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Tuesday, February 18, 2025

CALL FOR APPLICATIONS FOR MASTER PHD MOBILITIES BETWEEN A4U UNIVERSITIES AND NON-EUROPEAN PARTNER UNIVERSITIES DURING 2025-2026 ACADEMIC YEAR Project Erasmus+ 2024

Purpose of the Call
Alliance of 4 Universities (A4U) is a strategic partnership of four Spanish public universities: Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Universidad Carlos III de Madrid, and Universitat Pompeu Fabra in Barcelona. One of the objectives of A4U internationalization strategy is to promote mobility with leading universities in non-European countries.
A4U has been awarded funds under Erasmus+ International Credit Mobility Programme, which enables students from A4U universities and partner universities to undertake a mobility stay.

The main objectives of the mobilities are:
- To offer research and study development opportunities to students at participating universities, helping them achieve sustained improvements in their knowledge and research skills.
- To help mobility participants improve their professional, social and inter-cultural skills, as well as employability, and to promote cross-cultural exchange and dialogue.
- To forge lasting links between A4U universities and its partner universities, enhancing their transnational academic cooperation.
Mobilities announced in this call should be carried out in 2025-2026 during the period of academic activity based on the academic calendar of the host university. Exceptionally, mobility can be postponed to 2026-2027 academic year. All mobilities should end by 31 July 2027.
2. Participating higher education institutions and number of available grants
See Annex for country-specific information and the number of grants available.

3. General conditions
The call is open to all subject areas. Applicants must check that their request matches the offer available at the host university.
The mobility grant consists of a travel allowance and a monthly subsistence allowance according to the flat rates determined by the Erasmus+ Programme (see annex for country-specific information). The grant should be regarded as a contribution towards the costs of mobility rather than covering 100% of the involved costs1.

Selected participants will need to advance their own funds when organizing their stay, such as visa, insurance, flights and accommodation, since the mobility grant will be paid only once their stay begins (see procedures for grants payment in section 9). It is highly advisable to make bookings, such as flights and accommodation, on conditions that allow reimbursement in case of cancellation of travel.

The mobility period can be from a minimum of 2 months to a maximum of 5 months.
PhD students should engage in research towards their doctoral thesis. It is possible for PhD students to continue their mobility in online mode once the onsite stay is over. That is, once the student is back to the country of residence, s/he may continue to be supervised by the host supervisor for an agreed period of time. Such mobilities will be considered as blended. Online extensions of PhD students’ onsite stays will not be financed because there will not be any travel and subsistence costs involved.
An Interinstitutional Agreement between the home and the host universities must be signed before the start of the mobility.
4. Eligibility requisites
To be admitted to the selection process, applicants must meet the following requirements:
- To be enrolled for a recognized master or doctoral degree at their sending institution at the time of application and during the mobility.
- To have at least B2 level in the language in which planned mobility activities will be conducted.
- To take responsibility for carrying out the mobility in 2025-2026 during the period of academic activity based on the academic calendar of the host university. Exceptionally, a mobility can be postponed to 2026-2027 academic year. All mobilities should end by 31 July 2027.
- To submit all the required documents by the application deadline.
Lower priority will be given to applicants who already received an Erasmus+ KA107 grant for the same study cycle. Mobility awarded under this call will count towards the maximum of 12 months allowed per study cycle.

4. Timeline

A4U universities will be closed from 14 April until 21 April 2025 for Easter holidays.

Inclusion
Candidates from disadvantaged backgrounds, with special needs or disabilities are encouraged to apply. They may receive additional funding in order to cover costs directly related to their participation in the mobility

Application process
The call and the application form will be published on A4U website http://alliance4universities.eu/en/mobility-scholarships/. All partner universities websites will refer to it by publishing an announcement.
Applicants must complete an online application form and attach the following documentation:

PhD Students

1. CV
2. Learning Agreement signed by the applicant, the thesis supervisor at the home university and the host academic at the receiving university. Applicants should complete ONLY the first 4 pages of the Learning Agreement. Scanned signatures are accepted. Students applying for Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona and Universitat Pompeu Fabra should also provide the invitation letter by the host academic.
3. Recommendation letter, which should not be attached to the online application form but instead sent directly by the referee to coordinacion@a-4u.eu with “Recommendation letter” in the subject field by the application deadline.
4. Official documentation that certifies the disadvantaged background, if applying for a top-up grant for disadvantaged participants.

Masters Students

1. Transcript of academic records that indicates a cumulative average grade. In case of Master students, transcripts of records should be submitted: one for the completed Bachelor degree and the other for the Master degree, in which they are enrolled.
2. Nomination letter provided by the sending university, which should indicate the cumulative average grade for the applicant´s transcript of records
(in case of Master students, for two transcripts of records), and certify that the applicant´s level of language is minimum B2.
3. Learning Agreement signed by the applicant and the sending institution. Applicants should complete ONLY the first 3 pages of the Learning Agreement. Scanned signatures are accepted.
4. Motivation letter.
5. Recommendation letter, which should NOT be attached to the online application form but instead sent directly by an academic referee to coordinacion@a-4u.eu with “Recommendation letter” in subject field by the application deadline.
6. Official documentation that certifies the disadvantaged background, if applying for a top-up grant for disadvantaged participants.

Students can apply for two destinations, in which case two separate applications should be submitted. Transcript of records, nomination letter and recommendation letter can be the same in both applications. Learning agreement and motivation letter should each be specific to the receiving institution.
International Offices of the participating institutions may assist applicants in the application process. For contact details of A4U universities, check Section 12 of this Call. Contact details of non-European partner universities can be found in the factsheets available on A4U website http://alliance4universities.eu/en/mobility-scholarships/.

