ERASMUS+ COMPETITION FOR STUDENTS 2023

Number of financed mobilities: 40

The ERASMUS grant:

• 600 euros/month for Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Denmark, Greece, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden
• 540 euros/month for Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, North Macedonia, Poland, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Turkey. 

Procedure

The contest consists of submitting a file (online). After selection at the FSPUB level, the candidate must complete the registration documents at the Erasmus + Office of the University of Bucharest and at the host university.  

The file

1. Registration form (in Romanian)

One can choose up to a maximum of 3 options, in descending order of preference; if there are several candidates with the same main preference, the place will be given to the candidate with a higher score; If a candidate has a high enough score to obtain a funded place, but all his / her options have already been allocated to higher-ranked candidates, he / she can choose any other destination still available.

4. Letter of intent / motivation, which should include a short Study plan, presenting a potential list of courses to be taken at the host university (the candidate will consult the host university’s website). The letter of intent will be written in a foreign language relevant to the mobility; if several options are chosen, the study plan will be drafted for each of the options.
5. Curriculum vitae, mandatory in Europass format, in a foreign language relevant for the mobility.
6. Language certificate; if the language of the mobility is the same as the language of study of the program followed by the candidate at FSPUB (i.e. English / French), this certificate is not required; the student can prove his knowledge of the foreign language also by other methods (graduation of a high school with a linguistic profile, the grade from the baccalaureate exam in a foreign language, etc.).

 The file must be sent to irina.matei@fspub.unibuc.ro during the registration period (March 31 – April 14, 2023), according to the competition’s calendar.

Selection criteria

• quality of student / master student / doctoral student at FSPUB, during the selection and during the mobility;
• graduate at least of the first year of studies at the beginning of the mobility (for bachelor level);
• integralists after the last exam session (without any failed exams, regardless of the year of study);
• recommended average grade: minimum 7.00 (from previous academic years and including the first semester of the academic year 2022-2023);
• complete file submitted on time;
• to have the necessary language skills.

Attention! Beneficiaries of Erasmus mobility scholarships in a study cycle (bachelor, master) can enter the competition for mobility in a higher cycle (master, doctorate), provided they are FSPUB students at the beginning of the mobility.

The score is given as follows: 

• the academic motivation of choosing the destination and the ability to adapt to new cultural situations and environments (40%):  1 – 10 points, 10 maximum, it is evaluated in correlation with the Study Plan; 
• the interest in the international mobility, the relevance of the mobility for the specialization of the student in the field (30%): 1 – 10 points, 10 maximum, it is evaluated through the relevant documents in the file (CV, letter of motivation);
• language skills (20%): 1 – 10 points, 10 maximum, it is evaluated through the relevant documents from the file; C2 – 10 points, C1 – 9 points, B2 – 7 points, B1 – 5 points, A2 – 4 points, A1 – 2 points, very little knowledge – 1 point;
• study performance (10%): the average of all the semesters completed in the current study program (for the first year: 1 semester; for the second year: 3 semesters; for the third year: 5 semesters).

The final score is the weighted average of the four criteria above (the weights are mentioned in brackets). The minimum score for the selection is 7.50.

Further selection criteria

If there are candidates with the same score on the last eligible place, the selection criteria will be, in order, 1. the academic motivation for choosing the destination; 2. the level of linguistic knowledge; 3. the average grade.

Calendar

March 31 – April 14, 2023

Online registration. The file must be sent to irina.matei@fspub.unibuc.ro 

April 20, 2023 – Displaying the results

April 21, 2023 – Appeals

April 22, 2023 – Displaying the final results

Specifications

• Students in the final years at the time of selection will be required to leave on the second semester of the first year of the master’s degree, provided that they will enroll at master’s degree and they present at the Erasmus + Office of the UB the certificate from the faculty confirming the admission;
• It is granted for a minimum of 3 months of physical mobility (minimum 90 days from the presentation at the host university and until the completion date of the exams, according to the data confirmed by the host university) and a maximum of the end of the 2023-2024 host university semester.
• Can only be granted in case of physical mobility in the host country (travel in the host country). If the host institution offers online courses, the physical presence in the host country throughout the mobility is a mandatory condition for funding and official recognition of the Erasmus mobility.
• The Erasmus grant is not intended to cover all expenses abroad, it is only a financial support for physical mobility, which will be fully recognized upon return, provided that the documents necessary for validation are presented.
• A student can benefit from an ERASMUS grant during each study cycle (up to a maximum of 12 months of mobility / study cycle).

