Student Mobility for Studies & Traineeships: Description 

Student mobility can be carried out in any study field and cycle (short cycle/bachelor/master/doctoral). To ensure high quality mobility activities with maximum impact on the students, the mobility activity has to be compatible with the student’s degree-related learning and personal development needs.

Students may carry out the activities described below: 

• Student Mobility for Studies: a study period abroad at a partner higher education institution. The study period abroad must be part of the student's study programme to complete a degree at any study cycle. A study period abroad may include a traineeship period as well. Such a combination creates synergies between the academic and professional experience abroad.
• Student Mobility for Traineeships: a traineeship (work placement, internship) abroad in an enterprise, a research institute, a laboratory, an organisation or any other relevant workplace. Traineeships abroad are supported during studies at any study cycle and for recent graduates. This also includes teaching assistantships for student teachers and research assistantships for students and doctoral candidates in any relevant research facility. To further enhance the synergies with Horizon Europe, these mobilities can also take place in the context of Horizon Europe funded research projects, in full respect of the principle of no double EU funding of activities. Wherever possible, the traineeships should be an integrated part of the student's study programme.
• Doctoral mobility: 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’) can undertake short-term or long-term physical study or traineeship mobility periods abroad. Adding a virtual component to the physical mobility is encouraged. Post-docs: Post-docs may participate in traineeships with the same requirements as any other recent graduate within 12 months of graduating. For those countries where graduates must enrol in obligatory military or civil service after graduation, the period of eligibility for recent graduates will be extended by the duration of that service.
• Blended mobility: 
  • Any study period or traineeship abroad of any duration, including doctoral mobility, may be carried out as a blended mobility. Blended mobility is a combination of physical mobility with a virtual component facilitating a collaborative online learning exchange and teamwork. For example, the virtual component can bring learners together online from different countries and study fields to follow online courses or work collectively and simultaneously on assignments that are recognised as part of their studies.
  • Any student can also undertake blended mobility by participating in a blended intensive programme according to the specific eligibility criteria for blended intensive programmes, described in the Guide. 
  • In addition, students (short cycle/bachelor/master) who are not able to participate in long-term physical study or traineeship mobility, for example, due to their study field or because they have fewer opportunities for participation, will be able to carry out a short-term physical mobility by combining it with a compulsory virtual component.  

Student Mobility for Studies & Traineeships: Duration 

Student mobility for studies: from 2 months to 12 months of physical mobility. This can include a complementary traineeship period, if planned, and may be organised in different ways depending on the context: either one activity after the other or both at the same time. The combination follows the funding rules and minimum duration of study mobility.

Student mobility for traineeships: from 2 to 12 months of physical mobility. Any student, in particular those who are not able to participate in a long-term physical mobility for studies or for traineeships, may combine a shorter physical mobility with a virtual component (blended short-term mobility). In addition, any student may participate in blended intensive programmes. In these cases, physical mobility must last between 5 days and 30 days and be combined with a compulsory virtual component facilitating collaborative online learning exchange and teamwork. 

A blended mobility for studies must award a minimum of 3 ECTS credits. 

Students interested in this type of mobility must check whether their faculty offers this opportunity, in other words whether the faculty already takes part in BIP mobility and with which partner institutions. Individual applications for BIP mobility will not be accepted. 

Mobility for studies and/or traineeships for doctoral candidates: from 5 to 30 days (Short PhD) or from 2 to 12 months of physical mobility (a study mobility may include a complementary traineeship period, if planned). 

Total eligible duration per study cycle: The same student may participate in mobility periods totalling up to 12 months of physical mobility maximum per each cycle of study

The duration of a traineeship by recent graduates counts towards the 12 months maximum of the cycle during which they apply for the traineeship. 
 

Student Mobility for Studies & Traineeships: Mobility Destinations

Students must carry out their physical mobility activity in an EU Member State or third countries associated to the Programme or a third country not associated to the Programme different from the country of the sending organisation and the country where the student has his/her accommodation during his/her studies. 

