FAQs
Q: When is the next call for applications open?
A: The next call for applications opens on October 15, 2010 at 00:01 and closes on November 28, 2010 at 23:59. This call is open to all scholars who would like to start their mobility in autumn 2011. There are no scholarships available for mobility flows which start in spring 2011.
Q: How long can I stay abroad if I am granted a scholarship?
A: This depends on your type of mobility and on whether you applied as an exchange student or a degree student.
Undergraduate exchange students: between 1 semester and 1 academic year
Master exchange students: between 1 semester and 1 academic year
Master degree students: between 1 and 2 academic years depending on the duration of the master programme at the host university
Doctorate exchange students: between 6 and 10 months
Doctorate degree students: 3 academic years
Post-doc students: between 6 and 10 months
Staff: 1 month
Please note that applying as degree seeking students is not an option for outgoing students from EU countries. Only students from universities in the Western Balkan partner countries can apply for a degree programme. Find further information here
Q: What is the difference between an exchange student and a degree student?
A: If you are an exchange student, you are registered at your home university and only temporarily study at a partner university, the host university. As a degree student, on the other hand, you register and also obtain your degree at a university in an EU country. Find further information here
Q: What target groups are there for the programme and which group do I belong to?
A: There are three target groups for mobility from Western Balkan countries to EU countries and there is one target group for mobility from EU countries to Western Balkan countries. You belong to this target group 1 if you are registered as a student or employed as staff at one of the partner universities in the EU countries. Find out to which target group you belong to here.
Q: Can I apply for a scholarship if I am a national from the Western Balkans living in Europe?
A: This is generally not possible for Target Group 1 since students and staff have to be registered at one of the 9 Western Balkan partner universities.
Target Group 2 addresses Western Balkan Nationals registered at a university in their home country, which isn't part of the JoinEU-SEE partner universities' network or Western Balkan Nationals who have already obtained a degree from a higher education institution in a Western Balkan country.
In order to belong to Target Group 3 you need to hold the nationality of one of the 6 Western Balkan countries and proof that you belong to a vulnerable group (having a refugee status or asylum beneficiaries; objects of unjustified expulsion from university on racial, ethnic, religious, political, gender or sexual inclination; IDPs (Internally Displaced Persons)).
Find out to which target group you belong to here.
This makes it possible for Western Balkan Nationals living in Europe to apply for a scholarship if they belong to either Target Group 2 or 3. Be aware, however, that in order to be eligible, Western Balkan Nationals (undergraduate, master, doctorate, post-doctorate and staff candidates) must not have resided nor carried out their main activity (studies, work, etc) for more than a total of 12 months over the last five years (September 2006 - September 2011) in one of the European countries.
Q: Can I apply for an inter-European or inter-Third-country mobility?
A: No, it is not possible to apply for an inter-European or inter-Third-country mobility as this kind of mobility is not covered by the programme.
Q: What courses can I take abroad?
A: All universities in the JoinEU-SEE consortium are comprehensive universities, which means that they offer a wide range of studies which are open to mobility scheme participants. You have to choose your type of mobility first and then find out about possible fields of study at the university you are interested in. Our website provides a list of fields of study you can choose from at each university. For further information please get in touch with the official JoinEU-SEE contact person at the respective host university.
Q: What language requirements do I need to fulfil?
A: Each university states in their information sheets, which languages they offer and which languages certificates are required to be uploaded. The students and staff members need to have the required knowledge to follow (or give) courses in the language concerned.
Q: Do I have to pay tuition fees?
A: If the mobility is inferior to 10 months, you will continue paying your registration fees at your home university and the host university must apply a fee waiver policy (no registration/tuition fees). Excepting small fees for covering, for example, library costs or laboratory consumables, which are equally charged to local students, incoming students will not be charged tuition fees.
In case the mobility lasts longer than 9 months and 30 days, tuition fees at the host university will be funded with up to a maximum of 3.000 € per year (if applicable). Participating universities may not claim tuition/registration fees from visiting students beyond the amount of 3.000€. Find more information here.
Q: Will I be awarded some form of diploma at the end of my mobility period?
A: If you apply as an exchange student, you will not obtain a diploma from the host institution at the end of your mobility period. However, exchange students will be provided with a transcript of records specifying the credits obtained for each of the courses attended. The Learning Agreement and the transcript of records guarantee the transfer of credit for courses passed successfully by the student. The relevant person in charge at the home university carries out the recognition after the student returns to his/her home institution. A list of the persons in charge is provided on the general information sheet of the university, which you can find here
As a degree student, you will receive a diploma from your host university in the EU Country.
Q: Do I need to upload a learning agreement or similar document?
A: Applicants for Undergraduate and Master Exchange – YES, please upload the Learning Agreement
Applicants for Master Degree and Doctorate Degree – NO
Applicants for Doctorate Exchange – YES, please upload the Study and Research Plan
Applicants for Post Doctorate and Staff – YES, please upload the Training/Research/Teaching Plan
Q: What is a Learning Agreement, Study/Research Plan, Research/Teaching/Training Plan and how do I get it?
