The Erasmus+ ‘Student Mobility for Placements’ mobility action offers OUC undergraduate and postgraduate (Master and PhD) students and recent graduates the opportunity to undertake internships in universities, companies, research centres and organizations in any country that participates in the Erasmus+ Programme.

• The Member States of the European Union,
• Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Turkey, Republic of North Macedonia, and Serbia.

The Erasmus+ mobility actions for Placements offer students and recent graduates the opportunity to:

• gain professional experience related to their area of study,
• get to know, appreciate and understand the economic and cultural conditions in foreign countries,
• live in a country other than the country of their permanent residence, experience different cultures and learn foreign languages,
• acquire international experience and qualifications, and
• enrich their CV and employment prospects.

In addition, participants have the opportunity to enrich their CV with Europass, a document that records knowledge and skills acquired through their mobility internship abroad. Europass accompanies each person's curriculum vitae and enables employers to better understand the skills and qualifications of the person concerned.

If the Programme Director at OUC has mentioned in the Training Agreement that the student will receive ECTS units for his/her traineeship, the University, upon successful completion of the mobility period, will record the ECTS units in the student's Transcript of Records and Diploma Supplement.

• Active undergraduate or postgraduate students of the Open University of Cyprus have the right to participate from the first year of their studies, provided they have completed at least one Thematic Unit. They need to apply and have their application approved while still active students.

• Active doctoral (Phd) candidates have the right to participate from the first year of their studies. They need to apply and have their application approved while still active students.

The OUC and the Erasmus+ program promote the participation of students and graduates with fewer opportunities in mobility actions. People with fewer opportunities may participate if their personal, physical or mental condition or state of health is such that their participation in the mobility activity would not be possible without additional financial or other support.

Specifically, students and graduates with fewer opportunities are considered individuals:

• with physical, mental and mental disabilities,
• with physical and mental health issues,
• with a low socio-economic background,
• with an immigrant/refugee background,
• students/graduates, political refugees,
• people who are children of single-parent or large-child families from a low socio-economic background,
• people who are parents themselves and belong to the category of people from low socio-economic backgrounds,
• people from rural, deprived and remote areas,
• people from dysfunctional families, as well as students/graduates with Learning Difficulties (e.g. dyslexia, dysgraphia, dyspraxia, ),
• as well as individuals who are parents or have careers that are not included in the above categories and cannot be absent abroad for an extended period.

Students with disabilities:

People with disabilities include people whose physical or health status makes it difficult to participate in an Erasmus+ mobility activity without additional support. European Commission and Open University of Cyprus encourage the participation of students with disabilities in all activities of the Erasmus+ programme. Erasmus+ grants may therefore be higher than the regular study or traineeship grants to offset the specific difficulties faced by the participant (such as adapted accommodation, travel assistance, medical attendance, supportive equipment, adaption of learning material, an accompanying person for students and staff with disabilities). This additional support grant is a contribution based on real costs.

OUC students can apply and receive a grant for a traineeship mobility period in universities, research and education centres, companies, organizations, non-profit organizations schools in any country that participates in the Erasmus+ Programme, and is different from their country of residence and the country of their home University (Cyprus in the case of OUC students).

For mobility in universities, an Erasmus+ inter-institutional agreement between OUC and the host university might be required.

Non-eligible host organizations

• European institutions (such as the European Commission). For detailed information, please check: https://europa.eu/european-union/about-eu/institutions-bodies_en.
• Organizations managing EU programmes (such as National Agencies) in order to avoid possible conflict of interest and/or dual funding.
• National diplomatic representations (embassy/consulate) of the student’s country of origin. Schools and educational institutes are eligible under conditions of transnationality.

Useful Websites for Finding a Host Organization for an Internship:

• EURES Find a job
• Erasmusintern.org
• Erasmus Jobs
• Europe Internship
• Global Placement
• leo-net.solidintern.com  

• from 2 to 12 months, per circle of study

• Students may apply for and receive an Erasmus+ grant for mobility periods of up to 12 months maximum in each circle of study, regardless of the number and type of mobility activities they undertake. That is, a student may participate in mobility activities for up to 12 months in each of the 3 circles of study (undergraduate - master - doctoral).
• A mobility activity may combine a period of internship/placement at a host organization and study at a partner university.
• Any previous participation in the LLP - Erasmus+ Programme is counted towards the maximum 12-month period of mobility per circle of study.

The minimum duration of mobility is 2 months with two exceptions:

a) People with fewer opportunities

b) PhD candidates

Students who belong to the aforementioned categories a) or b) and who are unable to participate in periods of long-term physical mobility for studies can combine a shorter period of physical mobility with elements of virtual mobility (blended mobility).

1. People with fewer opportunities can move abroad for a period of 5 to 30 days: The minimum duration with physical mobility is 5 days. In short-term mobilities in these cases, an online component is mandatory.

2. Study mobility for PhD candidates: To better meet the different learning and training needs of PhD candidates and to ensure equal opportunities, PhD students reserve the right to apply for short-term mobility of between 5 and 30 days, or for long-term mobility from 2 to 12 months in person. In the case of short-term mobility, the online component is not mandatory.