Student Mobility for Studies & Traineeships: Eligible Participants

Students registered in a HEI and enrolled in studies leading to a recognised degree or another recognised tertiary level qualification (up to and including the level of doctorate). In case of doctoral mobility, the participant must be at EQF level 8. Recent higher education graduates may participate in a mobility for traineeships. The beneficiary organisation may opt out of recent graduate traineeships. Recent graduates must be selected by their HEI during their last year of study, and must carry out and complete their traineeship abroad within one year of obtaining their graduation (for those countries where graduates must enrol in obligatory military or civil service after graduation, the period of eligibility for recent graduates will be extended by the duration of that service).

Student Mobility for Studies & Traineeships: Other Criteria Needed

Student mobility can be in any study field. Student mobility can be a study period combined with a short traineeship (of less than 2 months) while being considered as an overall study period. The student, the sending and the receiving organisation must sign a learning agreement. 

The study period abroad must be part of the student’s study programme to complete a degree. Wherever possible, the traineeships should be an integrated part of the student’s study programme. 

Following courses at a higher education institution cannot be considered as a traineeship.

In case of blended student mobility the activities may include participation in courses offered in a blended learning format at any partner HEI, online training and work assignments or participation in blended intensive programmes. 

Regarding international mobility, see “International mobility involving third countries not associated to the Programme”.

Staff Mobility for Teaching & Training: Description

Staff mobility can be carried out by any type of higher education staff or by invited staff from outside the HEIs. To ensure high-quality mobility activities with maximum impact, the mobility activity has to be related to the staff’s professional development and to address their learning and personal development needs. 

Staff may carry out any of the activities described below: 

• Staff Mobility for Teaching: A teaching period abroad at a partner higher education institution.
• Staff Mobility for Training: A training period abroad at a partner higher education institution, enterprise or any other relevant workplace. The training period abroad enables any staff at a higher education institution to take part in a training activity abroad that is relevant to their day-to-day work at the higher education institution. It may take the form of training events (excluding conferences) or job shadowing and observation periods. 

A staff mobility period abroad can combine teaching and training activities. Any teaching or training period abroad may be carried out as a blended mobility.

Staff Mobility for Teaching & Training: Duration

Staff mobility for teaching and training: From 2 days to 2 months of physical mobility, excluding travel time. 

In case of mobility involving third countries not associated to the Programme, the duration must be from 5 days to 2 months. In both cases, the minimum days must be consecutive.

A teaching activity has to comprise a minimum of 8 hours of teaching per week (or any shorter period of stay). If the mobility lasts longer than one week, the minimum number of teaching hours for an incomplete week should be proportional to the duration of that week. The following exceptions apply:

• There is no minimum number of teaching hours for invited staff from enterprises.
• If the teaching activity is combined with a training activity during a single period abroad, the minimum number of hours of teaching per week (or any shorter period of stay) is reduced to 4 hours. 

Staff Mobility for Teaching & Training: Mobility Destinations

Staff must carry out their physical mobility activity in any EU Member State or third country associated to the Programme or third country not associated to the Programme different from the country of the sending organisation and the staff country of residence. In case of teaching mobility, an Inter-institutional agreement must be signed prior to mobility taking place.

Staff Mobility for Teaching & Training: Eligible Participants

Staff mobility for teaching: 

• Staff working at a HEI in an EU Member State or third country associated to the Programme or third country not associated to the Programme.

Staff mobility for training:

• Staff working at a HEI in an EU Member State or third country associated to the Programme or third country not associated to the Programme.

Staff Mobility for Teaching & Training: Other Criteria Needed

Staff mobility can be a teaching period combined with a training period, while being considered as an overall teaching period. A teaching or training mobility can take place in more than one receiving organisation in the same country, while being considered as one teaching or training period with the minimum duration of stay applying. 

Teaching mobility can be in any study field, subject to the relevant IIA having been signed, allowing the mobility to take place. 

Teaching mobility may include providing training for the development of the partner HEI. 

Additionally, the staff member, the sending and the receiving organisation must sign a mobility agreement. 

