ERASMUS+ studies

1. At each level of study, each student/student has a so-called ‘mobility capital’ of 12 months. Within the capital, it is possible to go for both studies and traineeships. There is no limit to the number of mobilities, but the total duration of all mobilities cannot exceed 365 days.
2. The minimum duration of a study mobility is 2 months (60 days).
3. Short-term mobilities, such as the Blended Intensive Programme are also possible.
4. Study mobility is only possible to universities with which the faculty has a bilateral agreement – List of universities.
5. The Erasmus+ programme is open to both full-time and part-time students.
6. Mobility with ECTS credit debt is possible. In order for such a trip to take place, the student must make a written request to the Dean/Head of Doctoral Studies of the relevant faculty for permission tfor mobility with ECTS credit debt. Written consent must be provided to the Office before signing the financial agreement for mobility.
7. You can withdraw from the mobility at any stage of the recruitment process. The Office, the relevant faculty coordinator, and (if the application process for a foreign university has already started) the coordinator of the host university should be informed about the decision by e-mail.

The basic criteria to be met by a person applying for mobility for study:

• • be a student in the field/discipline of study leading to a bachelor’s, engineer’s, master’s or doctoral degree at Bialystok University of Technology,
  • at the time of departure, have completed at least two semesters of study at Bialystok University of Technology,
  • at the time of applying for mobility, the average grade from the last two semesters is taken into account (students of the first year of first-cycle studies present the average from one semester, and in the case of students of the first semester of second-cycle studies, the average from the last two semesters of first-cycle studies is taken into account),
  • have a knowledge of English at the level of at least B2, confirmed by a language exam organised by the Office, a valid certificate or other document entitling to exemption from the exam. Exemptions from the English language qualification exam (at B2 level)
  • during the mobility, the student must not be on leave from the programme from which they are being sent on mobility,
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  • the student must not be subject to disciplinary sanctions during the qualification,
  • must not have received other EU funding for identical costs.
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Step 1. Language qualifications 

One of the eligibility criteria is knowledge of a foreign language at min. B2 level. Mobility and International Agreements Unit organises an English language exam at the required level during each recruitment for study mobility.

In order to be able to participate in the recruitment for mobility, it is necessary to fill in the language qualification form. You will need to express the willingness to take the language exam or indicate the document which exempts you from taking the exam. The original of the indicated document must be presented to the Office at the time indicated in the schedule.

The form is active only during ongoing recruitments (in October and March).  

Step 2. Recruitment in the USOSweb system

Recruitment in the USOSweb system is opened separately for each faculty. Only universities with which the faculty has bilateral agreements are included. 

Instructions for filling out applications in the USOSweb system.

In the application form, the student may choose up to 3 universities. Before the final submission of the application, you should verify if the university offers courses that match the courses planned in the curriculum of your study programme for the semester in which the mobility will take place. The list of offered courses can be found on the university’s website, and any questions related to the selection of courses should be addressed to the faculty coordinator. Contact to coordinators

Selected universities should also be checked for the applicable deadlines for submitting nominations by BUT and for applyling by the student.

Step 3. Announcement of recruitment results

Once the recruitment process is finished, the faculty coordinators assign the mobilities in the USOSweb system according to the ranking list. Once the mobility has been assigned, the qualified student will receive an e-mail request to complete the data in the USOSweb system. This must be done by the deadline indicated in the schedule.
Recruitment results are announced by faculty coordinators.

Step 4. Applying to a foreign university

Once the student nominations for foreign universities sent by the Office have been accepted, qualified students can start the application process for their host university.

In most cases, the coordinators from foreign universities will contact qualified students by e-mail in order to provide the most important information. However, it is always a good idea to check for such information on the university’s website. Researching the information on your own can speed up the whole application process considerably.

Step 5. Preparing the Learning Agreement

One of the most important application documents is the Learning Agreement, i.e. an agreement on the study programme.

