Student Guide – Erasmus+ for Studies

The Erasmus+ for Studies programme allows students of the University of Padua to spend a study period abroad at partner universities, with full academic recognition of the activities completed.

 

Duration and General Requirements

The mobility period can last from 2 to 12 months.
Students must obtain at least 12 ECTS during their stay abroad.

Application deadlines:
– First call: 15 January 2026, 1:00 pm
– Second call: 9 April 2026, 1:00 pm
The second call is only for destinations still available after the first call and for students who did not apply in the first call.

 

Credit Requirements

First-year students:
– No minimum credit requirement for application
– 40 registered ECTS before departure

Students in all other years:
– 40 registered ECTS before application

 

How to Choose Your Destination

To explore available partner universities, visit:
https://unipd.it/mobility-agreements

Recommended steps:
1. Select the Erasmus (SMS) programme
2. Choose your Bachelor’s or Master’s degree programme

 

Choosing and Mapping Courses

For each course taken abroad:
– If there is a similar course in your UNIPD study plan, it must be mapped
– If there is no similar course, it can only be recognised as a free-choice course

Courses are considered similar when their syllabi largely coincide (evaluation is done case by case).

Differences in ECTS:
– If the total ECTS abroad is greater than or equal to the mapped UNIPD ECTS minus 1, there is no issue
– Otherwise, missing credits must be completed through supplementary activities (project, oral exam, additional exam, etc.)

 

Pay Attention When Selecting a Host University

Make sure the chosen destination offers enough courses that can be mapped to your study plan.
Usually, only 12 ECTS can be used as free-choice courses.
All other courses must be clearly equivalent to UNIPD courses.

 

Practical Tips

Before applying, carefully check:
– Course start dates and duration
– Language requirements at the host university
– Language of instruction (English, Spanish, German, etc.)
– That courses belong to the departments included in the Erasmus agreement

Important notes:
– Usually only 1–2 exam attempts are available abroad
– No exams can be taken at UNIPD during the Erasmus period

 

Erasmus and Thesis Work

Approach 1:
– Choose a thesis topic and supervisor at UNIPD
– Together, identify a suitable destination and supervisor abroad

Approach 2:
– Choose a destination, topic, and supervisor abroad
– Find a UNIPD supervisor willing to support the topic

Note: this mobility is not Erasmus+ for Traineeship.

 

Language Certification

Free language tests are available for Erasmus applicants at the UNIPD Language Centre (CLA).
It is possible to certify a B2 level in:
– English
– French
– German
– Spanish

For the test dates, check the CLA website (usually tests are in January, April and November)
https://cla.unipd.it/en/language-test/erasmus-outgoing-intensive-courses-copy/

 

Learning Agreement – Application Phase

The Learning Agreement (LA) describes the study activities you plan to carry out abroad.
It includes both the courses at the host university and their mapping to UNIPD courses.

At this stage, the LA is provisional, but it should demonstrate a clear understanding of the host university’s academic offer.

Moreover, you can use the additional information text fiel dto provide a shot motivation letter for your interest in the Erasmus program.

 

Learning Agreement – Before Departure

Recommended procedure:
1. Discuss your Learning Agreement with the Erasmus Committee
2. Submit the LA on Uniweb
3. Notify the Erasmus Committee of the submission
4. Receive approval
5. Send the approved LA to the host university within their deadline

Warning: the host university’s deadline may be strict and earlier than UNIPD’s deadline.

Useful Links

Erasmus+ Programme at UNIPD:
https://www.unipd.it/en/erasmus-studies-out

Informatica and Computer Science responsible for Erasmus: prof. Nicolò Navarin