JoinEU-SEE Scholarships For Western Balkans

Deadline: 1 February 2012
Open to: students or staff members from Western Balkan countries wanting to study at an EU University OR students or staff members from the EU partner Universities wanting to study at a Western Balkan university
Scholarship: The scholarship will cover travel, insurance, tuition fees and subsistence allowance

 In accordance with the overall Erasmus Mundus Action 2 Strand 1 objectives, the aims of the JoinEU-SEE programme are the promotion of European higher education, to support the improvement and enhancement of scholars’ career prospects as well as the promotion of intercultural communication and understanding through cooperation with the partner countries in the project consortium.
The JoinEU-SEE programme thus contributes to the sustainable development of third countries in the field of higher education in accordance with the external policy objectives of the European Union. JoinEU-SEE supports mobility at all level of higher education, including both mobility for students (undergraduate, master, doctoral and post-doctoral) and for staff (academic and administrative).

Through the mobility and the resulting transfer of knowledge, qualifications and skills, the implementation of the Bologna Process reforms will be facilitated and beneficiaries as well as their institutions will profit from the mutual experience in academic, cultural and economic respects. This will contribute to capacity building in the higher education institutions as well as in the public and private sector through the inclusion of all target groups.

The alumni of the programme will contribute to a multiplier effect and enhance the links between the individual partner institutions and their countries. An established network of beneficiaries from this “JoinEU-SEE” network in the frame of the Erasmus Mundus Action 2 strand 1 programme will see to the further enhancement of the individual student, researcher or teacher in order to improve not only their knowledge, qualifications and skills but also to strengthen the cooperation between WB countries and the EU and contribute to the development of the societies.

All universities in the JoinEU-SEE consortium are comprehensive universities that offer a wide range of studies.

•  Have a look at the list of FIELDS OF STUDY to find out whether the programme you are interested in is offered at one of the partner universities.
•  Have a look at your host university’s list of STUDY PROGRAMMES in order to receive detailed information on (1) specific admission requirements of the respective study programme, (2) additional documents to be uploaded, (3) language of instruction, (4) required language certificates to be uploaded, (5) link to courses/ECTS/learning outcomes (in order to be able to fill in the learning agreement or SRTT plan)

Eligibility

The JoinEU-SEE scholarship scheme is designed for:

1. students and staff members from Western Balkan countries wanting to study at an EU University.  Details can be found – HERE
2. students and staff members from the EU partner Universities wanting to study at a Western Balkan university Details can be found – HERE

Please note that exchange between two EU countries and within the Western Balkans is not possible.

Scholarship

The scholarship includes

• subsistence allowance
•  insurance (travel, health, accident)
•  visa costs
• travel costs (plane, train, bus or ferry)
• participation costs (tuition fees etc.)

Subsistence allowance

The EU university is responsible for transferring the subsistence allowance on a monthly basis as soon as the mobility has started. Each EU partner must provide to both incoming (from the Western Balkans to EU countries) and outgoing (from EU countries to the Western Balkans) scholars the full amount of subsistence allowance defined above. The EU partner will be responsible for transferring the first two installments right after the arrival of the scholar at the host university. For the rest of the mobility, the subsistence allowance (except the last installment) will be provided on a regular basis. The total amount to be transferred to the scholars depends entirely on the duration of the stay abroad.

Insurance

The University of Graz as the project coordinator arranges and centrally pays insurance cover (travel, health, accident) for scholars for the full length of the duration of the scholarship mobility. Each scholar will receive an insurance policy via e-mail which can also be used for visa application.

Visa costs

For TG 1, the respective home university is responsible for reimbursing visa costs up to a maximum of 100 €. For TG 2 and TG 3, the respective EU host university is responsible for reimbursing visa costs up to a maximum of 100 €.
Costs for residence permits will not be covered by JoinEU-SEE III funds.

Travel costs

When submitting the acceptance letter, all JoinEU-SEE III scholars will be asked to indicate how they would like to travel (i.e. travel by plane, train, bus, ferry). Only one return ticket will be financed from JoinEU-SEE funds (independent of the means of transportation and the length of mobility).

Travel via plane: The JoinEU-SEE coordinator will centrally organize all plane tickets via a travel agency.

