Student Mobility

The Nordplus Network promotes the student mobility as an important activity by which the students and teachers gain a more in-depth knowledge of the member institutions and the Nordic and Baltic societies as a whole.

Long-term student mobility from 3 to 12 months

Mobility grants are awarded for full-time studies or work placements lasting 3–12 months in another Nordplus country. The grant is available to degree students of any nationality studying for a first or second cycle degree at a HEI in the participating countries. PhD students are not eligible for a Nordplus grant. The grant should be seen as a contribution towards the additional costs of studying abroad. This type of long-term mobility within the Nordplus Network can be financed from other sources (e.g. Erasmus+).

Nordplus networks are encouraged to examine the possibilities of any such funding in partner institutions and how this could be used for student mobility in the Nordplus network. This helps to save more of Nordplus’ limited resources for short-term mobility or projects.

Short-term student mobility from 1 to 2 months

Mobility grants may also be awarded for short, full-time studies of 1–2 months’ duration and for work placements in another Nordplus country on the same basis as for long-term student mobility (see above). Work placements grants are awarded according to the same guidelines, criteria and rules that apply to regular student mobility grants

Express mobility under 1 month

Students may also be awarded grants for shorter exchanges – express mobility grants. The minimum duration of express mobility is one week (5 working days). This form of student mobility is intended to broaden the possibilities for students to study abroad for shorter periods in cases where longer periods are not possible.

Express mobility is also intended to encourage institutions to invite students from partner institutions to participate in their own courses and thus promote internationalisation at home. Express mobility grants are awarded according to the same guidelines, criteria and rules as regular student mobility grants, but with some exceptions (see below). The following rules apply to all student mobility types:

The studies/work experience placements abroad shall be fully recognised as a part of the degree at the student’s home institution.
ECTS shall be used.
The Nordplus exchange is only possible after the student has studied for at least one year at his/her home institution (exception: express mobility, joint master’s programmes).
Generally speaking, the Nordplus student does not pay any fees to the host institution (exception: any fees to student organisations, application fees, tuition fees for third-country students, any course fees).
The student shall live at his/her place of study; commuting between place of study and ordinary place of residence is not permitted.
Confirmation of grant award shall be signed before payment is made (please find the document on nordplusonline.org under ‘Documents’).
A learning/training agreement shall be signed before the exchange (Learning Agreement). Erasmus+ model contracts can be used.
A final report on the exchange shall be submitted by the student after the exchange has been completed (not mandatory for express mobility).

The process

To avoid problems with credit transfer, the student’s home institution must accept the student’s learning agreement before the exchange begins. This learning agreement may be altered during the student’s exchange period, but it must be approved by the home and host institutions. The students receive a certificate of his/her studies at the host institution. The Network’s member institutions use the ECTS (European Credit Transfer System) to facilitate the transfer of credits

In the application process, the student makes a careful plan of his/her studies during the mobility period together with the contact persons at the home and host institutions. The Nordplus exchange students are integrated into the normal teaching activities of the member institutions.