Erasmus+ Study Exchange
Students at TH OWL can study for one or two semesters through Erasmus+ at a partner university in Europe that is affiliated with their faculty, or at selected partner universities worldwide with which an Erasmus+ cooperation agreement is in place, and receive financial support for this.
An Erasmus+ study abroad program offers many benefits!
- You do not pay tuition fees at the host university (for a degree program, matriculation, examinations, access to laboratories and libraries, etc.).
- You will receive a mobility grant. The amount varies depending on the country, duration, and academic year.
- Subject to prior agreement, the coursework you earn abroad can be recognized by TH OWL.
- You will usually receive support from the host university regarding housing, cultural activities, etc.
- You can participate in a free, tutored online language course through Online Linguistic Support (OLS).
All students enrolled at TH OWL in a degree program leading to a recognized degree are eligible to participate in the Erasmus program. (Visiting students are not eligible to participate in ERASMUS+.)
- Bachelor’s and Master’s students may participate starting in their first semester.
- The planned study program at the host university must last a minimum of 2 months and a maximum of 12 months. Theses may also be funded. For each degree level (e.g., bachelor’s or master’s), you can receive a total of up to 12 months of funding through ERASMUS+ for internships or study abroad stays.
- Shorter “blended mobility” stays are also possible—that is, a combination of virtual participation in a degree program and an in-person stay at the host university. Please contact the International Office for more information.
- Adequate proficiency in the language of instruction at the host university is required.
With Erasmus+, you can study at any partner university with which your faculty has signed an Erasmus+ cooperation agreement that includes exchange opportunities. In general, all 27 EU member states, as well as Iceland, Liechtenstein, North Macedonia, Norway, Serbia, and Turkey, participate in the Erasmus program. In addition, some faculties have signed cooperation agreements with selected non-European host universities.
You can find out which partner universities are in your faculty in our overview list.
In addition, the following Erasmus+ partnerships outside the EU are active with Erasmus funding:
Erasmus International Funding:
| Country | Partner University | Partnership with faculty | More Info |
|---|---|---|---|
| Albania | Polytechnic University of Tirana | Architecture and Urban Planning (5 outbound exchanges can be funded through the project) | More info |
| Chile | Corporación Universidad Central de Chile or Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile | Architecture, Interior Architecture, and Urban Planning (1 outgoing student can be funded through the project) | More info |
| United Kingdom | University of the West of England | Architecture and Interior Architecture | More info |
| India | National Institute of Technology | Architecture and Interior Architecture, Media Production | More Info |
| Jordan | German Jordanian University | Architecture and Interior Architecture, Life Sciences Technologies, Environmental Engineering, and Applied Computer Science | More info |
| Colombia | La Salle University | Architecture and Interior Architecture | More info |
| South Korea | Korea National University of Arts (K-ARTS) | Architecture and Interior Architecture, Media Production | More Info |
| Uruguay | ORT University | Architecture and Interior Architecture, Business Administration and Economics | More info |
Erasmus and Brexit
With its withdrawal from the EU, the United Kingdom has also withdrawn from the Erasmus program.
Erasmus and Switzerland:
Since Switzerland currently cannot officially participate in the Erasmus+ program, the Swiss-European Mobility Program (SEMP) was launched. The SEMP is very similar in its basic structure to the Erasmus program and supports study abroad stays at TH OWL’s Swiss partner universities. However, unlike with Erasmus+, the scholarships are provided by the Swiss side. The application process for a spot at a Swiss partner university is the same as the application process for a spot under the Erasmus+ program.
Application Materials
We accept applications exclusively online via our mobility platform, SoleMOVE. Applications must be submitted between January 1 and March 1 for a stay during the following winter semester, and between July 1 and September 1 for a stay during the following summer semester.
https://saas.solenovo.fi/solemove
There, you can log in with your TH OWL credentials and submit your application online. Please also refer to the instructions in ourSoleMOVE Guide to Applying for an Erasmus+ Spot
You must upload the following documents with your online application:
- Letter of motivation in English
- Resume in English
- Certificate of enrollment
- A current transcript of grades with your grade point average (available from the Examination Office)
- Proof* of your language proficiency in the language of instruction (e.g., language certificate, certificate of completion for a language course, high school diploma, or assessment test results from the TH OWL online language program)
- Portfolio (faculty 1 only)
* Please note that additional proof of language proficiency may be required when submitting an application to the partner university.