Travel via train & bus & ferry: For TG 1 the respective home university is responsible for reimbursing travel costs via bus, train and ferry for a maximum of one return ticket. For TG 2 and TG 3, the respective EU host university is responsible for reimbursing costs for travel by bus, train and ferry for a maximum of one return ticket.

Travel via different means of transportation: Any costs incurred by a scholar’s decision to travel by a different means of transportation (e.g. travel by car) will not be reimbursed.

Participation costs

Under no circumstances may participating host universities claim participation/tuition/registration fees from JoinEU-SEE students. This also includes retaining the funding foreseen as subsistence allowance to cover such fees. JoinEU-SEE students must not be asked to pay any participation/tuition/registration fees at the host universities.

The payment of tuition fees at the home universities depends on the duration of mobility. If the duration of the planned mobility is inferior to 10 months, students will continue to pay their registration/tuition fees at the home institution. In case the planned mobility lasts 10 months or longer, the students must not be charged tuition fees by the home universities (applicable for TG1 scholars).

Application

The next call for applications for JoinEU-SEE III will launch on November 8th, 2011, at 00:01h and will be closed on February 1st, 2012, at 23.59h. This call will be open to all scholars who would like to start their mobility in autumn 2012. There are no scholarships available for spring 2013. Staff may start their mobility anytime between summer 2012 and spring 2015.

Application procedure

•  Carefully read the “Who can apply?” section to find out if you are eligible for the programme.
• Find out which target group you belong to by studying the information provided here (for Western Balkan Nationals) and here (for EU Nationals).
• Get informed on which types of mobility are available.
•  Do you want to study as a master abroad? Then find out if you want to apply for a master exchange or a master degree mobility here
• Have a look at the list of fields of study to find out whether the programme you are interested in is offered at one of the partner universities.
• Have a look at your host university’s list of study programmes in order to receive detailed information on (1) specific admission requirements of the respective study programme, (2) additional documents to be uploaded, (3) language of instruction, (4) required language certificates to be uploaded, (5) link to courses/ECTS/learning outcomes (in order to be able to fill in the learning agreement or SRTT plan)
• Select the host university/host universities you are interested in and read their general information sheets!

– Please note: Only applicants for undergraduate and master exchange mobility may choose two host universities                 in the online application (first and second choice)! Master degree, Doctorate exchange, Post-doctorates and Staff                   may only apply for one host university.

• Have a look at the “Scholarships/Duration” section of the homepage to find out about the possible duration of mobility.
• Read the FAQs to get answers to some of the most important questions.
• Collect all documents that need to be uploaded in the online application. A list of the documents can be found here. All documents attached in electronic form will also have to be handed in as original signed documents at the host institution once you got selected.
• Apply online!

The online application consists of two steps. Step 1 needs to be completed by clicking the „Finish Data Entry“ button            before it is possible to proceed to step 2 where documents have to be uploaded and the host university chosen. Note             that no more changes are possible within step 1 once it has been finished by clicking the button “Finish Data Entry      (step 1)”.

Step 1 consists of:
– Main data (a picture needs to be uploaded as well)
– Profile
– Language skills
– Motivation statement

Step 2 consists of:
– Documents to be uploaded
– Priority for host universities
Please note: Only applicants for undergraduate and master exchange mobility may choose two host universities in the online application (first and second choice)! Master degree, Doctorate exchange, Post-doctorates and Staff may only apply for one host university.)

•  Submit your application by clicking on “Finish application”: Once you click on “Finish application” after the completion of both steps (as described above), you will not have access anymore to your application and no more changes will be possible. So please make sure to carefully review your application before hitting the submit button “Finish application”.
• Get informed about the selection criteria!
• All applicants will be informed about the selection results (selected, rejected or reserve list) by May 2012. All selected scholars will receive further information once they have been selected.

Only in case you cannot find answers to your specific questions online , please proceed as follows:

1. If you have any specific question concerning your eligibility please contact:
   • your home university if you belong to TG 1
   • joineusee@uni-graz.at if you belong to TG 2
   • If you are not sure whether you belong to a vulnerable group (belong to target group 3) and/or how to prove this vulnerable situation by providing necessary documents, please contact our associate partner Istituto per l’Europa Centro-Orientale e Balcanica at www.iecob.netor unibo.eurobalk@unibo.it
2. If you have any specific question concerning the academic offer at your host university, please contact your host university
3. If you have any technical problems concerning the online application please contact joineusee@uni-graz.at