THE COMPETITION COMMISSION

Lect.univ.dr. Irina MATEI, chair

Conf.univ.dr. Ruxandra IVAN, member

Lect.univ.dr. Mirela CERKEZ, member

THE APPEAL COMMISSION

Lect.univ.dr. Domnica GOROVEI, chair

Lect.univ.dr. Brîndușa NICOLAESCU, member

Conf.univ.dr. Cătălin AVRAMESCU, member

The registration form HERE

ERASMUS (since 2014 Erasmus+) is a mobility and cooperation programme in higher education, part of the Lifelong Learning Programme (LLP) managed by the European Commission (European Union).

In Romania, the national institution that manages and allocates funds for this programme on behalf of the European Commission is the National Agency for Community Programmes in Vocational Education and Training (ANPCDEFP).

Each year, it allocates to Romanian universities that have signed an Erasmus Charter the necessary funds to finance ERASMUS+ mobilities.

The University of Bucharest allocates a number of scholarships to each faculty according to the ERASMUS performance in the previous year. The competition for these scholarships is organized by each faculty in March or April for the following academic year, regardless of the semester in which the mobility takes place.

Since the creation of the programme (1987), more than 3 million BA, MA and PhD students have benefited from an ERASMUS mobility in a European university.

In such a mobility, students study at a university in a country other than the country where the university where they are enrolled is, in the same domain as their home university and without paying tuition fees.

The course at the host university is recognised by the home university through the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS) and is included in the diploma supplement issued upon graduation from the home university.

The mobility usually lasts one semester and is paid.

In order to be able to study in another European university through an ERASMUS+ scholarship, an ERASMUS agreement must have been signed between your university and the host university for that field of study (for the academic year 2021-2022 see list vezi lista aici).

In order to apply to the Erasmus+ scholarship competition organised within the Faculty of Political Sciences of the University of Bucharest (FSPUB) you must meet the following conditions:

• Be a Romanian citizen (or hold the citizenship of another country AND the right of temporary or permanent residence in Romania, as certified by specific documents issued by the competent Romanian authorities);
• Be enrolled as a student in one of the study programmes organised by the FSPUB (BA, MA or PhD) at the time of selection AND during the Erasmus placement;
• In the case of undergraduate students, to have completed at least one year of studies at FSPUB when the mobility starts;
• Have a good academic performance (average of previous years, including the first semester of the current academic year is recommended to be at least 7/10), have completed the last exam session AND have accumulated the full number of credits (ECTS) corresponding to the semesters already completed;
• know the language of study at your host university.

WARNING! Cannot apply

• Doctoral students receiving scholarships financed by structural funds (according to the contract concluded between the University of Bucharest and ANPCDEFP, to avoid double funding from European funds);
• Students who have already benefited from another ERASMUS internship in the same study cycle, with or without financial support;
• Students who are in arrears.

FSPUB has partnerships with more than 60 universities in 15 European countries. The full list is available HERE.

Language of study

Studies usually take place in the language of the host university, particularly in universities in French-speaking countries. This is why the FSPUB tests the language skills of its students. Many universities offer English language courses, but knowledge of the local language makes integration and academic success much easier, and the number of courses offered in English may be limited.

Which courses can be chosen?

You can choose courses in the field of Political Science, as similar as possible to those you would have studied at FSPUB. These can be included in the curriculum of a single department/faculty or several ones at the host university. If the host university allows you, you may also choose courses from other departments within the same university, if these courses deal with topics that belong conceptually and methodologically to the field of Political Science.

You may NOT attend courses or seminars that

• have the same title as disciplines already studied;
• in the FSPUB curriculum, are considered complementary courses for skills development (e.g. foreign languages, internship, computer science, etc.).

If you choose to improve your language level or certain technical skills, which is advisable, the value of these disciplines must be |added to the total amount of credits required to pass the Erasmus semester(s) (i.e. 30 ECTS). Language courses will generally be recognised on an optional basis (in addition to the 30 ECTS needed to pass a semester), unless there are no other options at the host university or if all courses have not been passed at the end of the mobility and the number of credits obtained (without counting language courses) is less than 30 ECTS.

How do I choose my courses?

When you leave the country, you commit yourself, through the so-called Learning Agreement, signed by the FSPUB institutional coordinator of the Erasmus programme, the university management and the partner university/department to follow a pre-established programme of courses, totalling a minimum of 30 ECTS/semester. These are chosen from the course packages offered by partner universities.

Once you arrive at your host university, you can change the list of courses chosen by means of an additional document attached to the study contract (Changes to learning agreement), signed by the student, the FSPUB representative and the representative of the host Department. These changes will be made only after obtaining the prior agreement of the FSPUB institutional coordinator of the Erasmus programme.

How many credits are required?

To finish a semester, you need to obtain 30 credits (ECTS) from courses that can be recognised as compulsory courses.

If you want to exceed the minimum threshold of 30 ECTS, on your return the credits for one additional course will be calculated in the amount of your graduation (including in advance for the next semester of study), the rest being considered optional courses.

