Traineeship step by step

A student may participate in a practical traineeship under the Erasmus+ program if:

• is duly enrolled in any year of an accredited Bachelor's, Master's, or Doctoral study program at USB – full-time, combined or distance forms of study
• is a citizen of one of the program countries or is a citizen of another country studying in a program country within an accredited study program, in any year of study
• must be properly enrolled at the faculty organizing the internship throughout the entire period of the stay abroad; the study cannot be completed or interrupted during the internship (with the exception of internships for graduates)
• has been selected in a duly announced selection procedure

Special notice:

• a student studying in the Czech Republic in an accredited study program who wants to undertake an internship and/or a study stay in his country of origin has the lowest priority in the selection process and will be granted the status of zero grant student, i.e. without the entitlement to a scholarship
• a student studying in the Czech Republic in an accredited study program cannot complete his stay in their current country of residence
• the programme is not intended for students who came to study in the Czech Republic under the Erasmus Mundus program or another mobility program

Other important conditions:

• each applicant must meet the Eligibility Conditions of the Erasmus+ program: Erasmus program for student traineeships
• the prational internship must last from 2 to 12 months, except for short-term doctoral internships which last 5 to 30 days.
• the receiving organization can be any public or private organization active in the labor market or in the field of education, vocational training or youth sectors (public or private company, public entity at local, regional or national level, professional association, trade union, research institutes, foundations, NGOs , non-profit organizations, educational centers, etc.)
• the intern must work full-time in the host organization (according to the full-time standards of the host country)
• an inter-institutional agreement is not required for the internship, but the internship must be pre-arranged and confirmed
• the traineeship must be approved by the faculty which supports the student's traineeship, and subsequently be recognized by the university- the student must receive ECTS credits and finally have the traineeship listed in the Diploma Supplement (the practical traineeship will become part of the given study program)

Ineligible organizations for internship:

• EU institutions and other EU bodies including specialized agencies (https://european-union.europa.eu/institutions-law-budget/institutions-and-bodies/search-all-eu-institutions-and-bodies_en)
• organizations managing EU programs (to avoid possible conflicts of interest and/or double funding, e.g. national agencies)

Repeated departures within the Erasmus+ program:

• each student can go abroad for up to 12 months per study cycle (Bc., Mgr., Ph.D.)
• repeated mobilities are allowed; the total duration of study stays and internships accumulates within the same study cycle (including the mobilities undertaken at different universities at the same study cycle)
• repeated stays may be evaluated based on faculty-specific preferences, especially in case of limited financial resources

Combining a study stay and an internship:

• the total length must be a at least 3 months and at most 12 months
• the traineeship and study period must be consecutive
• the traineeship must be guaranteed by the same receiving higher education institution where the student is undertaking the study stay and which will issue a confirmation of the mobility duration (both for traineeships and study stay)
• financial support is awarded for the entire period according to the rules for financial support for a study stay!

This type of traineeship is intended for recent graduates. Those interested in participating in this type of traineeship must meet the following criteria:

• successfully pass the selection process for participation in an Erasmus+ internship
• complete all administrative steps related to the internship before finishing their studies at USB
• a student becomes a graduate on the day of passing the final state exams and from that date, a one-year period begins during which the internship must be both started and completed (however, the internship must still fit within the ongoing academic year in which it is administratively handled—it cannot extend into the next academic year)
• the internship can last from 2 to 12 months
• the duration of the traineeship is counted as a part of the  12-mont limit allowed for Erasmus+ mobility in a single study cycle (Bachelor’s, Master’s, or Doctoral)
• the student must take care of the obligations associated with the statutory health insurance
• participation in social insurance is voluntary
• income tax: financial support provided to interns/graduates from the Erasmus+ program is exempt from income tax (Act No. 586/1992 Coll. on income taxes); the taxation of any financial contribution provided by the receiving organization depends on the legislation of the receiving country. When submitting a tax declaration in the Czech Republic, the student takes steps to prevent double taxation according to the corresponding international treaty.
• Labor office: registration of an unemployed graduate is not mandatory

The selection procedure takes place directly at the faculties and is fully managed by the faculty coordinators, who themselves set the requirements for applicants in accordance with the curently valid Erasmus+ Programme Guide. The faculty coordinators will provide you with information about available positions and the conditions for participating in the Erasmus+ Programme. 