A: A Learning Agreement, Study/Research Plan, Research/Teaching/Training Plan is a study plan that details what subjects/courses/fields of research you intend to cover during your mobility and thus provides information on what you want to achieve during your stay abroad. It has to be agreed on with the relevant person in charge at your home university. The Learning Agreement, Study/Research Plan, Research/Teaching/Training Plan needs to be signed by the student/staff and the persons in charge at your home institution (Academic coordinator and JoinEU-SEE contact person) before submitting the application. Once the mobility has started the document needs to be signed by the Academic coordinator and JoinEU-SEE contact person at the host institution who thereby guarantee that the incoming student/staff member can study/research the planned course units/modules. You can find a list of all JoinEU-SEE contact persons here.
The Learning Agreement and the transcript of records guarantee the transfer of credit for courses passed successfully by the exchange student. The relevant person in charge at the home university carries out the recognition after the student returns to his/her home institution.
Q: I haven't received my TOEFL score and/or bachelor certificate yet and won't be able to upload this document until the deadline of this call. What should I do?
A: In case you don’t have all required documents now (e.g. you don’t have obtained your degree yet, but you will have obtained it once the mobility starts), please get in touch with your respective host university. In case the official JoinEU-SEE contact person at the host university exceptionally agrees, that some documents can be sent after this call's deadline, this email conversation should be copied & pasted and uploaded as an explanation. In case your application is sucessful, you will be conditionally accepted and you will be given a certain deadline in order to submit the missing document. Please note though that applicants who have completed their applications by uploading all required documents will be favored.
Q: What is meant by "certificate"?
A: Bachelor degree, master degree or doctorate degree or equivalent (according to the level of the applicant).
Q: What is a "transcript of records"?
A: A list of exams passed at your home university.
Q: For exchange students only: How do I find out about recognition requirements at my home university?
A: You have to check recognition requirements at your home university by contacting your academic coordinator.
Q: How will I receive my scholarship/grant?
A: The programme partnership is responsible for paying out the grants to the students and staff. Payments are made on a regular basis, generally on a monthly basis, and will be transferred to your bank account.
Q: What will be covered by the scholarship?
A: The scholarship will cover travel expenses, insurance (travel, health, accident), tuition fees (where applicable), and a monthly subsistence allowance.
Q: How are travel expenses calculated?
A: The amount for travel costs is based on a fixed sum depending on the distance between on one side the home university (for Target Group 1), location of origin (for Target Group 2) or location of residence (for Target Group 3) of the student/staff and on the other side the hosting university premises.
Q: How can I get a visa?
A: Once you have received an official nomination that you have been accepted for participation in the mobility scheme, you will have to apply for a visa in your home country by contacting the embassy of your chosen host country.
It has to be taken into account that obtaining a visa can take some time. The JoinEU-SEE contact person at your home and host university is a useful contact to turn to in case you need advice on how to proceed.
Q: Will I receive insurance cover for the duration of my mobility?
A: Yes, you will be covered by a complementary travel, health and accident insurance which will be organized and directly paid by the JoinEU-SEE project coordinator.
Q: What kind of services can I expect to be offered by my host institution as an incoming student or staff member?
A: According to the rules of the programme, the host institutions are required to provide practical information and assistance to help students/staff settle in and get acquainted with the host university. Services provided may include, for example, linguistic support in the form of language courses, information on housing facilities, activities encouraging social integration, and services for students with a family or special needs. Find further information about each university on the respective information sheets
Q: How does the selection proceed?
A: The selection procedure is done at the host institution after the approval of the sending institution. A selection committee, which consists of representatives from the partner universities, will be responsible for the final selection. Only applicable for Undergraduate and Master exchange students: In case a nomination to the university of first choice is not possible, the application will be evaluated by the host university of second choice.
Selection criteria taken into account by the committee are:
• Academic performance
• Motivation statement
• Language skills
• CV
• Only for exchange students/staff: Learning Agreement (Undergraduates and Master exchange students); Study/Research Plan (for Doctorates); Research/Teaching/Training Plan (for Post-doctorates and Staff)
Each of these criteria will be ranked (1-5) by the host institution.
Other criteria considered in the selection are:
• gender balance
• level of vulnerability (for target group 3)
• commitment to contribute to the academic network of the consortium and to prevent brain drain (especially for Post-doctorates and staff)
Q: If I am not eligible for JoinEU-SEE, where can I find out about other scholarship opportunities?
A: Please have a look at this website: http://www.s4wb.eu/. Here you will find a Scholarship Database which provides an online search engine for all Western Balkan students and researchers who would like to study in EU member states and EFTA countries and are looking for financial aid. The database offers information on a variety of scholarships for Western Balkan students and researchers.
Q: I was granted a scholarship within JoinEU-SEE before. Can I apply again?
A: Basically you can apply again for a JoinEU-SEE scholarship, if you apply within a different type of mobility. If you have been selected as e.g. Undergraduate before, you can now apply as a master student. However, preference will always be given to new applications. Only in case there are still scholarships available after all new applications have been selected, past JoinEU-SEE scholars' applications will be considered. Please be aware that chances to get selected again are very low.
However, it's not possible to get nominated for the same type of mobility a second time.