Internships abroad

- The internship has to be part of the curriculum of your degree programme. Hence, it has to be awarded with ECTS. You need to achieve at least 3 ECTS per month abroad.

- The internship needs to be full-time (depending on the host country, the number of working hours is usually between 36 and 40, meaning 5 workdays per week).

- The internship must last for a minimum of 60 days in order to qualify for Erasmus+ funding. For the calculation, each full month equals 30 days. If the overall duration falls below 60 days , the grant has to be paid back. Weekends are counted into the funding period, as well as national holidays but not private holidays. The first and last day cannot be a Saturday or Sunday (unless the student has to work at the host institution on those days). The International Office has a calculation tool to calculate the exact duration.
The mobility start date = the first day the student has to be present at the host institution
The mobility end date = the last day the student has to be present there

- Erasmus+ funding is restricted to 5 months (= 150 days). If the duration of your mobility exceeds 5 months, you can keep the status of an Erasmus+ student by requesting a zero grant for the remaining days/months.

- Erasmus+ funding cannot be granted if the intern receives an internship allowance of €650 or more per month.

Once you have the approval of your internship coordinator at the RUG and you have been accepted by a host institution located in one of the Erasmus programme countries (mainly EU/EEA), you can apply for Erasmus+ funding. Note: your internship plans need to meet the requirements as stated under 'requirements'.

Application for the Erasmus scholarship is done through the Mobility Online program. Please contact the International Office via exchange.gmw@rug.nl if your internship meets the requirements for the grant.

Please send your email on time, preferably one month in advance. The International Office will then send you a link which enables you to access the Mobility Online system and complete the application. The application for Erasmus+ funding must be submitted before the mobility start date.

The monthly Erasmus+ grant amount per country can be found on the following website.
70% of the overall grant amount will be paid out in advance. At the end of your exchange period, you need to complete the last forms to receive the remaining 30% of your grant.

If you decide to do an internship at an institution that is not located in one of the Erasmus programme countries but in any other country outside of the Netherlands, you can apply for the Marco Polo fund.

- The internship has to be part of the curriculum of your degree programme. Hence, it has to be awarded with ECTS. You need to achieve at least 3 ECTS per month abroad.

- The internship needs to be full-time (depending on the host country, the number of working hours is usually between 36 and 40, meaning 5 workdays per week).

- The internship must last for a minimum of 60 days in order to qualify for Marco Polo funding. For the calculation, each full month equals 30 days. If the overall duration falls below 60 days , the grant has to be paid back. Weekends are counted into the funding period, as well as national holidays but not private holidays. The first and last day cannot be a Saturday or Sunday (unless the student has to work at the host institution on those days). The International Office has a calculation tool to calculate the exact duration.
The mobility start date = the first day the student has to be present at the host institution
The mobility end date = the last day the student has to be present there

- Marco Polo funding is restricted to 5 months (= 150 days). If the duration of your mobility exceeds 5 months, you can keep the status of an exchange student by requesting a zero grant for the remaining days/months.

Once you have the approval of your internship coordinator at the RUG and you have been accepted by a host institution located a country outside of the EU/EEA, you can apply for Marco Polo funding. Note: your internship plans need to meet the requirements as stated under 'requirements'.

Application for the Marco Polo grant is done through the Mobility Online program. Please contact the International Office via exchange.gmw@rug.nl if your internship meets the requirements for the grant.

Please send your email on time, preferably one month in advance. The International Office will then send you a link which enables you to access the Mobility Online system and complete the application. The application for Marco Polo funding must be submitted before the mobility start date.

The monthly Marco Polo grant amount per country can be found on the following website.
70% of the overall grant amount will be paid out in advance. At the end of your exchange period, you need to complete the last forms to receive the remaining part of your grant.

Students are responsible for arranging full insurance coverage for their exchange abroad. They should make sure that their insurance coverage is sufficient at the moment of departure and that it covers the entire period of their exchange abroad. More information can be obtained from the students’ own insurance company.

The RUG arranged for a basic insurance coverage (travel, third-party liability and accident insurance, no health insurance!) for students going abroad in order to earn ECTS for their degree programme in Groningen. This insurance is only to be considered as a backup and it only covers work-related incidents, no private incidents happening outside of the work context.

Information about the policy can be found here.

• Health Insurance

Students are responsible for arranging their own appropriate insurance covering the costs for foreign health care. The policy should include a repatriation clause in case of serious illness or death, or if the same happens to a family member.

European Health Insurance Card (EHIC)

EU/ EEA students can ask their insurance company for an EHIC Card. This card entitles the holder to immediate emergency help in Europe.

Note: There is no basic health cover outside the EHIC participating countries, or if students stay in one of the EHIC participating countries for more than twelve months. In that case students will have to take out a separate health insurance policy, either in the host country or, for example via AON, health insurance companies with special offers for students who go abroad for study or an internship. Information on AON’s policy: students-insurance.eu

• Third-Party Liability Insurance

This type of insurance covers material damage or bodily harm to a third party as a result of the student’s own actions. Many students in the Netherlands are covered under their parents’ third-party liability insurance policy. This includes worldwide cover and is usually adequate for a stay of three months abroad. Of course, every insurance company has different rules and regulations. If the stay abroad exceeds the length of time covered, students will have to take out additional cover. If the student’s parents do not have third-party liability cover, students should take out their own insurance which is valid abroad in the host country.

• Travel Insurance

It is recommended to take out travel insurance to cover the journey to and from the destination abroad, as well as the entire stay. This will include coverage for loss or theft of luggage, or damage to it. Travel insurances include ‘SOS cover’. Extra expenses (e.g. repatriation) as a result of illness, accident or death are usually included as well. It is also possible to add foreign health insurance in a travel insurance policy, if necessary. Students should make sure to have a copy of all policies at hand at all times, as well as the health care insurance card. Students will have to show this card when enrolling at the host university. The Student Service Centre (SSC) of the University of Groningen has a list of health care insurance companies. A number of companies have attractive packages for students who are going to be spending time abroad.

• Accident insurance

It is advisable to take out accident insurance in addition to the collective RUG insurance, as the RUG insurance does not cover accidents that happen outside of the work context.

 Please note that the University of Groningen is not liable for any expenses involved with illness or accidents abroad!

• Check if you require a visa or residence permit for internships. Important note for non-EU/EEA degree students: If you plan on doing your internship within the EU, please contact the embassy of the relevant EU member state to see if they require a residence permit for internships.

• Check the website of your ministry of foreign affairs for travel advice.

• Register at the embassy/consulate of your home country – as soon as you arrive at the host institution. Please go to website of the ministry of foreign affairs of your own country.

The housing possibilities vary per destination. The International Office does not arrange this. Students should ask their host institution for help or advice.

Students should make sure to be proficient in the language of instruction of their host institution.