Information about the Erasmus+ grant for students affected by Covid-19

The decision made by the European Commission is that Erasmus+ funding will only be paid to you for the duration you study or work whilst living in the host country; therefore you will not get the standard Erasmus grant whilst you study or work from the UK or your home country.   

As you know, the situation surrounding the pandemic is complex and ever-changing, and we are aware that you are all in different situations. Therefore, we wanted to clarify that the first instalment of your Erasmus+ grant will only be paid once all the following are in place:  

• Your host country should be identified as exempt from advice against ‘all but essential’ travel by the Foreign,Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO). Check the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office country-specific travel advice. Travel by exceptional permission is permitted to the countries listed on the University of Leeds’ coronavirus website.

• All other travel restrictions for your host country must be lifted, and your host university must be able to accept you. Some countries are deemed safe to travel to by the FCDO but their borders remain closed to foreign nationals, including British nationals or other country’s nationals.

• If you are taking part in a study or work placement abroad, your exceptional permission to travel application must have been approved by the University, if applicable. If you will be studying abroad, your Risk Awareness Form must have been approved. The Study Abroad office will supply you with a template to complete this. If you are taking part in a work placement abroad, your work placement team must complete and approve your Risk Management Action Plan (RMAP). Contact your work placement team, if you haven't yet received a personalised RMAP.

• You must be physically located in your host country (not studying remotely from home).  

• You must have completed all Erasmus+ Start of Year paperwork and tasks.  

• You have completed University of Leeds registration and uploaded your bank details to Minerva  

FAQS about the Erasmus+ funding and the impact of Covid-19

The following Frequently Asked Questions should help you navigate the complexity of Erasmus+ funding and how it could be impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic.

If you have a further query our contact details can be found at the bottom of this webpage.  

I have incurred costs whilst planning my Erasmus+ study/work placement but I am not able to travel to the host country. I intend to complete my Erasmus+ study/ work placement remotely.  

If you have incurred costs associated with your Erasmus+ study/work placement as a result of the Coronavirus outbreak you must consult with the University of Leeds insurance provider in the first instance, to ascertain if it’s possible to reclaim these costs through an existing policy.   

I have incurred extra costs for essential covid-19 testing. Can I reclaim these costs using Erasmus+ funding?  

Yes, if you are receiving the Erasmus Grant while studying abroad in 2020/21, you can reclaim the costs of any travel related COVID tests you have incurred as a result of travelling between your home and host country. 

How Do I Make a Claim? 

To make a claim, please contact the Erasmus Documentation Team via email at erasmusdocumentation@leeds.ac.uk. In your email, please include evidence of your costs. This should be in the form of a payment confirmation email. Your evidence should contain: 

• The name of the COVID testing company 

• The type of test purchased (e.g. antigen test, lateral flow test, PCR test) 

• The date of purchase 

• The cost of the test and proof of payment (this can be in Pounds Sterling or Euros and must show that you made the payment).  

If you would like to make more than one claim, we encourage you to submit all your evidence in the same email so that it can be processed at the same time. If you have already received your first Erasmus+ grant instalment, your reimbursement will be included with your final Erasmus grant instalment at the end of your mobility period.  

I need to quarantine in the host country prior to my Erasmus+ work or study placement.  

Students studying or working abroad in 2021-22 will receive Erasmus+ funding for the period you have to quarantine in the host country unless your total duration exceeds 12 months. You will need to provide evidence of this quarantine period. 

I have returned to my home country from my Erasmus+ study/work placement earlier than my original planned end date and I will not be continuing my work or study placement remotely. Will this affect my funding and what should I do?  

If you have completed your placement early due to Covid-19 or other force majeure cause, the Erasmus team will recalculate your Erasmus+ grant amount to reflect your ‘new’ end date and notify you of this. The Erasmus team will then amend your grant to reflect your ‘new’ end date. Depending on the amount you have already received and the newly calculated amount, you will then either:  

• receive a top-up Erasmus+ grant payment or   

• you may need to repay a portion of your Erasmus + grant back to the University.    

You should consult with the University of Leeds insurance provider, to ascertain if it’s possible to reclaim these costs through an existing policy.   

I have returned to my home country from my Erasmus+ study/work placement earlier than my original planned end date but I continue to study/work remotely. Will this affect my funding and what should I do?  

If you started the mobility abroad (in your host country) but you had to return back to your home country to continue taking part in online learning (study placement) or are working remotely (work placement), then you will not be eligible for Erasmus+ funding whilst in your home country. You will be required to evidence the ‘duration of your placement’ on a Certificate of Attendance which the Erasmus team will e-mail you before the end of your mobility  

I remain in my host country and I am taking part in online learning (study placement) or I am working remotely (work placement). Am I eligible to receive Erasmus+ funding?  

The European Commussion has clarified that mobility participants who travel to their host country and recenive virtual learning (or a mixture of on-campus and online learning) or remote traineeship activity, are eligible to receive the Erasmus+ financial grant. Students will need to provide evidence that they continue to live in their host country.