European Mobility for Higher Education: Swiss-European Mobility Programme (SEMP) / ERASMUS

• Students can complete a study visit at a partner higher education institution (HEI) in another European country of up to 12 months per cycle of studies (Bachelor’s, Master’s, Doctorate). These visits are recognised for the studies at their own HEI.
• Students and graduates can complete a traineeship in a business enterprise or other suitable workplace abroad of up to 12 months per cycle of studies (Bachelor’s, Master’s, Doctorate).
• Lecturers have the opportunity to teach abroad. This is possible in any faculty.
• HEI staff can be supported in their professional development – through further staff training abroad and through job shadowing/ observation periods at a partner HEI or appropriate institution abroad.

• Contact the International Relations Office of your higher education institution (university, higher education institution or professional education institution).
• You can then obtain all the practical information necessary concerning the SEMP such as the eligibility criteria, the registration deadlines, the documents to be completed, the value of the grant, etc. For a study semester, you will also be given information about the inter-institutional agreements that your university has signed with other European partners or, in other words, the places you could go and study. 

SEMP projects for mobility are submitted by HEI, not by students or HEI staff directly, to the national agency Movetia. 

HEI usually have an International Relations Office. This is responsible for organising and carrying out student and staff mobility. Students, lecturers and employees who would like to find out about the possibilities of spending a period abroad should contact the International Relations Office of their HEI. There, they can obtain all further information (requirements, application, deadlines, etc.).

In order to ensure reciprocity, student and staff mobility from Erasmus+ programme countries to Switzerland is also supported by SEMP. Traineeships must be organised through a Swiss HEI, usually a partner institution of the student’s home HEI. Students and HEI staff can obtain information from the International Relations Office of their home HEI.

Since 1987 the Erasmus Programme helped more than 4.4 Millions of students in Europe – 44’251 from Switzerland – to realise a mobility abroad. Which are the most popular destinations? Which subject areas are the most “mobile”? Check out our statistics!

Setting up and implementing joint cooperation partnerships is an additional component in the internationalisation of HEIs. For this, Erasmus+ offers various funding instruments, which support inter-institutional collaboration. This overview summarises everything Erasmus+ offers for higher education and provides information on participation options (despite partner country status) for Swiss HEIs. 

For mobility and cooperation with institutions outside Europe, Movetia offers further funding instruments within the “International Programme”.