According to the rules of the programme, participating universities are obliged to enable creating, transferring between univeristies and accepting the LA via online systems. Therefore, it is necessary to create the agreement in the USOSweb system. It should indicate the courses that the student has to complete in the semester during which they will be on mobility and courses from the offer of a foreign university that will be undertaken during the mobility.

In practice, unfortunately, not all university systems are integrated, some universities require a traditional document in addition to the digital version of LA. In such cases, in addition to completing the document in the USOSweb system, LA should be prepared using the template required by the university (downloadable here), and the document signed by 3 parties should be delivered to the Office.

Step 6. Organising your stay abroad

Once you are qualified to go to a foreign university, you will need to take care of the most important issues related to staying abroad – accommodation, transport, etc.

Some universities have a limited number of places in dormitories or are so popular that you have to book places in dormitories well in advance. Therefore, even if you are not 100% sure whether you are going to go, it is still worth looking into in the issue of accommodation – there are usually no costs for applying for dorms and you can cancel at any time.

In case of questions related to a specific university, organization of classes or living costs or accommodation from a given country or city, it is a good idea to seek information from people who have already completed a mobility under the programme. On social media, you can find groups of former and current Erasmus+ students who are happy to share their knowledge and experience.

Step 7. Signing the financial agreement for mobility

Before signing the financial agreement for mobility, it is necessary to:

1. Send information about the planned (exact) dates of your stay by e-mail to the Office.
2. Arrange insurance covering the costs of possible treatment abroad (in the European Union it is, for example, an EHIC card) and send a scan of the card to the Office.
3. Send the completed Bank transfer details to the Office. The document must be uploaded in an editable version (Word format).

After completing the above formalities, each student is contacted by email to sign the agreement in the Office. Within a maximum of 30 days after the signing of the agreement by two parties, the Erasmus+ scholarship is transferred to the account indicated in the transfer form.

Prior to the mobility, the student will receive 80% of the scholarship calculated for the entire mobility period. Upon return and fulfilment of all formalities necessary to complete the mobility, the student will receive the remaining amount.

Step 8. Departure

Good luck!

In the Erasmus+ programme you can receive:

• Main scholarship
• Additional support
• Green Travel support

The right to receive additional support is granted to students who have received a social scholarship at BUT in the academic year preceding their mobility and who hold a disability certificate.

Confirmation of receiving a social scholarship is verified at the Dean’s Office by the Office, students do not have to present such documents. Persons with a disability certificate must provide a copy of the certificate to the Office before signing the financial agreement for mobility.

Receiving an Erasmus+ outgoing scholarship does not result in the loss of the social scholarship received at BUT. Dean’s offices will pay a social scholarship, the Office pays a scholarship for a mobility under the Erasmus programme.

ERASMUS+ SCHOLARSHIP RATES IN THE ACADEMIC YEARS 2024-2025 (summer semester) and 2025-2026 (winter semester) – STUDY MOBILITY:

Within 30 days of signing the financing agreement by both parties, but no later than the start date of the mobility period or after BUT has received confirmation of arrival at the host university, an 80% of the scholarship will be paid to the Participant. The remaining amount will be paid after taking into account the dates from the financial agreement confirmed by the foreign university and after completing the formalities indicated in the financial agreement.

The date of payment of the remaining scholarship installments depends on the mobility period (one semester, both semesters).

Please note! The Erasmus+ scholarship is intended only as financial support and not as full coverage of costs related to studying at the partner university. It is meant to compensate for the difference in the cost of living and studying abroad.

MOBILITY OF STUDENTS WITH A DISABILITY CERTIFICATE

In addition to supplementing the basic Erasmus+ scholarship with the aforementioned additional support, persons with a disability certificate can apply through the Office for reimbursement of actual costs related to disability.Additionally awarded funding (in excess of the rates specified in the table above) during settlement will require documentation in the form of financial evidence. Costs should be economical and adapted to the real needs related to the type of disability.

