Erasmus+ programme

The Erasmus+ programme is an EU programme dedicated to support the educational, professional and personal development of the participating students and graduates. Therefore the programme enables students of higher education institutions to take part of the following possibilities:

  • exchange studies 
  • traineeships during studies
  • recent graduate traineeships (within 12 months after graduation)

Every EKA student can apply for Erasmus+ grant up to 12 months per study level, incl. recent graduate traineeship. Except the students of Architecture and Urban Planning, who are free to use up to 24 months of Erasmus+ grant per 3+2 studies.

Students can do several mobilities during their studies, yet can not exceed the permitted 12 month limit.

Individually it is possible to paricitipate in long-term mobilities aka mobility can not be shorter than 60 days. Short-term mobilities (5-30 days) are allowed ONLY in case of group mobilities, which is organized by department. Exception is made only in case the International Office announces so.
PhD students can go on short-term mobilities individually. More information from Irene Hütsi.

Exchange studies and training scholarships are available for all the students in EKA, incl. BA I year students.
PS students of joint study programmes can go on Erasmus via the leading institutions. Exception is made for students of the joint study programme with TalTech, they can apply for exchange studies via EKA as well (not via both at the same time, but have to choose one or the other).

Erasmus+ programme covers official EU countries + Iceland, Norway, Liechtenstein, Turkey, North Macedonia, Serbia.

In addition it is possible to support student mobilities outside of Europe, but there are limited resources of funding. This means students need to go through competiton to receive the funding. Competition aka application rounds are held twice a year  – in February (deadline on 01.03) and in September (deadline on 15.09)

Students will retain all rights and obligations as an EKA student during exchange studies/training.

Erasmus+ mobilities are also available during academic leaves (if taken at student’s own request) or extension.

If students are fee-paying students and they want to go on Erasmus+ mobilities, they will remain obliged to pay the tuition fee during their semester abroad (unless they are on an academic leave).

Students may have an extension of nominal study time according to the number of semesters spent abroad. Extension is given when a student has done minimum 15 ECTS/semester abroad. The rule does not apply for students, who do an Erasmus+ mobility while being already on an extension. 

Speciality department must give their consent for student’s mobility. If a student has debts in paying a study fee or having enough study results, the speciality department has the right to decline the student’s pursuit of an Erasmus+ mobility. 

Read more about the Erasmus+ programme from the European Commission’s website HERE

Also, please see the ERASMUS+ student charter, which is also an annex for the grant agreements signed with students going on Erasmus.

Exchange studies

The length of exchange studies can be either 1 or 2 semesters, with the minimum duration of 2 months (60 days). Normally one semester lasts 4-5 months. 

If preferred, students can go on exchange studies twice and do their semesters in different partner universities. 

Exchange studies can be done only in one of the EKA’s partner universities. Studying at the partner university as a nominated exchange student from EKA is free of charge

EKA has over 150 partners, which are listed under “Find a university”. The list may be sorted according to the student’s faculty and study level. If a student wishes to receive suggestions on which universities to select, we kindly advise to turn to the speciality department for this. 

Most of the partner universities are situated in Europe, but there are also some of them outside of Europe and in Switzerland. As Switzerland is not part of the Erasmus+ programme, therefore EKA does not have funding for exchange studies done there. Students who wish to pursue exchange studies in Switzerland must apply for a scholarship offered by the host university or have other sources of funding. 

Students need to go through two application calls: one in EKA and the other in the selected partner university. The call in EKA is for applying for an Erasmus+ scholarship and the application is targeted to the EKA scholarship committee. After receiving approval from the committee, a student can start applying to the selected partner universities. Once the partner university confirms the applicant’s acceptance, the student can be sure of going on exchange studies.

Students can apply to a maximum of 3 different partner universities to raise their chances of going on exchange studies. 

Erasmus+ study results of your exchange period have to be transferred and appear on your EKA diploma supplement.

Traineeship/Recent graduate traineeship

The length of an Erasmus+ traineeship in Europe can be 2-12 months (60-360 days). In case of a global traineeship, the duration can be 2-5 months (60-150 days)

Students may go on Erasmus mobilities several times per study level, yet it is not allowed to cross the 12 month limit of Erasmus+ scholarship. The recent graduate traineeship is counted as part of the graduated study level.
For example, if a student has done 5 month long exchange studies and 3 month long traineeship while studying in EKA, the student preserves another 4 months of Erasmus+ scholarship to do a recent graduate traineeship. 

Application for a recent graduate traineeship must be submitted before graduating EKA aka during a student’s last semester.

Traineeships can be done either in Europe (enough funding for everyone interested) or globally (limited amount of funding, must be applied for). Global traineeships are available only during studies at EKA. 

Currently EKA is accepting applications for Erasmus+ traineeships in Europe on an ongoing basis. Global traineeship can be done only if students apply for funding during one of the application calls and receive support from the EKA scholarship committee. 

Students have to find a host organisation for traineeships themselves. The host organisation can be whatever gallery, studio, company, enterprise etc which supports student’s studies and selected speciality in EKA. 

Besides receiving an Erasmus+ scholarships, students may also receive a salary from their host organisations. 