NB: As the object and purpose of Erasmus funding is study, if you have not fully completed the programme, you are obliged to reimburse part or all of the funds received.

Extreme cases will be brought to the attention of the FSPUB and University management, which will analyse them and submit them to the National Agency for Community Programmes in Vocational Education and Training for approval.

Recognising the mobility

When returning from the ERASMUS mobility, you must notify the FSPUB Secretariat about your return and send to the Community Programmes Office of the University of Bucharest the certificate with the grades and credits obtained, issued by the partner/host university. The Community Programmes Office of the UB sends the results obtained to FSPUB, and the Erasmus coordinator at FSPUB issues the recognition certificate including the courses followed, the grades obtained, the equivalent in Romanian grades, according to the national equivalence grid, with the corresponding ECTS and with the clear specification of the place where the grades have been obtained. On the basis of this certificate, the FSPUB Secretariat completes the student’s school record.

Equivalence grid

There is currently a national equivalence grid recommended and used at the University of Bucharest. It is based on the ECTS equivalence system, noted with letters, which in the Romanian system are equated as follows

However, frequently, even in the same country, there are universities with their own grading scale.

In recognising grades, the most favourable scale to the student is taken into account.

Arrears

In order to complete a semester you need to obtain a minimum of 30 credits (ECTS) from completed academic courses, even if you have not completed one or more courses.

If the amount of ECTS for completed academic courses is less than 30, you can take the difference exam(s) in the first exam session of the FSPUB after the end of the mobility.

Grade increase

No grades can be increased within FSPUB for courses taken outside FSPUB, even if obtained during the Erasmus mobility.

The amount of the scholarship

The amount received by the student varies from year to year. In recent years it has ranged from 350 – 650 Euro per month.

ATTENTION!!! Depending on the destination, the amount may not fully cover the student’s travel, accommodation and living expenses, and a personal contribution may be required.

Duration of the grant

The duration of the grant is 1 semester of study (max. 4 months).

ATTENTION!!! The ERASMUS scholarship is a study mobility, ending with exams, the results of which are transcribed in your transcript. However, the completion of your studies takes place at the University of Bucharest, which will issue your diploma.

Extension

Upon request, the FSPUB board may approve the extension of the mobility for a second semester of an academic year without funding.

ATTENTION!!! Mobilities in the final years (year 3 BA, year 2 MA, year 3 PhD) cannot be extended. Exceptions to this provision may be granted, under special conditions, but the student cannot take the final examination in the session of his/her promotion, but in one of the following sessions.

All administrative and financial matters are managed by the Office for Community Programmes of the University of Bucharest.

The Erasmus FSPUB Coordinator, lect.dr Irina Matei, is in charge of the academic mobility.

Your tuition is still managed by the FSPUB Secretariat and administrative matters are managed by the Erasmus Office of the University of Bucharest.

Therefore, before you leave the country, you must notify the FSPUB Secretariat and the Erasmus Office of the University of Bucharest.

You must also notify the FSPUB Secretariat and the Erasmus Office of the University of Bucharest as a matter of urgency in case you give up your mobility.

If, due to any arrears accumulated during the ERASMUS stay, you exceed the period of the cycle you are enrolled in at FSPUB, you must follow the procedure for extending the period of study (grace semesters).

Accommodation

According to the accommodation procedure for Erasmus students, students who are in mobility

• in the first semester and returning in the second semester, must send an email to cazare@fspub.unibuc.ro in December, specifying the date of return (date from which dormitory accommodation is required) and the option for a specific dormitory.

Those returning from the second semester who have dormitory accommodation will exchange rooms with those returning from their Erasmus mobility.

Merit scholarship

During your Erasmus placement you can benefit from the FSPUB merit scholarship

Social scholarship

During your Erasmus placement you can benefit from the FSPUB social scholarship.

WHO CAN APPLY?

In order to apply for an Erasmus scholarship you must meet the eligibility conditions.

ATTENTION!!! Cannot apply

• PhD students who are beneficiaries of a scholarships financed by structural funds (according to the contract concluded between the University of Bucharest and ANPCDEFP, to avoid double financing from European funds);
• Students who have already benefited from another ERASMUS internship in the same study cycle, with or without financial support;
• Students who are in arrears.

WHERE CAN YOU STUDY?

You can choose any university with which FSPUB has a bilateral institutional contract. The list of partner universities is updated every year, usually at the end of semester 1.

HOW MANY SCHOLARSHIPS ARE AVAILABLE?

The number of student mobilities available each academic year for each study cycle is set by institutional contract and varies from year to year. This number is subject to the public funding provided for the academic year in which the mobilities take place. For FSPUB, in recent years a number of approx. 60 scholarships/year have been approved.

WHEN DOES THE COMPETITION TAKE PLACE?

The selection of candidates for the ERASMUS programme usually takes place in late March or early April for the following academic year.

