Your Erasmus with ESN - An Erasmus+ grant by ESN Italy

"Il tuo Erasmus con ESN" ("Your Erasmus with ESN") is one of the major projects by Erasmus Student Network Italy. The goal we want to achieve through this project is to support international student mobility, strongly contributes improving the experience of outgoing students coming from various Italian universities. Practically, Erasmus Student Network Italy commits to finance, after a written test, a number of scholarships that changes every year for those who will leave for an international experience of mobility that forms part of the Erasmus+ Programme.

In 2013 Erasmus Student Network Italy decided to award an additional scholarship to outgoing students who had already won an Erasmus+ scholarship, giving away 3 scholarships worth 500€ each. After the success of the first editions and thanks to our partner CREA's financing, in 2015 ESN Italy managed to increase the number of scholarships to 4; until 2017, when through financing from the Forum Nazionale Giovani and Bper, the number has been raised to 7. Moreover, from the 2016 edition, the call has also been extended to the winners of an Erasmus+ scholarship for a traineeship period.

The following parameters are set down as the necessary requirements for taking part in the test:

• Being regularly enrolled to any University in which the local section of Erasmus Student Network Italy takes part in the project;
• In case of Erasmus+ Study, being awarded an Erasmus+ scholarship for the next academic year;
• In case of Erasmus+ Traineeship, being awarded an Erasmus+ scholarship for the same or the next academic year.

Testing methods

Outgoing students who want to participate in the test have to fill an online form.

The test consists of a written exam, which is held at the same time in every university taking part to the project (generally during the summer period). The students have to write an assignment in Italian, following the guidelines given by the National Board of Erasmus Student Network Italy.

Each ESN section which is taking part in the project has to appoint a Commission (First level Commission). This Commission has to be present during the exam and evaluate the tests taken in its University, choosing and sending the 10% of them to the Second Level Commission.  

Second Level Commission is composed of ESN members chosen on a national level. Its role is to evaluate the tests, without knowing the marks given by the First Level Commission. The composition of SLC is the following: one member from the Communication Commission of ESN Italia, one member from ESN Italia Alumni association and one member, whose CV includes studies in Humanities, from a local section of ESN. This last member is appointed directly by the National Board of ESN Italia.

Starting from 2016, a third level commission, whose job is to choose the winners among the 25 that obtained the highest score from the second level commission, was also added. It is then up to this last commission to choose the best essays and thus the winners of the call. Journalists and personalities from the MIUR, the Agenzia Nazionale Giovani, the Agenzia Nazionale Erasmus+/INDIRE and from the Forum Nazionale Giovani, have been part of the third level commission.

The Scholarship in numbers