2023 Erasmus+ Traineeship Mobility Applications

2023 Erasmus+ traineeship mobility online application system will be active between 7 and 21 February 2023, 13:00. The applications for the Erasmus+ traineeship mobility will be submitted through the KION system and Erasmus Portal. Please be informed that you must submit both application forms before the deadline. Applications will be considered only if both forms are submitted. Please note that late applications will not be considered.

We would like to inform you that you are responsible to read the details about traineeship mobility applications below. Online application instructions in detail for both platforms will be shared on February 7th. Please also note that it might be possible to have changes in the application and evaluation criteria in line with the updated information that might be published by the Turkish National Agency.

General Information

Erasmus+ program information and presentation slides with the other important details can be found in the following links. All applicants are responsible for attending one of the online information sessions and checking the information provided under the following links:

• General Information
• Presentation (procedures, important notes, etc)

Application Requirements / Eligibility Criteria

• Being a full-time student at OzU,
• Minimum 2.20/4.00 CGPA for undergraduate students,
• Minimum 3.00/4.00 CGPA for graduate students,
• Registering for the Erasmus Language Exam 2023 (ELE) and have minimum 60 points or having minimum 60/100 points from the ELE 2022.
• Submitting a valid acceptance/invitation letter from the host company with the signed approval until 29 March 2023. Otherwise, the online applications will be cancelled automatically.
• Undergraduate students are responsible for getting signed approval from their faculty program coordinator on their invitation letter. Graduate students should get signed approval on their invitation letter from their advisor.
• Double major students must select one of their major programs during the application. It is not possible to apply from the minor program.

Erasmus Language Exam

Erasmus Language Exam (ELE) 2023 will be held on 24 February 2023, Friday at 12:40 by ScOLa. Based on the decisions taken by Council of Higher Education, it has been decided to conduct the ELE online. The ELE will include multiple-choice questions, and listening and writing parts that are measuring reading, grammar, and vocabulary skills at the B2 level. You may review the sample exam with the answer key here for preparation. The ELE scores will be published in mid-March.

If you have taken the ELE in February 2022 and have a valid score, you do not have to retake the exam. If you take both exams, your higher ELE score will be considered. Other standardized language exam scores (IELTS, TOEFL, PTE etc.) will not be considered valid for the application.

There will be a make-up exam on March 3rd,2023, Friday. Students can only apply for the makeup exam if they meet the following requirements:

• Having a health/medical report documenting your health excuse,
• Having a document showing that you have lost your first-degree relative,
• Being assigned to a social, cultural, sports and promotional event in order to represent the university,
• Being affected by earthquakes.

Requests for the make-up exam will be considered by the ScOLa, and if accepted, you will be informed and receive an invitation. Students whose excuses are considered invalid will be notified as well.

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Additional Criteria

(+) Students who submit an acceptance/invitation letter at the time of the application period (7-21 February 2023, 13.00) will be given 10 points extra.

(+) Students who will do a traineeship including digital skills will receive extra 5 points for their Erasmus Score.

(+) Students with disabilities will be given extra 10 points if they submit a copy of their “Disability ID” at the time of application.

(+) Students who are the children of Veterans/Martyrs will be given extra 15 points. if they submit a “Veteran/Martyr Identity Card” at the time of application.

(+) Extra 10 points will be given to the students who are under protection, care, and shelter by Act No. 2828 Social Services and 5395 Child Protection Law if they submit necessary documents.

(-) Students who have previously participated in the Erasmus+ program and students who withdrew in the previous years after the given deadline will have 10 points deducted from their Erasmus score at the time of evaluations.

(-) Students who wish to participate in the program in their countries of citizenship will have 10 points deducted from their Erasmus score.

(-) Placed students who do not attend the meetings/orientation sessions, without a valid excuse will have 5 points deducted from their Erasmus score if they apply to the Erasmus program again.

Evaluation and Ranking Criteria

• Students who meet the application requirements and submit both online application forms before the deadline along with the invitation letter provided by the host institution by 29 March 2023 will be evaluated.
• Students will be ranked within their faculty/school.
• Ranking will be based on Erasmus score, which is the sum of a base score and optional additional criteria scores. The base score is determined by adding up 50% of the Erasmus Language Exam score and 50% of the CGPA on a 100-scale determined by the Higher Education Council.
• If you would like to apply for both study and traineeship mobility programs, you must fill out two separate application forms on both platforms. In this case, 10 points will be deducted from the Erasmus Score of your traineeship application based on multiple participation rules.
• The ranking list, application results and grant distribution will be announced in late April. Objection to application results will be collected with a written petition within 3 days from the date of the result announcement. The objections will be evaluated by the Exchange Programs Commission and related students will be notified about the outcome as soon as the evaluation is complete.

How to Apply

The applications will be submitted in two steps: 1) KION system and 2) Erasmus Portal.  You must submit both application forms before the deadline.

Application instructions in detail for both application platforms will be shared on February 7th, Tuesday.

