26-5-2015 pag. 3
Exchange Take-Off
Programme
• Welcome, dr. Jacqueline Couder, Head International Relations and Mobility Office (IRMO)
• General preparation information
• Testimonials : Exchange in Spain and South-Korea
• Specific information per scholarship programme
• Award ‘Erasmus Photographer of the Year’ by EPOS
• Drink
26-5-2015 pag. 5
Administration before departure
IRMO
• Project responsible
• Specific info students & staff
• Contact host HEI, EPOS, EACEA, FKA, ...
SAC
• Exchange administration
• Learning Agreement, ...
• Contact host HEI
Exchange Coordinator
• Academic content Learning Agreement
• Changes Learning Agreement
26-5-2015 pag. 6
Administration before departure
• Grant agreement -scholarship program
• Application host institution
• Application VUB -finalize if documents are still missing
• Resit exams -‘tweede zit’ Check faculty procedure
After resit, faculty sends list of students that can start their exchange
→ IRMO and SAC: follow-up administration with students
Check start dates of semester at host institution (August-September)
• Register at the VUB for the academic year 2015-16
(Student Selfservice - SAC)
• Inform friends and/or family of your whereabouts
(destination, address, phone number)
26-5-2015 pag. 7
Housing
Belgium
• Contract 1 year - 1 semester
• Sublet
• Clear arrangements with landlord
• Promote via Facebook group ‘International Students@VUB’
Abroad
• Host institution
Dormitories: check application procedure & deadlines
• Private market
Rental price: short-term vs long-term
Included: energy, internet, etc.
Insurance (fire, third party liability)
Contract (termination, etc.)
Use your common sense (money transfers, etc.)!
• Some destinations are very cheap compared to Brussels, others quite expensive
26-5-2015 pag. 8
Travel
• Valid ID-card and/or passport
• Non-EU countries: valid visa
→ Student visa, not a tourist visa
→ Apply at concerned embassy in Belgium (Invitation Letter of host institution and/or project)
• Copy of Invitation Letter and/or scholarship program
• Make several copies of your documents (paper and/or electronic)
• Mandatory/recommended vaccinations?
• Air: check luggage allowance (carry-on and check-in); check specia l deals for international students by some airline companies
• Cash and debit and/or credit cards
• Travel advice: ‘Buitenlandse Zaken – Reisadviezen’
26-5-2015 pag. 9
Insurance
• VUB cover: accidents & third party liability (study related) abroad, for studies & traineeship
• Student: health & travel insurance (‘reisbijstand’)
• Make sure you are insured for your ENTIRE period of stay abroad
• Double-check with your current provider and take out extra insurance if necessary
• See also MY.VUB, Verzekeringen
• Erasmus+ Traineeship after Graduation:
Health & travel insurance
Accidents & third party liability cover (receiving company, not via VUB!)
26-5-2015 pag. 10
Language preparation
• Erasmus+ Online Linguistic Support
Online test (before & after mobility)
Online courses
English, French, German, Spanish, Italian, Dutch
• ACTO, Academic Language Center
Language courses & tests
MY.VUB
• Host institution
Credits or not (Learning Agreement)
Participation fee or not
• Private language schools in Brussels or host country
• Summer crash course
26-5-2015 pag. 11
Practical info host institution & exchange
• Check the webpages of your host institution International Office pages
Student pages
• Local Erasmus Student Network (ESN) chapter or International Students Club
• Get in touch with your incoming exchange VUB classmates
• Contact former VUB exchange students
• Join ESN VUB-EhB Brussels
26-5-2015 pag. 12
Practicalities -administration
• Kinderbijslag?
• Inschakelings- en werkloosheidsuitkering?
• Belgian taxes?
• ...
http://www.kamiel.info/
26-5-2015 pag. 14
Arrival host institution
• Arrive 1 week before the start of the semester
• Welcome Days & activities
• Registration International Office & University
Student card
Certificate of Arrival
Course schedule
Other docs
• Meeting Department and/or Faculty
• Local Erasmus Student Network (ESN) chapter or International Students Club
26-5-2015 pag. 15
Arrival host institution
• Changes to Learning Agreement
Contact VUB exchange coordinator for confirmation
Consult exchnage coordinator or supervisor at host institution
Send signed LA to SAC (signed by you and the host HEI)
Deadlines: 31 October 2015 (sem 1) and 1 March 2015 (sem 2)
• Registration of VUB & host HEI courses
VUB courses: register for your VUB courses on your LA, in Student Selfservice
Host HEI courses: registration done by VUB faculty
26-5-2015 pag. 16
During your exchange
Stay in touch!
