Student exchange grants and mobility grant top ups
You can participate to exchanges and stays abroad through the support of various exchange programmes. In this page you can have a look on the financial support of the programmes and start planning your exchange. Student exchange is possible also for self-organised exchange placements through Freemover exchanges.
Please check further details of different options from the front page of internationalisation opportunities.
Erasmus+ programme
The most popular exchange programme at Metropolia is Erasmus+ programme that facilitates diversity of possibilities and grants that support your stay and travel abroad, not to forget the possibilities for additional inclusion and green travel support structure. Erasmus+ students' rights and responsibilities are gathered in Erasmus Student Charter that also Metropolia follows.
You can participate in Erasmus+ mobilities altogether for 12 months per study cycle (bachelor, master). This means that you can join both for student exchange semester and work placement abroad or short exchange for altogether 360 days during you study cycle. For any exceeding exchange duration you can receive Metropolia grants. You can apply and get Erasmus+ funding to your home country as long as it is not your current country of residence.
For student exchanges in Erasmus+ the valid partnership agreement is required. Erasmus+ grants are divided per function and in long-term exchanges for country-specific categories that are defined by the host country's living expenses.
Erasmus+ grant top ups
You can apply for the Green Erasmus top-up and inclusion support when submitting your grant application. Please fill in the Declaration form and submit required attachments in order to prove your eligibility to the top-up/support. Please contact your International Relations Adviser regarding the accessibility support as soon as possible (preferably 6 months) before the start of the exchange period. Applications for additional support are processed confidentially and documents can be authenticated either electronically or by agreeing on personal meeting face to face or online.
Green travel top up is applicable in the Erasmus+ programme for students who use use low-emission means of transport. Students can get additional support for max. 4 travel days and green travel grant. Get inspired by checking the Guide for Greener exchanges.
Terms of the grant:
- The main part of the roundtrip travel has to be made using low-emission means of transport, for example bus, train, carpooling. Ferries or cruises are not counted but they can be used as part of the journey.
- The grant is paid according to the travel days. The length of the journey can be checked from for example Google Maps or EU Commision's travel calculator
- You can see the sums of green travel top up by browsing information about Erasmus+ grants as the total grant depends on the distance between Helsinki and the host city.
- Please review the declaration form below
Inclusion grant helps to make the exchange more inclusive. This grant is applicable in Erasmus+ programme. The grant provides additional support for students with fewer opportunities to participate the exchange.
- Grant 250 €/month for long exchanges
- Grant 100 € for short blended exchanges
You are eligible to apply for this grant if you meet at least one of the specified criteria listed below:
- students with families (student has an underaged child or children) - Extract from populations register
- students who are family carers - An agreement of informal care with the municipality
- students with EU´s disability card or who have a right for the card
- students with disability (at least moderate functional deficiency) - Doctor´s certificate
- students having severe and/or chronic health problems (at the very least moderate impairment) - Doctor´s certificate
- students who have received international protection (refugees, asylum seekers, students who have been granted international, subsidiary or temporary protection, or student has a refugee´s passport) - Residence permit issued on the basis of protection or a refugee´s passport
- Please review the declaration form below.
Inclusion grant (based on real costs) covers the occurred costs caused by injury, impairment, physical or mental illness, learning difficulty etc. which causes additional costs for exchange that are not being covered by other sources.
This grant is applied case by case and it may cover up to 100 % of costs that meet the qualifications, such as accessible housing, assisted mobility or such study-related special arrangements before or during the exchange. The application process is always confidential. Grants are applicable in the Erasmus+ and Nordplus programmes.
More information from Finnish National Agency for Education. If you require an accessibility grant, please contact your international relations adviser of your study field as early as possible (preferably 6 months before the start of your exchange). You will need time to apply for support and to receive all the necessary information from the receiving institution, including details of any special arrangements.
Other grants
It is a good idea to improve your knowledge in the local language of your exchange beforehand either in Finland or host country. In cases like this, Metropolia can award you a grant to support the costs for max. 80 euros. You can find the language grant application form in these pages. Please fill in the application once the course is completed, attach necessary documents (payment receipt and certificate), then contact your International Relations Adviser.
Long-term student exchange grants
Erasmus+ grant for student exchange consist of the following components:
- daily grant for the duration of the physical exchange abroad and travel days
- Travel grant based on the distance between Helsinki and your host city
- The number of travel days is 0-6. By default two travel days are added. If you travel with the green travel you are entitled for max. 6 travel days for a round trip.