Students may apply to secure Erasmus+ funding for internships during the Calls for Applications announced by the OUC Mobility Office.

Interested OUC students should:

1. Contact the OUC Mobility Office to express their interest to apply for Erasmus+ SMP funding by sending an email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
2. Identify potential host organizations:

(a) from the list of contacts with organizations offering traineeship positions  to OUC students,

(b) in cooperation with the OUC Mobility Office

(c) through internet or in cooperation with the Director of their programme of study at OUC.

3. Contact host organizations through email, by sending their CV and a cover letter, expressing their interest to undertake a traineeship.

In case of a positive response, students submit at the OUC Mobility Office (erasmus@ouc.ac.cy), the following documents before the given applications deadline: 

• Application for Erasmus+ Mobility for Traineeship HERE
• A copy of ID card/passport
• A recent copy of Transcript of Records
• Foreign Language Certificate (if requested)
• A letter/email from the host organization confirming its intention to offer the proposed traineeship position
• Recent unemployment certificate issued by the competent Department of Labour of their home country (applies only for unemployed students)
• For PhD candidates: A recent certificate signed by their supervisor

Subsequently, the OUC Mobility Office will contact host University/organization to finalize the student’s Traineeship Programme and check whether the student possesses the appropriate level of knowledge of the working language that is required.

The application is finalised when the host University/organization fills in the Training Mobility Agreement and all interested parties (student, host organization/university and the OUC Programme Director) sign it.

Instructions and Useful Documents for a Europass CV and Motivation Letter

• Europass CV instructions
• Sample Europass CV - EN
• Template for creating your own Europass CV - EN
• Sample Motivation Letter - EN

Evaluation of Applications and Selection

The University’s competent body evaluates all applications submitted using the following criteria:

• Priority for students with disabilities.
• Students that are unemployed (proven by relevant official documents)
• Study cycle: Undergraduate students’ applications are examined separately.
• Foreign language proficiency level demanded by the host institution (if this is not Greek).
• Motivation to participate in the Erasmus+ Mobility Programme.
• Transcript of records (weighted average grade). PhD students should submit their supervisor’s most recent report.

Important to note:

• Low priority is given to OUC students wishing to participate in a mobility that will occur in their country of origin (birthplace).
• Depending on each circumstance and available budget, the OUC Mobility Office may offer beneficiaries part of the Erasmus+ grant or invite them to undertake their traineeship as “Erasmus+ zero grant” beneficiaries.

The OUC Mobility Office informs selected students for any further actions required prior to their mobility.

Comments / Complaints:

The Mobility Office of the Open University of Cyprus, in its effort to continuously improve the services offered and to provide better support to those interested in participating in the European Mobility Programme Erasmus+, provides the possibility of submitting any complaints and comments on issues related to the services provided. Online form: HERE.

The Training Agreement is a very important document as it outlines all the provisions governing the Erasmus+ internship among all concerned parties. Its correct completion is crucial to ensure the internship adds value for the student and contributes meaningfully to their educational journey and professional development.

• Training Agreement
• Guidelines

Students may use the followign websites to locate accommodation abroad:

• Uniplaces.com
• HousingAnywhere.com
• Spotahome.com
• Roomster.com
• AirBnB.com
• Universityrooms.com
• Erasmus Play
• ESN Accommodation

The Online Linguistic Support (OLS) system supports language learning for Erasmus+ mobility participants. The OLS offers participants in Erasmus+ the opportunity to improve their skills in the foreign language(s) they will use to study and work abroad. The programme is available in all EU languages.

For the Online Language Assessment Tool, students can connect here.

Relevant instructions are provided at this link: OLS Instructions for Outgoing Students.

Beneficiaries receive funding covering their travel and subsistence expenses. The Erasmus+ grant varies according to the host country and the participants’ mobility duration.

• Travel costs

OUC students participating in Erasmus+ mobility actions may receive travel expenses only if their mobility to the host organization starts from Cyprus or other remote regions, such as Iceland or Malta or other overseas countries and territories. Travel distance is calculated using the EU’s distance calculator tool:

https://ec.europa.eu/programmes/erasmus-plus/resources/distance-calculator_en

• Subsistence

For long-term mobilities, i.e. between 2 to 12 months, the amount of the Erasmus+ student's monthly grant is determined depending on the host country, as follows:

• Students and recent graduates with fewer opportunities receive an additional support on top of the EU grant above, to cover individual costs under the Erasmus+ program, amounting to 250 EUR per

Students and recent graduates on short-term physical mobility (blended mobility and doctoral short-term mobility receive daily subsistence, irrespective of the host country, as follows:

• Students and recent graduates with fewer opportunities receive a top-up amount to the individual support of their EU Erasmus+ grant of an amount of 100 EUR for a physical mobility activity period of 5-14 days and 150 EUR for the one of 15-30 days.
• The top-up amount for traineeships will not apply in this case.

Students should revert to the Erasmus+ Student Charter, HERE.

OUC MOBILITY OFFICE

Rectorate

Tel.: +357 22411659 / 944

email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.