Mobility – Questions & Answers

• A bilateral agreement is a multi-year contract between at least two universities, regulating, among other things, student exchange conditions. Each year, partner universities negotiate detailed implementation terms.

• The list of the University of Warsaw's foreign partner universities is available on the IRO website. After selecting a foreign university, contact the employee of the International Partnerships Section at IRO responsible for that country.

• A student or doctoral student at the University of Warsaw pursuing a graduate, undergraduate, unified master's, or doctoral degree, provided they obtain approval from the dean or head of doctoral studies.

• § 37 of the University of Warsaw Study Regulations defines the types of leave students can apply for. In each case, departure requires approval from the dean or relevant vice-dean.

• Yes, students who have previously participated in LLP-Erasmus, Erasmus+ (KA103 and/or KA107), and/or Erasmus Mundus for short-term studies abroad can apply for a bilateral exchange.

• The study program at the foreign university must be agreed upon before departure. Only if a Learning Agreement is established and approved before departure can all or part of the courses completed abroad be recognized and included in the study program.

• Ideally, the exchange duration should match the semester/trimester or academic year length at the foreign university. The stay should end with confirmed acquired competencies and knowledge.

• Student must provide a language proficiency certificate/confirmation that meets the foreign university’s requirements.

• The decision is at the discretion of the dean or relevant vice-dean. The grade average is one of the criteria for exchange qualification.

• Information is available on the foreign university’s website. Always verify the current course catalog yourself.

• A bilateral agreement primarily exempts exchange participants from tuition fees at the host university and sometimes grants priority for student housing. Financial conditions vary based on the specific agreement. Contact the International Partnerships Section at IRO for details.

• It is recommended to make a well-considered decision. In each case, you should agree with the dean or the relevant vice-dean not only on the study program, but also on the financial commitments to the University of Warsaw during your studies abroad.

• Some bilateral agreements provide for summer language courses.

• Yes, if possible. However, the language course cannot overlap with the short-term study period abroad.

Required documents:

• Consent Form signed by the dean/vice-dean or head of an independent organizational unit
• Learning Agreement signed by the faculty mobility coordinator
• Attachment No. 1 to Learning Agreement
• Transcript of Records in English
• Motivation letter
• Language certificate
• Additional documents required by the host university

• Learning Agreement signed by all parties,
• Transcript of Records,
• Survey summarizing the stay, study conditions, and academic quality assessment.

Students are encouraged to complete the survey, which serves as an evaluation of foreign universities and a source of information for prospective exchange students.

• Foreign universities set different application deadlines. Competition deadlines for the next academic year or semester are published on the IRO website starting in November.

• The list of mobility coordinators is available on the IRO website.

• Changes to the originally agreed Learning Agreement must be made within three weeks from the start of the semester at the foreign university.

• No later than two weeks before departure, after receiving confirmation of acceptance from the host university.

• For EU countries: European Health Insurance Card (EHIC).
• For non-EU countries: private health insurance with equivalent coverage.

IRO recommends purchasing additional private insurance covering medical interventions or transport to Poland. The student is fully responsible for having appropriate travel and stay insurance and must know its coverage. Always verify insurance requirements of the host university and destination country before purchasing.

• Yes, if permitted under the destination country’s legal regulations. Check consular offices or the host university’s website for relevant laws.

• Contact the International Relations Office of the host university or another office indicated by that university.

• IRO recommends that every student planning to go abroad register in the “Odyseusz” System.

• There is no such option. Erasmus funds are disbursed in installments based on the financial agreement between the University of Warsaw and the National Agency of the Erasmus+ Program (NA).

• Receiving the first installment before departure is possible if you sign the individual agreement early enough. After signing, IRO strives to process transfers promptly. However, this requires submitting all necessary documents for signing the agreement and completing the OLS language test.

The mobility period is the time from the start to the end of studies abroad.

• The first day is when the student is required to be at the foreign university (e.g., the start of a course, official university welcome, language and intercultural preparation course).
• The end date is the last required day of presence at the host university (e.g., the last day of the exam session/course/mandatory classes).

Mobility capital refers to the total duration a student is eligible for an Erasmus scholarship.

