It all starts with a...
Good and detailed application process! Applying as a free mover to your dream university is easy if you know what steps to take and in which order. Let’s discover them 🙂
1) Have a selection of potential destinations before starting
The first step is to have a clear idea of your preferred destinations. If you are unsure of which countries to choose, consult our country guides. Otherwise, try the university finder for a general overview of the available institutions. It would be best to have a shortlist of universities before moving on.
Pick a fair number of destinations since you need more than a few to significantly increase your chances of going abroad. At the same time, too many could require a significant amount of time to complete the application process. Ultimately, it all comes down to your personal preferences, but generally, I suggest you stick with 3 to 8 shortlisted universities at this stage. Anyways, if you find out later on that you have too few choices, you can easily add a few of them afterward, while if you have too many, you can exclude one or more of them during the process.
2) Check for specific application requirements
Ok, perfect. You have your dream destinations in mind. Now, let’s see if they are feasible as well. First and foremost, check their application requirements. I have made a list of the potential ones here, even though they should be clearly stated on the landing page of each participating university.
3) Scrutiny their educational offer
If you want the credits taken abroad to be recognized once you come back, you should have a good match between your home courses and those you will follow as a free mover. In this way, your university won’t have many problems converting your study abroad credits into the equivalent ones at your home institution. It could be a hassle initially, but having a precise match between the two study programs beforehand will undoubtedly pay dividends later, giving you peace of mind while studying abroad.
4) Contact the selected universities
Then, I suggest you email the contact you find on the webpage of the selected universities. In the email, you can present yourself and say you want to spend a semester/full year as a free mover at that university. Ask for additional details about the application requirements, steps, and courses specific to that university if needed. When the contact replies and you have a confirmation that you can apply to that university as a free mover, it’s time to move to the next step!
5) Inform your international office
Please contact your international office and let them know you want to leave for a semester/year as a free mover. They should assign you a responsible person for your case who can help you throughout the process or with the selection of the exams/courses to take abroad, just like with any other organized mobility student. If you have followed the previous steps, you should have a selection of destinations and compatible courses to propose to your referent. That makes life so much easier for your responsible, who will be more effective in following your case, while you, on the other hand, can obtain quicker guidance and credit approval.
6) Apply to the selected universities
Now it’s up to you. After discussing your list of universities with your international mobility representative at your home university, you should have more precise ideas on which of them can be considered for an application. You can apply to them all or select some or even one of them. The more applications you send, the higher the chance of being admitted.
7) Wait for the results, select your destination and ask for the learning agreement
Have you been accepted to one or more universities as a free mover? Congratulations!
If not, try to repeat the application process with new destinations. If there is any problem, we are here to help you.
If you have received more than one admission offer, you should pick one of them as your final choice.
Then, contact your international mobility representative, mentioned in step 5 of this guide, and inform them that you have been successfully admitted to …(the university you have just chosen). Consequently, ask for the learning agreement. It is such an essential document if you want your credit mobility to be recognized towards your degree once you return.
And boom, you’re done! Enjoy your next semester abroad!