WHAT DOES THE COMPETITION DOSSIER CONTAIN?

If you meet the eligibility requirements, you can apply for the FSPUB ERASMUS mobility scholarship competition by sending to the FSPUB ERASMUS coordinator (Lect.dr. Irina Matei) by the deadline announced in the competition calendar a file containing:

• Application form for the competition;
• A letter of intent and a CV, both written in a foreign language (preferably in the language of the first university on the list of preferences);
• Any other documents that may support the application (e.g. prizes in Olympiads, certificates of proficiency in the language to be studied at the host university , etc.).. 

The language proficiency certificate

A language proficiency certificate is awarded after an examination by an internationally recognised institution for this purpose (e.g. French: DALF, English: Cambridge, IELTS, TOEFL, Spanish: DELE, etc.).

Certificate of language proficiency

If you do not hold an internationally recognised language certificate (see previous question), the FSPUB issues a temporary certificate, valid only for the Erasmus competition. It can be obtained for French, English, Italian, Spanish and German.

HOW MANY ATTESTATIONS/CERTIFICATES ARE REQUIRED?

The attestation/certificate is required for each compulsory or optional language required at the university you have chosen. If you have opted for more than one university on your application form, you must provide proof of knowledge of the compulsory languages for all the options listed on the form.

For those applying for mobility grants in Italy or Spain, a minimum level B1 with at least “acceptable” in Italian and Spanish respectively is required. If the minimum level is B1, then knowledge of English at least at this level is also recommended (language in which some courses may be held).

WHAT IS THE MINIMUM RECOMMENDED LANGUAGE LEVEL?

CZECH REPUBLIC, SWITZERLAND, FINLAND, LITHUANIA, POLAND, PORTUGAL, SWEDEN, TURKEY

English: B2/C1

BELGIUM, FRANCE, TURKEY (Galatasaray University)

French: B2/C1

English (recommended): B2 (for Turkey)

ITALY

Italian: B1

English (recommended): B1, if the level of Italian is less than or equal to B1 “acceptable”.

SPAIN

Spanish: B1

English (recommended): B1, if the level of Spanish is less than or equal to B1 “acceptable”.

GERMANY

German: C1

English (recommended): B2

WHAT SELECTION PROCESS?

Each academic year, usually at the end of the first semester, the Office for Community Programmes of the University of Bucharest informs FSPUB of the number of scholarships and the list of partner universities. Upon receipt of these data, the FSPUB Board sets the competition calendar and publicly announces its opening.

The FSPUB Council appoints a Selection Committee which evaluates the applications according to

• the applicants’ academic performance (for first-year applicants, the average of the first semester, for other students, the average of the years of study completed and of the last semester);
• the language level;
• the academic suitability of the destination.

The Commission publishes the list of scholarship holders awarded and the waiting list of students who may receive a scholarship if any of the scholarship holders withdraw their mobility. Students on the waiting list (“reserves”) may undertake mobility without funding.

Appeals can be addressed to the FSPUB Management.

If you are on the list of selected students, the ERASMUS Office of the University of Bucharest and the FSPUB ERASMUS Coordinator will inform you about all the procedures to follow in order to carry out the mobility in good conditions.

After the selection, the ERASMUS Office of the University attends a briefing on Erasmus internships, administrative and financial aspects. The Erasmus documents to be filled before departure by the holders and reserves, the deadlines and the documents to be returned at the end of the placement will be communicated.

ATTENTION!!! Accepted students must strictly respect the deadlines communicated for the completion of the application, which may be different for each partner university.

WHEN CAN THE MOBILITY BEGIN?

Bachelor’s degree, year 2, semester 2 (recommended) or semester 1: If you are enrolled in year 1 at the time of selection, provided that you have fulfilled your academic obligations in full by the end of year 1.

Bachelor, year 3, semester 1: If at the time of selection you are enrolled in year 2, provided you have fulfilled your academic obligations in full by the end of year 2.

Master, year 1, semester 2: If at the time of selection you are enrolled in year 3, provided you are admitted to an FSPUB Master programme.

Master, year 2, semester 1: If at the time of selection you are enrolled in year 1 of the Master, provided that you have fulfilled all academic obligations at the end of year 1 of the Master.

PhD, year 2, semester 1 or 2: If at the time of selection you are enrolled in year 1 of the PhD, provided that you have fulfilled all academic obligations at the end of year 1.

PhD, year 3, semester 1: If at the time of selection you are enrolled in year 2 of the PhD, provided that you have fulfilled your academic obligations in full by the end of year 2.

As a rule, ERASMUS mobilities are not possible in the last semester of the academic cycle. Exceptions to this provision may be granted under special conditions, but the student may not sit the final examination in the session of his/her promotion, but in one of the following sessions.