- If applicable, additional Erasmus+ top up grants
- Inclusion support 250 €/month
Daily grants in Erasmus+ country group 1: Programme countries with higher living costs
Austria, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden: 540 € /month or 18 €/day
Additionally:
- United Kingdom for institutions with an Erasmus+ partner agreement with
Metropolia. Student exchange only. -
Switzerland, in cases where a Swiss Mobility grant is not available, for
institutions with an Erasmus+ partner agreement with Metropolia. Student
exchange only540 € /month or 18 €/day.
Daily grants in Erasmus+ country group 2: Programme countries with medium living costs
Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Estonia, Greece, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, North Macedonia, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Türkiye: 490 €/month or 16,33 €/day.
Erasmus+ travel grant
As Erasmus+ exchange student you are entitled to the travel grant that will be calculated according to the distance between Helsinki and host city. You can check the distance with European Commission's Distance Calculator | Erasmus+ (europa.eu).
Furthermore, daily allowance for the travel days can be awarded, by default 2 days in a roundtrip. Green travel support can be up to 6 days for a round trip.
Travel distance 0 - 90 km
- Standard travel support 28 €
- Green travel support 56 €
Travel distance 100 - 499 km
- Standard travel support 211 €
- Green travel support 285 €
Travel distance 500 km - 1999 km
- Standard travel support 309 €
- Green travel support 417 €
Travel distance 2000 km - 2999 km
- Standard travel support 395 €
- Green travel support 535 €
Travel distance 3000 km - 3999 km
- Standard travel support 580 €
- Green travel support 785 €
Travel distance 4000 km - 7999 km
- Standard travel support 1188 €
- Green travel support 1188 €
Travel distance 8000 km ->
- Standard travel support 1735 €
- Green travel support 1735 €
Metropolia Schools have several bilateral exchange agreements are outside of the EU. Typically students do not have to pay tuition fees to the partner institutions (note - few exceptions). You can check the exchange destinations in your study field and degree programme in OMA (login required).
Metropolia grant for bilateral exchanges is 360 €/month or 12 €/day.
Metropolia is member in several Nordplus networks. Nordplus programme supports student exchange in the Nordic and Baltic countries. Nordplus grant for long term exchanges is not very common, since often times these exchanges are supported by Erasmus+ grants. Nordplus grant consists of monthly grant 250 € and travel grant 330 €, 660 € (Iceland and Faroe Islands) or 1300 € (Greenland).
Ask further information from your International Relations Adviser.
Freemover exchanges are exchanges organised by you to a non-partner university exchanges. In these cases you will be responsible for all arrangements and costs, typically tuition fees are applicable.
For these exchanges you will need to apply during the student exchange application periods and you will receive the exchange grant of 100 €/month.
Short-term exchange grants
Grant for short term exchanges that are part of your studies is 350 € per exchange (exception Estonia 150 €). Get inspired about the opportunities and check the detailed criteria in the short-term exchange pages.
Metropolia is a member in several Nordplus networks that offer intensive courses and exchange opportunities in the Nordic and Baltic countries.
- Business and Technology: EkoTekNord network
- Culture: NordClassic and NordPuls
- Social and Health Care: BIOnord and Danosfi
The short term exchange grants will be announced separately and the durations vary. For example, Express exchanges are 5 days and you could receive the weekly grant of 250 euros and travel grant of 330 € (660 € - Iceland and Faroe Island & 1300 € Greenland).
You can receive more information about the grant process from your international Relations Adviser.
There may be possibilities also for shorter 1-2 month exchanges or placement. In some networks the possibilities for grants may be limited, so if you consider Nordplus exchanges, please consult your International Relations Adviser for further information.
Erasmus+ BIP course grants and practicalities are listed in the dedicated pages. The upcoming BIP courses are informed in OMA workspace or general announcements. You can also check with your degree programme about the upcoming implementations.
BIP courses are funded from the Erasmus+ programme funds, so please also check the general Erasmus+ programme guidelines and grant top ups above in this page. Erasmus+ programme supports accessibility and inclusion - therefore BIP courses are especially recommended for students who do not have the possibility to participate for long-term exchanges.
Work placement abroad grants
Good to know
You can only receive grant from one source and the grant should be applied before the exchange, unless otherwise agreed.