• Each level of study (undergraduate, graduate, doctoral) allows for up to 12 months of study/internship funding.
• Unified master’s students can receive funding for 24 months.
• The minimum funded period is 3 months.
• Mobility capital is assigned to the individual, meaning that once used for a particular degree program, Erasmus funding cannot be reclaimed—even if the student changes their major or university.

• Your "exchange" was provisionally "granted" during the qualification process. Per the financial agreement between UW and the Erasmus+ National Agency, the scholarship must be calculated to the exact day using the dates specified in the Letter of Acceptance or other confirmation documents from the foreign university.

• Yes, if you have passed all exams and have no conditional promotion or resit exam. You must also sign the "travel application form" at IRO, which includes a declaration of settling your academic obligations for the given year. Providing false information in this declaration may result in disciplinary action and removal from the student list.

• IRO does not require this document, so there is no standard UW template for it. If the foreign university provides one, it should be issued using their own form. The most important document required by IRO for settlement is the Letter of Confirmation (or equivalent) or Transcript of Records, issued by the foreign university at the end of the mobility period, confirming the exact study duration to the day.

• After starting your mobility, all changes must be made exclusively in the electronic Learning Agreement (e-LA) within the USOSweb system. You can modify your study plan within three weeks from the beginning of classes at the foreign university. Contact your faculty coordinator at UW to enable changes in e-LA. Once the coordinator approves the program modification and grants access in USOSweb, you can proceed with adjustments (e.g., canceling or adding a course). After finalizing any course additions or removals, request approval from your home unit’s mobility coordinator for the final version of your Learning Agreement in the system. Print the approved document and obtain the signature of a representative from the foreign university. You must bring this document back upon completing your mobility, as it is one of the key documents required for settling your exchange with IRO and completing the academic stage at your UW faculty.

• IRO announces information regarding extension rules and funding every October on its website.

• The dormitory or accommodation period is not considered when calculating Erasmus scholarship duration.

• Funding is awarded for the actual mobility duration, as confirmed by the foreign university in the Letter of Confirmation (or equivalent) or Transcript of Records to the exact day, issued at the end of the mobility period.

• Yes, but only in justified cases. With faculty coordinator approval bachelor’s and master’s students can reduce their load to 20 ECTS per semester and doctoral students can reduce it to 15 ECTS per semester.

• Qualification in the final year of undergraduate studies is conditional. If you change your field of study, you are no longer eligible for the scholarship and must withdraw from it as soon as possible.

• Kwalifikacja na ostatnim roku 1. stopnia jest przeprowadzana warunkowo. Jeśli zmienisz kierunek studiów, nie masz już prawa do stypendium i musisz jak najszybciej z niego zrezygnować.

• No, for full-year exchanges, the initial LA only needs to list courses taken during the winter semester. Courses for the second semester (spring) should be added to e-LA within three weeks of the start of the second semester classes.

• No, only native speakers are exempt from the OLS test. Others must complete the test regardless of prior attempts or holding a C2-level certificate.

•  Yes, if you were awarded a scholarship in the academic year in which you are on Erasmus (e.g., rector's scholarship, social scholarship, etc.), UW must continue disbursing that scholarship during your Erasmus mobility period.

• No, the Erasmus program rules do not provide funding for travel costs. However, some UW units may offer travel subsidies for their students, so it's worth checking with your unit coordinator to see if any support is available.

• Students departing in the spring semester should sign their individual agreement at IRO approximately 2-3 weeks before departure.

• In your final year of studies, you can apply for a scholarship for either a student internship or a graduate internship. To be eligible for a student internship, you must complete the entire internship before graduation, as Erasmus internships must be formally incorporated into your study program at UW. If you choose a graduate internship, your departure can only take place after your thesis defense. During a graduate internship, you cannot be enrolled in another program at UW or any other university.

• You must be in your final year of studies, still holding student status at UW, which typically means before your thesis defense.

• Yes, you must submit a scanned copy of this document to IRO within 7 days of starting your internship.

• Yes, but only after completing the first year, meaning you can depart during the summer months (June–September).

• No, this is not allowed under the Erasmus program rules. The entire internship period must be spent abroad, outside of Poland. The scholarship you receive is intended to cover the cost-of-living differences between Poland and the country where you are undertaking your internship.

• The required hours must comply with the labor laws of the country where you are undertaking your internship.