LUMP SUM FOR TRAVEL

Every student going for Erasmus+ studies receives a lump sum for travel and two additional days of individual support for the duration of the journey if non-eco-friendly means of transport are used. Those who decide to travel (round-trip) using low-emission (green) means of transport must submit a Green Travel declaration to increase their lump sum for travel and receive up to six additional days of individual support for the travel period.

Attention! It is recommended to use low-emission means of transport for distances up to 499 km.

To receive the increased lump sum and additional financing days, a signed Green Travel Declaration for studies must be filled out and submitted to the Office. The amount due is added and paid together with the main scholarship.

After returning from the exchange, proof of travel using ecological means of transport – tickets or Green Travel confirmation – CARPOOLING must be provided/sent to the Office.

Attention! the lump sum for travel is already included in the total amount of the scholarship for the mobility.

SCHOLARSHIP TRANSFER

To receive a scholarship:

1. Fill in the Bank transfer details
2. Send the filled-in document (in Word) to the following address erasmus.studenci [at] pb.edu.pl 

You must be the owner or co-owner of the specified account.

We cannot suggest which bank account (foreign currency or PLN) you need to provide. For this you need to consult the banks’ offerings.

Each year, Mobility and International Agreements Unit announces a SCHEDULE of activities, which specifies, among other things, the deadlines for recruitment and submission of documents. Recruitment takes place approximately six months before mobility.

As part of the recruitment process for study mobilities, students are required to:

• confirm their  language qualifications,
• gather information about foreign universities to which they wish to apply,
• submit an application in the USOSweb system

Instructions for filling out applications in the USOSweb system.

In the application form, the student may choose up to 3 universities. Before the final submission of the application, you should verify if the university offers courses that match the courses planned in the curriculum of your study programme for the semester in which the mobility will take place.

Selected universities should also be checked for the applicable deadlines for submitting nominations by BUT and for applyling by the student.

In the event of technical problems related to completing the survey, please contact Ms. Katarzyna Kościuk (University IT Centre)   k.kosciuk [at] pb.edu.pl

After the announcement of the recruitment results, it is necessary to:

• fill out the information about the mobility in the USOSweb system,
• complete the Online Learning Agreement in the USOSweb system,

One of the most important application documents is the Learning Agreement, i.e. an agreement on the study programme.It should indicate the courses that the student has to complete in the semester during which they will be on mobility and courses from the offer of a foreign university that will be undertaken during the mobility.

Questions related to the selection of courses should be addressed to the faculty coordinator. Contact to coordinators

If the host university requires it, or in the event that the host university is not able to accept OLA in its system, it is necessary to create LA using the traditional template (provided by the university or  downloadable here). The document signed by 3 parties should be delivered to the Office.

• go through the application process at a foreign university

In most cases, the coordinators from foreign universities will contact qualified students by e-mail in order to provide the most important information. However, it is always a good idea to check for such information on the university’s website. Researching the information on your own can speed up the whole application process considerably.

After obtaining the approval of a foreign university, it is necessary to:

• arrange insurance covering the costs of possible treatment abroad (in the European Union it is, for example, an EHIC card),
• complete the online language test on the OLS platform,
• send a completed Transfer Form to the Office (in Word format),
• deliver a filled out and signed Green Travel Declaration to the Office (if applicable)
• sign the financial agreement for mobility

Transport, accommodation and other issues related to the organisation of the stay abroad are arranged by the students themselves. In case of questions related to a specific university, organization of classes or living costs or accommodation from a given country or city, it is a good idea to seek information from people who have already completed a mobility under the programme.

CONTACT WITH BUT IROS

During your mobility, the best and fastest way to contact MUM is by email. Therefore, it is necessary to find out where and how it will be possible to use e-mail at the host university.

