GENERAL QUESTIONS
Q: Am I eligible to attend a CIVIS BIP?
A: CIVIS BIPs are open to students at any of the CIVIS member universities. Special criteria and processes apply to students from the University of Glasgow and the University of Lausanne though, i.e., to students from member universities outside the European Union. For more information regarding the University of Lausanne students, please visit UNIL's website.
Some BIP are also open to students enrolled at a strategic partner university of CIVIS in Africa (check here if your university is among those from which applications for those BIP are possible). The detailed eligibility and selection criteria are mentioned in the “Practical Details” section of each BIP's webpage.
To be eligible, participants must be enrolled at their home university at the time of application and throughout the delivery of the course. If you are uncertain about your eligibility for the BIP because of your status at your home university (part-time or exchange students etc) please check with your home university’s website or International Office (see this list of useful links and contacts).
Q: What are the deadlines for applications?
A: There will be various waves of BIPs openings, each one with a specific application period. The first application periods for the 2023-2024 academic year are:
- 5-15 of February 2024
- 18 March - 28 April 2024
Applications will not be accepted outside these periods. Each application period will offer a different selection of BIPs, so do not wait to apply if you see a course you like!
Q: How do I apply? What are the steps after I have been selected?
- As soon as you spot a BIP that interests you, get in touch with your programme coordinator at your home university to check whether this can be part of your study programme.
- Apply through the CIVIS mobility portal, which you can access directly from the listings in the CIVIS course catalogue.
- You will be notified of the outcome of your application at the latest one month after the student’s application submission deadline.
- You sign a learning agreement and complete the Erasmus+ paperwork with your home university. Your home institution’s International Office will contact you with details of the required processes and documentation for your funding, including the signature of your Grant Agreement and insurance. This usually happens 1-2 months before the starting date of your activities, so do not be alarmed if you are not contacted by your International Office right away!
Please note that step 4 is not applicable to the University of Glasgow, the University of Lausanne, and the six partner universities in Africa. Students should follow the instructions provided by their home university or contact them directly.
For the students enrolled at the University of Lausanne, please visit the website or contact erasmus@unil.ch.
- You will then participate in online learning from home before or after travelling to another CIVIS member university for a 5-days face-to-face session alongside professors and students from across the Alliance. The duration of the online learning sessions depends on each CIVIS course. Physical mobility has a maximum duration of 5 days.
Q: What about funding?
A: Students from CIVIS members based in the EU are entitled to Erasmus+ funding for the duration of their physical mobility. Please refer to the “Funding and Expenses” section for more details. You must attend at least 5 days of the physical part to be eligible for Erasmus funding. The grant is a contribution and does not guarantee full coverage of costs.
If you are already in receipt of other Erasmus funds at the time of the mobility, you will not be entitled to additional funding, but you may still be able to participate in the BIP under “zero-grant” status. Your home university will be able to inform you whether this applies to you.
Students from the University of Glasgow are eligible to participate in CIVIS BIPs but cannot receive an Erasmus-funded travel grant. Instead, they should contact the CIVIS team at civis@glasgow.ac.uk.
Students from the University of Lausanne are also eligible to participate in CIVIS BIPs, with a national scholarship. For more information, visit the UNIL website.
Students from one of the six strategic partner universities in Africa (Université Hassan II de Casablanca, Université Cheikh Anta Diop de Dakar, University of the Witwatersrand, Makerere University, Eduardo Mondlane University, Université de Sfax), who have successfully applied for participation in one of the BIP open to these institutions, will receive an Erasmus+ ICM grant for their participation, covering travel and subsistence costs during their stay. They should contact their international student exchange office, which will nominate them for such a scholarship.
Funding and expenses (students from EU-based institutions)
Q: I have been selected for a CIVIS BIP, and I am eligible to receive Erasmus+ funding. How much funding will I receive?
A: Funded students receive a fixed daily grant of 70 EUR for the duration of the physical activities. This grant is called “individual support” and it is intended to help cover the costs of travel, accommodation and living expenses. You must attend at least 5 days of the physical part to be eligible for Erasmus funding. In some cases, students can access an additional funding for their travel time (see below).
Funded students with fewer opportunities receive a top-up of 100 EUR for a physical mobility period of 5 days. The criteria to access this top-up are defined at the national level by the National Agencies. Your home university can inform you about the national criteria for receiving this top-up grant.
Q: What is defined as a "travel day"?
A: In some cases, students can access an additional 2 days of individual support beyond the days where the physical activities are taking place (or even 4 days if they opt for green travel – see below). This additional funding is meant to cover expenses for the days of arrival and departure to and from the host city. These days are defined as “travel days” and are only funded if the arrival and departure take place before and after the dates of the physical activities. Travel on the first or last day of the physical activities does not count as a travel day. Your home university can inform you about the national criteria for receiving additional days of funding for travel.
Q: How much additional funding can I receive to cover travel expenses?
A: Funded students with fewer opportunities receive a travel grant to support them in covering their travel costs. The amount depends on the distance between the home university and the hosting university. This grant is a fixed amount to contribute to your travel cost (round-trip). Your home university can inform you about the national criteria for receiving this travel grant.
|
Travel distance |
Amount |
In case of green travel |
|
Between 0 and 99 KM |
23€ per participant |
|
|
Between 100 and 499 KM |
180€ per participant |
210€ per participant |
|
Between 500 and 1999 KM |
275€ per participant |
320€ per participant |
|
Between 2000 and 2999 KM |
360€ per participant |
410€ per participant |
Students who are not eligible for a travel grant may be able to access additional funding if they opt for green travel. In this case, they will receive a fixed additional grant of 50 EUR as a top-up to the individual support. They may also receive up to 4 days of additional individual support to cover the travel days for a return trip. The amount of green travel support available (including the number of travel days, if any) varies depending on the regulations of National Agencies and individual universities. Your home university can inform you about the criteria for receiving this top-up grant for green travel and the precise amounts you would be eligible to receive.
