General information

  • student working in the lab

Hosting Erasmus+ trainees offers the opportunity to make project teams and working groups more international (with organizational and administrative support from BOKU-IR).

Erasmus+ traineeships last between 2 and 12 months.

Erasmus+ trainees always need a supervisor at the institute/department.

There are no contracts at university level for Erasmus+ Traineeships, only a Learning Agreement for the Traineeship is signed at the institute (see below)

Erasmus+ trainees receive:

  • Scholarship from the home university
  • Student status at BOKU (if they fulfill the requirements)
  • Information and support from BOKU-IR (e.g. on accommodation, first steps in Vienna and similar)
  • Possible but not obligatory: Since the scholarship of the home universities does not cover all costs, the institutes/departments have the possibility to pay the interns additionally. If payment is agreed, this must be arranged via the HR department (as an employment contract or internship agreement).

The application process for traineeships

  • student working on a laptop

The application for internships comprises three steps:

  1. Applying for an Erasmus+ traineeship grant at the home university
  2. Search for a traineeship at a BOKU institute/department
    Trainees contact BOKU institutes/supervisors. The content and schedule of the internship are coordinated.
  3. Online application at BOKU (support by BOKU-IR)
    If a confirmation of supervision has been given by an institute or a BOKU researcher, interns can apply online to BOKU in step 3.

All Erasmus+ interns at BOKU must complete the first part of the online application, as this ensures that the data is recorded. The BOKU-IR team will then check whether the intern can be granted student status.

  • Only students who fulfill the requirements for student status (valid student status at the home university, language skills: Bachelor: German B2, Master/PHD: German or English B2) must upload application documents and will receive an admission letter to enroll as an exchange student at BOKU.
     
  • If the intern does not fulfill the requirements for student status, BOKU-IR will send an info mail to the intern and the supervisor at BOKU, which was indicated in the application form. In this case, it is up to the supervisor to decide whether to accept the intern without student status In such a case, BOKU-IR is not officially responsible and cannot sign any documents. In this case, access to the required BOKU facilities/platforms must also be organized at the respective institute/department.
    But of course we at BOKU-IR are very grateful if you also accept interns who cannot obtain student status
     

Learning Agreement for the Traineeship

For an Erasmus+ traineeship, a Learning Agreement for the Traineeship must always be completed (jointly by the trainee and the supervisor; regardless of whether the trainee receives student status), in which the objectives and tasks of the traineeship are set out. The Learning Agreement also serves as the basis for entitlement to Erasmus funding. The Learning Agreement should usually be provided by the home university (otherwise there is a general EU form)

The “Learning Agreement for Traineeships” is the formal document for an Erasmus traineeship. In addition to a description of the content of the activities, it must also specify the contact persons, the period, any financial compensation, insurance information and the like. This document is signed by all three parties (intern, home university and BOKU supervisor).

Insurance for Erasmus+ Traines

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Trainees who are registered as exchange students automatically get a liability and accidental insurance. Provider: Generali Versicherung AG; Policy Nr. for the accidental insurance: 000-1809-6819, Policy Nr. for the liability insurance: 000-1810-4297 (“ÖH-Versicherung”, i.e. combined insurance for all students registered at an Austrian university)

ÖH insurance

Suggested text for Learning Agreement Section C on Insurance

Trainees without student status have to arrange a liability and accidental insurance by themselves. This also applies to trainees who start their traineeship out of the registration period at BOKU (Registration for summer semester: begin January until March 31, Registration for winter semester: mid of June until October 31 – see BOKU’s “Zeittafel”). The trainees need an insurance for the period that they are not registered at BOKU (The insurance for BOKU students is valid from the registration date at BOKU). 

If your institute/department wants to take over the insurance costs for the students, BOKU-International Relations could help with the organization. Please contact our colleague Eleonora Coni 

In any case, please check upon arrival, if your trainees are fully insured.