Email address for contact:  erasmus.studenci [at] pb.edu.pl

You should also remember about the status of an Erasmus+ scholarship holder. According to the rules of this programme, Erasmus+ students can enjoy the same rights as local students. However, they also have the same responsibilities. They face the same requirements and rigour in examinations. So they attend classes, meet with a tutor, obtain credits and take exams. All achievements will be recorded in the Transcript of Records.

CHANGES TO THE LEARNING AGREEMENT FOR STUDIES

Any changes to the programme of study abroad must be approved by the BUT faculty coordinator and the foreign coordinator. Usually, the student has one month from arrival at a foreign university to do so. The time for making changes may be different depending on the host university.

To make changes to the courses, a new version of the EWP LA must be created in the USOSweb system. If the student is not able to do so, it is recommended to contact the faculty coordinator. In the new version of the LA, the subjects that the student will not pursue should be removed and those that the student decides to attend should be added. Changes, like the original LA, must be approved by the faculty coordinator and the person responsible from the host university.

If the university systems are not linked, or when required by the host university, the traditional   Changes to Learining Agreement. In the form, only the subjects removed and added should be listed, as well as the reason for the removal and addition of each subject. As with the changes in USOSweb, the traditional document must also be signed by the same persons responsible. The document signed by all parties must be forwarded (by e-mail) to the Office.

EXTENSION OF STAY FOR THE SECOND SEMESTER

The student may extend their stay within one academic year, it is only possible when leaving for the winter semester and within one degree. 

First ask about the possibility of staying for a second semester at a foreign university. Then the willingness to extend mobility must be reported to the BUT Faculty Coordinator within the deadline set in the  Schedule. Faculty coordinators decide who will be able to stay for the second semester within the available places. Once the decision has been made, the Coordinators send information to the Office with the names of persons who have been granted permission to extend their stay.

Extending the stay requires changes to the Learning Agreement and annexing the financial agreement for mobility.

ATTENTION!The annex must be signed before the expiry of the financing period indicated in the agreement.

Students whose second semester as part of the extension would cover the first semester of the next degree studies must participate in the recruitment on the usual terms. Annexing the agreement is therefore not possible.

UPON ARRIVAL FROM A FOREIGN UNIVERSITY, IT IS NECESSARY TO:

• provide the Mobility and International Agreements Unit with a certificate from a foreign university confirming the period of stay abroad (Certificate of Attendance),
• provide the Mobility and International Agreements Unit with the original transcript of grades (Transcript of Records), i.e. the list of courses passed abroad with ECTS credits,
• provide the BUT Faculty Coordinator with a translation of the above-mentioned transcript – a template  for download here, 
• fill in the online survey, which will be sent automatically from the system to the university e-mail address,
• complete the online language test on the OLS platform (selected students),
• write a report on the stay and send it to the Office at erasmus.studenci [at] pb.edu.pl ,
• send the completed table with data for the report to the Office: Data for Raport,
• provide the Office with a confirmation of the Green Travel (if applicable).

As individual faculties may still require additional documents, you will obtain a detailed list of formalities from your Faculty Coordinator.

CERTIFICATE OF ATTENDANCE

The foreign university issues a certificate on the duration of the mobility participant’s stay abroad. The certificate must include the period of stationary stay on mobility from dd/mm/yyyy to dd/mm/yyyy. The original certificate must be submitted to the office upon return as soon as possible.

There should be no deletions or corrections on the document, and the date of issue of this document must not be earlier than the end date of the stay. We cannot accept a certificate with the period of stay, e.g. 01.10.2023 – 20.02.2024 with the final date at the signature date of issue before 20.02.2024. The period of stay can only be confirmed with the date on which it ended, e.g. 20.02.2024 or later, e.g. 26.02.2024.

If the host university does not have its own template for confirmation of stay, it can be downloaded here: Certificate of Attendance

TRANSCRIPT OF RECORDS

Once this document has been signed by the university/ faculty Erasmus coordinator at the foreign university, it should be forwarded to BUT IROS. The student should make sure that the Transcript of Records is sent to BUT as soon as possible, and preferably bring it with them if possible. The Transcript must show ECTS credits, grades on the local scale and on the ECTS scale.