Keep us and your VUB fellow students informed about your (study) adventures abroad!
• Photos, testimonials, holiday wishes, etc.
• VUB Facebook page
• #deweekvan on VUB Instagram
• Post your pics: #vub #abroad
• Interested?
Contact Nicky Temmerman & Jan Puttevils, Marcom
Subject: De week van - Instagram
26-5-2015 pag. 18
During your exchange
• In case of emergency
Local emergency services
Belgian embassy or consulate (or other EU embassy)
Host institution
Family/friends
Academic issues: VUB exchange coordinator
Administrative issues: SAC
• Travels
Rules & regulations scholarship program + host institution
Weekends and/or academic holidays
Check your private insurance cover
Check (for non-EU destinations) visa regulations & travel advice of Belgian foreign affairs
26-5-2015 pag. 19
Return to the VUB
• Submit signed ‘Certificate of Arrival & Departure’ to SAC
• Transcript of Records (=grade sheet)
• Other docs
• Grade conversion & credit/traineeship recognition
Faculty, department, exchange coordinator
• Online survey or other evaluation
• Erasmus+ : 2nd OLS test
• Remain internationally active!
Join one of the International Student Associations VUB:
ESN VUB-EhB, AIESEC, BEST, IAESTE, AEGEE, etc.
MY.VUB
• Become a buddy for a new international VUB student!
26-5-2015 pag. 20
Testimonials
• Carmen Mazijn, WE, Universidad de Granada – Spain
• Emre Simsek, ES, Korea University – South Korea
26-5-2015 pag. 21
Erasmus+ KA1
• Contact
SAC: Maxime De Schepper, Evie Kerselaers
IRMO: Griet Wijns, Nikki Van Tendeloo
• Studies & Traineeship
• After exams June & September
Final confirmation by faculty (YES/NO/ON CONDITION OF PASSING RESIT EXAMS)
Erasmus+ grant agreement (to be signed by you, acceptance of grant, deadline: 1 Oct 2015)
VUB Erasmus+ student certificate
Erasmus+ Student Charter (rights & obligations)
Certificate of Arrival & Departure (to be signed by host institution)
Invitation Letter Host Institution
Online Linguistic Support (OLS): Test before departure
Online course when language level is not high enough
Second test upon return
Mandatory for payment of grant
26-5-2015 pag. 22
Erasmus+ KA1
• Grant amounts:
3 country groups
Studies versus Traineeship
‘(Bijna) beursstudent’ (Flemish government)
30 days/ 1 month
Payment: 70% arrival (Nov 2015) - 30% departure (Certificate Arrival
& Departure, Transcript of Records, second OLS test, online survey)
26-5-2015 pag. 23
Erasmus+ KA1
• Group 1 Denmark, Finland, France, Ireland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Norway, Austria, United
Kingdom, Sweden
(Bijna) beursstudent
Geen beursstudent
Studies Traineeship
€ 435 € 435
Studies Traineeship
€ 335 € 435
26-5-2015 pag. 24
Erasmus+ KA1
• Group 2 Cyprus, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Croatia, Luxemburg, the Netherlands, Portugal,
Slovenia, Spain, Czech Republic, Turkey
(Bijna) beursstudent
Geen beursstudent
Studies Traineeship
€ 385 € 385
Studies Traineeship
€ 285 € 385
26-5-2015 pag. 25
Erasmus+ KA1
• Group 3 Bulgaria, Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia, Hungary, Malta, Poland, Romania,
Slovakia, FYROM
(Bijna) beursstudent
Geen beursstudent
Studies Traineeship
€ 335 € 335
Studies Traineeships
€ 235 € 335
26-5-2015 pag. 26
Switzerland
• No longer an Erasmus+ program country
• Contact
SAC: Maxime De Schepper, Evie Kerselaers
IRMO: Griet Wijns, Nikki Van Tendeloo
• Grant will be covered by the Swiss government
• Contact host HEI for exact amount for 2015-16
• 2014-15:
Studies: €300-350
Traineeships: €350
• After exams June & September
Final confirmation by faculty (YES/NO/ON CONDITION OF PASSING RESIT EXAMS)
VUB exchange student certificate
Certificate of Arrival & Departure (to be signed by host institution)
Invitation Letter Host Institution
26-5-2015 pag. 27
Erasmus Belgica
• Contact
SAC: Maxime De Schepper, Evie Kerselaers
IRMO: Griet Wijns, Nikki Van Tendeloo
• After exams June & September
Final confirmation by faculty (YES/NO/ON CONDITION OF PASSING RESIT EXAMS)
Erasmus Belgica grant agreement
VUB Erasmus Belgica student certificate
Certificate of Arrival & Departure (to be signed by host institution)
Invitation Letter Host Institution
Grant amount:
‘Kot’ & proof of rental contract: €100/month
No ‘kot’: €100 (1x)
Exchange to China
650 Euro/month + 1,100 Euro travel (return flight) Exemption from registration fees
- Complete official application/admission procedure required by Asian university. - Arranging the accomodation (on campus), based on the information from host university.
