days in central Europe (up to 1999 km in the distance calculator) and 6 extra travel days for the South -Europe (up to 2999 km in the distance calculator).

Application for a green travel grant

Short-term mobility is an exchange stay that consists of a digital and a physical part. You must get at least 3 ECTS for the participation, and the physical part must last between 5 and 30 days. You can get a grant for the physical part.

What can you get support for?

• Students traveling on short-term mobility receive 70 EUR per day from day 1 to 14. One travel day before and one travel day after the activity can also be covered
• If you travel green, you can get an extra 50 euros in stipend
• Students with fewer opportunities receive an additional grant (top-up) of EUR 100 for short-term mobility lasting 5 to 14 days, and EUR 150 for short-term mobility lasting 15 to 30 days.
• Additional grants for practice do not apply in this case.

Examples of type of mobility

• Summer course with physical and digital part. The digital part can be before, during or after the physical stay
• Blended intensive programs (BIP) held by partner universities
• Courses offered at partner institutions that are shorter than a normal exchange semester

Students from underrepresented groups in student mobility ("students with fewer opportunities") are entitled to additional grants. The additional grant is a grant to ensure inclusion and diversity in Erasmus+. The aim is that students from underrepresented groups within study mobility should make greater use of the opportunities Erasmus+ opens up. Both students who fall within the definitions of students with fewer opportunities and students with disabilities can receive additional grants. Each student can only receive one additional scholarship, even in the case where they fall under repeated categories that we have listed

From 2024, the following categories will apply for additional grants:

Students with children or other care responsibilities

• All students with children under the age of 18, regardless of whether the child participates in the mobility or not, can receive an additional grant. You can still only get one additional grant, so you don't get anything more if you have more children. Students with care responsibilities for younger siblings, older family members and/or family members with serious mental and/or physical illness, as well as drug addiction, can also receive additional grants. Documentation requirements: Students must sign a declaration ("declaration on honour") to confirm that they belong the category "students with fewer opportunities".

Students with permanent disabilities and chronic diseases

• All students who fall under the UN's definition of people with disabilities are considered "students with fewer opportunities". This definition is broad, and indicates that the disability and/or the chronic illness must be long-term. "People with disabilities include people with long-term physical, mental, intellectual or sensory impairments who, in the face of various barriers, can prevent them from participate fully and effectively in society, on an equal footing with others" (taken from the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities - fn.no). Documentation requirements: Students must sign a declaration ("declaration on honour") to confirm that they belong to the "students with fewer opportunities" category.

Students with refugee status

• All students with refugee status are considered to have fewer opportunities. Documentation requirements: Students must sign a declaration ("declaration on honour") to confirm that they belong to the category "students with fewer opportunities".

First generation students

• All students who are the first in their family to complete higher education, and who do not have parents or siblings who have previously completed higher education. By completed higher education we mean completed bachelor's degree, master's degree or doctorate. Documentation requirements: Students must sign a declaration ("declaration on honour") to confirm that they belong to the category "students with fewer opportunities".

Students belonging to the indigenous population and national minorities

• All students who are connected to the indigenous population (Sámi) or the national minorities (Jews, Kvens/Norwegian Finns, Romani people/Tatars, Skog Finns and Roma). The affiliation can be linked to language and cultural anchoring in that the student either a) uses the relevant language as home language and/or b) has or had a parent, grandparent or great-grandparent with the relevant language as their home language Or (only apply to Sami students) c) is in, or is the child of a person who is or has been in, the Sami population.

• Documentation requirements: Students must sign a declaration ("declaration on honour") to confirm that they belong to the category "students from underrepresented groups/students with fewer opportunities".
• The additional grant is €250 extra per month.

How to get the additional funding? Submit an application by using this form

Students with disabilities and need for facilitation:

• NMBU can apply for extra inclusion support from the EU, which will cover documented extra expenses related to exchange. The need must be documented through a doctor's certificate or similar, and the support must cover actual expenses (which are not covered by aids/support that the person can bring with them from Norway). There is no upper limit to this support. This is how the EU has defined a person with a need for extra support (special needs): «a person with special needs; a potential participant whose individual physical, mental or health-related situation is such that his/her participation in the mobility action would not be possible without extra financial support".

Examples of facilitation options:

Adapted housing

Availability access

Adapted study literature (audiobooks)

Possibility of assistance

This is how the EU has defined a person with a need for extra support (special needs): «a person with special needs; a potential participant whose individual physical, mental or health-related situation is such that his/her participation in the mobility action would not be possible without extra financial support».

How to apply for inclusion support? Submit an application by using this form

On-line Learning Agreement (OLA) (Study Mobility)