International Credit Mobility Project (KA171)
The Erasmus+ KA171 (previously KA107) International Credit Mobility Project enables project-based student, doctoral and staff mobility to specific countries outside the EU. These countries are referred to as Erasmus+ Partner countries or Third countries not associated to the Programme. The mobility can take place with UT partner institutions that commit to the Erasmus Charter for Higher Education (ECHE) principles.
The International Credit Mobility Project focuses on the mobility of individuals to support, for instance, a common project, a new cooperative relationship, strengthening a partnership, the exchange of knowledge, professional development, or balancing exchange in existing mobility windows. UT is engaged in a number of KA171 projects every year, in cooperation with partner institutions around the world. Visit Projects to view the specific projects.
The KA171 International Credit Mobility projects in the programme phase 2021-2027 are funded via the KA171 action line of the European Commission. UT is required to report on the spending of project means, both quantitatively and qualitatively. The key areas of attention of this programme phase include inclusion and diversity, the green and digital transitions, and participation in democratic life. These topics are reflected in the report below.
I went to Indonesia for ten days to visit Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB). UT has a student exchange partnership with ITB and we also collaborate on a project called ANRGI. During our stay, we discussed future collaboration initiatives as well as Erasmus+ student exchange possibilities. We look forward to offering the students we met on our trip the opportunity to study in Twente. If you have the chance to visit a partner university, I highly recommend it.
Only UT staff can apply for funding for a KA171 project, in cooperation with a partner institution, and via the Institutional Erasmus+ Coordinator. Application is by submission of a project proposal that details the educational cooperation between the universities.
The project proposal involves mobility activities for students in any cycle (short cycle, bachelor, master and doctoral levels) as well as mobility activities for teaching, training, support and doctoral staff. These mobility activities are funded from the project via a grant. For an individual to obtain a grant, they must be nominated by the UT staff member who initiated the project (the Project Coordinator.)
Academic staff are invited to (co-)write a proposal in response to the annual call for funding published by the Institutional Erasmus+ Coordinator. The proposal should include the relevance of the project, the quality of the collaboration, the partner institution/s, the project plan, and the impact of the project on the institution/s, the region and the individual. For tips on writing your proposal, view the FAQs.
If you are considering an educational cooperation with a partner institution outside the EU, consult with the Institutional Erasmus+ Coordinator to find out more about the upcoming call and about the existing KA171 projects within your faculty. Visit Submit a project proposal to view the application process.
The following types of mobilities may be supported in a KA171 project proposal:
The Erasmus+ KA171 grant is a contribution in costs and does not constitute a full scholarship. The grant does not cover project management or development costs. The grant consists of two funding components:
The grant amount is based on the type of mobility (staff or student), nature of the mobility (courses and/or traineeships, teaching and/or training), the duration of the mobility and the travel distance.
Below you can find the amounts and payment information applicable to you. These amounts are indicative and subject to change.
DAILY ALLOWANCE 2024
Group
Receiving country
Indicative grant amount per day (days 1-14.)
Please note: days 15-60 are funded at 70% of the below amount.
Non-EU destinations
Partner Countries from Regions 1-12
€190
GRANT TIMING & PAYMENT
CES transfers the Erasmus+ grant at the end of the mobility to the project number of the outgoing staff member’s faculty or department. The internal transfer indicates that the grant is allocated to the UT staff member. The staff member must complete all parts of their Erasmus+ application, including the final Participant Report, to receive payment of the grant. View documents for further information.
MONTHLY ALLOWANCE 2024
Indicative grant amount per month
€700
ERASMUS+ TOP-UPS
The Erasmus+ programme allows for (combinations of) top-ups as supplementary support to the Erasmus+ Study or Traineeship Scholarship of an outgoing UT student who:
If you are applying for an Erasmus+ Study or Traineeship Scholarship, you may qualify for this additional financial support. Please note, strict criteria for these top-ups apply. Visit Scholarship Programmes for UT Students for further information.
CES transfers the Erasmus+ grant (either in full or in part) to the outgoing student’s personal bank account at the start of the mobility. If the mobility is longer than one month, the student may receive 75% in the first instalment and the remaining 25% after the mobility.
The minimum processing time for a Erasmus+ grant is four weeks. The student must complete all parts of their Erasmus+ application, including the final Participant Report, to receive payment of the grant. View documents for further information.
