MOBILITY PLANNER
If you feel your mobility is like the top of a mountain but you don’t have the equipment for climbing it, maybe in this section you are going to find some basic aspects you should start taking into account when planning your expedition.
…and also some tips on how to get down 😀
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 catalog 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. Start thinking about these procedures well in advance, instead, 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 unique circumstances.
Our suggestion is to contact as much in advance as possible the diplomatic authority of the host country located in the European country where you reside, to inquire if you need a visa to enter the Host Country and obtain a Residence permit for the country you are going to.
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 if you actually need a VISA or not; check the documents required for applying; 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:
https://internacional.ugr.es/en/students/incoming-mobility/legal-procedures-foreigners
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 into different institutional calendars at university level, a directory of links to the 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, but as a first step, we nevertheless recommend you contact the relevant officers at your university to check if there are any guidelines to take into account when considering what course units to attend and which exams to take during your stay abroad.
And once you’ll be browsing the list of units taught at your new university, please bear in mind that differences between academic systems lie also in the way teaching activities are managed: sometimes you might need to enroll in a course unit before attending classes and some others signing up for exams could be the only registration needed; attendance could be compulsory for all classes or maybe for part of them; learning platform and devices can be much different from institution to institution. And these are just some examples…
Do remember to explore all those 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, but the more aware you are about it the better it is.
RECOGNITION
Your stay abroad will definitely enrich your life in various aspects: Obtaining new academic insights into your study field, completing exciting courses and receiving academic credits in order to make progress on your way to gaining your degree being among them.
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, the preparation for the recognition starts well before you actually go abroad. In the scope of the Erasmus+ programme, you will have to prepare a document called a Learning Agreement. This document will include your intended study plan at your host university as well as the recognition 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, on any additional documents you need to prepare to guarantee the recognition after your stay, the contact people who will confirm your Learning Agreement as well as a possible minimal required amount of credits you need to successfully complete your stay abroad. As every university, sometimes even each faculty follows a different procedure: it is 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 back 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 it is, in addition to the documents you prepared before your stay, extremely important for the actual recognition of credits at your home university once you return back home.
Like before your stay, each home university has a different procedure on how to deal with the actual 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 the efforts you’ve devoted to completing your classes abroad are rewarded and will bring you one step closer to finishing your degree.
REINTEGRATION
After an exchange experience abroad, coming back to your Home University can be challenging. While the adventure of living in a new country might have expanded your horizons and enriched your perspective, settling back into familiar routines could 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 keep speaking 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, by 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 the Erasmus fairs, where you can contribute to promoting the University where you did the exchange and give first-hand information and tips to any student interested in that destination.
Also, 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.).
To stay updated on all possible activities and opportunities, you can refer to the International Relations Office at your Home University.