The transcript of grades, i.e. the list of completed courses with the number of ECTS credits, is generally sent by foreign universities directly to our Office. Before the end of the stay at the university, information should be sent to the Office when it will be sent, by whom (e-mail address) and who will issue it (name and surname). A copy of each transcript of grades received, stamped and signed by a member of office staff, is forwarded to the relevant dean’s office.

Translation of the transcript

Depending on the language of the transcript (course names), the document Extract from Grades from a Foreign Transcript of Records must be completed in two or three copies:

• 1. copy – translate the courses from the transcript into Polish and convert the grades into the grades used in BUT (obligatory for each student)
• 2nd copy – translate the courses from the transcript into English and convert the grades into the grades used in BUT (if the transcript was issued in a language other than English)
• 3. copy – transcribe the course names in the language of the transcript (e.g. Portuguese) and convert the grades into the grades used in BUT (if the transcript was issued in a language other than English)

In summary, the Extract of grades from a foreign transcript should include the course names:

• in Polish (each student)
• in English (each student)
• in the language of issue of the transcript other than English (if applicable).

All necessary copies have to be delivered to the Faculty Dean’s Office, having been signed by the BUT Faculty Coordinator.

SURVEY AND REPORT

Upon return each student is required to complete an online survey, which is sent to an email address. The survey contains questions that will be useful for reporting purposes and will help streamline the procedures for sending scholarship holders abroad. It is also very important to send a mobility report to the Office containing tips, pros and cons, advice for future Erasmus students (at least two A4 pages). Please provide any practical advice that will make life easier for subsequent scholarship holders.

ECTS CREDITS

Students are obliged to obtain 60 credits throughout the academic year, so 30 per semester or 20 per trimester. In order to obtain credits for a course, it is necessary to complete it in accordance with the procedures established by the university.  A record is kept of all the courses and activities in which the student has participated together with the number of credits obtained (ECTS points). Below is a comparison of the grades applicable at BUT with the ECTS grading scale:

INTERNATIONAL STUDENT CARE IN BUT

Students who want to help foreign students who come to our University can join the ESN PB organisation and become a mentor.  ESN PB

INSURANCE

A student going to study abroad should have insurance. Compulsory insurance is the EHIC (European Health Insurance Card) or, if travelling to a non-EU country, private insurance of equivalent coverage. Students leaving under the Erasmus+ programme must consult the National Health Fund website –  www.ekuz.nfz.gov.pl with the  procedure for obtaining general health insurance, through which they will be able to receive basic medical care in EU countries.

Cover under the EHIC card or private insurance may not be sufficient, especially in the event of a need to return to the country and required medical interventions. It is worth considering taking out additional accident and personal liability insurance (e.g. Euro26 card, ISIC).

Once you have received your EHIC Card from the National Health Service, please send a scan/photo of it to the Office. Confirmation of additional insurance does not need to be submitted to us (if not required by the university abroad).

TESTS AND LANGUAGE COURSES

At the beginning and end of their stay, students must complete an online language test sent to their email address from the OLS system. This applies to mobilities to universities where the language of instruction is: English, Czech, Danish, French, Greek, Spanish, Dutch, German, Portuguese, Swedish or Italian. If a language course licence is received, the student undertakes to use the licence.

In the absence of a message containing a link with access to the platform, please refer to the instructions for:

• setting up an account
• using the platform

ORGANISING YOUR ISSUES AT A FOREIGN UNIVERSITY

Once the student has all the necessary documents (you can take copies with you just in case, e.g. Acceptance Letter, confirmation of accommodation booking, etc.), they buy a ticket, deal with all the day-to-day matters at their university, pack up and set off. It may be useful to take some recent photos with you. They may be needed, for example, for a student ID card, entry cards, a monthly ticket, etc.