With the Erasmus program for vocational students, you can go abroad as an apprentice and continue your professional training there. This is also possible after your vocational school graduation.
What you need to know about the Erasmus program for vocational students
Erasmus is a program of the European Union with which you can do an internship abroad as a vocational student. With Erasmus you can, for example, do the following during and after your apprenticeship program in a foreign company:
- Internship (job shadowing)
- job shadowing
- training and education.
How can I participate in the Erasmus program as a vocational student?
Eligibility
The Erasmus program for vocational students is open to;
- Apprentices in the dual apprenticeship program according to BBiG or HWO. This group also includes:
- Apprentices in the specialized apprenticeship program (§66 BBiG, etc.)
- Dual students with a registered training relationship with a chamber of commerce and industry
- Retrainees and students undergoing retraining
- Persons in extra-company apprenticeship programs
- Students at “vocational schools”. This includes:
- Vocational school students
- Pupils in specialized upper secondary schools,
- Pupils at specialized grammar schools
- Participants in formally organized continuing vocational education programs under federal or state law.
- Persons participating in non-formal education programs (as of contracts 2022).
- Persons in vocational training preparation
What is the application process?
In order to participate you cannot apply individually, but you must be referred between participating educational institutions.
To do this, you should first check with your vocational school and employer to see if there are any existing contacts and opportunities here. If not, your vocational school should inform itself on the subject.
Your vocational school must enter into a partnership with another institution in order to handle your personal stay. The best information on this topic for Germany is available here and here.
Frequently asked questions and answers about the Erasmus program for vocational students
Can apprentices participate in Erasmus?
Yes, vocational students (apprentices) can also participate in Erasmus. For example, you can do internships, job shadowing or training and education abroad.
How much money do I get as an apprentice through Erasmus?
The monthly funding is between 150 € to 500 €. The amount of funding for apprentices varies depending on the country you go to. You can receive either a partial grant or a loan for your stay abroad from Erasmus.
How long can apprentices go abroad with Erasmus?
With Erasmus, vocational students can go abroad for between two months to a year.
When can I go abroad as an apprentice with Erasmus?
You can go abroad as an apprentice with Erasmus during your apprenticeship program or after your apprenticeship program. As a graduate you can go abroad with Erasmus up to 12 months after your graduation.
Advantages of Erasmus
- Since you can participate only in the framework of cooperation of educational institutions, you have a reliable framework and stable contacts
- You will receive financial support for your stay abroad
- As you have to submit a lot of documents, you will automatically receive a checklist that will help you not to forget anything
Disadvantages of Erasmus
- The application takes a long time and is complicated
- Sometimes you need to push your organization / school to participate and fight against resistance
- Staff in many companies and vocational schools do not know about Erasmus
- The official information about the Erasmus possibilities for vocational students in Germany is more than incomplete.
- Some companies are critical of a stay abroad for apprentices (in this case you can do your Erasmus after the apprenticeship program).
