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Preparatory information

The Erasmus+ Traineeship is an opportunity to gain experience abroad as part of your studies, to acquire professional skills or to test yourself in subject-specific professional fields.

This can also be a good alternative to studying abroad. If, for example, you have not been granted an Erasmus+ study place, you can take this chance of an Erasmus Traineeship to gain international experience in your city of choice. If you plan a special holiday job and it lasts at least 2 months, you can apply for an Erasmus+ traineeship at the International Office to increase the remuneration of the holiday job with the Erasmus+ Grant.

Such a graduate internship or gap year makes sound sense for someone not knowing whether they wish to continue with a Master’s or to start doctoral studies. The Erasmus+ Traineeship will give them a chance to spend a gap year in the city where they are thinking of continuing to study.

Which type of Erasmus+ Traineeship?

  • Voluntary Traineeship: not recognised by the curriculum
  • Within the curricula if a Traineeship is integrated into the studies (Conservation/Restoration, Fine Arts)
  • Traineeship is available to recent graduates within 12 months after completing their studies of any of the study levels (BA, MA, doctoral studies/PhD). However, graduates must not be enrolled at any Austrian university! Applicants are advised to take out sufficient accident and insurance.

Duration of Traineeship

  • Diploma study programme: 2 months of Traineeship minimum, 12 maximum
  • Bachelor, Master and doctoral studies: 2 months of Traineeship minimum, 12 maximum

Months spent abroad during an Erasmus+ study exchange must be deducted / taken into account.

For the Erasmus+ Traineeship, students have an allotment of “mobility months” funded with the Erasmus grant. All months a student spent abroad under Erasmus+ status are deducted from their credit for each study level. This also applies if they have not signed an Erasmus Grant Agreement. Therefore, it is important to consider all the options that the Erasmus Programme has to offer students and recent graduates when considering and planning their entire studies.

Students have the possibility of choosing their own employer for their Erasmus Traineeship. We recommend that you consult your teachers/lecturers. Work content must be subject-specific and match the content of your field of study, your programme, and the curriculum.

Please find the information pertaining to the Erasmus grants under “Funding”.

Visa

Please also note the entry and residence conditions in the host country if you are not an EU citizen and, if necessary, submit an application in good time to the competent representation abroad.

Language support

Trainees in the Erasmus+ Programme are obliged to take part in the assessment of the Erasmus+ Online Linguistic Supports (OLS). Subsequently, online language courses are offered in the working language and in the national language. You will receive the invitation to OLS by e-mail via a database of the EU, which will be activated for you by the International Office.

Insurance

Trainees are duty-bound to take out sufficient insurance for their stay abroad (healthcare, accident and liability insurance). Regular students are insured in their workplace via the insurance of the Austrian National Union of Students https://www.oeh.ac.at/node/238/oeh-versicherung. The respective insurance policy including information on the amounts can be downloaded from the Union’s website.

Graduated Erasmus+ Trainees are not enrolled at any Austrian university and must therefore take care of their own insurance, possibly together with their employer. Bear in mind that you may be handling valuable materials or equipment at work and that your student health insurance no longer applies as you may not be enrolled at any Austrian university.