Erasmus+ traineeships abroad
An Erasmus+ traineeship lets you gain international work experience, put what you have studied into practice in a real workplace, improve your professional and language skills, and stand out on the job market. You can do it during your studies or within 12 months of graduating.
The traineeship can take place at a company, creative studio, design agency, non-governmental organisation or other institution in an Erasmus+ programme country, as long as its work is related to your field of study.
Types of traineeship
Professional traineeship | Graduate traineeship | |
|---|---|---|
Who it is for | Second-year students | Final-year students who will do the traineeship after graduating |
When to apply | Selection is announced in December | Selection is announced in April |
When it takes place | During the summer | Within 12 months of graduating |
Duration | 2–3 months funded | 2–4 months funded |
Recognition | Counts as the study programme’s traineeship: credits awarded and entered in the diploma | Recognised as international professional experience |
All Erasmus+ mobilities within one study cycle may not exceed 12 months in total. A graduate traineeship counts towards this limit. More about Erasmus+ traineeships.
Selection
What to submit
- VCD Erasmus+ mobility application (in Lithuanian)
- A motivation letter or video in English
- Your grade point average
- Any other documents a particular call asks for
Application form: details of each year’s calls are sent to students by email.
What is assessed
- Academic achievement
- Motivation to do a traineeship abroad
- How well the traineeship fits your study programme
- Foreign language skills
- Readiness to represent VCD in an international setting
You do not need a confirmed placement for the selection, but a clear traineeship direction or contact with a possible host organisation is an advantage.
Finding a placement
Students find their placement themselves. Start looking as early as possible, ideally before the selection. Useful platforms:
- ErasmusIntern – Erasmus+ traineeship offers
- LinkedIn Jobs
- EURES – the European job mobility portal
- Graduateland
- EuroBrussels
- Career pages of companies and organisations, and contacting them directly with your portfolio
- A list of places where VCD students have done traineeships – ask the International Relations and Projects Management Office
Tip: when you write to a company, attach your CV and portfolio in English, give the period you would like and mention that the traineeship is funded by Erasmus+, so the host does not have to pay a stipend.
Grant and funding
Erasmus+ trainees receive a monthly grant that helps cover part of their living and travel costs. The amount depends on the host country, and it is higher for traineeships than for studies. Exact amounts: Erasmus+ grants.
- Travel allowance – based on the distance to the placement; travelling greener (by train or bus) brings a higher allowance and extra travel days (up to 6).
- Additional support for students with fewer opportunities – for students receiving social support, orphans, single parents, students with a disability or health condition, and others. More here.
- Support based on actual costs – for a disability or health condition; a medical document is needed. Contact the International Relations and Projects Management Office before the traineeship. More here.
- Traineeship without a grant (zero grant) – you can do an Erasmus+ traineeship without a grant, with all the rights and obligations of a participant.
The host organisation may pay a salary or allowances; this does not reduce the Erasmus+ grant.
Steps after the selection
- Find and agree on your placement.
- Get confirmation from the host organisation.
- Fill in and sign the Traineeship Agreement with the organisation and VCD: the period, tasks, expected results and insurance.
- Give VCD the details needed for the Erasmus+ documents (personal and bank account details).
- Sign the Erasmus+ Grant Agreement. It is prepared once the Traineeship Agreement is approved.
- Arrange insurance: health (in the EU, the EHIC card), liability, and accidents at work. The Traineeship Agreement states who insures what. Useful link: draudimas.lt.
- Plan your travel and accommodation. If you are going outside the EU, apply for a visa in good time.
- Check your language level and use the free Erasmus+ OLS courses.
During the traineeship
- If your tasks or traineeship plan change, agree the changes with the host organisation and VCD; the agreement is updated.
- If problems come up, contact the VCD Erasmus+ coordinator straight away.
Reporting after the traineeship
After the traineeship, within the set deadline, you must:
- Submit a document signed by the host organisation confirming the traineeship period.
- Submit the completed results and competences part of the Traineeship Agreement (Traineeship Certificate).
- Fill in the VCD survey.
- Fill in the Erasmus+ participant survey (“EU Survey”), which the European Commission emails to you automatically after the mobility.
Only once you have reported properly is the traineeship considered complete and recognised under VCD rules, and the rest of the grant paid. If you do not report, the grant may be recalculated or you may have to pay it back.
Documents and useful links
Contact
Send your questions to the International Relations and Projects Management Office: erasmus@vcd.lt, tel. +370 650 37727.