Step 1: KION System

• Login to the KION system with your SIS username and password. If you are applying for the first time, click on Register & Apply to create your account first. If you have applied to the Erasmus+ program before, you can proceed with your SIS credentials to login.
• When you complete all required parts in the application form and submit your application.
• After completing your application on KION, download your application form and go ahead to the step 2 Erasmus Portal.

Step 2: Erasmus Portal

• Login to the Erasmus Application Portal with your e-Government account credentials. You should create a brand-new application in the portal. International students need to obtain an e-Government password from PTT post office to login. Students who have a Turkish bank account can use their online banking information to log in as well.
• Applicants are responsible to check and complete all sections carefully in the application form. When all mandatory parts are filled in, you should submit your application form and download it. Make sure to upload your KION application form to the system.
• Since the application form is available in Turkish language only, international students are encouraged to use Google Translate.

General Terms for Traineeship Mobility

1. Traineeship duration should be a minimum of 2 months (60 calendar days – not working days).
2. It is also possible to participate in a blended traineeship mobility which includes the completion of a virtual period before or after the mobility, together with the physical mobility period completed for a minimum of 60 days abroad.
3. In any case, minimum 2 months (60 days) of physical mobility is mandatory.
4. Internship activity should be completed uninterrupted. It should be scheduled to complete a minimum of 60 days in case of a break (the time when the organization is closed, public holidays, etc.). In order to ensure the minimum activity period, the dates when the internship will be closed should be investigated in advance, and it should be ensured that the minimum period is provided even after the vacation period is included. Weekend holidays are excluded from these criteria.
5. In case of a blended mobility, the dates of the physical and virtual periods of the mobility must be specified separately on the Acceptance Letter received from the host company/institution. If not, the mobility period stated on the letter will be considered as “physical” duration.
6. Senior students may apply since it is possible to do an Erasmus+ traineeship within 12 months upon graduation with the condition of applying before graduation.
7. The traineeship duration should not exceed 12 months within one study cycle for students who have participated in the Erasmus+ program before.
8. There are no partner institutions for traineeship mobility. Students are responsible for creating contacts and finding their own host organization/company for their traineeship. The applicants may use the links provided in the presentation.
9. The invitation letter which will be provided by the host company should include the following information:

• Start and end date of the traineeship
• Name of company and supervisor & contact information
• Clearly stated job description of the trainee - The traineeship job description and tasks must contribute to the student’s work experience and must related to the study program
• Signature and stamp of the supervisor
  
  

CLICK HERE to see the guidelines for the acceptance letter.

Eligible Host Institution

The host institution/company can be any public or private organization active in the labor market or in the fields of education, training and youth in Erasmus+ Program Countries. For example, such an organization can be:

• public or private, a small, medium or large enterprise (including social enterprises);
• public body at local, regional or national level;
• social partner or other representatives of working life, including chambers of commerce, craft/professional associations and trade unions;
• research institute;
• foundation;
• school/institute/educational center (at any level, from pre-school to upper secondary education, and including vocational education and adult education);
• non-profit organization, association, NGO;
• body providing career guidance, professional counseling and information services;
• program country higher education institution awarded with an Erasmus Charter (ECHE).

It is not appropriate to do Erasmus+ traineeship in the European Union institutions, National Agencies and institutions that manage EU programs and work within the Erasmus+ projects.

Financial Supports

1. Erasmus+ Grant

Erasmus traineeship mobility grant eligibility will be based on the budget allocated by the Turkish National Agency. In light of this information, the Erasmus grant is not guaranteed for every Erasmus intern. However, it is possible to participate in the program as a ‘zero grant’ participant.

Availability of financial support is based on ranking within the faculty/school. The monthly amount given depends on the host country. Grants will be allocated for a duration of 2 months per participant.

Erasmus traineeship mobility applications will be considered within the 2021 and 2022 Erasmus projects. A total of 23 students within the scope of 2021 (Project Number: 2021-1-TR01-KA131-HED-000003545) and 2022 projects (Project Number: 2022-1-TR01-KA131-HED-000053747) will be able to benefit from the Erasmus+ grant. The quota for the Erasmus grant for undergraduate students is 17 and for master or Ph.D. students is 6. Please note that these are subject to change and based on the number of eligible applications, unused quotas between different cycles are transferable.

Please note that the grant is only to support the participants partially and is not intended to cover all expenses.

Details about the Erasmus+ grant and monthly grant amount can be found on our website and HERE.

 2. Inclusion Support for Special Needs

Additional special need funding is available for participants whose individual physical, mental or health-related conditions are such that participation in Erasmus+ would not be possible without extra support.

Additional grant requests can be made within the mobility period, but in any case, up to 60 days before the mobility ends. Students must submit a doctor's report (not older than 3 months) or a photocopy of the disability card, which includes information on the disability and its level, and a doctor's report for chronic diseases.

When a student is selected for inclusion support, if the participant has an additional grant request, the approximate additional costs are determined and an application is submitted to the National Agency by our office. In this application, why the participant needs Inclusion Support should be shown in detail.

