Turn your gap year into a professional opportunity with Erasmus+.

Turn your gap year into a professional opportunity with Erasmus+.
Posted on 13 May 2024

At the end of your studies, you can make a bold decision: rather than plunging straight into the world of work, why not take a gap year to travel and enrich your career with an internship?

Many people are unaware that it is possible to obtain funding for an internship or training course abroad, even without being a student. Discovering the opportunities offered by Erasmus+ changes all that.

 

Financing your internship abroad: discovering Erasmus+.

To benefit from the Erasmus+ internship program, you need to contact an Erasmus partner organization. For example, to apply for a grant, students must do so via their school, university or college. For non-students, those registered with a local mission, Pôle emploi or association will need to obtain validation from their supervisory structure to access financial aid. If your application is accepted, you will be eligible for a grant to support your internship abroad.

 

International experience

The Erasmus+ internship program is remarkable because it offers opportunities not only within EU member countries, but also worldwide from 2021. An internship abroad improves language skills, develops a global professional network, introduces you to new cultures and enhances your CV. It also opens doors to international career opportunities. Erasmus+ guarantees valuable international experience for up to 12 months, fostering personal and professional development.

 

Erasmus+: Accessible to all

It's important to stress that the Erasmus+ internship program is open to everyone, whether you're currently studying, apprenticing, training, looking for a job or planning to become a volunteer. Whatever your status or level of qualification, this opportunity is open to everyone. The only condition is that your stay abroad must be geared towards learning, training or sharing experience and knowledge.

 

Aude, a former Freepackers volunteer in Sri Lanka, is a perfect illustration of her Erasmus gap year.

"The first step in making my project a reality was to find a means of funding to support my internship abroad. Fortunately, I discovered the Erasmus+ grants for young graduates like myself. Knowing that my former university was an Erasmus partner, I knew I could benefit from this opportunity to carry out my internship abroad. project, even if you've already graduated. The procedure was very simple: after contacting my former university and filling in the scholarship application form, I was delighted to learn that my application had been approved. I then decided to take advantage of the first few months of this new year to go on an adventure in Asia to explore new horizons. I embarked on a volunteering project with elephants in Thailand, then backpacked to Singapore. Once my solo trip was over, I packed my bags again for an internship in Spain, made possible thanks to Erasmus+. This period was a perfect blend of discovery, commitment and professional development, turning my gap year into an unforgettable international adventure. My experience with Erasmus+ was very rewarding, allowing me to combine my desire to travel with my professional ambition. It opened my eyes to the infinite possibilities that exist for those who dare to step out of their comfort zone and explore the world."

If you too dream of an enriching international experience, don't hesitate to explore the opportunities available to you with Realstep. Who knows where it will take you?

For more information on the Erasmus+ program, see our other blog post on the subject. Click here to see all our NGO internships.

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