What is typically evaluated:

• academic results
• motivation
• language skills
• field of study

The deadlines for the selection process are set by the faculty. The selection procedure is held once a year, usually in January. Faculties can subsequently announce an additional selection procedure for the summer semester, usually in October.

Students who succeed in the selection process are nominated for an Erasmus+ traineeship. 

Special notice:

The nomination is binding. If a student is forced to cancel his nomination due to serious health or personal reasons, he must do so immediately using the Cancellation Notice form (located in the Forms section).

The notice must be confirmed by the faculty coordinator and forwarded to the International Office of the USB Rectorate. Withdrawal from the nomination may affect your future participation in the Erasmus+ programme.

Students selected in a regular selection procedure:

NOMINATION

The faculty coordinator at the University of South Bohemia announces the names of the selected students. The students must independently search for and arrange their internship placement with a foreign organization/institution.

• the host organization can be any public or private organization active in the labor market or in the field of education, vocational training or youth sectors (public or private company, public entity at local, regional or national level, professional association, trade union, research institutes, foundations, NGOs , non-profit organizations, educational centers, etc.)
• ineligible organizations in which a practical traineeship cannot take place are EU institutions and other EU bodies including specialized agencies and organizations managing EU programs (to avoid possible conflicts of interest and/or double funding, e.g. national agencies)
• you will work full-time in the organization according to a pre-agreed work plan
• some employers provide students with a salary – this is up to the agreement between the student and the employer
• Need tips? See the guide: How to find an internship?

COMPLETING THE FORMS

Selected students must fil out the required forms (preferably electronically) as requested by USB and the host organization.

USB forms:

• Learning Agreement for Traineeship (internship work plan)
• Grant Agreement for Traineeship = "Účastnická smlouva" (grant contract)

The internship duration must match the number of days for which the student will receive a grant, typically 60 or 90 days. To determine the exact number, use the Scholarship Calculator (.xlsx).

When creating your work plan, discuss with your faculty coordinator how the internship will be recognized upon your return and how many ECTS credits will be awarded:

• if the internship is part of your study programme, it will be recognized as a course and you will receive the appropriate number of ECTS credits

• if the internship is not part of your study programme, it will be listed in your Diploma Supplement

Submit the completed and approved documents to your faculty coordinator for signature and confirmation.

The internship work plan must be approved by all parties before departure.

INSURANCE

The student is required to arrange travel insurance for the duration of the traineeship. This must include medical expense insurance and it is strongly recommended to also have accident insurance and liability insurance. Proof of insurance is a mandatory part of the pre-departure documentation.

EURO BANK ACCOUNT 

The student will receive the assigned scholarship in euros, so it is recommended to open a euro-denominated bank account to avoid exchange rate differences.

• the student has the opportunity to take a language test before starting their mobility to assess their language skills (this also applies to recent graduates)
• nominated students will receive a link to complete the online test on the EU Academy website
• based on the language test results, the student may be granted a license to participate in an online language course. If the student accepts the license, they are required to complete the course

The following situations may occur during your traineeship abroad:

Changes to the learning agreement for traineeship (work plan):

• if there are any changes to the originally approved work plan (such as to its content, supervisor, etc.), they must be approved in writing by both the sending and receiving institutions
• the intern fills out the section DURING THE MOBILITY, CHANGES TO THE ORIGINAL LEARNING AGREEMENT in the Learning Agreement document and secures the signatures of all three parties

Extension of the traineeship:

• is only possible with the agreement of the sending and receiving institutions
• the student can apply for it at any time during the traineeship, but no later than 30 days before the originally planned end of the traineeship
• the 12-month limit allowed per study cycle (i.e. Bachelor's, Master's or Doctoral) must not be exceeded
• the extended stay must end no later than September 30 of the given academic year
• the request is submitted via the Request for Traineeship Extension form, which includes a motivation section to explain your reasons for extension - the student submits the request to his faculty coordinator
• the application must be confirmed by the student, the representative of the foreign institution, the faculty coordinator and approved by the International Office of the USB Rectorate
• please note that an extention does not automatically entitle the student to the allocation of additional financial support - the student must cover the extended stay from their own resouces or consult the International Relations Office coordinator about possible funding options

