Outgoing Erasmus Students

The Erasmus Programme

UCC is an active participant in the ERASMUS programme. The programme allows students registered at UCC to complete a study period/work placement at a partner institution/enterprise in the EU and to obtain full academic credit for so doing.

Academic programmes at UCC which provide for a compulsory study year abroad are as follows:

BA (Language and Cultural Studies) Pathway
BA (European Studies) Pathway
BA (Drama and Theatre Studies - International) Pathway
BA (Arts-Music) European Pathway
BCL French/BCL German/BCL International
BComm (International) - French/German/Spanish/Italian/Irish

In a number of other degree programmes, such as BMus, BSc etc., special provision may be made for students to avail of a semester abroad at a European university.

Under the ERASMUS programme, UCC has partner institutions in virtually all countries of the EU. Each year approximately 200 UCC students will study at institutions not only in France, Germany, Italy and Spain (the key "partner countries") but also in lesser subscribed destinations such as Finland and Portugal. In all cases students are officially registered at the host institution and take courses on the same basis as domestic students in that country, along with other ERASMUS students from all over Europe.

Work placements are a compulsory part for some degree programmes. Some of the programmes involved are as follows:

BCL International
BComm
BE Civil Engineering
BE Electrical and Electronic Engineering
BE Energy Engineering
BE Process and Chemical Engineering
BSc Accounting and Finance
BSc Computer Science
BSc Chemistry of Pharmaceutical Compounds
BSc Environmental Sciences

BSc Food Science & Technology
BSc Government
BSc Nutritional Sciences
BSc Public Health and Health Promotion
BSc Zoology
Dip Cooperative Enterprises
MBs Innovation in European Business
MBs Management and Marketing
MBs Managerial Accounting
MSc Biotechnology

The academic, cultural, social and personal benefits of participating in the ERASMUS programme are enormous. Feeback from returned students shows that the intellectual challenge of studying/working in a European environment is exceptionally rewarding and that language skills improve dramatically. For many UCC students, it will be their first time to operate successfully in an international learning situation and this - along with the practical demands of living away from home" is immeasurably beneficial in terms of personal development and maturity.

The career benefits of having completing a period abroad have been well documented. Recent studies prove that employers are likely to be particularly impressed by graduates who have shown that they possess the curiosity, strength of character and adaptability to obtain at least part of their education at a foreign university. Therefore, the ERASMUS experience may be seen as giving a competitive advantage in the workplace to graduates who have been fortunate enough to avail of the programme.

Please click on the following link to see presentation on Making the most of your Experience Abroad (1,570kB)

Many students preparing to participate in the ERASMUS programme voice concerns about the financial aspects of the ERASMUS experience. Whilst students are not charged for tuition at the host institution, they will need to budget for flights, food, accommodation and other general expenses. The ERASMUS grant is intended as a contribution to the overall cost of the year abroad, to cover the cost of living differential associated with living abroad. The ERASMUS grant will be approximately between €1,300 - €1,800 per student (varies per country and for period spent abroad). Students thinking of participating in the ERASMUS programme should weigh up the cost factor against the inestimable value of living and studying in a European university in terms of their personal and academic development.