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. The agreement can be signed:
- 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 for spring 2024 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) |
As of the autumn semester of 2024, the European Commission's grant amounts for UT students studying abroad are the following:
| Group of receiving countries | Countries | Monthly grant |
| Countries with high cost of living | Austria, Belgium, Ireland, Italy, Island, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, Norway, France, Sweden, Germany, Finland, Denmark (countries outside program: Switzerland, United Kingdom) | 674 euros per month (30 days in month) |
| Countries with medium cost of living | Cyprus, Czech Republic, Greece, Latvia, Malta, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain | 606 euros per month (30 days in month) |
| Countries with low cost of living | Bulgaria, Croatia, Hungary, Lithuania, North Macedonia, Poland, Rumenia, Turkey, Serbia | 550 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
The following 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.
Travel support
Starting from the autumn semester of the 2024 academic year, a top-up for travel costs is provided for all students. It is a one-time grant that covers the costs of travelling to and from a foreign university.
Participants can receive a bonus if using environmentally friendly, sustainable means of transport for the trip to the host country and back. This includes travel by train, bus, car pooling (with fellow students going for study abroad). Verification: travel tickets/boarding passes (to confirm the type and dates of travel).
| Travel distance* (one direction) | Travel support (eco-friendly) | Travel support (other means of travel) |
| 10 – 99 km | 56 EUR | 28 EUR |
| 100 – 499 km | 285 EUR | 211 EUR |
| 500 – 1999 km | 417 EUR | 309 EUR |
| 2000 – 2999 km | 535 EUR | 395 EUR |
| 3000 – 3999 km | 785 EUR | 580 EUR |
| 4000 – 7999 km | 1188 EUR | 1188 EUR |
| 8000 km and more | 1735 EUR | 1735 EUR |
*The distance is calculated based on the European Commission's distance calculator.
In case of eco-friendly 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. 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.
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 the 2023 project the Estonian government support is 135 euros per participant and for the 2024 project the support is 118 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.