The Erasmus Programme stands for EuRopean Community Action Scheme for the Mobility of University Students. It is a student exchange program of the European Union that started in 1994. Today, over 4000 institutions in 31 European participate in the Erasmus Programme. The Erasmus scholarship can be a real boon to students. Here are seven reasons to choose Erasmus to help fund your college education.
1. It gives you the opportunity to study in a European country for three months to one academic year.
Studies have shown that employers look highly upon candidates who have studied abroad at some time during their college careers. Studying abroad not only broadens your horizons, it provides you with a cultural diversity that is necessary in today’s global workplace.
2. You won’t have to pay any extra tuition fees to your chosen European university.
Yes, there may be extra fees involved with living abroad, but this is one reason that your parents might like the idea of Erasmus – no extra tuition fees to worry about. Plus, you can apply for an Erasmus grant to cover some of your extra living expenses.
3. You will get the chance to socialize and make friends from many different countries.
Erasmus provides a whole new cultural phenomenon for students, allowing them to meet and make friends with many people from various countries whom they would not otherwise meet. You will experience a real sense of community with these international students, and many schools hold Erasmus parties where Erasmus students congregate and have fun.
4. Being known as a former Erasmus student gives you a positive identity.
Some researchers have proposed that former Erasmus students will be a driving force in creating a pan-European identity. Political scientist Stefan Wolff has said, “Give it 15, 20 or 25 years, and Europe will be run by leaders with a completely different socialization from those of today.” He is, of course, referring to former Erasmus students running Europe someday in the future.
5. Erasmus is open to all students, even those with disabilities.
Unlike some student exchange programs, Erasmus is open to each and every student, regardless of disability. In fact, students with disabilities may apply for extra Erasmus grants to cover the added expenses of living with their disability in a foreign country. This is designed to promote work opportunities for the disabled.
6. You will learn more than what’s in the textbooks.
The Erasmus experience provides a whole new way for students to look at life. It is a way to look at the world with new eyes, to feel and discover new emotions and learn what is not written in the textbooks.
7. You will gain self-awareness as well as cultural awareness.
Research has found that studying abroad can enrich a student academically and professionally as well as improving language learning, intercultural skills, self-reliance and self-awareness. The Erasmus experience helps students discover what it really means to be a European citizen.