Students with physical, mental or health-related conditions should indicate their needs and extra costs in order to apply. The additional support grant is a contribution based on real costs. As such, the costs must be directly related to participants’ disability. 

If students are selected as eligible for Inclusion Support, the final additional grant will be awarded based on the actual amount of the expenses documented. Invoices regarding the use of the additional grant given at the end of the activity must be provided to our office for evaluation. Undocumented expenses and expenses above the Inclusion Support amount agreed on the grant agreement before the mobility are not considered eligible for Inclusion Support, even if the expenses are made.

Students may check out the LINK Network, supported by the European Comission, for more about studying abroad with disabilities.

3. Support for Disadvantaged Students

A granted exchange student who is also economically disadvantaged may receive an additional grant (monthly 250 EUR) during their exchange term. In order to benefit from this additional grant, students must submit the required document(s) from the official authorities.

Eligible applicants are:

• Students who are subject to the decision of protection, care, and shelter based on Act No. 2828 and 5395.
• Students who are Veterans/Martyrs Identity Card holders
• Students who receive orphan’s and/or neediness pension

Students must submit the official document provided by Municipalities, Public Institutions or Official Public Organizations (such as Ministries, Social Assistance and Solidarity Foundations, General Directorate of Foundations, Turkish Red Crescent, AFAD, etc.) attesting that they benefit from the official financial support at the time of the application.

Receiving the KYK Scholarship or Loan is not acceptable to apply for the additional grant. 

 
4. Green Travel Support

Students who do not receive travel support, if they prefer green travel, can be given an additional one-time grant of 50 Euros. Green travel is defined as travel that uses low-emissions means of transport for the main part of the travel, such as bus, train, or car-pooling. In case of only one direction of the travel for exchange term, the student cannot benefit from the green travel support. Please note that electric car use is not considered green travel unless shared with another participant.

The student needs to submit proof of green travel documents. In cases where it is not possible to submit a ticket indicating that the travel is made by a sustainable transportation vehicle (car sharing), the student must present a signed statement and an e-government document or passport showing that the said persons entered and exited on the same day.

Since this process is newly included in the Erasmus+ program, all green travel support requests will be evaluated individually and support can only be provided after the approval of the Turkish National Agency.

Short-Term Blended Mobility

Students who cannot participate in long-term physical mobility primarily are able to carry out a short-term physical mobility by combining it with a compulsory virtual component.

This is a blended type of mobility which includes a physical mobility period completed for a minimum of 5 days and a maximum of 30 days abroad the completion of a compulsory virtual period before or after the physical mobility. 

Internship activity should be completed uninterrupted. It should be scheduled to complete a minimum of 5 days in case of a break (the time when the organization is closed, public holidays, etc.). In order to ensure the minimum and maximum activity period, the dates when the internship will be closed should be investigated in advance, and it should be ensured that the minimum period is provided even after the vacation period included. Weekend holidays are excluded from these criteria.

In case of a blended mobility, the dates of the physical and virtual periods of the mobility must be specified separately on the Acceptance Letter received from the host company/institution. If not, the mobility period stated on the letter will be considered as “physical” duration.

Travel Support

Students who participate to short-term blended mobility with fewer opportunities according to the criteria for “Additional Grant for Disadvantaged Students” may receive travel support. Amounts differ if students prefer green travel.

The travel support amount is based on the travel distance per participant. Travel distances must be calculated using the distance calculator provided by the European Commission (https://erasmus-plus.ec.europa.eu/resources-and-tools/distance-calculator)

Information Sessions

As the International Exchange Programs Office will hold information sessions for traineeship mobility applications on the following days and hours. Please use the related links to attend the sessions:

• 1st session in Turkish: 18 January 2023, Wednesday @14:45 – Zoom Link
• 2nd session in English: 23 January 2023 Monday @14:45 –  Zoom Link
• 3rd session in Turkish: 27 January 2023, Friday @14:00 – Zoom Link

Faculty Specific Info Sessions

1. Faculty of Business: 13 February 2023, Monday @10.40 (date updated) - Zoom Link
2. Faculty of Architecture and Design: 13 February 2023, Monday @13:40 (date updated) - Zoom Link
3. Faculty of Engineering: 14 February 2023, Tuesday @ 10.40 - Zoom Link
4. Faculty of Law: 14 February 2023, Tuesday @ 13.40 - Zoom Link
5. Faculty of Social Sciences: 15 February 2023, Wednesday @10.40 - Zoom Link
6. All Graduate Schools - 16 February 2023, Thursday @10.40 - Zoom Link
7. Faculty of Aviation and Aeronautical Sciences & School of Applied Sciences: 16 February 2023, Thursday @13.40 (date updated) - Zoom Link

If you have academic obligations and cannot attend any of the information sessions, we recommend you to check all the above-mentioned information and send your questions via our email international.relations@ozu.edu.tr

Good luck for your application!

International Exchange Programs Office
Özyeğin University