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About Languages, Insurances,* Contents
* Language Preparation
Working knowledge of the foreign language of the host-university is a basic requirement of
the student mobility scheme. Hence, students, aiming at participating in the ERASMUS
programme, should prepare themselves as soon as possible. Most home-universities offer
annually language courses, either as regular courses for which academic credit
can be obtained, or as evening courses. Contact your ERASMUS-Coordinator at the home-university.
In some cases, the host-university may offer an attractive programme : again
contact the Coordinator. The difficulty is often the time-schedule between the language-course
offered and your study-period abroad.
An intensive full-time course of one month may be the best solution if time-schedules
allow. An example is the Università Italiana per Stranieri at Perugia (I) which offers
every month an intensive course (address : Palazzo Gallenga - Piazza Fortebraccio
4, I-06100 Perugia, tel.+39-75-64344, fax +39-75-61972, telex 662079 unstra-i).
Do not think that only the most widely spoken languages (English, French,
German, Spanish) are of interest to you : in the Single Market employers are increasingly
on the lookout for attitudes born of experiences in smaller countries and for communication skills including
such languages as Danish, Dutch, Greek, Italian or Portuguese.
* Health Insurance, Social Security
Since ERASMUS students are obligatory registered at their home-university, there should be in general
no problem with social security.
However, make sure that the registration is or remains active over the whole study-period
abroad and check with the university what type of insurance covers your study period abroad.
Health insurance is regulated according to agreements among the EU member states with
the use of the E111 form. Check carefully with your health insurance company what measures you
must take before you leave your home country and how refunding of costs is regulated.
Host-universities will normally offer you the same privileges for medical care
as they offer their home students.
Finally, check at the host-university if some special regulations are active with
respect to civil registration during your temporary residence.
* Accommodation
Student housing offered by the university (dormitories, student flats, etc...)
are always limited in number. Moreover, the mobility scheme starting at several periods of
the year is not likely to make accommodation for ERASMUS students easier. The best way
is careful preparation by contacting as well your home administrative coordinator as your host
administrative coordinator.
They may be able to offer you an exchange scheme : since you are leaving the home
university, your lodging may become available for an incoming ERASMUS-student and vice-versa.
Most important is also the contact with other students, either students from your home
university who studied before or study at the present time at your selected
host university or students from the host university who study at the present time at your home university.
* Student-Help
Is exactly one of the aims of the European Student Network (E.S.N.) with headquarters in
The Netherlands. E-mail: esn.ia@pobox.ruu.nl
There are many sections of E.S.N. all over Europe. Request a copy of the E.S.N. - Addressbook,
5th Edition, December 1996 from:
International Administration E.S.M.
P.O. Box 15177
NL-3501 BD Utrecht
Tel.: +31-30-2533828
Fax: +31-30-2538775
