Erasmus language trips for University staff

Calls for Erasmus language trips are announced every November. Apply for Erasmus+ funding for your language trip via the Mobility Online database. Please enter only the UHH e-mail address (e.g.: xxx@uni-hamburg.de). The application can not be processed without the official UHH e-mail address.

The online application portal is open from 1 - 30 November. Applications cannot be submitted at any other time.

Application form for Erasmus language trips

1. Apply for an Erasmus language trip

• Apply online and register in the Mobility Online database.
• Complete your personal details.
• Upload application documents:
  • letter of motivation
  • CV (including information about foreign languages learned and current level of proficiency)
  • language course offer and/or documentation on status of preparations (e.g., email from the language institute)

Your request for an Erasmus subsidy will then be reviewed and evaluated in a committee procedure. Once this has been completed, you will receive an email informing you whether your application has been accepted or rejected.

2. Before the language trip—submitting a request

• Fill out your banking data and list your responsible internal revenue office.
• Upload confirmation of the authorized paid educational leave.
• Upload completed Mobility Agreement signed by all parties required: participants, superiors, invitee, host university.
• Completion of the query on the top-ups green travel and real costs via Mobilty Online. If green travel applies to you, print out the sworn declaration in your workflow, sign it, and then upload the signed document again.
• Print out and send the original copy of the signed Grant Agreement (generated in the database).

After the Erasmus University Coordinator has signed the Grant Agreement, it is uploaded to your profile in the database. Once all of the documents have been saved in the database, the first installment totaling 80% will be paid.

3. After the language trip

• Upload the completed Confirmation of Stay for Staff Training, which must also be signed by the language school.
• Send the EU Survey (you will obtain the link to this after you complete your stay).
• Upload your report
• Complete the information about your mobility measures on Mobility Online to obtain your certificate of participation. 

The second installment will be paid once you have entered all of your details and uploaded all of the documents to the database.

Selection criteria

To participate in the selection procedure, you must submit a complete application by the application deadline. The following criteria are taken into account during selection:

• daily use of foreign language at work
• soundness and preparation of plan
• benefits of the Erasmus language trip for the internationalization of your work area at the University of Hamburg
• number of completed Erasmus language trips (priority for staff members who wish to complete an Erasmus language trip for the first time)
• funding for staff from as many different areas as possible

Severely disabled and disabled applicants with the same status will receive preference over equally qualified non-disabled applicants.

The selection committee meets approximately 2 weeks after the application deadline. Applicants are generally informed of selection decisions within 2 weeks of the meeting.

What do I need to consider when applying?

Your application should indicate to what extent you use your foreign language in your daily work. We encourage you to describe specific situations in which you reached the limits of your language skills or in which areas you wish to improve your language skills. Also indicate which local opportunities (e.g. University Language Center) you have already used and why/how you contribute to the internationalization of UHH with your language trip.

What do I need to consider with regard to paid educational leave?

The language course must be officially recognized as paid educational leave in Hamburg. In order to be eligible for Erasmus+ funding, you must attend a language school within the Erasmus+ program region and take at least 270 minutes of lessons daily. Inform yourself about opportunities, for example on the City of Hamburg website for paid educational leave.You organize the language trip yourself and apply for financial support for this educational trip via the Erasmus team at UHH.

The application for educational leave is submitted to the Human Resources Department. Please contact HR to find out how many days of paid educational leave you can apply for, which documents you need to submit and which requirements must be met to apply for educational leave.

Program requirements

• Employment at Universität Hamburg
• Entitlement to paid educational leave for the period of the language trip
• Duration of stay: A minimum of 2 and a maximum of 10 working days at the language school; additionally, the daily allowance can be used to compensate for the arrival and departure days if these take place directly prior to or after the course.
• As a rule, Erasmus+ funding is only available for stays during which activities falling under the program take place.
• The language school has to be located within the Erasmus+ program region and the language course must be officially recognized as paid educational leave in Hamburg.
• UK: Erasmus+ funding for language courses in the United Kingdom is no longer possible due to Brexit.

Living costs

Living costs are calculated according to a daily rate that varies depending on the host country:

Travel expenses

The following travel allowance will be granted per stay (return travel) per participant depending on the distance:

Use the Distance Calculator to determine the travel allowance. Enter your starting point and destination—the distance will then be calculated automatically.

Green Erasmus: If you undertake green travel, meaning you plan to use sustainable transportation (train, bus, car-share, bicycle, walking) for at least 50% of the journey, you can receive an increased travel allowance. If this takes more time, you can receive funding for up to an additional 4 days.

• Green Travel addition "teures Reisen": Additionally, one can apply for a real cost allowance for "teueres Reisen".  This can be applied for if the travel allowance according to the distance category does not cover at least 70% of the real travel costs for sustainable travel. In this case, participants can be reimbursed 80% of the real costs for sustainable travel.
• The application must be justified by the applicant and approved by the national agency. This requires a lead time. We therefore ask you to send the necessary documents proving the increased travel costs to erasmus-staff"AT"uni-hamburg.de at least one month before departure.

Advance payment of the travel and daily allowances

You will be paid 80% of the total allowance in advance within 30 days of the Grant Agreement (GA) being signed by both parties (participant and Erasmus University Coordinator). The remaining 20% of your funding will be paid after your return, once you have submitted the required documentation.

No tax is payable on Erasmus+ funding provided for professional development as long as these activities are necessary for professional development. Tax is payable on any funding above and beyond this and on funding that is not used.

Application for reimbursement of actual costs

Staff with a degree of disability of 50 (GdB 50) or over, staff with chronic illnesses, and staff traveling with a child who have incurred significant additional costs in the host country can submit a claim for reimbursement of up to €15,000 for actual costs, where such costs are not covered by other institutions. If any of the above options applies to you, email erasmus.coordination"AT"uni-hamburg.de after selecting your course to begin the application process. You must submit a detailed cost breakdown and documentation proving the additional costs 3 months before the start of the trip. The application must be assessed and approved by the DAAD.

If you have applied successfully for an Erasmus language trip, you will need to submit certain forms before and after your stay abroad.

Erasmus academic year 2024/2025

Before your stay

• Staff Mobility Agreement for Training (PDF)
• Confirmation of authorized paid educational leave—obtain from HR
• Grant Agreement (original—generated in the database)
• General conditions, attachment II (PDF)

After your stay

• Confirmation of Stay for Staff Training (PDF)
• Online EUSurvey (link via email)
• Report (DOC)—guidelines on report (PDF, in German only)