What funding is available for Erasmus+?

What am I entitled to?

Students of any nationality are entitled to an Erasmus+ grant, which is paid in addition to the standard grants or loans to which students are entitled. To receive this you need to:

  • be fully registered on an undergraduate or post-graduate course at SHU
  • be in the second, third or final year of your course
  • be on a course which is part of an approved Erasmus+ exchange programme (your Faculty exchange co-ordinator should be able to advise you of this)
  • undertake a study period abroad that lasts for at least 3 months and not more than 12 months.

Erasmus+ grants vary each year according to the length of your study period and the rates set by the British Council. When you register for the exchange your co-ordinator will forward your details to the Global Engagement Directorate to be considered for an Erasmus grant. Grants are calculated on a monthly basis (maximum 12 months grant) and they are usually paid in two instalments.

There are no grants for students on study exchange outside the EU.

Additional funding for students with special needs

Additional funding is available for students wishing to study or work abroad in Europe where participation would not be possible without extra financial support. The allowances are offered in cases where severe special needs lead to costs which exceed the maximum grant allocations allowed and which cannot be recovered from other sources.

There is also a discretionary mobility grant for students with special circumstances, for example:

  • a disability which results in extra costs
  • a health condition which results in extra costs
  • special child care provision during the Erasmus study period

Discretionary payments cannot be made on account of a student's financial situation alone, nor because of non-payment or part-payment of the parental contribution.

If you need to apply for a special needs allowance please do so via the Global Engagement Directorate (GED) in good time before you go abroad. Please contact the Erasmus+ team at erasmus-exchange@shu.ac.uk.

When do I receive the grant(s)?

You will receive your Erasmus+ initial grant allocation in two payments. The University will try to pay your Erasmus+ grant as early as possible.

  • If your study period starts in Semester 1, the first payment is likely to be made in October/November.
  • If your study period starts in Semester 2, the first payment is likely to be made in January/February.
  • If additional monthly grants are made available they will be paid in May or June.

Your Faculty exchange co-ordinator will ask you for details of your bank or building society account (name of bank, branch, sort code and account number) and a UK contact address.

The University then pays your Erasmus+ student mobility grant direct into your bank or building society account once you have returned your Erasmus+ student contract (which you will be sent in advance). You will be notified about payments, but because you are abroad it is possible that the money will have been paid into your bank before you receive notification. All payments are made in Sterling.

What do the grants cover?

Erasmus grants are intended to contribute to the additional costs of studying abroad, in particular the following expenses:

  • travel expenses between home and host country
  • costs of an approved intensive language preparation course in the host country immediately before your study period
  • extra expenses arising from the higher living costs in the host country
  • other additional expenses relating to special circumstances

You will be required to enter into a contract so that the University can account for its Erasmus+ grants. As part of this contract you will be required to:

  • agree to pay back to the University the Erasmus+ grant if you do not undertake, or only partially undertake, your study period.
  • agree to sign a receipt for the grant which you receive.
  • agree that you will return a certificate of attendance signed by your tutor at your host institution.
  • agree to complete and return a student report form. This requests details of your study period and will be passed to the UK Erasmus+ Council and to your faculty exchange co-ordinator at the University.

You will also be required to send in your contact details in the host country and details of the study programme you have chosen to follow at the partner institution.

Erasmus+ grants for all universities in the UK are administered by the British Council. Within Sheffield Hallam University Erasmu+ funds are managed and distributed by the Global Engagement Directorate.