The ERASMUS+ program of the European Union supports and promotes cooperation between European higher education institutions in various fields of academic life. Student exchange and studies at universities in other countries are an important part of the program. This is being organized according to the Erasmus+ cooperation agreements concluded by the International Relations Departments of the universities.
This experience creates conditions for students of science and study institutions (high schools and research institutes) to spend an integrated study period in another country participating in the Erasmus+ program.
The mentioned activity allows you to acquire study, language, and cultural knowledge promotes cooperation between institutions and enriches the educational environment of institutions receiving students, allows you to expand the base of future specialists who have gained experience abroad, facilitates the transfer of credits and the recognition of studies abroad, using the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS) or the corresponding credits system.
ERASMUS+ can take place in 27 EU countries, (including Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Serbia, Turkey, and the Republic of North Macedonia) and non-EU countries (regions 1-14, listed in the Erasmus+ program guide, pages 32-33).
All VDA full-time students (BA, MA, PhD) can apply.
Competition organization procedure and selection
Applications for scholarships are announced by the VDA International Office every February. Students can apply for the Autumn or Spring semester as well as for the full academic year. An additional application is announced in September for exchanges in the Spring semester.
The selection process is carried out by the VDA Internationality Assurance Group according to the following criteria:
The student's competitive score is calculated according to the formula:
If there is a competition for a specific place of study among candidates who meet the mandatory selection criteria and have the same competitive score, a student who has not yet participated in the Erasmus+ program is selected.
*motivational score evaluated by the answers to the questionnaire.
Selected students will be informed via email and will be nominated for the foreign higher education institution abroad. Selected students will submit an application to the university they were nominated, according to that university's requirements for exchange studies. The final selection is carried out by the host institution abroad.
Please find the full list of the VDA partner universities here. The list of universities is accessible only through VDA email accounts.
How are studies abroad organized?
After receiving acceptance letters, students must sign a Learning Agreement and Grant Agreement (Annex II, Annex III) before leaving for a foreign university.
In the Department of International Relations. When participating in the Erasmus+ program, students, sending and receiving institutions must follow the Erasmus+ regulations.
During the exchange semester, the student must collect 30 ECTS at his foreign university.
Travel and accommodation must be taken care of by the student himself. He or she can be assisted by the host institution or VDA students who have already studied there.
Students who decide to cancel their studies abroad for important reasons must immediately notify the International Office.
Students can receive an Erasmus+ grant to cover the costs incurred during their study mobility abroad.
Students receiving zero-grant are also allowed to participate in mobility, for example - students who meet all the eligibility criteria of an Erasmus+ student and use all the benefits of an Erasmus+ student but do not receive a scholarship for mobility. The rules established by the Erasmus+ program also apply to such students receiving a zero scholarship.
Erasmus+ students (both scholarship recipients and non-scholarship recipients) are exempt from tuition fees, registration fees, examination fees, and laboratory and library fees at the host institution, but pay normal fees at their sending institution. The host institution may charge visiting students small fees related to, for example, insurance, student unions, and the use of various materials such as photocopies, and laboratory products, on the same basis as local students.
Students do not pay any additional fees or charges related to the organization or administration of their mobility period, and the payment of the student's national scholarship or loan must not be interrupted during the period spent abroad.
Amounts of ERASMUS+ scholarships from 2022 June 1
Ireland, Denmark, Iceland, United Kingdom, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Norway, Finland, Sweden |
750 EUR/m. |
Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Malta, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain | 750 EUR/m. |
Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Estonia, Croatia, Latvia, Poland, Republic of North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Turkey, Hungary | 690 EUR/m. |
Students with fewer opportunities due to various social problems, but who meet the criteria listed below can receive an additional 250 EUR/month.
– in the case of long-term mobility and a stipend of 100 euros (for a duration of 5-14 days), 150 euros (for a duration of 15-30 days).
1) Students from socially supported groups (i.e. are of persons living together or persons living alone who have the right to receive or are receiving social allowance according to the Law of the Republic of Lithuania on monetary social support for needy residents.
2) Orphans (i.e. they are not older than 25 years old and until they come of age, guardianship (care) has been established for them according to the procedure established by law or their parents (have only one parent) are dead.
3) Single parents with children under the age of 7 (single parents are those who actually raise a child(ren) or adopted child(ren) alone (for example, a widower, a single mother, another parent of the child (adoptive parent) is serving a prison sentence or parental authority is restricted indefinitely or temporarily, the marriage is terminated or they live separately and the child's (adopted) place of residence is determined with him by a court decision).
Additional support for Erasmus+ participants with special needs
According to the Erasmus+ Program Manager, a person with special needs is defined as a potential program participant whose physical, mental, or other health-related condition is such that without additional funding her/his participation in mobility activities is impossible.
After returning from Erasmus+ studies abroad
After returning from Erasmus+ studies abroad, the VDA International Relations Department must submit the following documents:
Erasmus charter for higher education 2021 - 2027
VDA STUDENTU DALYVAVIMO ERASMUS PROGRAMOJE TVARKA
Mobility of KA 1 students and graduates internship
Erasmus+ Traineeship provides an opportunity to do an internship in a company or organization located in another Erasmus+ participating country. Internship participants can acquire specific skills, expand their understanding of the economic and social culture of a certain country, gain practical experience in the European Union (EU) organization, and get acquainted with the characteristics of the EU labour market.
Student internships can take place in companies, training centres, scientific research centres and other organizations.
Internship for Erasmus+ students is a period spent in a foreign company, training centre, research centre or other organization of a country participating in the Erasmus+ program. Erasmus+ practice gives the student the opportunity to adapt to the labour market requirements of the entire Community, strengthen professional skills, and get to know and expand the understanding of the economic, social and cultural conditions of a specific country.