Shortening the traineeship:

• in exceptional cases, the internship may be shortened with the agreement of the sending institution, and must be handled in writing along with a proportional reduction of the grant
• if the student does not meet the minimum stay of 2 months, they must repay the full grant! (this condition does not apply if the stay is ended due to force majeure)

After completing the traineeship, the student must fulfill the following obligations:

1. hand in the Traineeship Certificate = Confirmation of the length of stay

• the ORIGINAL certificate confirming the actual duration of the internship, signed by the host organization, must be delivered by the student to their faculty coordinator within 10 days of completing the internship
• if the actual stay confirmed by the host organization is shorter than the originally agreed period, the student is obliged to return the proportional part of the scholarship for each unused day (a tolerance of 5 days applies to long-term internships)
• if the student does not meet the minimum stay duration (i.e., 2 months), they must return the full grant (this rule does not apply in cases of force majeure)

 2. fill in the final report about your traineeship (Participant report/EU Survey)

• after the end of the traineeship (according to the end date specified in the Grant Agreement), you will receive an email with login credentials using which you can enter the online system and fill out the report
• the questionnaire can be continuously saved (using the "Save" button), so you don't have to fill it all at once
• once you're sure all information has been filled in correctly, complete the questionnaire by checking the “Finish” box at the bottom and clicking “Save”
• save a copy of the report to your own computer in case of technical issues
• the report must be completed within 30 days of receiving the email request

FAQ for completing the final report

• each student fills in their own online report after receiving a notification by e-mail
• section 8 Language Skills
  
  • 8.4 select "YES" if you were granted a license for an online language course
• section 9 Recognition of mobility
  • if the internship abroad is part of your study plan, you will receive the corresponding number of ECTS credits
  • in question 9.8, select “Full recognition”
  • the internship is always listed in the Diploma Supplement
  • in question 9.17, select the option “Diploma Supplement”

• The student will receive financial support for the mobility period based on the signed Grant Agreement, according to the flat-rate amounts set for the destination country.
• This financial support is only a contribution that should cover the increased costs of studying abroad and is not intended to cover all expenses. The student is expected to co-finance the mobility.
• The funds are paid in EUR. We recommend that students find out about the benefits of opening a euro account in the Czech Republic or abroad and gather information regarding account maintenance fees, transaction costs, and ATM withdrawal fees abroad.
• The amount of the grant is calculated based on the Erasmus+ stipend and grant allocation table according to the current call.

ERASMUS GRANT 2024/2025 (from September 1, 2024)
Long-term Traineeship

• 810 EUR/month – Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Germany, Netherlands, Norway, Austria, Sweden
• 750 EUR/month – Cyprus, Estonia, Latvia, Malta, Portugal, Greece, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain
• 690 EUR/month – Bulgaria, Croatia, Hungary, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Serbia, North Macedonia, Turkey

For long-term mobilities, the additional 50 EUR Green Erasmus contribution (for traveling via sustainable transport such as bus, train, etc.) is no longer provided.

Short-term Doctoral Mobilities

- the student is entitled to both a subsistence grant and a travel grant

1. Subsistence Costs

• 79 EUR/day – for up to the 14th day of the activity
• 56 EUR/day – from the 15th to the 30th day of the activity

2. Travel Costs
The travel distance is calculated from the location of the home institution, i.e., from České Budějovice. The distance can be calculated here: Distance Calculator | Erasmus+ (europa.eu)

• The scholarship is provided as a flat-rate amount based on the number of months and days spent abroad.

• The amount of financial support is calculated as the product of the length of stay and the monthly grant set for the destination country. For calculation purposes, 1 month = 30 days. If the length of stay does not correspond to full months, the financial support is calculated as the product of the number of extra days and 1/30 of the monthly grant set for the destination country.

• The grant is paid in full before departure, based on submitted documents confirming the planned start and end dates of the mobility.

• The grant intended to partially cover living costs abroad is paid exclusively via bank transfer to the student’s own bank account. The student must be the account holder.