Enrollment around 1st week September (in case of China) – suggest to arrive earlier.
- Initial Request Transfer (15 days prior to the expected departure date): send flight booking and signed Initial Transfer Form to ASEM DUO → receive first two month fund.
- Final Request Transfer (start of the 3rd month of exchange period) → receive last two month fund.
1700 RMB/month + Accommodation + textbooks + Insurance + travel (return flight) Exemption from registration fees
Contacted directly by the coordinator of Flanders (Departement Onderwijs en Vorming) & Chinese Embassy in Belgium.
ASEM DUO Flanders - China DUO
Scholarship
Host University
Purchase flight tickets & Apply for visa (For China, it takes 1 to 2 weeks).
- Confirm the scholarship (informed by IRMO or scholarship coodinator). - Follow instructions as exchange students, and complete VUB procedures for outgoing students.
Request fund
Enroll at host university
*Chinese visa application: for exchange students staying in China less than 6 months, you are exempted from the physical examination.
26-5-2015 pag. 29
Transition Fellowship Programme
• Contact
SAC: Maxime De Schepper, Evie Kerselaers
IRMO: Hilde De Haseleer
E: [email protected]; [email protected]
• After exams June & September
Final confirmation by faculty (YES/NO/ON CONDITION OF PASSING RESIT EXAMS)
• Letter of Acceptance – VLUHR (to be signed by you and sent to IRMO)
• Book your flight ticket (refunded by VLUHR, based on distance, max. €1100)
• Request for transfer document + copy flight ticket (send to IRMO)
• Certificate of Arrival & Departure (to be signed by host institution)
• Invitation Letter Host Institution
• Grant amount:
€650 or 850/month (max. 4 months) (80% advance – 20% departure, report)
• Upon return:
Report
Copy passport (arrival and departure date)
• Travel during your stay: ONLY during academic holidays + notify VLUHR
26-5-2015 pag. 30
The Washington Center
• Contact
SAC: Maxime De Schepper, Evie Kerselaers
IRMO: Hilde De Haseleer
E: [email protected]; [email protected]
• After exams June & September
Final confirmation by faculty (YES/NO/ON CONDITION OF PASSING RESIT EXAMS)
TWC application (IRMO → TWC)
• ‘Request for Transfer’ document– VLUHR (to be signed by you and sent to IRMO)
• ‘Repayment of scholarship on withdrawal’ document
• Book your flight ticket (part of VLUHR grant)
• Grant amount:
€7,500 or € 9,000 (1 transfer)
• Upon return:
Report
26-5-2015 pag. 31
Generieke beurzen
• Contact: Ms. Nikki Van Tendeloo, IRMO
• Learning agreement (studies/training): SAC & VUB exchange coordinator
E SAC: [email protected]
• Sign Grant Agreement VUB – student
• Certificate of Arrival & Departure
• Monthly grant (€650 or €850) + travel fee (distance Brussels- host university, max. €1.100)
• Flanders Knowledge Area will announce results in 3rd week May 2015
26-5-2015 pag. 32
Other
• Group mobility
Contact: Mrs. Katrijn D’Herdt, LK
ELON University
Learning Agreement: SAC & VUB exchange coordinator
• Agreements VUB
Contact: Ms. Nikki Van Tendeloo, IRMO
Crepuq universities in Québec; universities in South-Korea
Learning Agreement: SAC & VUB exchange coordinator
• ISEP
Contact: Vesalius College
Learning Agreement: SAC & VUB exchange coordinator
• Universidad Catolica Bolivia 'San Pablo‘
Contact: Prof. Gerrit Loots, PE
Learning Agreement: SAC & VUB exchange coordinator