Group 2
Netherlands
CES transfers the Erasmus+ grant (either in full or in part) to the incoming staff member’s personal bank account at the start of the mobility. If the mobility is longer than one month, the staff member may receive 75% in the first instalment and the remaining 25% after the mobility.
The minimum processing time for a Erasmus+ grant is four weeks. The staff member must complete all parts of their Erasmus+ application, including the final Participant Report, to receive payment of the grant. View documents for further information.
€900
CES transfers the Erasmus+ grant (either in full or in part) to the incoming student’s personal bank account at the start of the mobility. If the mobility is longer than one month, the student may receive 75% in the first instalment and the remaining 25% after the mobility.
The compensation for travel costs is based on the distance from the sending to the receiving institution. The travel distance is calculated using the distance calculator supported by the European Commission.
Travel distances
Amount
Between 10-99 km
€56
Between 100-499 km
€285
Between 500-1999 km
€417
Between 2000-2999 km
€535
Between 3000-3999 km
€785
Between 4000-7999 km
€1188
8000 km or more
€1735
There is no pre-financing provided by Erasmus+ and UT does not pre-finance or arrange travel for KA171 projects. This means that travel costs (for example, flight bookings or accommodation) may need to be covered by the student or staff member (or by arrangement with the faculty) prior to the mobility.
The Project Coordinator is the main contact person for the KA171 project, and is often an academic staff member in a faculty. The Project Coordinator manages the project, including everything from the application phase, nomination of candidates and guidance throughout the mobility, to securing continuation and reporting on the project’s impact. They provide hands-on support to students and staff and the project’s activities.
The Project Coordinator acts as the primary liaison between the UT and the partner institution, and is also in touch with the Institutional Erasmus+ Coordinator regarding the progression of the project. The Institutional Erasmus+ Coordinator oversees and monitors the progression of the project in close consultation with the Project Coordinator.
The project proposal should include the name of the Project Coordinator. This person will remain the contact person for the entire duration of the project, for both the partner institution as well as the UT stakeholders.
The Institutional Erasmus+ Coordinator calls for proposals via the UT Service Portal, the Microsoft Teams Mobility Platform’s Erasmus+ Programme Channel, the Faculty Internationalisation Coordinators and the previous Project Coordinators. If you are interested in submitting a proposal, you can attend an information session with the Institutional Erasmus+ Coordinator to learn about the application process, tips and tricks, and the focus points of the Erasmus+ programme.
Below you can view the steps involved in submitting a project proposal, allocation, implementation and your obligations after the project phase.
1. Start co-writing your proposal with your partner institution at least 3 months prior to the UT deadline for submissions.
2. Submit your project proposal to the Institutional Erasmus+ Coordinator by 15 January.
3. The Institutional Erasmus+ Coordinator combines all project proposals into one single application for the UT and submits the application to the Dutch Erasmus+ National Agency by 23 February.
4. If your proposal is successful, the Institutional Erasmus+ Coordinator will notify you of the provisional allocation, which is then followed by the final allocation. Allocation can be expected 4 to 6 months after the submission deadline.
5. Set up an Erasmus+ Exchange Agreement (also called the Erasmus + Inter-Institutional Agreement) with the partner institution. Please contact the Exchange Agreement Administrator to get started.
6. If you’ve obtained an Erasmus+ 171 project allocation, view the project implementation document to find out your next steps.
7. You are required to report intermittently on the project progress via the KA171 project website. This includes project updates, relevant publications and actions undertaken which constitute part of the project results. The publication aims to share the intermediate impact of the project with UT stakeholders, the Dutch Erasmus+ National Agency and the European Commission. Publishing intermediate project results may also lead to potential new cooperations and partnerships for UT.
8. You and your partner institution contact should nominate candidates for individual mobilities to the Institutional Erasmus+ Coordinator, and either the Study Abroad team (outgoing students & staff) or Incoming Exchange team (incoming students.)
9. The Project Coordinator must ensure that the student or staff member completes the Mobility Online application (students) or Erasmus+ Staff Mobility Agreement (staff), and all documents required before and after the mobility. Completion of documents is compulsory and is required for the transfer of ECTS credits or equivalent. View documents for further information.