Regarding international mobility, see “International mobility involving third countries not associated to the Programme”.

Blended Intensive Programmes: Description

These are short, intensive programmes that use innovative ways of learning and teaching, including the use of online cooperation. The programmes may include challenge based learning where transnational and transdisciplinary teams work together to tackle challenges for example those linked to the United Nations’ sustainable development goals or other societal challenges identified by regions, cities or companies. The intensive programme should have added value compared to existing courses or trainings offered by the participating higher education institutions and can be multiannual. By enabling new and more flexible mobility formats that combine physical mobility with a virtual part, blended intensive programmes aim at reaching all types of students from all backgrounds, study fields and cycles. 

Groups of higher education institutions will have the opportunity to organise short blended intensive programmes of learning, teaching and training for students and staff. During these blended intensive programmes, groups of students or staff as learners will undertake a short-term physical mobility abroad combined with a compulsory virtual component facilitating collaborative online learning exchange and teamwork. The virtual component must bring the learners together online to work collectively and simultaneously on specific assignments that are integrated in the blended intensive programme and count towards the overall learning outcomes.

In addition, blended intensive programmes can be open to students and staff from higher education institutions outside the partnership. Blended intensive programmes build capacity for developing and implementing innovative teaching and learning practices in the participating HEIs.

Blended Intensive Programmes: Duration

Physical mobility from 5 days to 30 days of programme duration. No eligibility criteria is set for the duration of the virtual component but the combined virtual and physical mobility must award a minimum of 3 ECTS credits for students. 

Blended Intensive Programmes: Mobility Destinations

The physical activity can take place at the receiving HEI or at any other venue in the country of the receiving HEI.

Blended Intensive Programmes: Eligible Participants

Students: Students registered in a HEI in an EU Member State or a third country associated to the Programme or a third country not associated to the Programme, and enrolled in studies leading to a recognised degree or another recognised tertiary level qualification (up to and including the level of doctorate). 

Staff: Staff working at a HEI in an EU Member State or third country associated to the Programme or a third country not associated to the Programme. 

N.B. Students and staff interested in taking part in this type of mobility must check whether their faculty offers this opportunity, in other words whether the faculty already takes part in BIP mobility and with which partner institutions. Inter-institutional Agreements MUST be signed before the actual mobility can take place. Individual applications for BIP mobility will not be accepted.

Additional Information for Partner Countries - KA171: All other countries

INTERNATIONAL MOBILITY INVOLVING THIRD COUNTRIES NOT ASSOCIATED TO THE PROGRAMME The primary focus of the higher education mobility action is to support mobility activities among EU Member States and third countries associated to the Programme – the European dimension. In addition, the action supports the international dimension through two strands of mobility activities involving third countries not associated to the Programme across the whole world. One strand supports mobility to all third countries not associated to the Programme (regions 1-1436) and is funded by EU internal policy funds37. Another strand supports mobility to and from third countries not associated to the Programme (with the exception of regions 13 and 14) and is funded by EU external action instruments (see section "eligible countries" in Part A of the Guide). 

The two strands of international mobility pursue different, yet complementary objectives, reflecting the policy priorities of the respective funding sources: 

International outgoing mobility supported by internal policy funds: The priority focus is on the development of forward-looking and other relevant skills of students and staff from HEIs located in the EU Member States and third countries associated to the Programme. International mobility activities to any non-associated country are financed from the grant awarded to mobility projects. Grant beneficiaries may use up to 20% of the last awarded grant for outgoing mobility to non-associated countries all over the world (Regions 1-14). These opportunities are intended to encourage an organisation in an EU Member State or third country associated to the Programme to develop outgoing mobility activities with several third countries not associated to the Programme, and are expected to cover the widest possible geographic scope. 

International outgoing and incoming mobility supported by external policy funds: This action follows the EU's external policy priorities; and as such, a number of targets and rules for cooperation are set with the twelve eligible regions (1- 12), which are detailed hereafter in the section "additional information for mobility projects supported by external policy funds”. 

International mobility activities described in this action, unless stated otherwise, are applicable to both strands.