Study funds from CSN when you study abroad
If you are eligible for funding from CSN for your studies in Sweden, you can apply for student funding from CSN to study abroad. There are also options to borrow money for extra costs, for example travel and insurance. If the university you are going to study at requires you to show proof of how you finance your stay, you can order a certificate from CSN.
Scholarships for exchanges and internships
If you go as an exchange student or do an internship within Erasmus+, Nordplus/Nordlys or North2north programmes, you can apply for a scholarship to cover additional expenses during your study period. You can read more about the scholarships below.
Erasmus+ scholarship for studies in Europe
Scholarship if you have an exchange place within Erasmus+
Scholarship for those who have received an exchange place within Erasmus+
Erasmus+ is a large, European education programme that gives you lots of opportunities to study in another country.
If you get an exchange place within Erasmus+, you apply for a scholarship via the International Office at Umeå University. The size of the sum varies depending on which country you are going to and how long you are away.
The international contact person at your department must notify the International Office that you have received an exchange place. You will then receive an invitation via email to Umeå University's Canvas page for Erasmus scholarships. On the Canvas page you will find more information on how to submit your scholarship application. Your application must be completed before you start your exchange.
Scholarship amount and payment
The scholarship amount for Erasmus+ studies varies depending on in which country you do your exchange or internship and is between EUR 510–560 per month.
Approximately 70 per cent of the total amount is paid to you at the beginning of the study period. The remaining amount is paid when you have finished your exchange and fulfilled the conditions found on the Canvas page that you will be/were invited to when you received an exchange place.
The scholarship is divided in two payments; one payment is made in connection with the start of your exchange and one after the end of the exchange. The money is paid on the 25th of those months. The payment is made based on a continuously updated exchange rate.
If you interrupt your studies or do not meet the conditions, you may have to repay all or part of the scholarship.
The cost of living in countries differs greatly between larger and smaller cities. To make your scholarship amount last longer, you can choose to study in a smaller city rather than a bigger city where the rent can be much higher.
Travel allowance
If you will go on an exchange within Erasmus+, you can apply for extra funds and compensation for travel days during your exchange. You will receive a lump sum of EUR 28 or more depending on the distance between the place of departure and the exchange destination. You will see the exact amount relevant for you in Canvas when you complete your application for an Erasmus+ scholarship. If you make more than half of your journey with low-emission means of transport, e.g. bus, train, car pool or other sustainable means of transport, you can receive higher compensation.
You can also receive funds for extra travel days; two if you travel high-emission and up to six travel days if you travel low-emission. The sum for the travel days is linked to the country where you are doing your exchange and is calculated per day.
Terms of conditions
If you apply for an Erasmus+ scholarship, you must not simultaneously receive a scholarship or similar from the University and Higher Education Council (UHR) or another EU body. Also, you must not have been on an Erasmus+ exchange or internship for more than 12 months at the same level of study, including the study period for which you are applying for a scholarship.
Requirements for applicants
As an applicant, you must:
- be a registered student on full-time studies at Umeå University when you apply for a scholarship;
- pursue studies that lead to a recognised degree or other post-secondary qualification at Umeå University. If you study a single course at the University that is not to be included in a future degree, you do not qualify for Erasmus mobility. However, you qualify if you study a freestanding course that you plan to include in a future degree;
- perform the entire exchange period at the same host university and live in the host country throughout your exchange period; and
- not receive other scholarships from the EU, the University or the Higher Education Council (UHR) at the same time.
Your (exchange) studies must:
- be full-time and cover a minimum of 60 days and a maximum of 360 days;
- take place at a university in one of the countries included in the Erasmus programme;
- be possible to be credited within your studies at Umeå University or recognised in a Diploma Supplement; and
- be approved by your department (international contact person or study counsellor).
Countries to which you can apply for an Erasmus+ scholarship
- EU countries (except Sweden) as well as Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Turkey, North Macedonia and Serbia. In addition, you can get a scholarship if you do exchange studies at Friborg University in Switzerland. After the UK has left the EU, you cannot apply for an Erasmus+ scholarship for exchange studies in the UK.
- The countries and territories in the EU's list of Overseas countries and territories.
Under these conditions, you cannot receive a scholarship
Erasmus+ aims to promote international mobility and to help students gain international experience. Therefore, there are restrictions on what you can get a scholarship for.
Conditions when studies are not approved
You cannot receive an Erasmus+ scholarship:
- for studies in Sweden;
- for studies in the country where you live while studying at Umeå University;
- for distance/online learning; or
- to commute from Sweden to your exchange abroad.
