Funding the exchange
Students going on exchange to any of the partner institutions of VAMK do not normally have to pay tuition fees to the partner institution. If there are any exceptions, students will be informed. However, students may need to pay other fees, such as student union fees, purchase of books and supplies or service fees at the host institution. This depends on the target country and institution.
The most important and necessary expenses related to the exchange are insurance, travel and living costs.
It is worthwhile to calculate carefully in advance how much financing is needed for the period of studies abroad.
From these pages you will find more detailed information about applying for the VAMK grants and other opportunities.
VAMK grant is available for students going on exchange, if there is no other special funding, salary or scholarships available. The financial aid which VAMK grants to students will cover part of the total expenses. The amount of the grant varies depending on the destination country. In order to receive a grant from VAMK, you need to present the following documents before the mobility period begins:
Documents and attachments required for Grant Application:
1. Grant application
2. Acceptance letter or email (for studies) or VAMK practical training plan (signed by the supervising teacher and the organization representative) AND either :3a, 3b 3c:
- 3. a ERASMUS studies in Europe: Erasmus+ Grant agreement
OR - 3. b ERASMUS unpaid practical training in Europe: Erasmus+Learning Agreement for Traineeships and Erasmus+ Grant Agreement
- 3.c for studies or practical training outside Europe (Finnish students only): Exchange Agreement
Send the documents to: international@vamk.fi .
The grant will be paid to your bank account usually within one month (no processing in July). If the grant application is rejected, you will receive a notification.
The first and bigger part of Erasmus grant will be paid before the exchange period. Second part (max 200 €) will be paid after the exchange when student has submitted the following documents:
- Original Learning Agreement (studies)
- Changes to original Learning Agreement (when applicable)
- Transcript of Records (studies)
- Certificate of stay / Traineeship Certificate from the host institution/employer with the exact dates of the exchange
- Exchange report in English
- EU Survey (online questionnaire)
Erasmus+ -grant is based on the actual dates and it is re-calculated after the mobility period based on certificate received from the host institution. This means that if the student/trainee stays a shorter period than estimated or agreed, the grant will be less. In some exceptional cases VAMK needs to send an invoice to the student if the final grant is much smaller than the preliminary grant.
NOTE! As a grant recipient, the student is obliged to write a report within one month after completing the exchange period. Otherwise the grant must be reimbursed. Other reasons for reimbursement are failure in studies during the exchange or inappropriate behaviour at the host institution.
Please note that categories and amounts may change yearly
| Countries |
Studying Grant Grant (€/month) |
Studying €/day |
Training Grant €/month |
Training €/day |
|
| Group 1
Programme Countries with higher living costs
|
Denmark, Iceland, Ireland, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Norway, Sweden, United Kingdom |
540 | 18 | 690 | 23 |
|
Group 2 Programme Countries with medium or lower living costs |
Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Cyprus, Estonia, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Turkey, Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia |
490 | 16,33 | 640 | 21,33 |
The Erasmus grant is paid by full calendar months (1 calendar month = 28-31 days). For any number of days exceeding a full calendar month, a daily amount will be added.
For example: Student goes to exchange to Belgium, his first day of studies is 15.9. and his last day of exams is 20.12. The monthly grant is paid for 15.9. – 14.12. (3 months) and the daily amount is added for 15.12. – 20.12 (6 days). The total grant is 3 months X 490€ + 6 days X 16,33 € = 1568€.
The accountable days for Erasmus grant start from the first day (e.g. welcoming day, orientation day, start of the semester) and end on the last day the student needs to be present (e.g. end of exam period, last day of classes).
A student going on exchange may need accessibility services due to disability, illness, or for example, learning difficulties. The purpose of individual arrangements is to support the student’s studies and everyday life during the exchange: housing, mobility, leisure activities, health, and well-being. The need for support and its quality vary individually, as do the solutions.
It is advisable to start clarifying and organizing support well in advance.
The student going on exchange plays a key role in expressing their own needs regarding accessibility and related arrangements.
The items listed below are recommendations; participating universities and students may use and modify the list according to their own needs.
Practical instructions for outgoing students:
- Contact your own university’s international coordinator or accessibility contact person when planning your exchange. Start preparations approximately 6 months before departure.
- Familiarize yourself with the accessibility situation and services of the host country’s universities or the selected university, for example, on the universities’ websites or through the HEAG database. You can also contact the accessibility or disability coordinator of the host university well in advance of the exchange.
- If you use services according to the Disability Services Act or receive regular rehabilitation: contact your municipality’s social services and, for rehabilitation, the party responsible for rehabilitation costs (such as Kela, an insurance company, or social services) well in advance.
- If you use assistive devices: find out about their insurance coverage abroad.
- If you have medication: it is advisable to obtain the necessary medication for the entire duration of the exchange from Finland. However, first check with the airline and the destination country regarding the rules and restrictions on importing and transporting medications.
- If you need special arrangements related to disability or illness during the exchange: check with the host university what kind of expert opinions they require. Practices may vary between universities and countries. Obtain the necessary opinions, translate them into English, and submit them to the university 2-3 months before the start of your exchange period.
- Once the exchange is confirmed: agree on the division of communication with your own university.
Students with fewer opportunities participating in mobility activities and who belong to nationally defined groups may receive fixed top-up in addition to their regular Erasmus+ grant. In Finland, these groups are:
Social obstacles:
- Parents (with minor children under their care; support is granted even if the child/children remain in Finland)
- Family caregivers (with a caregiving agreement with the municipality in Finland)
Disabilities:
- Students with an EU Disability Card or eligibility for it
- Disabled and mobility-impaired individuals (with at least moderate functional impairment)
Health obstacles:
- Those suffering from severe and/or chronic health problems (with at least moderate functional impairment)
Migrant background:
- Students with international protection status (refugees, asylum seekers, beneficiaries of international, temporary, or subsidiary protection, or students with refugee travel documents)
Long-term mobility: the university pays an additional grant of 250 euros per month to outgoing students belonging to the above-mentioned groups. Both student and traineeship mobility receive a separate top-up grant in addition to the regular monthly grant. During the internship, the student also receives an internship grant (150 euros per month). Therefore, a student with fewer opportunities going for an internship receives both the internship grant and the fixed top-up.
Short-term mobility and other groups: students receive a fixed additional grant of 100 euros (for durations of 5–14 days) or 150 euros (for durations of 15–30 days) depending on the duration of the exchange.
The student must complete a separate declaration form and return it with the other necessary attachments along with the grant application.
If the participant (student or staff) incurs additional expenses related to mobility due to personal, physical, psychological, or health condition, learning difficulties, or similar reasons, the Erasmus+ program offers possibility to apply for additional accessibility grant based on actual costs The application period is ongoing.
Erasmus+ Accessibility Grant Application
If you use environmentally friendly, sustainable means of transport (travel by train, bus or the use of carpooling) for at least half of your trip to your host country, you are entitled to Erasmus+ Top up for green travelling. Check the conditions and submit the following document:
Length of the Exchange period |
(total amount Eur) |
| 2 months | 1200 € |
| 3 months | 1300 € |
| 4 months | 1400 € |
| 5 months | 1500 € |
| 6 months | 1600 € |
| 7 months | 1700 € |
| 8 months | 1800 € |
| 9 months | 1900 € |
| 10 months | 2000 € |
| 11 months | 2100 € |
| 12 months | 2200 € |
- Grant 200 Eur / month, 70 Eur/week (max. amounts)
- Travel Grant 330 Eur (depending on the destination country)
KELA provides financial aid for studies abroad (mainly Finnish nationalities). Please check the latest information: Payment of financial aid abroad | Our Services | Kela