8. Evaluation criteria and selection
Grants will be awarded on a competitive basis, based on the evaluation of applications by A4U Selection Committee consisting of the Vice-rectors for International Relations of A4U universities who PhD students’ applications, with the support of the Directors of International Relations.

PhD Students

Quality of the research proposal in the learning agreement, matching with the research areas at the host university and expected impact of the research stay,
• Academic qualifications and research experience according to CV,
• Recommendation letter,
• Motivation according to the statement in the learning agreement.

Masters Students

Academic qualifications of the candidate based on the transcript of records (60% of the total score).
• Candidate´s profile based on the recommendation (20% of the total score) and motivation letters (20% of the total score).

If two or more applications are of similar quality, the decision will be guided by:
- giving priority to applicants from disadvantaged backgrounds or with special needs/disabilities, according to the information provided by partner institutions,
- seeking gender balance,
- seeking a balanced distribution of grants among A4U universities.
In case of competition for top-up grants, the selection will be based on the criteria specified above.
The mobility of participants with special needs or disabilities will be conditional on the capacity of the host university to receive them.
In case of lack of applications, the Selection Committee reserves the right to re-distribute grants:
- across STUDENT and STAFF categories and IN and OUT flows within the same country,
- across different countries in Sub-Saharan Africa region.
If there are more applicants than grants available, reserve candidates will be placed on a waiting list and called upon if a grant becomes available.
The number of grants announced in the annex is a minimum that will be awarded. More grants may be generated or extensions granted if selected students´ stays are shorter than 5 months.
Selection results will be published on A4U website http://alliance4universities.eu/en/mobility-scholarships/ and will be announced to the beneficiaries and partner universities by e-mail.
9. Grant payment procedure
The grant is calculated according to the real arrival and departure dates reported by the host institution, taking into consideration its academic calendar. The grant will be paid in two installments, the 1st instalment being: 70% of the total grant (travel and subsistence) upon arrival, and the 2nd installment of the remaining 30% of the total grant at the end of mobility.

Students going from non-European countries to Spain:
Upon their arrival to Spain, the student will open a Spanish bank account, where their grant will be paid via a bank transfer. The first instalment will be paid once the student has reported their arrival to the receiving institution and submitted the Grant Agreement. The 2nd part of the grant will be paid at the end of the mobility upon re-confirmation of the departure date and completion of online EU survey by the student.
Students going from Spain to non-European countries: the procedure is as above, with the only difference that the grant will be paid into the participant´s bank account in Spain.
10. Rights of the beneficiary
- To receive the grant according to the fixed rates set out in the Erasmus+ Programme guidelines and proportionate to the duration of mobility.
- For disadvantaged participants that receive top-up funding: to be advanced the travel grant upon obtaining the visa, so that the costs that they need to cover upfront are reduced.
- To benefit from the tuition fee waiver as a student, notwithstanding other fees for the use of certain services or activities that might be applicable.
- To receive information and advice on the application procedure from home university, as well as pre-departure and on-site guidance from the host university.
- To have the study period abroad recognized by their home university.
11. Obligations of the beneficiary
- To carry out the mobility according to the study proposal and committed dates during 2025-2026 academic year, and ending by 31 July 2027.
- To be in possession of an adequate medical insurance throughout the mobility period according to Erasmus+ programme rules. All participants must be insured against the risks linked to their participation in mobility activities. The insurance must cover:
• medical expenses and accidents, including permanent or temporary incapacity,
•death, including repatriation,
• third party liability.
The cost of the insurance will be covered by the participants themselves. A4U recommends OnCampus Estudia insurance, but participants are free to choose a different product as long as it meets the requirements above.
- To obtain the visa for the stay in the receiving country and bear the costs of obtaining the visa.
- To book flights and accommodation in the country of destination. For this, beneficiaries need to advance their own funds since the mobility grant will be paid only once their stay begins.
- To take Online Language Training before starting their mobility.
- To participate, if requested, in sharing their mobility experience.
- To complete the required procedures and fill in the necessary documents as per Erasmus+ Programme before, during and after the mobility period, meeting the deadlines established by A4U. Before mobility: signature of the Learning Agreement and the Grant Agreement. After mobility: submission of the Certificate of Attendance and online EU survey.
- Any other obligation inherent to the Erasmus+ Programme and the internal regulations of the home and host institutions.

Information
Should any doubt arise over the interpretation of this Call, the Selection Committee will decide on the case and interpret it in the light of Erasmus+ Programme Guidelines.
A4U International Project Manager will be in charge of the general coordination and management of this Call, and will be the initial point of contact for applicants and beneficiaries.
Iris del Pino García Saavedra
A4U International Project Manager
coordinacion@a-4u.eu
+34 914 976 414
International Relations Services at A4U universities will provide support to incoming and outgoing applicants at the application stage and during mobility.
Mobility Office at Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB): erasmus.ka107@uab.cat / +34 93 586 8256 Mobility Office at Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (UAM): erasmus.ka107.em@uam.es / +34 91 497 2935 Mobility Office at Universidad Carlos III de Madrid (UC3M): erasmuska171@uc3m.es / +34 91 624 8658 International Relations Office at Universidad Pompeu Fabra (UPF): oma.incoming@upf.edu / +34 935 42 2504
Any additional information on this call will be published on A4U website http://alliance4universities.eu/en/mobility-scholarships/