Students can choose to do part of their education at a university abroad. There are different types of stays abroad, and each has its own set of conditions. The conditions also differ depending on whether the student is incoming or outgoing.
Universities can agree to exchange students for shorter or longer periods – usually one or two semesters – without collecting tuition from the incoming student. Students get free participation in courses abroad, credit towards their program at home, and access to services like housing and help with visa.
The offer of an exchange place is not the same as approval. The destination university might not have available places on a given course.
Availabilities for the international semester are limited and students from universities that offer a credit approved semester to medical students from Health are prioritized when allocating places.
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Students at Health can go abroad to any university they choose. They are not limited to exchange destinations. However, freemovers will have to pay tuition to the host university as they are not covered by an exchange agreement (it is possible to apply for a Danish state scholarship to cover the costs).
Freemovers arrange everything by themselves and communicate directly with the host university about course offerings, time tables, etc. The range of non-academic services to freemovers depends on the host university.
Health does not accept freemovers from abroad. In theory, students from abroad can apply as freemover via the ‘tomplads-ordning’ but the number of courses offered in English does not support this possibility.
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Interns are students coming to Health on a tailor-made research or clinical stay. Students interested in doing an internship or a clinical placement must contact the department or the hospital and find a host on their own. The international coordinator cannot assist in arranging internships at Health or Aarhus University Hospital and the university does not offer academic services to neither the student nor the department.
Types of agreements
Erasmus+ Student Mobility is handled by the international coordinator at Health. Students from partneruniversity can be enrolled at the university for semester exchange.
Erasmus+ Traineeship/-Placement is a flexible possibility for international students to gain clinical experience from another country. Neither the university nor the university hospital are not obliged to accept students who would like to come through Erasmus Traineeship/-Placement. If the a department would like to welcome a trainee for clinical placement it is their own responsibility to handle all practical matters regarding the stay.
Internships: Students outside EU/EEA can also apply for an internship directly at a department at the university or the university hospital. The same rules as for Erasmus+ Traineeship/Placement" applies. Overseas interns will however need a permit from the Danish immigration authorities for an internship. The process of application is initiated by the the host at least 2 months in advance of the internship start date.
Praktische Jahr
In Germany students can do part of their KBU at a university hospital abroad. To get their clinical stay recognized in Germany the students need a signature from the dean and a stamp from the university. Since these students are not enrolled as students at Aarhus University they cannot get their papers signed by the university. Please make sure to inform the students of this before inviting them to come.
Important for all types of clinical placements
Interns at Health will not be enrolled or be able to participate in lectures/courses and will not get any official university documentation (transcripts). They are not automatically insured and should arrange for full time liability and accident assurance during their stay at Health.
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Students going abroad for an internship – whether for research or clinical practice – arrange this on an individual basis, for example through IMCC or IFMSA. Depending on the student’s curriculum, the internship can be credited towards their program at Health as an elective. If not approved for credit the research stay or internship is an extra-curricular activity.
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AU Summer University courses are elective courses of 5-10 ECTS that are offered in English during the months of July and August. They are short-term opportunities for guest students and are also open for Danish students. The courses are no different from other elective courses and must be approved by the relevant study committee and the head of department.
Students from exchange partner universities can participate in the summer courses free of charge. Other international students can participate for a fee.
Students from Health can participate in summer courses offered by universities abroad, including partner universities. They can participate as exchange student or – if it is not a partner university – as freemover.
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Going abroad gives PhD students the opportunity to make international contacts and gain new perspectives on their research. PhD students have a lot of freedom in planning a stay abroad. They generally do not have access to exchange agreements.
PhD students are encouraged to go abroad and get financial support for travel expenses from the PhD school. Stays abroad are arranged by the PhD student with the assistance of the supervisor and her/his research network.
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Incoming guest PhD students usually find funding via grant opportunities in their home country. Government funding such as the Long-Term Scholarships is also available as is the AUFF travel grants from the PhD school (calls are announced once or twice a year).
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Joint PhD is an opportunity for PhD students to get formal recognition of time spent abroad by getting a diploma from both universities. Strict conditions apply and it is not always easy – or indeed possible – to align the rules of the two universities. If you want to strengthen a research collaboration it is worth exploring. In some cases, a pre-existing framework is in place, e.g. the double PhD degree framework for SDC PhD students from China.
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Research is by nature international. By going abroad you establish relations with colleagues and institutions from abroad and thereby gain access to expertise and facilities.
Staff at Health can go abroad for teaching and training and as a guest researcher. Networking with international colleagues is an important tool for developing research collaborations and can give access to funding opportunities in other countries. A stay abroad is arranged by you and your host abroad and is cleared with the PI or head of department.
Funding opportunities include Erasmus+ Staff Mobility Grants. Many foundations and government grants also support visits and guest research abroad.
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Incoming guest researchers includes graduates, postdocs and tenure staff. A guest researcher is normally employed at the home university for the duration of the stay but can also be funded by temporary employment at Health. Guest researchers are covered by the same insurance as AU-employees.
Funding opportunities at AU include AUFF Guest Researcher Grants and AIAS Fellowships. If your own budget allows it, you can offer a visit grant of DKK 15,000 a month for max. 6 months.
The International Academic Staff unit at AU has a Guest Researcher Support and a Relocation Service as well as an excellent website with information about all the practicalities involved in going abroad or inviting a guest researcher to Aarhus.
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Sussex European Partnership Development Fellowships (EPDF)
This Visiting Fellows scheme offers funding for visits (3-10 days) to/from Sussex for academic staff based at Sussex or at selected European universities incl. Aarhus University. Students, PhD students and postdocs are not eligible. Fellows going to Sussex should be nominated by a Sussex staff member. For more info contact tanja.hansen@au.dk.