10. You are required to report at the end of the project. This includes sharing information about the project’s actions, dissemination efforts and generated impact of the project. The aim of the final report is to provide both qualitative and quantitative data on the project to UT stakeholders, the Erasmus+ National Agency and the European Commission. The final reporting phase is coordinated by the Institutional Erasmus Coordinator.
11. The final result is shared by the Institutional Erasmus+ Coordinator via the Erasmus+ project platform and the KA171 project website. In addition to meeting the formal Erasmus+ dissemination requirements, publishing final project results may lead to potential new cooperations and partnerships for UT.
As a UT student or staff member, you cannot apply directly for a KA171 mobility. You have to be nominated to participate. Below you can find the process that applies to you.
If your mobility takes place in-person and on location, then you don’t need to provide proof to the UT that you have started your mobility. However, if your mobility takes place both physically and online, then an attendance record is required by UT for the virtual part of your mobility.
For long-term mobilities, incoming staff members should search for housing in Enschede and surrounding areas as soon as possible. Via the UT housing website, they staff member can register to receive housing offers on Roomspot and also find other search options. Please note there is a shortage of housing in the Netherlands and please be vigilant for scams.
For long-term mobilities, incoming students should search for housing in Enschede and surrounding areas as soon as possible. Via the UT housing website, they can register to receive housing offers on Roomspot and also find other search options. Please note there is a shortage of housing in the Netherlands and please be vigilant for scams.
Mobility Online is a database used by UT to register and manage all international experiences relating to exchange and/or credit mobility. It supports students in the grant application for their experience abroad based on agreements between the UT and its international partner institutions. The registration also serves the Calamity Service Abroad, which monitors worldwide events and contacts students if a calamity occurs in their location.
Below you can find information about the documents that you need to complete as a project coordinator and/or mobility participant. The documents themselves will be available during the grant application process.
Erasmus+ Inter-Institutional Agreement (Project Coordinator)
Inter-Institutional Agreements can be signed between two or more higher education institutions. They set the framework conditions for the student and staff mobilities which take place between institutions funded by the Erasmus+ programme. If your KA171 project proposal is successful, the Project Coordinator should set up an Erasmus+ Inter-Institutional Agreement with the partner institution. Contact the Exchange Agreement Administrator to get started.
Erasmus+ Grant Agreement
The Grant Agreement is one of the documents completed by the student undertaking the mobility as part of the KA171 application. This document sets out the contractual obligations and conditions of the institution and the student, in relation to the Erasmus+ grant and the mobility. The document should be signed by both the student and the UT, and must be completed prior to the start of the mobility. Students can complete the Grant Agreement via Mobility Online.
Erasmus+ Learning Agreement
The Learning Agreement is completed by the student going abroad as part of the KA171 application. This document details the study plan, sets out the entry requirements and ensures recognition of the student’s ECTS credits. It contains three parts:
Erasmus+ Student Mobility Agreement
The Mobility Agreement is completed by the student going abroad for an internship/traineeship as part of the KA171 application. This document details the student’s traineeship plan, sets out the entry requirements and ensures recognition of the student’s ECTS credits. The Mobility Agreement must be completed prior to the start of the student’s mobility. The Mobility Agreement is considered complete at the end of the mobility when the student’s Transcript of Records is submitted via Mobility Online to the Study Abroad team.
The Grant Agreement is one of the documents completed by the staff member undertaking the mobility as part of the KA171 application. This document sets out the contractual obligations and conditions of the institution and the staff member, in relation to the Erasmus+ grant and the mobility. The document should be signed by both the staff member and the UT, and must be completed prior to the start of the mobility. Email the completed document to Staff Mobility.
Erasmus+ Staff Mobility Agreement
The Mobility Agreement is completed by the staff member as part of the KA171 application. The document must be completed prior to the start of the mobility. It should be signed by the staff member, their manager and the Institutional Erasmus+ Coordinator. Email the completed agreement to Staff Mobility.
Transcript of Records
At the end of the mobility the student should submit their Transcript of Records via Mobility Online to the Study Abroad team.
Erasmus+ Participant Report
At the end of the mobility, students receive an automated email invitation from the Erasmus+ programme to fill in an online Participant Report. This is compulsory and must be completed within a week of receiving it. If your Erasmus+ grant is in two instalments, you will not receive the final payment until you have completed the Participant Report.