What happens next?
After the application deadlines have passed, the International Office will review your application materials to ensure they are complete and to verify whether there are enough spots available at your preferred university for the number of applicants. We always try to accommodate your first choice. If there are more applications than available spots at a partner university, we will consider your second or third choice. You will receive a maximum of one acceptance.
If you are submitting an application for a spot in an Erasmus+ partner country, we will first forward your documents to the relevant faculties. These departments may conduct a preliminary selection and then typically invite you via email to selection interviews.
If you are selected for a partner university, you will be nominated by the International Office there. Afterward, you will generally need to fill out the host University’s registration forms (application, accommodation forms, etc.) and submit additional documents. You will receive the necessary information from us or from the partner University in a timely manner.
The application for a spot at a partner university also constitutes an application for funding through the Erasmus+ program.
The monthly scholarship amount depends on the destination country, as the funding rates are based on the respective cost of living. The following funding rates apply for the 2025 project year (Winter Semester 2025 and Summer Semester 2026):
| Group | Funding Amount | Destination Countries |
|---|---|---|
| Group 1 (high cost of living) | 600 euros per month | Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Ireland, Iceland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Austria, Sweden, UWE, England (FB1) |
| Group 2 (moderate cost of living) | 540 euros per month | Estonia, Greece, Latvia, Malta, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Czech Republic, Cyprus. |
| Group 3 (low cost of living) | 540 euros per month | Bulgaria, Estonia, Croatia, Latvia, Lithuania, North Macedonia, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, the Czech Republic, Turkey, Hungary |
| Erasmus International Partners | 700 euros per month plus a flat-rate travel allowance | NID, India (FB1, FB2), GJU, Jordan (FB1, FB4, FB8), K-ARTS, South Korea (FB1, FB2), ORT Uruguay (FB1, FBW), LaSalle, Colombia (FB1) |
| Top-up for participants with fewer opportunities | +250 euros per month | For students with a disability rated at GdB 20 or higher and students who bring their child(ren) with them on their Erasmus+ stay and are single parents there during the Erasmus+ mobility period. Starting in the winter semester of 2022, this top-up will also apply to students from non-academic families as well as working students with a monthly income of 451–850 EUR. Please include explanations regarding this top-up in the sworn statement. |
| Travel Expense Subsidy | Travel Distance - Standard Travel - Green Travel 10 and 99 km - 28 EUR - 56 EUR 100–499 km - 211 EUR - 285 EUR 500–1,999 KM - 309 EUR - 417 EUR 2,000 to 2,999 KM - 395 EUR - 535 EUR 3,000 to 3,999 KM - 580 EUR - 785 EUR 4,000 to 7,999 KM - 1,188 EUR - 1,188 EUR 8,000 KM or more - 1,735 EUR - 1,735 EUR | Starting with the 2025 call for applications (Winter Semester 2025), all Erasmus+ participants are eligible for travel expense allowances graded by distance, regardless of the duration of their stay. “Green Travel” refers to trips in which low-emission modes of transportation are used for the majority of the journey, such as buses, trains, bicycles, or carpooling. |
| Additional Travel Days (Flyer) | With Green Travel, you can apply for up to 6 additional travel days. The number of eligible travel days depends on the distance to your host institution and is calculated using the EU’s Erasmus+ Distance Calculator. If necessary, you can also apply for up to 2 additional | “Green Travel” or “environmentally friendly travel” refers to trips in which low-emission modes of transportation are used for the majority of the journey, such as bus, train, bicycle, or carpooling. |
Eligibility Requirements
Eligible students will receive the first installment of the Erasmus+ mobility grant (80% of the total amount) approximately three to four weeks before departure, provided all required documents have been submitted.
You will receive the second installment (20% of the total amount) after completing your studies abroad, as soon as you have submitted all required final documents.
Are you interested in studying abroad through ERASMUS+ and have you already checked with the International Office and submitted your application? Here you’ll find an explanation of the most important steps involved in studying abroad through ERASMUS+.
