How to apply

Your College / School

Participating in the Programme

The procedure for participating in the Erasmus Programme varies from one College or School to another, and you will find more details, inluding a list of all our Erasmus study abroad opportunities, in our Handbook for Outgoing Erasmus Students, available on our Latest News page.

Eligibility

To take part in Erasmus, you have to be a registered NUI Galway student, in the appropriate year, and be selected by the relevant academic coordinator for one of the places that may be available in your subject. You can find the name of the departmental coordinator for each exchange in our Handbook for Outgoing Erasmus Students, available on our Latest News page. Our Erasmus Programme is extensive, but please note that we exchange students only with the listed universities and in the listed subject areas.

Making an Application to Study Abroad

How to apply, and what else you'll need to do

If you have not yet been nominated to take part in the programme but wish to find out more about the opportunities that might be available to you under Erasmus, please read the section Interested in Going on Erasmus?  You should also look at the information under the "Your College/School" tab above, as well as consulting our Handbook for Outgoing Erasmus Students, available on our Latest News page..

Once you have been allocated a place, you will need to:

• complete an Erasmus Grant Application form for University of Galway (see below) and observe the strict deadline;
• follow the necessary application procedure for the host university (your academic coordinator will advise);
• complete a Learning Agreement;
• complete the Erasmus grant agreement, return a copy to the International Office and keep a copy for yourself (before you leave to go on Erasmus, the International Office will send you this and other documents in an information package); 

If you are being nominated to go on Erasmus, your academic coordinator will provide the Internatinal Office with your email address, and we will send you a link to the online application form.  Please observe the deadline, as it is a strict one and late applications will not be possible. 

It should be understood that, while every effort will be made to facilitate as many students as possible in terms of Erasmus grant funding, there is no guarantee that funding will be available to award grants to all students nominated to take part in Erasmus by their academic department or by the International Office.  If it were to happen that the number of nominated students exceeded the number of grants available, students would have the option of participating in the programme on an zero-grant basis. This would mean that a student enjoys all the benefits of the Erasmus programme as regards paying no tuition fees to the host university, having their study period offically recognised, etc., but without the mobility grant.

Plan ahead, talk things through with your departmental coordinator, and ask him/her to put you in touch with former Erasmus students and with students from partner universities who are currently studying here at University of Galway. Former Erasmus students can sometimes give the best practical advice in relation to host universities. Be prepared to do a little research and it will pay off. Ask your departmental coordinator if s/he has any reports completed by former Erasmus students while they were abroad.

Benefits of Participating

NUI Galway has been participating in the Erasmus Programme since its inception over 30 years ago and several thousand of our students have availed of the opportunity to study or work abroad. Almost all of them have found it to be a most rewarding experience.

 A period of study abroad can be of immense value for an individual’s personal and academic development. You will learn how to adapt to and appreciate the culture of a foreign country, improve your language skills and benefit from the different approaches taken to your subjects in another educational system.  Moving abroad is a big transition, of course, and you will find that it can be challenging at times to adapt to a new environment, but by the end of your stay you will have gained a great deal of experience and self-confidence. Here are some quotes from students who participated:

 “I would say to definitely be brave and go on Erasmus! I was so scared to go, but it was the best decision I’ve ever made and it has been such a blast! The people I’ve met and the places I’ve been have been fantastic, it’s so amazing to see so many different cultures and I feel like I’ve definitely grown up a lot because of it!”

“You can really enjoy the experience by getting to know not just the country's culture but the other international students' too. It really is what you make it. Absorb everything new but practise the same common sense you would living away from home in Ireland. The first few weeks can be tough adjusting but if you want to make the most of your Erasmus - outside your comfort zone is where the magic happens.”

“I had the chance to immerse myself in a foreign language to the point where it becomes totally natural to speak in this other language.”

Academically, you will deepen your knowledge of your particular subjects and probably experience different teaching methods.  Lectures may be longer than you are used to.  Very often, group work, presentations and independent reading will be expected.  It’s worth noting that on their return to their home university, Erasmus students will often outperform their peers who did not study abroad.

An Erasmus experience will also prove to be a valuable asset later on when you are seeking employment, as it will have helped you develop a range of soft skills and strengths such as intercultural awareness, problem-solving, flexibility, adaptability and confidence.