How to apply for a scholarship
When you have been assigned an Erasmus+ exchange place, you will be invited to a Canvas page where you start an application for an Erasmus+ scholarship. On the Canvas page you will find more information on how to submit your scholarship application. Your application must be complete before you start your exchange.
For those who are going on an exchange during an autumn semester, applications for Erasmus+ scholarships usually open at the beginning of June. For those who are going on an exchange during a spring semester, the application usually opens in November/early December.
Erasmus+ scholarship for a traineeship in Europe
Erasmus+ is the EU's programme to support education and training that gives you lots of opportunities to do a traineeship in another country.
Apply for an Erasmus+ traineeship grant
Once you've found a traineeship, submit an Erasmus+ grant application. Within 2 working weeks, you will be invited to an Erasmus+ Traineeship Canvas page. On the Canvas page, you will find more information on how to submit your scholarship application. Your application must be complete before you start your traineeship.
If you are going on an exchange during an autumn semester, the Erasmus grant application usually opens in April/May. If you are going on an exchange during the spring semester, the application usually opens in October/November.
Scholarship amount and payment
The Erasmus+ traineeship grant amount differs depending on which country you are to do your traineeship in and ranges between 660-710 EUR/month.
About 70 percent of the total amount is paid to you at the beginning of your traineeship. The remaining amount is paid once you have completed your traineeship and fulfilled the requirements as stated in Canvas.
The scholarship is divided in two payments; one payment is made in connection with the start of your exchange and one after the end of the exchange. The money is paid on the 25th of those months. The payment is made based on a continuously updated exchange rate.
If you cancel your traineeship or do not fulfil the requirements, you may have to repay the full amount, or part of the scholarship.
The cost of living in countries differs greatly between large and small cities. To make your scholarship amount last longer, you can spend your traineeship in smaller cities rather than the larger cities where the rent can be much higher.
Travel grants
Erasmus+ trainees can apply for extra funds and compensation for travel days going to or from your traineeship destination. You will receive a lump sum of EUR 28 and above, depending on the distance between your departure point and the exchange destination. You can see the exact amount for you in Canvas when you complete your Erasmus+ scholarship application.
If you make more than half of your journey by green travel; i.e., sustainable transport, such as bus, train, carpooling or other sustainable mode of transport, you can receive higher compensation.
You can also receive funds for extra travel days; 2 if you are travelling non-green and up to 6 travel days if you are travelling green. The amount for travelling days is linked to the country where you are doing your traineeship and is calculated per day.
Extra funding opportunities, Erasmus+
Extra funding for people with disabilities
If you have a permanent or long-term disability, including disabilities caused by physical or mental health problems, you can apply for a top-up grant on top of the regular grant to cover additional costs such as special transport, adapted accommodation, preparatory sign language course, adaptation of learning materials, etc. Find out more at Studying abroad with a disability.
Students with children, whether or not the child is travelling with them, can apply for an extra top-up in addition to the regular grant amount under Erasmus+. The top-up is 250 EUR/month.
Certificate: family certificate from the Swedish Tax Agency showing that the student has children.
For more information and to submit the certificate (in connection with the scholarship application before the exchange), please contact erasmusstipendium@umu.se.
Students who have both a disability and children are granted only one top-up.
Inclusion grant for actual costs for students with children
In addition to the grant described above (top-up), you can apply for an inclusion grant for actual costs if they exceed the top-up of EUR 250/month. This is intended to cover major costs that you may incur during your stay abroad.
If you need to apply for an extra inclusion grant, we recommend that you start your application well in advance. Start by talking to the person in charge at your department as soon as possible, preferably 6 months before you plan to leave on your exchange. The department will contact erasmusstipendium@umu.se to start the process of applying for actual costs. You will receive information on what you need to do before applying.
The application for the inclusion grant for actual costs must be approved before the start of the mobility. The grant cannot be applied for retroactively. It is the Swedish Council for Higher Education (UHR) that makes the assessment and decides which costs can be reimbursed.
Nordplus/Nordlys scholarship
Scholarships for studies and traineeships in the Nordic countries
During your stay abroad, you can keep your study grant and also apply for a Nordplus grant plus a sum for travel costs. The amount of the travel grant varies depending on the country you are travelling to.
If you need special support to participate in an exchange programme due to a disability, you may be eligible for extra funding to cover the costs. Contact your coordinator for students with disabilities at Umeå University for more information and assistance.
North2north scholarship
Scholarships for studies around the Arctic Circle etc.
It is possible to get a scholarship for exchange studies within the exchange programme north2north but it is not guaranteed. The Ministry of Education in Sweden funds the scholarship. You do not need to make a separate application for the scholarship, it is included when you apply for an exchange place via north2north. The amount may vary from year to year. Contact the International Office for questions.