Long term exchanges and work placements abroad
The Erasmus+ and Metropolia mobility grants for student exchange (60-360 days) and work placement (60-180 days) are paid in two installments:
before the mobility: [the total sum of all the days] - 10 days
after the mobility: the remaining 10 days. The 2nd payment is made only after the student has returned all the required documents to Metropolia after the study/placement period within the specified deadline.
- Fall semester exchanges finished by 30 April
- Spring semester and full year exchanges finished by 30 September.
The grant is paid based on the official dates of the study/placement period. If the dates change by more than five days, the total grant sum, and consequently the final payment, will change. Grants are paid only for the physical stay at the exchange destination.
Short exchanges
• The Erasmus+ Blended Mobility, Nordplus and Metropolia short-term mobility grants are paid in one installment.
• A student can participate in Erasmus+ mobility, including student exchange and work placement, for a max. of 12 months (360 days) on each higher
education study level (bachelor, master, doctoral). Any previous Erasmus+ exchanges will be calculated within the 12-month limit.
Apply grants in Mobility Online system when:
- Your degree programme has approved the Learning Agreement/Placement agreement
- You have been accepted for the exchange by host
-
You have provided the acceptance letter and confirmed dates to your International Relations Adviser
Grants are processed once a month. The grant applications approved by the 10th of the month will be paid for by the end of that month. Note that there might be exceptions during the vacation seasons.
FAQs
Your grant is calculated according to your exchange duration, exchange programme and host country.
The grant is paid for the period that you have to be officially present at the partner university. If you combine holidays or early/late travel to your exchange, they do not affect the grant sums. Typically the exchange starts with mandatory orientation or language course and finalises during the end of your exam period.
The duration of all exchanges will be checked from Letter of Confirmation -document that you receive from the host organisation. If the duration is longer or shorter than anticipated, the grant may be re-calculated.
Erasmus+ and Nordplus
In Erasmus+ and Nordplus programmes your grant consists of daily allowance and travel grant, and possible grant top ups are available.
The minimum duration of long-term Erasmus+ exchange is 60 days and if your long exchange or work placement abroad remains shorter than that, the exchange will be cancelled in terms of Erasmus+ funding.
Example
You participate for student exchange in Germany for one semester. You decide to travel to Germany sustainably by bus and train. You share the acceptance letter to your International Relations Adviser and your official exchange kicks off with a mandatory orientation and finishes after the first exam period, so being 162 days. Your travel takes 3 days per direction.
Therefore your total grant is 162 x 18 € and your travel grant 417 €. Furthermore, you can receive travel daily allowance for 6 days, (6x18 €). Your total grant is 3441 € and additionally you will be awarded Kela's student financial aid and a higher study loan guarantee. The details of exchange grant you will check in a grant agreement.
Metropolia informs the Finnish taxation office that you have received a grant for exchange, as exchange grants are not taxable income, KELA does not take them into account in the income control of study aids. Student exchange grants are tax-excepted for most students, but if a student receives other study grants each year (for about 20 000 euros), the student may have to pay taxes on their study grants. You can check more detailed information on Vero.fi service.
Metropolia has the right to reimburse the grant/part of the grant in the following situations:
- The exchange period is aborted
- The exchange is not happening physically in the host country
- The exchange period is shortened
- There has been a mistake in the calculation of the grant sum and you have been paid too big a sum
- Studies agreed on in the Learning Agreement were not completed. or if you accumulate less ECTS than required
- the normal workload for a student exchange period is 30 ECTS per semester, 60 ECTS per academic year or 10-20 ECTS per min. 2 months in social and health care placements.
- An acceptable reason can be, for example, getting seriously ill during the exchange.
- If you have problems with your studies during exchange, you are obliged to contact your International Relations Adviser at Metropolia as soon as possible. The International Relations Adviser will take necessary action to rectify the situation. Having been in contact with your International Relations Adviser immediately when problems arise is an important factor when the need to collect the paid grant is being assessed.
The grants are normally paid in the last banking day of the month (excluding July). In order to be awarded the grant, you must have the required steps completed in Mobility Online system, including grant application and confirmation of your exchange. Due to large volume of grants, they are only processed once a month.
For example, if you have all steps completed during August, you will receive the grant in the end of September. Therefore, it is recommended to complete the steps as soon as possible before your planned exchange.
Once your grant is processed by Metropolia, you will receive a separate email that has the grant agreement attached. The document provides you useful information about the grant conditions and sums. In the email further information about the payment is shared. If you think you have everything completed, but you have still not received the grant, please consult your International Relations Adviser for further information.
