University of Silesia in Katowice

Students of the University of Silesia have the possibility of participating in the international educational exchange and realization of the part of studies at a foreign partner university or a foreign student internship. Foreign travels of students occur in the frames of international exchange programmes, bilateral agreements concluded by the University of Silesia, scholarship national programmes, mainly programmes of the National Agency of Academic Exchange and foreign programmes.

 

A vast majority, more than 90 percent of student travels, constitutes mobilities realized in the framework of the Erasmus+ programme and programmes related to it. Erasmus+ is an EU educational programme that covers, among others, student exchange. It is the largest, the most general and the longest continuously operating programme of student exchange which gives the possibility of realizing travel to the largest group of partner institutions and the easiest access to such travels. It is also the most complicated in formal terms programme of all existing ones.

Under Erasmus+ and the related programmes, such as Edukacja Programme, students may travel to realize part of their studies on foreign partner universities or to conduct student internship abroad.  Funding is granted for such travels. Studies and internships which are realized in a foreign partner university, foreign institution are equivalent to the same period of studies or internship realized in the home university. The semester of studies completed at a foreign partner university on the basis of an approved agreement for the programme of studies is automatically completed in the home university.

All member states of the European Union and the European Economic Area (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway), North Macedonia, Serbia, Turkey and Great Britain participate in the Erasmus+ programme. Switzerland carries out its own programme with principles similar to Erasmus+. In the framework of the programme, it is also possible to travel to realize part of studies or an internship in the institutions from partner countries. Almost all countries of the world belong to this group. Travelling to partner countries is however determined by certain additional restrictions and requirements and thus, its realization is much more complicated.

Travelling under the Erasmus+ programme lasts between 2 months (in case of an internship) or 3 months (in case of travelling for the purpose of realizing part of studies) and one entire academic year. In the framework of the programme one may travel multiple times. Each student has 12 months at disposal for each level of studies which he or she may spend studying in the framework of the programme of studies at a foreign university or under realization of internship, obviously, subject to being qualified by the home university.

Each university participating in the Erasmus+ programme has a specific number of vacancies in foreign partner universities at disposal for each academic year and the number of possible trips to be organized for internship. Hence, in order to participate in the exchange, one must undergo a recruitment procedure. A condition for participation is the knowledge of the language in which lectures and classes will be conducted at the partner university as well as the language of the internship. One must pay attention to the fact that this does not have to be the official language of the given country to which the travel is realized. The criterion on the basis of which recruitment is conducted is study effect. Recruitment for travel for the purpose of realizing part of studies occurs in the semester preceding the academic year during which the travel will be realized. Recruitment for practices is currently carried out in a continuous manner by individual departments.

Upon travelling one must be a student of at least the second year of studies of the first cycle. A travel cannot be realized during student’s leave.

During a travel, the status of a student at the home university is maintained. The hosting university is obliged to treat students from the Erasmus+ programme as their students on equal principles.

The level of co-financing in the Erasmus+ programme depends on the country to which a given travel is made and on the type of travel. Scholarship rates are subject to annual reviews. Students with special needs related to their health state or students in a difficult financial situation may apply for additional co-financing. At present, the monthly rates amount to between 450 EUR and 800 EUR. In addition, in justified cases related to special health needs one may obtain financing of additional factual costs in the accepted categories.

The information on the possibilities for travel under the remaining scholarship offers or in the framework of bilateral agreements and details of offers may be obtained in departments or in the International Exchange Office of the University of Silesia as well as on the websites of the university. In matters related to the international educational exchange one may also contact with faculty coordinators for international cooperation.

At present, no limitations concerning recruitment for travels in academic year 2021/2022 are in place. Certain detailed principles of actions in the academic year 2020/2021 related to the present epidemiological situation are in place at the University of Silesia. One must bear in mind that the situation both in the country and outside of its borders may change and these changes may be fast and far-reaching. In light of the above we recommend following the news on an ongoing basis.