• In addition to the Erasmus+ financial support, students may also receive compensation from the host organization, as they become a fully contributing member of the workforce after the induction or onboarding phase of the traineeship. This compensation may take the form of financial remuneration and/or in-kind contributions, such as free accommodation public transport tickets, meal vouchers or other similar benefits.

• Double funding is not allowed, meaning that in addition to Erasmus+ financial support, the student cannot receive any other financial support from EU sources to cover the mobility costs.

To process the bank transfer, the following details are required:

• Full bank account number (including bank code)
• Name of the bank
• IBAN (International Bank Account Number) – you can find it in your account agreement, account statement, or online banking
• BIC/SWIFT (Bank Identifier Code)

Increased financial support for students from disadvantaged socioeconomic backgrounds

!!! IMPORTANT – THIS IS NOT A SOCIAL SCHOLARSHIP !!!

• Students may apply for increased Erasmus+ financial support if they are entitled to a child allowance under the Czech legal regulation (§ 91 para. 3 of the Higher Education Act), provided that the household income does not exceed 1.5 times the family’s minimum living standard.
• To apply for this support, the student must submit the following documents before departure:
  • A request for increased financial support (see the "Forms" section)
  • An official confirmation titled “Statement for the purpose of granting a scholarship” (in Czech Sdělení pro účely přiznání stipendia) issued by the Czech Labour Office = Úřad práce ČR)
• The request for increased financial support must be submitted before the start of the stay.

Information for students with severe disabilities or special needs

• If your health condition involves increased expenses and you would like to participate in a study stay or traineeship abroad under the Erasmus+ programme, your home university can request additional financial support from the National Agency through the institutional coordinator.
• To be eligible for this special grant, you must meet the general mobility requirements. The special grant is intended only to cover additional expenses abroad related to your medical needs.
• The special grant can be awarded as a monthly flat-rate (top-up) or based on real calculated costs if the flat-rate is insufficient (especially in cases of severe health conditions or disabilities).
• The request must be submitted using a specific form, and if real costs are to be reimbursed, a detailed cost breakdown must be included.
• When preparing the cost estimate, it is important to distinguish between standard expenses and increased costs directly resulting from the disability (e.g., for transport, meals, or accommodation). Only the price difference between standard and increased costs is eligible for reimbursement, not the full amount of the higher-cost service.
• After the mobility, the awarded special grant must be properly invoiced. You must submit receipts/invoices showing the actual expenses incurred, including: the name and address of the issuer, the amount and currency and the date of issue.
• The student must consult the application with the faculty coordinator and then send it via email to the coordinator of the JU International Office.

Required documents for the application:

• medical report
• copy of disability ID card/ZTP card (if applicable)
• acceptance letter from the host institution confirming the acceptance and awareness of your health condition
• Erasmus+ mobility documents for the relevant activity type, i.e. signed Learning Agreement for Studies

Deadline for submitting applications to the International office:

• until June 30 for the winter semester stays or for the entire academic year;
• until November 15 for the summer semester stays.

Proof of financial means during the stay

• In some countries, it is necessary to prove that the incoming person will not be a burden on the local social system. Therefore, you must have a document prepared that confirms your financial means during the stay.
• The Office for International Relations of the Rectorate of JU will, upon request and based on your acceptance letter, issue a confirmation of participation in the Erasmus+ program. If the host country requires proof of financial coverage upon entry in a specific amount, and the grant provided by us does not cover it, you must have a bank statement showing the remaining amount.

According to the obligations arising from the grant agreement, the student is obliged to fulfill the following after completing the stay abroad:

• submit the Traineeship Certificate (confirmation of the duration of the internship) within the agreed deadlines
• ensure that the confirmed duration of stay and content of work listed in the Traineeship Certificate corresponds to what was stated in the Grant agreement
• fill out the EU Survey (Participant report) about your stay abroad on time

If the student fails to meet the above-mentioned obligations, the University of South Bohemia may, in accordance with the Grant Agreement, require the student to return all or part of the allocated financial support.

Learning Agreement

Grant Agreement AJ (long-term)

Grant Agreement AJ (PhD)

Cancellation Notice

Request for Increased Financial Support

Request for Traineeship Extension