It’s compulsory to have health, liability and accident insurance coverage. The student is responsible for buying it before starting the internship period.

In case of recent graduate traineeships, the students with a non-European passport must find guidance regarding visa issues on their own. Unfortunately the International Office can not be of any help in that matter, but is willing to issue necessary documents to prove the student’s upcoming Erasmus+ mobility.

Following are some institutions, who invite EKA students to traineeships via Erasmus+ programme:

  • ABA ART LAB – internship vacancies for Photography, Videography, Graphic Design & Illustration positions (minimum duration of 6 months). No exact deadline, acceptance on an ongoing basis.
    In case of interest, please contact the International Office.
  • Kunsthalle Bratislava – fine arts, art management, curating, art writing, photography, art
    education, communication, audio-visual arts, graphic design and related fields (duration from 2-12 months).
    No exact deadline, acceptance on an ongoing basis.
  • Latvian Centre for Contemporary Art – the field of cultural management, communication, education, design (for the period of 2023 / 2024).
    No exact deadline, acceptance on an ongoing basis.
  • Universidade de Lisboa (Facultade de Belas-Artes) – trainee for either Stone or Glass Workshop.
    No exact deadline, acceptance on an ongoing basis.
  • University of Lapland – internship in their Internationalisation Services (duration 1 semester (autumn/spring).
    Deadline for autumn: April 15, 2023 / Deadline for spring: October 31, 2023.
  • Rivatex / MAS Intimate (in Kenya) – internship spots for students in textile, fashion and accessory design.
    Deadline: March 1, 2023.

In case of interest, please contact the EKA International Office.

Scholarship

Students will receive scholarships according to the monthly rate which differs depending on the mobility type (exchange studies/traineeship).

EXCHANGE STUDIES:

* Additional support is eligible for students, who have a disadvantaged background. This means either:

  • receiving needs-based study allowance (during the last semester before exchange studies or during the semester of exchange studies)
  • having underaged children to take care of
  • having reduced working capacity
  • have a background growing up in a substitute home

Valid certification must be presented to the International Office prior to the composing of student’s grant agreements. 

 

Scholarship sum will be calculated according to the exact period of exchange studies (per days). The same number of days spent on exchange has to be proved by the host institution after finishing your studies. 

Students may apply for additional funding from state and private funds, but in case you receive another scholarship from the EU (for example Kristjan Jaak scholarship), then you cannot receive Erasmus funding anymore (the agreement will be with a „0“ grant).

Students with special needs may apply for additional funding.
Contact the international office (international@artun.ee) for more information.

If using green methods to travel, extra 50€ for travel support is given. The green methods are travelling (forth and back) either by bus or train.

 

TRAINEESHIP:

 * Additional support is eligible for students, who have a disadvantaged background. This means either:

  • receiving needs-based study allowance (during the last semester before exchange studies or during the semester of exchange studies)
  • having underaged children to take care of
  • having reduced working capacity
  • have a background growing up in a substitute home

Valid certification must be presented to the International Office prior to the composing of student’s grant agreements. 

 

Scholarship sum will be calculated according to the exact duration of mobility (per days). The same number of days spent on mobility has to be proved by the host institution after finishing your stay abroad. 

Students may apply for additional funding from state and private funds, but in case you receive another scholarship from the EU (for example Kristjan Jaak scholarship), then you cannot receive Erasmus funding anymore (the agreement will be with a „0“ grant).

Students with special needs may apply for additional funding.
Contact the international office (international@artun.ee) for more information.

If using green methods to travel, extra 50€ for travel support is given. The green methods are travelling (forth and back) either by bus or train. 

Language learning support

Each participant, who is about to go on an Erasmus+ mobility, is obliged to do an online language test before the receival of scholarship, unless your exchange studies or traineeship is carried out in your native language. The second test, after mobility, is voluntary.
The licence for the test is issued by the International Office once a student’s upcoming mobility has received full confirmation from the host and EKA. 

Students might get a free voucher for an online language course, if the result is below B2 level. Following the course is not mandatory, but we strongly advise it for a student’s own benefit.  

The language test result does not affect a student’s possibility of going on Erasmus. The data is collected for statistics by the European Commission. 

Following the test is mandatory each time a student is going on an Erasmus+ mobility

Academic information

Erasmus+ mobilities are available for all EKA students during their nominal study time, incl. extension and academic leave (taken at student’s own request). Recent graduate traineeships can be done within 12 months after graduating EKA and only in case a student has enough Erasmus+ months left.

Students are eligible for extension of nominal study time according to number of semesters spent abroad (1-2) if meeting the following conditions:

  • Exchange studies/traineeship has taken place during student’s nominal time
  • Minimum 15 ECTS has been transferred to EKA

More detailed explanation regarding credit transfer will be given by the student’s study specialist.

If a student is doing Erasmus+ mobility while being on an extension, no more extension is given to the student. 

Students, who pay tuition fees at EKA, must continue doing it while being on Erasmus (unless they are on an academic leave).

Speciality departments can decline a student’s request for Erasmus+ mobility due to the lack of study results or failing to pay tuition fees on time.