Frequently asked questions - companies
- What is an Erasmus+ internship/traineeship abroad?
In Higher Education sector it is an opportunity for students or recent graduates to carry out a work experience placement in one of the 33 countries involved in EU programme Erasmus+ (All EU counries + North Macedonia, Serbia, Iceland, Lichtenstein, Norway, Turkey) with the support of a financial grant. Doing an internship abroad gives students a chance to improve their language, intercultural, professional and soft skills and what is most important, it enables them to get the practical experience in their field of study. Erasmus internship has to be full-time and in the field related to the studies of your trainees. It has to have a specific programme planed in advance, a mentor assigned for each trainee as well as plan of what knowledge & skills your trainee will have the chance to learn. As trainees do get an EU grant to help them cover their living expences, for employers it is a chance to benefit of the lower costs of hosting an Erasmus trainee comparing to a standard employee, as they can decide whether to pay them any financial compensation, provide them a non-financial benefits "in kind" or give them no compensation at all. (*subject to check with your national legislation). It is learning by doing, no specific exceptions are required with interns, however since their main motivation is to gain the practical experience in their field of study, it should be in the high interest from the side of emloyers - host organisations to provide their Erasmus trainees with the best possible work experience and teach them the practical skills for their future career. It makes sense only if both sides are benefiting. Erasmus+ internship is a win-win relationship. Erasmus trainees can do a lot for you, if you properly train them, give them a chance to use their knowledge in practice and mentor them well.
The Erasmus+ internships can last last minimum of 2 months and maximum of 12 months in the country of a host company. We provide our students with Erasmus+ financial grant for maximum of 3 months. Their internship may be longer hovewer either with no additional financial grant assigned to your intern (they can continue under so called "zero grant Erasmus internship" status) or in some cases with an extra financial grant provided to your trainee if we have the grant budget available. (this is either annonced by us in such cases or your trainees can individually ask us a minimum of 1 month before the end of their internships).
Erasmus+ internship can take place at any organisation (private company, public organization, NGO, etc.) with the exception of EU institutions, bodies and agencies.
Once you successfuly select the final candidate, you are happy to accept as an Erasmus+ intern in your organization, there is a following administration process requiring your cooperation:
1.Before the internship
- your intern will send you the document called Erasmus+ learning agreement for traineeships, which is a three parties agreement (Receiving organiztaion-you / Sending organization-WSE / Intern) to specify the details of the internship. You will be asked to fill out the sections for receiving organizations such as:
- your organization details
- start and end date of the internship
- name of the position
- number of working hours (has to be full time)
- detailed programme / position tasks
- knowledge and skills your intern will learn
- working language requirements
- wether you offer any financial or non financial compensation to your intern
- wether you provide your intern with any insurance
- name of the mentor-supervisor, a person who will be supporting the intern during the internship
- your intern will send the properly filled document to us for approval. When approved the intern will ask you to sign it. After that your trainee will collect the signatures of the remaining parties and send you the fully signed document before the arrival or will bring the original at the internship start. Fully signed Erasmus+ learning agreement for traineeships is your prove that your trainee has the status of Erasmus+ trainee.
2. During the internship
- on the first day of the internship your intern will ask you to sign the document Confirmation of the arrival
- we will send you to fill out two monitoring forms (midterm and at the end of the internship to evaluate your intern and the progress of internship)
- on the last day of the internship your intern will ask you to fill out and sign the "After the mobility certificate", an Erasmus+ document to formally complete the internship.
3. There are no other obligation from your side after the internship
An Erasmus+ intern from abroad may be benefitial for you in many areas:
- Effective temporary help for a busy period or project with the skills according to your needs
You can select the interns with the knowledge and skills matching your requirements. Your interns will come for a specific period according to your needs without any obligations or commitments on your side after the end of the internship. - Current knowledge and skill base at the international level.
In addition to a specific education and high motivation, most of the students also have a professional work experience. In many cases they master the currently used IT or other professional tools and proceses. They are keen on working on your tasks, improving their skillset and develop under your mentorship while delivering the maximum for your organisation. - The use of specific language skills or the native language of interns
when entering a foreign market or communicating with your partners or customers in their home country. - Save the HR costs.
While having a full-time Erasmus trainee in your team for several months, you can benefit of the lower costs comparing to a standard employment. You do not have to pay your trainees a salary, it is up to you to decide whether to pay them any financial compensation, provide them non-financial benefits "in kind" (either option is highly recommended) or give them no compensation at all. (*subject to check with your national legislation). - An effective way to recruit new employees.
An internship can be a cost-effective and risk-free form of "trial period". In many cases our interns have already become successful employees in their host companies. - Fresh energy and new ideas.
Highly motivated interns may bring new ideas, specific knowledge, enthusiasm and maximum commitment to work in your company. Although they do not have many years of work experience, they are determined to deliver their maximum at every opportunity. They can be nice refreshment of your team as well as qualified help in many areas even the source of new innovations in cour company.
Erasmus+ trainees are provided with an EU grant to contribute to their living expenses while abroad, so receiving organisations do not have an obligation to pay them a salary, but allowed if you decide so. It is up to you to decide whether to pay them any financial compensation, provide them non-financial benefits "in kind" (either option is highly recommended) or give them no compensation at all. (*subject to check with your national legislation).
Erasmus+ grant will in most cases not cover all the costs your trainee will have during the stay abroad. Host organisations are therefore encouraged to reward trainees (either in kind or with a financial support) wherever possible. Any financial and non financial contribution will make your internship offer more attractive and significantly higher the chances of getting more candidates. The students will highly appreciate any benefits you may offer during their internship.
* If you decide to pay a salary to your intern or provide a non financial compensation please mind it is an extra agreement between you and your intern and it is solely your responsibility to follow the legislation in your country. Such agreement is not a formal part of Erasmus+ programme neither is not part of an agreement with sending organisation, which takes no responsibility in this regards.
Prior to departure, all Erasmus+ trainees must have arranged an adequate medical insurance for their stay abroad covering also the potential damages caused to the host organisation. Trainees arrange the insurance by themselves or it can be provided by host organisations. You as a host organisation will determine in the above mentioned document "Erasmus+ learning agreement for traineeships" whether you will provide the insurance to your trainees. In case not your trainees must arrange it by themselves. In such case you may require your trainee to send you the prove of the insurance before the start of the internship.
There is no obligation to do so, although any support is welcome and highly apreciated. In many cases trainees have problems finding suitable accommodation in your area or the costs are too high. Any advice or support is therefore very helpfull. Many host companies offer to pay for the accommodation of their trainees or pay them a local transport pass within the "non-financial compensation". Any benefit of such kind will make your internship offer more attractive, which will higher the number of candidates applying to your vacancy.