Certificate of Attendance
After the mobility ends, the staff member will receive a Certificate of Attendance form from UT. This form must be completed by the host institution and sent to Staff Mobility no later than two weeks after the end of the mobility period. The certificate must include the start and end date of the mobility period.
At the end of the mobility, the staff member receives an automated email invitation from the Erasmus+ programme to fill in an online Participant Report. This is compulsory and must be completed within a week of receiving it. If your Erasmus+ grant is in two instalments, you will not receive the final payment until you have completed the Participant Report.
The KA171 project is subject to the rules and conditions as stipulated in the grant agreement pertaining to the project, the UT and the partner institution. Not all changes to planned mobilities are permitted. If you wish to change your planned mobilities, please contact the Institutional Erasmus+ Coordinator to check the possibilities and restrictions.
The project duration may be up to 36 months for KA171 projects. There is no grace period in which you can conclude mobilities for the project phase. The end date indicated in the grant agreement relating to the project is final and extension of activities is not possible.
All individual mobilities should be completed prior to the project end date. If mobilities are not concluded by the end date, the costs incurred by the mobility participant after the end date must be covered by the Project Coordinator’s faculty or department. This may include the travel costs for the return to the home destination.
There is no pre-financing provided by Erasmus+ and UT does not pre-finance or arrange travel for KA171 projects. Please view Grant Amounts for information about the timing of your grant payments.
We advise any incoming mobility participant to start looking for housing in and around Enschede as soon as it becomes apparent they will be nominated to visit UT. The housing market in the Netherlands is extremely competitive. Nominate the incoming candidate early and plan the mobility well in advance to maximise the time for the housing search. Keep in mind that the second semester is often a more favourable time to secure housing offers. The UT does not offer guaranteed housing or housing offers for incoming KA171 individual mobility participants. More information can be found on the UT housing website or contact Student Housing for assistance.
Arrange travel as early as possible. Booking early can reduce ticket prices and allows more time for the visa process.
Incoming placement activities require part of the registration to go through the HR International team at UT. This is due to the nature of the mobility and Dutch immigration laws. For incoming placement activities extending beyond 90 days additional permits for placements are required. These permit processes may take up to 3 months. This is a factor to take into account when planning placement mobilities within a KA171 project.
This depends on the budget envelope for the call as well as the number of successful applications submitted per region. The envelope is managed by the Dutch Erasmus+ National Agency. In 2022/2023 an extra focus is given to Sub-Saharan countries and Western-Balkan countries, so the budget envelopes are expected to be higher for countries in these regions.
This depends on the relationship with your partner institution and the duration of the project phase. KA171 projects may have a duration of up to 36 months. For a new relationships, we advise you to start small (up to 5 mobilities.) When proven to be successful, you may submit for a continuation of the project with a new proposal in the upcoming call.
It is recommended to frame the proposal in relation to one or more of the Erasmus+ priorities and select them at the application stage. Moreover, we recommend consulting the results produced by previously funded projects based on similar priorities. Useful information about funded projects can be found in the Erasmus+ Project Results Platform. We recommend that you ensure consistency and avoid duplications, as well as progressively build on existing results and contribute to the joint development of the different fields. Priority will be given to actions that are key to achieving the objectives of the European Higher Education Area. Lastly, the European Commission has provided a handy tool to measure the intended impact of your project. We advise you to use it and display the results in your proposal. View the Impact Tool.
The Erasmus+ programme has indicated pressure points for the programme phase of 2021-2027. These are Inclusion & Diversity, Digital Transformation, Civic Engagement [Participation in democratic life] and Sustainability [Environment and fight against climate change]. However, there should be structural attention for: Protection, health and safety of participants, Multilingualism, International dimension, Recognition and validation of skills and qualifications, Communicating projects and their results to maximize impact, the Erasmus+ Open Access Requirement for educational materials, and Erasmus+ Open Access for research and data. This should be in connection to UT’s Shaping 2030 Internationalisation vision and the Erasmus Policy Statement.
As inspiration for your proposal, you can view the video below to hear about the KA171 Humanitarian Engineering project at UT (recorded 15 May 2024.)
Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Commission. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.