Q: I have not booked tickets for exactly the date before and after the course activities. Does this affect my funding for the “travel days”?
A: No. The exact dates of travel do not affect the funding, as long as they are before and after the course dates.
Q: What happens if I have to change my tickets?
A: If such a change occurs, you should contact your International Office immediately, especially if your new travel dates coincide with the course dates since this will affect your funding.
Q: Is there a possibility for extra funding other than the Individual Support and Travel Expenses?
A: For the time being there is no extra funding available. This may change in the future, so please check this webpage periodically for updates.
Q: I managed to book cheap tickets. Will I have to return part of the sum I received for travel expenses?
A: No, the sum for travel expenses is yours to keep, regardless of the actual price of the tickets.
Q: Do I need to use my individual support funding in a specific way? Will I need to keep receipts for my expenses?
A: You are free to use the funding for individual support in any way you like. You are not required to submit receipts of any kind or return any part of the funding, as long as you complete the mobility for the time period agreed in your Grant Agreement and submit the required documents.
Q: What happens with my funding if I do not finish the physical part of the BIP?
A: If you do not complete the BIP, you will be required to return the full amount you have received for individual expenses and travel expenses. This may not apply if the failure to complete the BIP was due to an unpredicted event. These cases (known as “force majeure” cases) are managed individually and affected students are required by the home International Office to provide adequate documentation as proof.
Q: Is there anything else I need to do regarding my funding after the course is over?
A: You will need to submit the documentation required by your home institution, in order to receive the remaining amount of the grant. Your home institution’s International Office is responsible for providing this information to you. Please pay attention to the guidelines and notifications you receive.
Q: I am an applicant from one of the six African partner universities of CIVIS. Do further special conditions and requirements apply?
A: Yes.
Not all BIP are open to applications from your university. A list with courses open to applications can be found here.
If the course you want to apply for is NOT listed there, or if your university is not listed as an eligible university, you cannot apply.
In general, only Master and/or PhD students can apply. (See "practical information" in the course description.)
It is possible for selected BIP participants from African partner universities to extend their stay for research and/ or educational purposes. This is analysed on a case-by-case basis. Depending on the budget available, this could mean that selected participants will be invited to arrive at the CIVIS member university hosting the BIP 1-2 weeks before and/ or depart 1-2 weeks after the BIP (in total 2-4 weeks max.), e.g., for conducting library/archival research, for networking activities, interviews related to research, for participating in further events of interest, etc. Applicants for a BIP are expected to provide in their motivation letter a statement on their willingness for such an extended stay and, if applicable, first ideas and a plan for activities, and how they relate to the research and/ or educational plans of the student. Organisational support for such an extended stay would be provided by the BIP organising team.
There is no entitlement to be invited to an extension of a stay. The availability of this option will be confirmed only during the selection process according to budget and organisational considerations.
Successful applicants will be nominated for an Erasmus+ grant covering travel and subsistence costs during their stay. Erasmus+ grant rules apply. This usually excludes advance payments. Participants are reimbursed for travel and visa costs during or after their participation.
Funding and expenses (students from non EU-based institutions)
Different rules apply to students from non-EU based institutions. If you are a student at a non-EU based institution, you should contact your institution’s International office for information regarding funding.
Students from the University of Glasgow should contact the CIVIS team at civis@glasgow.ac.uk.
Students from the University of Lausanne should contact the responsible person at: erasmus@unil.ch or visit the UNIL website.
Students from one of the six strategic partner universities in Africa should contact their international student exchange office.
Questions regarding the course
Q: According to the details published for the course I am interested in, it will be realized in “Blended” format. What does this mean?
A: A “blended” course includes one or more parts that are performed online and one part which is performed in person at the host university. The exact dates and format of each part should be in the BIP details.
Q: Will I receive ECTS credits for completing the course?
A: A CIVIS BIP corresponds to at least 3 and up to 6 ECTS credits. If you complete the course you will receive a certificate, which will include the Learning Outcomes, as well as the ECTS credits given by the course.
You will also receive digital accreditation via the CIVIS Passport initiative, which is an innovative tool that records all CIVIS activities (credited and non-credited), which students receive upon graduation. The CIVIS Passport is one of the very first tools for recording and recognising learning experiences at a European level. You can find more information on the CIVIS Passport here.
Q: I have received a number of ECTS credits from a completed course. Can they be recognized and how?
A: Recognition of the acquired ECTS credits as part of your study programme depends on the policies and procedures of each CIVIS member university. Please contact your home institution’s International Office which will provide this information to you.
Q: What happens with the ECTS credits if I do not finish the BIP?
A: If the course is not completed (i.e. completion of all aspects of the course - attendance, assessment or participation in mobility) then ECTS will not be awarded.
Q: Is there anything else I need to do regarding ECTS recognition after the course is over?
A: ECTS recognition depends on national and institutional policies. Your home institution’s International Office is responsible for providing this information to you. Please pay attention to the guidelines and notifications you receive.
Q: Who can I contact for any details regarding the BIP’s activities and my stay in the host country/university?
A: For any information regarding the programme of the BIP, your accommodation (if provided), academic details, etc, please contact the coordinators of the course.