Erasmus+ and Beyond: How VSE Students Explore the World
The Erasmus+ programme and other scholarship opportunities open doors for VSE students to the entire world. From study exchanges at prestigious universities to internships in international companies, students discover new cultures, languages and gain valuable experiences that enrich their academic and personal journeys. Whether they choose to study in Copenhagen, work in Paris or explore the exotic culture of Buenos Aires, their path is full of adventure and opportunities. Erasmus+ and other programmes are the key to unlocking the world that VSE students eagerly explore. In the past year 2023, over 1,200 VSE students went abroad and we have selected five inspiring stories that showcase different ways to spend part of your studies abroad.
Freemover Programme & Paul Robitschek Scholarship
The Freemover Individual Mobility Programme is designed for students who find a university abroad on their own according to their field of study. It is therefore not an exchange programme, which is provided at the VSE level but is entirely within the competence of each student. If you are considering this option, then you need to search for a foreign university in your field of study, approach this institution and your home faculty at the same time and arrange your study stay independently in agreement with both parties. Some VSE faculties also offer the possibility of financial support.
More information on the Freemover programme can be found here.
The Paul Robitschek Scholarship Programme is designed for talented Czech and Slovak students to spend up to two semesters studying overseas. The admission is determined by the outcome of a selection process in which the applicant demonstrates the necessary level of English language skills, academic aptitude, team leadership experience and the determination to pursue an academic or professional career in the Czech Republic.
Applications for the programme are submitted once a year, usually at the beginning of the calendar year.
More information can also be found on the University’s website here.
Student Stories
Tereza Snitková (FM, University of Nebraska–Lincoln)
I had the opportunity to experience a year in the USA thanks to the Robitschek scholarship, which every year selects 3 people from the Czech Republic or Slovakia and pays almost all their expenses. This scholarship is directly tied to the University of Lincoln Nebraska, but you don’t have to worry about spending your year just surrounded by corn. The university itself is comparable in size to a smaller city, consisting of 3 campuses, each with a specific focus.
This study stay is definitely suitable for undergraduate level students, as the economics-focused courses are built on complete fundamentals and are easy to master and even easier to acknowledge :). Personally, I was already at the master level, so instead of taking these very basic courses in my field, I chose completely different subjects from other fields that I wouldn’t have had a chance to try at home at VSE. This year has not only helped me broaden my horizons in academics but also in my personal life. I met many interesting people who treated me as part of their own family and it was quite common for them to pay for tickets to football, hockey or even take you on a week-long vacation to Colorado. As for the travel itself, I saw everything I had the time and money to see, from a month in Hawaii, to trips to national parks all over Utah and Arizona, to LA, Las Vegas, and New York.
This year has still been an absolutely incredible adventure for me, and one that has been hard to recover from. If you are interested in this scholarship and would like to ask me anything, I’d be happy to answer any questions or let you in on any secrets on how to handle the application process.
