The Erasmus Programme is an exchange programme conducted by the European Union. It aims to enhance and improve the quality of inter-university education by encouraging cooperation between higher education institutions in European Union countries (Erasmus KA131) and those in candidate countries (Erasmus KA171). The programme was established to provide students with international educational opportunities and to strengthen cooperation among countries. In addition to academic and youth exchange programmes, it also includes cooperation projects in the fields of internships, employment, and sports. Through these exchanges, participants gain international experience and have the opportunity to observe and learn about different cultures and lifestyles firsthand.
The Erasmus programme offers opportunities for undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral students to study or complete internships abroad, and it also includes activities for academic staff such as teaching, training, and participation in academic project collaborations. The programme provides significant international opportunities for students and academic staff to take part in international education, participate in research projects, and contribute to curriculum development.
The Erasmus programme, which was implemented between 2007 and 2013 under the Lifelong Learning Programmes, has been carried out as Erasmus+ since 2014. Many programmes previously conducted under the Lifelong Learning framework (Comenius, Erasmus, Leonardo da Vinci programmes, the Youth Programme, and five international cooperation programmes—Erasmus Mundus, Tempus, Alfa, Edulink, and the Cooperation Programme with Industrialised Countries) have been brought together under the Erasmus umbrella. As a comprehensive student exchange and cultural programme, Erasmus enables participants, at some point in their lives, to study, teach, or complete an internship in a foreign company abroad.
Students enrolled in formal education at higher education institutions may participate in higher education student mobility. Student mobility within the Erasmus programme takes place in two forms:
1. Study Mobility
2. Traineeship Mobility
1. General Information on Erasmus Student Study Mobility
This type of mobility allows students enrolled in a higher education institution in Türkiye that provides formal education and holds an Erasmus Charter for Higher Education (ECHE) to become exchange students for one or two semesters (between 3 and 12 months) within a single academic year at another ECHE-holding higher education institution in a European country. Students may also receive financial support for the period they spend abroad within the scope of the programme.
2. General Information on Erasmus Traineeship Mobility
Unlike study (course-taking) mobility, this type involves a student enrolled in a higher education institution undertaking an internship abroad at a company or organization. Although these two types of mobility differ in purpose, both are included within the Erasmus project. The aim of traineeship mobility is to enable students to gain international work experience in the professional field of their studies.
The activity duration is determined separately for each level of study (undergraduate, master’s, doctorate) and must be at least 2 months and at most 12 months. Erasmus Study Mobility can be carried out within the framework of inter-institutional agreements. Institutions announce calls for applications to select students who will participate in Erasmus mobility within existing agreements. To benefit from Study Mobility, students must apply to their institution’s Erasmus Coordination Office and take part in the selection process. Each institution determines its own application and selection dates.
Note: Arranging travel abroad, accommodation, passport, and visa procedures is the responsibility of the student.
Note: Students who are entitled to participate in Erasmus traineeship or study mobility must attend the information meetings organized by the International Relations Coordination Office. During these meetings, the workflow that students must follow is explained in detail and a roadmap is provided. Since the responsibility for fulfilling the required procedures during the activity period belongs to the student, these meetings are of great importance for candidates who have earned the right to become Erasmus students.