Erasmus+ Traineeships

GENERAL INFORMATION

The aim of Erasmus+ practical internships is to enable students to complete a subject-relevant full-time work placement in a foreign company as part of their studies, gain experience in employment within the European context, develop specific skills, including language skills, and establish and strengthen cooperation between educational institutions and private or public entities.

The main benefit of participating in a practical internship for a student is the opportunity to apply theoretical knowledge of the studied field in practice and strengthen key competencies with regard to future employment. At the same time, the internship may serve as a source of initial contacts for future job searches, contribute to personal development, and enhance employability in the labor market. For companies, the benefit should not only be the presence of low-cost labor – the advantage for businesses should primarily be understood and presented in terms of contact with academia, opportunities for innovation in knowledge and methods, and increased awareness of the company.

ELIGIBLE COUNTRIES

Practical internships can only take place in countries participating in the Erasmus+ program (hereinafter referred to as program countries):

EU Member States: Belgium, Bulgaria, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Croatia, Ireland, Italy, Cyprus, Lithuania, Latvia, Luxembourg, Hungary, Malta, Germany, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Austria, Romania, Greece, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden.

European Economic Area (EEA) Countries: Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein.

Other Eligible Countries: Turkey, Serbia, North Macedonia.

PARTICIPATION CONDITIONS

A student may participate in an internship abroad if they:

• Are properly enrolled in an accredited bachelor's, master's, or doctoral study program at VUT.

• Remain enrolled at their home institution throughout the entire internship period (excluding graduate internships). The study at the home institution must not be interrupted or terminated before the end of the internship.

• Have been selected through the selection process.

• Meet the eligibility criteria for Erasmus+ student internships.

INTERNSHIP CONDITIONS

Long-term practical Internship

• Duration: 2–12 months.

• Option to combine physical mobility with a virtual component, provided that the minimum physical mobility period is at least two months.

• Open to all students.

Short-term practical Internship

• Duration: 5–30 days.

• Available only for doctoral students; graduates are not eligible.

Short-term Blended Practical Internship

• Duration: 5–30 days.

• Available for students with fewer opportunities; graduates are not eligible.

During the practical internship, students are not allowed to collect data for writing their thesis/dissertation, consult experts regarding their thesis, write academic papers, or work on their own research project. However, students can carry out their internship in a research laboratory, participate in research for the institution, and learn new methods and procedures.

FINANCIAL CONDITIONS

Students receive financial support for their mobility based on a signed participation agreement, according to fixed rates for the destination country. This financial support is only a contribution and does not aim to cover all costs; students are expected to contribute financially.

Erasmus+ financial support is compatible with salaries or other compensation from the host company, except for funding from other EU programs.

Payment methods:

• In CZK to a Czech bank account.

• In EUR to a Euro account in any EU bank.

The student must register their bank account in the STUDIS system before signing the participation agreement to receive the stipend.

Periods of online mobility are not financially supported by the Erasmus+ program; funding is only granted for physical mobility periods. Financial support for internships is disbursed before the start of the stay, after signing the participation agreement.

ERASMUS GRANT (from 2024/2025)

Long-term mobility

• 810 EUR/month – Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Germany, Netherlands, Norway, Austria, Sweden.

• 750 EUR/month – Cyprus, Estonia, Latvia, Malta, Portugal, Greece, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain.

• 690 EUR/month – Bulgaria, Croatia, Hungary, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Serbia, North Macedonia, Turkey.

The 50 EUR Green Erasmus contribution has been discontinued for long-term mobility.

Short-term mobility

• Students are entitled to a subsistence and travel grant.

Subsistence Costs:

• 79 EUR/day – up to 14 days.

• 56 EUR/day – 15 to 30 days.

Travel Costs: Travel distance is calculated from the home institution in Brno. Distance calculation can be done via the Distance Calculator.

STUDENTS WITH LIMITED OPPORTUNITIES

Participants with economic barriers

This group includes students facing economic barriers, those with children/dependents, special dietary requirements, etc.

A one-time increase in financial support is allocated as follows:

• Long-term mobility: 250 EUR/month
• Short-term mobility:
  • 100 EUR for 5-14 days
  • 150 EUR for 15-30 days

A student with economic barriers must provide proof of eligibility, such as:

• Child allowance/social scholarship/household income statement
• For students with children/dependents: Birth certificate/care allowance and household income statement
• For students with special dietary requirements: Medical certificate

Participants with physical, mental, or health disadvantages

A student may apply for financial support through the Erasmus+ institutional coordinator to cover increased costs related to specific needs arising from their health condition (especially in cases of severe disabilities). The application is submitted to the National Agency (DZS) using the relevant form variant:

• Variant I: Simplified applications for support up to 3,000 EUR for international mobility. Funding may cover:

  • Dietary expenses (e.g., celiac disease, diabetes – reimbursement of the price difference between regular and special dietary needs)
  • Transportation (difference between standard and specialized transport costs)
  • Accommodation (difference between standard and accessible housing, such as a wheelchair-accessible room near the university)
  • Medical care (regular doctor visits abroad, rehabilitation, physiotherapy, etc.)
  • Specialized study materials

• Variant II: Applications for support exceeding 3,000 EUR, which may include funding for a personal assistant or accompanying person.