Nature of the activities
• Performing an internship as part of studies in a foreign company or organization;
• Internship as work experience after graduation in a foreign company or organization (graduate internship);
• The internship mobility of graduates must start and end within 12 months after graduation.
Students are selected for graduate internships before the end of the study period (during the Erasmus+ internship competition, which is announced by VDA in April each year), although they start their mobility after graduation.
Duration of internship - 2 - 12 months. 6 credits (ECTS) are awarded per month.
Each student has the right to use the program for a maximum period of 12 months during each study cycle (bachelor's, master's and doctoral). This period is common for the implementation of all types of mobility (studies, practice during studies and practice after studies).
Internships can be completed by integrated study students of all study levels, as well as students who have already participated in the ERASMUS+ study mobility program.
Since VDA has not yet signed internship contracts with foreign partners, students are invited to look for companies themselves that would agree to accept them with Erasmus status and a scholarship. If you know such a company, ask for a written confirmation that you are accepted for an internship and submit it to the International Relations Department of the VDA during the Erasmus internship competition, which takes place throughout the month of April.
How to find an internship yourself?
• independently searching for foreign organizations of interest on websites or in other independent ways;
• using the help of the staff of the International Relations Department, VDA teachers and practice managers who maintain cooperative relations with foreign organizations. The list of organisations that previously accepted VDA students or that are seeking trainees is here, but you are welcome to choose an organisation outside of this list.
• Through the website for finding internships.
How to participate in the internship competition
In order to participate in the internship competition, you need to fill out the competition form in the news of the international relations department.
The competition is announced in April.
Filling out the form requires the company's consent to accept the practice;
The main criteria for selecting students for Erasmus+ internships:
• the results of academic activities of the previous academic year;
• internship program offered by the host company;
• knowledge of a foreign language;
• motivation to practice abroad.
For more information about traineeship, please contact international@vda.lt .
Erasmus+ internships for doctoral students
To better meet the diverse learning and training needs of doctoral candidates and to ensure equal opportunities with
those that have the status of higher education staff, doctoral candidates and recent graduates (‘post-docs’) 39 can
undertake short-term or long-term physical study or traineeship mobility periods abroad. Adding a virtual component
to physical mobility is encouraged.
When student mobility is carried out for the purpose of internship (educational practice), the host organization may be:
A public or private organization of the program country or partner country operating in the labour market or in the fields of education, training, youth, scientific research and innovation. These may be, for example, the following organizations:
Program countries: 27 EU countries, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Serbia, Turkey and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.
Partner countries: regions 1-14 (page 33 of the Erasmus+ program guide).
All full-time third-cycle (PhD) students registered with VDA.
Procedure for organizing the competition
The competition takes place throughout the year. A VDA doctoral student can apply several times a year, but priority is given to students who have not participated in the Erasmus+ program.
The Erasmus+ grant is awarded to:
Doctoral students wishing to receive an Erasmus+ grant must submit a fully completed online application form at least 4 weeks before the scheduled start of the internship.
Mobility of doctoral students for the purpose of internship (educational practice): 5-30 days.
How is an internship abroad organized?
After receiving the consent of the institution abroad and the head of his study program, the doctoral student must submit a fully completed and signed Study Agreement for the internship to the International Relations Office.
The doctoral student himself takes care of travel and accommodation during the internship. If necessary, the International Relations Office can provide consultation within the department's competencies.
If for essential reasons, a doctoral student decides to refuse an internship abroad, he must immediately notify the International Relations Office.
ERASMUS+ grant for doctoral students
Doctoral students can receive an Erasmus+ grant, which would partially cover the expenses incurred due to the mobility period spent abroad.
Students do not pay any additional fees or charges related to the organization or administration of their mobility period, and the payment of the student's national grant or loan must not be interrupted during the period spent abroad.
The following basic individual support amounts are established:
Duration of the physical mobility activities | Amount (regardless of the Program country or Partner country) |
Until the 14th day of activities | EUR 70 / a day |
15th-30th activity days - EUR 50 | EUR 50 / a day |
Individual support can also be provided for one travel day before the start of the activity and one travel day after the end of the activity.
Disadvantaged students and recent graduates receive an additional amount of EUR 100 the individual support of their EU Erasmus+ grant for a physical mobility activity period of 5th-14th days and EUR 150 for a period of 15th-30th days.
Contribution to individual needs of students with disabilities
Contribution for individual needs is eligible if they fulfil the general eligibility conditions set in the grant agreement. They will be used for enrolled students (with or without scholarship) with disabilities (e.g. long-term physical, mental, intellectual or sensory impairments), such as those related to the acquisition of particular items or services (e.g. assistance by third persons, adaptation of work environment, additional travel/transportation costs).
The contribution may be awarded to PhD students selected for Erasmus+ mobility to cover the costs listed below.
For additional costs for facilities and/or services depend on the nature of special needs, illness/disability. The need for these expenses must be based on medical documents, i.e. the need for the measures and/or services for which you are requesting additional support must be confirmed in an extract from medical records issued by a doctor. It should be noted that the latter document must clearly indicate what and how many services the person will need during the period of study abroad. The contribution will be based on actual costs incurred. Living and travel expenses of the accompanying person, if reasonable.
After returning from an Erasmus+ internship abroad, it is mandatory to submit the following documents to the VDA International Relations Office:
A document confirming the completion of an internship abroad (Traineeship Certificate);
At the end of the Erasmus+ internship, the European Commission will send an e-mail form by mail, which must also be filled out.
Doctoral students can also participate in long-term Erasmus+ mobility activities for studies and educational practice (duration from 2 to 12 months of physical mobility) (study mobility may include a complementary traineeship period if planned), excluding travel time.