Activities you can apply for Nordplus Higher Education

1. Individual mobility 

• Students and teachers can go on short- or long-term exchanges between partner institutions.

2. Project activities

• Intensive courses (1 week to 1 month)
• Joint study programs 
• Development projects (e.g., curriculum development, new teaching methods, teacher training, such as digital skills development)

3. Network meetings

• To start new networks
• To develop existing networks
• To support Erasmus+ mobility within Nordplus networks 

• Researchers and PhD students (unless they teach in a course)
• Surveys 

Student mobility and Teacher mobility is recommended to be financed from other sources (e.g. Erasmus+ which also offers funding opportunities for non-academic staff). Nordplus networks are encouraged to examine the possibilities of any such funding at partner institutions and how this could be used for staff mobility in the Nordplus network. This helps to save more of the Nordplus’ limited resources for e.g. intensive courses and development projects.

Mobility is defined as individual student or teacher exchanges between the partner institutions in a network. Mobility takes place also in projects, such as in intensive courses, but this form of mobility should be applied for under project activities and as a part of the total costs for that project.

Student mobility

Long-term (3–12 months)

Mobility grants are awarded for full-time studies or work placements lasting 3-12 months

in another Nordplus country. The grant is available to degree students of any nationality

studying for a higher education degree up to and including master degree at a HEI in the participating countries. In case of work placements, the exchange doesn’t need to be connected to a network partner but can be directly arranged between the student’s home institution and the host organization/company where the training will take place. PhD students are not eligible for a Nordplus grant. The grant should be seen as a contribution towards the additional costs of studying abroad.

This type of long-term mobility within the Nordplus Network is recommended to be financed from other sources (e.g. Erasmus+). Nordplus networks are encouraged to examine the possibilities of any such funding at partner institutions and how this could be used for student mobility in the Nordplus network. This helps to save more of Nordplus’ limited resources for short-term mobility or projects.

Short-term (1–2 months)

Mobility grants may also be awarded for short, full-time studies of 1-2 months’ duration and for work placements in another Nordplus country on the same basis as for long-term student mobility (see above).

Express mobility (1 week to under 1 month) 

Students may also be awarded grants for shorter exchanges – express mobility grants. The minimum duration of express mobility is one week (5 working days). This form of student mobility is intended to broaden the possibilities for students to study abroad for shorter periods in cases where longer periods are not possible. Express mobility is also intended to encourage institutions to invite students from partner institutions to participate in their own courses and thus promote internationalisation at home.

Express mobility grants are awarded according to the same guidelines, criteria and rules as regular student mobility grants, but with some exceptions (see below).

Work placements grants (long-term, short-term and express) are awarded according to the same main guidelines, criteria and rules that apply to regular student mobility grants except that they may also be awarded for a mobility period taking place after graduation and then the following applies:

• The grant must be awarded before graduation
• The work placement must be finalised within one year of graduation

The following rules apply to all student mobility types:

• The studies/work experience placements abroad shall be fully recognised as a part of the degree at the student’s home institution (exception: work placement after graduation).
• ECTS shall be used. Not mandatory for express mobility. In any case, the mobility period must be included in a larger study entity which is a part of the student’s degree.
• The Nordplus exchange is possible from the first year of study at the student’s home institution.
• Generally speaking, the Nordplus student does not pay any fees to the host institution (exception: any fees to student organisations, application fees, tuition fees for thirdcountry students, any course fees).
• The student shall live at his/her place of study; commuting between place of study and ordinary place of residence is not permitted.
• Confirmation of grant award shall be signed before payment is made (please find the document on nordplusonline.org).
• A learning/training agreement shall be signed before the exchange (Learning/Training agreement). Not mandatory for express mobility. Erasmus+ model contracts are recommended.
• A final report on the exchange shall be submitted by the student

Teacher mobility

Teachers at higher education institutions can receive funding for:

• Teaching or tutoring
• Developing teaching materials
• Supervising internships
• Collaborating with the job market 

Minimum duration: 8 working hours   

Intensive courses

• 1 week to 1 month
• Must include students and teachers from at least 3 countries 
• Must give ECTS credits and count toward students’ degrees. The number of ECTS points should be stated in the application. 
• PhD students may act as teachers, but are not eligible for a grant as students. 
• The same intensive course can be funded for three consecutive years but annual applications must be submitted.  

It is recommended that the hosting institution is rotated. 

Joint study programmes

• Programmes are full-degree study programmes established according to national legislation.
• Programmes lead to a degree recognised by national authorities.
• Degree certificates with a Diploma Supplement are issued according to national legislation.
• Mobility is integrated into the programme setup.
• Programmes are developed jointly, and all courses and study units should be approved by all participating parties.
• The collaborative venture is governed by a signed agreement defining its aims as well as the roles of the participating parties.
• The same joint study programme can be funded for three consecutive years but annual applications must be submitted.  

These definitions set the target aimed for, but Nordplus can award grants for all stages of the development process, from the very first idea up to finalisation. 

Development projects

• Focus on innovation in higher education
• Topics can include:
  • Joint curriculum development
  • Labour market collaboration
  • Quality assurance
  • Sharing project results
  • Development of collaborations with public or private sectors, as well as NGO within higher education 
  • Development of new teaching methods. 
• The same development project can be funded for three consecutive years but annual applications must be submitted.  
• For cross-sector projects, networks are recommended to apply from the Nordplus Horizontal programme.  

Network meetings

Funding is available for meeting for:

• Starting new networks (up to 3 years). Annual appli¬cations must be submitted
• Developing existing networks
• Implementing, developing and quality assurance of Erasmus+ funded student and teacher mobility within the Nordplus network.
• We recommend looking into other funding options like Erasmus+ for additional support. Double funding is not allowed.