Erasmus+ grant for semester studies abroad
Before the beginning of your studies abroad, you must sign your Erasmus grant agreement. This agreement stipulates your rights and obligations as a participant, the exact period during which you will be studying abroad, and the size of your scholarship. You may sign the agreement:
- No earlier than 4 weeks before and no later than 1 week before the beginning of your studies abroad;
- Digitally (digitally signed and sent by email);
- After your Study Plan has been approved by the VÕTA committee, you have received a letter of acceptance from the host university, and your Learning Agreement has been signed at minimum by you and your coordinator at the University of Tartu.
Eighty percent (80%) of the total sum of your stipend will be transferred to your Estonian bank account, usually a week or two after your agreement has been signed. The Learning Agreement is an annex to the grant agreement -- i.e., the grant is given so that you can complete the courses specified in the Learning Agreement. The Erasmus+ student charter is another annex to the grant agreement.
Erasmus+ scholarship
The scholarship is meant to help you cover the expenses you will incur while abroad but will not necessarily cover all of them, so be prepared to cover a certain portion of the costs yourself. Erasmus+ program does not grant participants with the scholarship in case of distance learning without moving to the host country.
The European Commission's grant amounts from spring 2024 onwards for UT students studying abroad are the following:
| Group of receiving countries | Countries | Monthly grant |
| Countries with high cost of living | Ireland, Island, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Denmark (countries outside program: Switzerland, United Kingdom) | 674 euros per month (30 days in month) |
| Countries with medium cost of living | Austria, Belgium, The Netherlands, Spain, Italy, Greece, Cyprus, Malta, Portugal, France, Germany | 674 euros per month (30 days in month) |
| Countries with low cost of living | Bulgaria, Croatia, North Macedonia, Lithuania, Latvia, Poland, Rumenia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Czech Republic, Turkey, Hungary, Serbia | 606 euros per month (30 days in month) |
Higher Erasmus+ grant for students with disadvantaged background
You are entitled to apply for an additional 250 euros per month if you fulfill one of the following conditions:
- received the needs-based study allowance or needs-based special allowance or UT support for Ukrainian students during the semester prior to study abroad or during the study abroad semester
- a parent of minor child/children
- with foster care background
- diminished work ability
- with health related special needs or chronic illness*
* Will be considered as participants with fewer opportunities in Erasmus+ Europe mobility starting from spring 2024.
These documents must be submitted to the Erasmus Student Exchange Coordinator when signing the Erasmus grant agreement or by the deadline specified by the Coordinator:
- the Estonian Ministry of Education and Research's written and digitally signed decision to allot you a needs-based study allowance or
- a copy of UT’s order to allot you a need-based special allowance.
Top-up for green travelling
You can receive a bonus if you use environmentally friendly, sustainable means of transport for your trip to your host country and back (covering more than half of the distance). This includes travel by train or by bus.
The support consists of:
a) an one-time additional allowance of 50 euros;
b) extension of the study abroad granted period by up to 4 travel days (up to 2 days for going to study abroad destination and up to 2 travel days for returning from studies abroad).
Verification: travel tickets/boarding passes (to confirm the type and dates of travel). In other cases, the scholarship is calculated from the start date of the study abroad (when you have to be present related to studies), and the travel dates or arriving earlier is not included in the period supported. In case of the green way of travel, it is possible to extend the granted period of the study abroad by the travel dates due to longer trips. This is provided in case the actual travel dates prove it. It is also possible to apply only for an additional allowance (50 euros) and not to use the extension of the granted study abroad period (if it´s not appropriate).
Erasmus+ additional grant for the students with special needs
Students with physical, mental or health-related special needs may apply for a grant in addition to the regular Erasmus+ study mobility grant. In anticipation of your Erasmus+ mobility, you must indicate your needs and foreseen extra costs associated with your physical, mental or health-related special needs in order to apply for the Erasmus+ special needs support grant. Areas that could be eligible for support linked to your Erasmus+ mobility, according to individual needs, include but are not limited to: adapted accommodation, travel assistance, medical care, medical support equipment, modified learning materials, an accompanying person, etc. NB! In case of additional support related to actual costs: cost documents addressed to and paid by the participant (agreement, invoice, payment order, cash check). Spendings must be done during the mobility period. If any of these conditions apply to you, please contact the Erasmus Student Exchange Coordinator and explain your condition and possible associated costs.
The estimated amount of the Erasmus+ grant can be calculated with the Grant Simulator calculator on the Erasmus Student Network (ESN) website.
NB! The amount obtained on the calculator is approximate. The final amount may change depending on the project from which the UT finances studying abroad.
Estonian government co-financing
Erasmus+ participants who are students of Estonian universities receive co-financing from the Estonian government.
For 2022 project: In determining the amount of each government stipend, the University of Tartu takes into account the total amount of money allotted to the university and the number of students studying abroad during the period of financing. If there is money left over, the university may increase the stipend, with the stipulation that the final amount of support may not exceed the maximum of 200 euros/month. In allotting the leftover money, the cost of living in the student’s destination country and length of the student’s studies abroad may be taken into consideration.
Starting from project 2023 Estonian government support is 135 euros per participant (one-time payment). To allot this stipend, we sign a contract similar to the Erasmus+ grant agreement; it does not have to be applied for separately.