• Variant III: Applications for support exceeding 20,000 EUR for international mobility.

Application deadline

Applications can be submitted between June 1, 20XX and July 31, 20XX+1, but must be submitted to the institutional coordinator at least 30 days before the start of mobility. Applications cannot be submitted or approved retroactively.

The Erasmus+ institutional coordinator is responsible for reviewing applications and adjusting requested costs. The eligible amount is the difference between standard costs in the destination country and additional costs due to the student’s specific needs.

Required documentation

• Medical certificate
• Copy of disability card (if applicable)
• Erasmus+ program documents for the mobility
• Acceptance letter from the host institution, confirming awareness of the student’s health condition and special requirements

All funds granted by the National Agency must be properly accounted for after the mobility. Participants must keep receipts and financial records and submit them to the coordinator upon return for final reimbursement.

APPLICATION DEADLINES

Deadlines 2025

Selection process for the summer semester 2024/25

• December 2024 – January 2025
• Mobility period: February 1, 2025 – September 30, 2025

Selection process for the summer Semester 2024/25 – Holiday Internships

• April – May 2025
• Mobility period: June 1, 2025 – September 30, 2025

APPLICATION

Students are responsible for finding and arranging their own internships. They can contact any organization that meets the criteria for eligible host institutions. Internship opportunities can be found, for example, on ErasmusIntern.org. If you have trouble finding a suitable organization for your internship, you can refer to a list of institutions where BUT students have previously completed internships: FA, FAST, FAVU, FCH, FP, FIT, FEKT, FSI, CEITEC.

The internship must always be arranged as a full-time position (minimum 35 hours per week); otherwise, it cannot be carried out.

The application is submitted electronically through STUDIS.

Students must attach a pre-approved Traineeship Agreement to their application, which must include:

• Identification of all contractual parties
• A detailed work plan
• A monitoring and evaluation plan
• A clear and specific description of the intern’s role and tasks (avoid vague terms such as "various," "some," or "all")

BEFORE DEPARTURE

Signing the participation agreement

Once the application is approved, students must personally sign the Participation Agreement at the Internationalization Office at the BUT Rectorate, no later than one week before the start of the internship. The agreement cannot be signed after the internship has begun.

• Start of the internship: The first day the intern must be present at the host institution (typically a working day).
• End of the internship: The last day the intern must be present at the host institution (typically a working day).
• Travel days are not included in the duration of the internship.

Before signing the participation agreement, students must:

• Upload the fully signed Traineeship Agreement into the system
• Enter their bank account number into STUDIS (for financial support payments)
• Arrange health, accident, and liability insurance
• Schedule an appointment with the Internationalization Office via the online booking system (students without a confirmed appointment will not be served)

Online Language Support

• Students can take a language assessment test to evaluate their language skills.
• The test is available on the EU Academy website, where students must create an account and search for the "English placement test".

DURING THE INTERNSHIP

Changes to the Traineeship Agreement

• Any modifications to the work plan must be reported immediately via the "Changes to Traineeship Agreement" form.
• Changes must be communicated to the faculty coordinator and the Internationalization Office.

Progress Report

• Students must submit a mid-term progress report (approx. 1 A4 page) to the Internationalization Office at the BUT Rectorate.
• For short-term internships, only a final report is required.

Extending the Internship

• Students can request an internship extension using the Extension Request Form.
• The request must be approved by the host institution representative and a faculty official and submitted to the Internationalization Office at least 30 days before the internship ends.
• Extension funding is not guaranteed; it depends on the sending institution's financial resources.
  • Extension without financial support: The student will not receive additional funding but retains Erasmus+ student status and related benefits.
  • Extension with financial support: Possible only if there are sufficient Erasmus+ funds, and any change in funding must be reflected in an amendment to the Participation Agreement.
• Currently, internship extensions are granted without additional Erasmus+ financial support.

Shortening the Internship

• Must be agreed upon with the sending institution and handled through an amendment to the Participation Agreement, with proportional reduction of financial support.
• If the internship is shortened by more than 5 calendar days, the student must return the corresponding portion of the grant.
• For short-term internships, there is no 5-day tolerance—any shortening requires repayment of the proportional financial support.

AFTER RETURNING

After completing the internship, students must:

• Submit in person to the Erasmus Office the original Traineeship Certificate (signed by the host organization) within 15 days of finishing the internship. Alternatively, the host institution can email the certificate to erasmus@vutbr.cz.
• Submit a final report to the Erasmus Office
• Within 15 days of receiving the request, complete the EU Survey (the Erasmus+ final report) in the European Commission's online database (students will receive a request via their school email).
• Complete the BUT survey in STUDIS.
• Get the internship recognized as part of their studies (not required for graduate internships). Credit recognition is managed by each faculty/department—students must consult their faculty’s international/study office about the process.

Administrative procedure & tips

Administrative procedure checklists: FA, FCE, FFA, FEEC, FCH, FIT, FBM, FME, USI, CEITEC

• DOCTraineeship agreement.doc
• PDFErasmus Charter for Higher Education 2021-2027 EN
• PDFErasmus+ financial support 2021-2022.pdf
• DOCXInterim Report