FAQ

A free mover is a student who independently arranges to study abroad for a semester or more, without participating in a formal exchange program like Erasmus. More details can be found here.

wearefreemovers is a platform that connects independent students, known as free movers, with a growing network of partner universities worldwide for a semester or academic year abroad. We pre-screen your eligibility and handle your nomination to the university you choose, making the process faster than applying on your own.

Yes! werefreemovers does not charge students anything to use the platform or apply through it. Our partner universities support the platform, which is also why applying to a partner university gives you an advantage in the admission process. The only costs you pay are the university’s own tuition fees, shown transparently on the University Finder, plus your own living expenses. Also, you might get access to some exclusive fee deductions and scholarship discounts here: keep an eye on each university’s page on wearfereemovers.

If Erasmus or another funded exchange program covers your desired destination and you have a spot, that is usually the better financial option, since it typically waives host tuition and may include a monthly grant. Free mover mobility is the option for students whose desired destination is not covered by their university’s exchange agreements, who were not selected for an Erasmus spot, or who simply want more control over where they go. See the full comparison >

A semester gives you the cultural and academic experience of living abroad, plus a credential that strengthens your CV, without the multi-year commitment and cost of a full degree overseas. It also helps you discover if studying long-term abroad, like for a master’s degree, is the right path for you, before making that bigger commitment. More on the semester vs full degree decision >

The basic requirements are being at least 18 years old and currently enrolled at, or a recent graduate of, a higher education institution. See the full eligibility breakdown >

Beyond that, each university sets its own requirements around GPA, language certificates, and academic fit. Check the common prerequisites >

Usually not. English is available as a teaching language at around 95% of partner universities on our platform, so in most cases you do not need to speak the local language to study there. Around 30 to 35% of partner universities also offer courses in a second teaching language, French, Spanish, German, or Portuguese, which can open up additional course options if you have a relevant certificate. See the full language requirements breakdown >

wearefreemovers has a growing network of top-notch partner universities across Europe, the Americas, Asia-Pacific, and the Middle East. Applying through a partner university gives you an advantage in the admission process, since we work directly with these institutions.

In short: create a profile, apply to as many universities as you like, and we run an eligibility check on each application. Once you receive an eligibility notice, you confirm one university to proceed with, and we nominate you. Read the full step-by-step process >

Yes. Applying to multiple destinations at once lets you compare eligibility outcomes before committing to one. Once you receive eligibility notices, you choose a single university to confirm and proceed with, since nomination is a formal step we only take once you’ve made your decision. More on how this works >

If you receive an eligibility notice for a university, it means we have already pre-screened your profile against that institution’s requirements and confirmed you are a fitting candidate. If you confirm your selection and provide the required documents, the probability of receiving an admission letter is around 99%. In the rare case it does not work out, you can get a full refund of your confirmation deposit or be redirected to an alternative university.

We help you find the right university through the University Finder, pre-screen your eligibility before any application reaches a university, and handle your nomination once you confirm. We also provide guidance on what comes next, including visas, health insurance, and accommodation.

Tuition fees for free movers vary significantly by destination and institution, generally from under €1,000 to over €10,000 per semester. The price shown for each university on the University Finder refers only to that university’s own tuition fee. We do not add any platform or service fee on top. Living costs vary by city and are also covered in our destination guides >

Generally, yes. A semester is a fraction of both the time and the cost of a full degree abroad. See a deeper analysis >

Yes. You remain enrolled at your home university during your semester abroad, so its fees continue as normal. This is what allows the credits you earn abroad to be recognized toward your degree at home >

Yes, no markup. The tuition fees shown on wearefreemovers are exactly the fees set by the university. In fact, all the information you see on the university pages on wearefreemovers have been inserted directly by the university officers themselves. We do not add anything on top.

Usually, you get back more than you paid. The baseline deposit is €99, some universities require more, paid only when you confirm one university after receiving an eligibility notice. If admission doesn’t come through, it’s refunded in full or your application is redirected to another university. If you stop responding or decide not to continue after confirming, it isn’t refunded, the same way application fees generally work elsewhere. If you go through with your semester, you get the deposit back plus cashback, with a floor equal to what you paid and often more. Referring a friend who also books through wearefreemovers gets you both €50. Full details in our confirmation deposit and cashback terms >

Dedicated scholarships for independent semester mobility are rare, but funding is not impossible. Some partner universities offer tuition discounts for incoming free movers, visible directly on their University Finder page. Beyond that, your home university, national programs like DAAD or Fulbright, and your choice of destination itself are the most realistic levers. Here’s a deeper breakdown >

It depends on the career you are aiming for. For roles with an international dimension, such as multinational companies, consulting, or international organizations, an independent semester abroad is a meaningful and increasingly recognized signal. For purely domestic careers, the benefit is more modest.

Most home universities require some form of approval before you go abroad as a free mover, even if it is not a formal exchange. This is separate from credit recognition, which is agreed through the learning agreement. If your home university has restrictions or seems unsupportive of free mover mobility, check out this article >

Credit recognition is agreed in advance through a learning agreement signed with your home university before you leave, not negotiated after the fact. Confirm with your academic advisor before applying that the courses you plan to take abroad will count toward your degree. If your university is still hostile, maybe this guide can help you >

Usually yes, up to one academic year. 95% of partner universities also accept free movers for a full academic year. Please note that, in this case, you will have to pay two semesters worth of tuition fees.

It depends on your nationality and destination: if you are an EU/EEA citizen studying within the EU/EEA, you typically do not need a student visa, though local registration may still be required. Outside this area, or if you are a non-EU/EEA citizen, you will likely need a student visa, and processing can take two to three months. Therefore, we suggest to start the application process as soon as possible >

It depends on your visa and the host country’s rules for international or visiting students. Some destinations allow a limited number of work hours per week on a student visa, others restrict it further. Check the specific regulations for your destination as part of your visa research, well before departure.

These terms often describe the same underlying experience, but they are not strict synonyms. “Free mover” is the most precise term, specifically describing independent mobility outside any exchange agreement. “Study abroad student” is broader and can also include students on exchange programs like Erasmus. “Visiting student” and “Guest student” are mostly administrative labels host universities use for any temporarily enrolled student, regardless of how they got there. Read the full terminology guide >

Our full application support, including the eligibility check and direct coordination with university officers, is available for our partner universities, since these are the institutions that fund the platform and have authorized us to recruit on their behalf. If you want to apply to a university outside our network, we’re not able to provide hands-on support for that application, but we still wish you the best for your experience abroad.

Your documents and personal information are immediately deleted from the website one day after you insert them. They are then shared only with the university you apply to. We do not sell or share your data with third parties, as we don’t believe in that.