Erasmus+ Internships After Graduation: How the Recent-Graduate Window Works

• Selection by the sending HEI must happen before graduation.
• The traineeship must be completed within 12 months of obtaining the degree.
• It counts toward the 12-month allowance of the just-completed cycle (Bachelor, Master or PhD).

• Apply through your university's Erasmus+ call before your final defence.
• Sign the Learning Agreement (LA-T) and grant agreement before the graduation date.
• Departure can happen after graduation, as long as the LA-T pre-dates the final exam.

• Same grant rates as enrolled students — country group + traineeship +€150/month top-up.
• Travel grant calculated from the home address used at selection.
• Inclusion and green-travel top-ups apply identically.

• Plan early: many universities close the recent-graduate call 2–3 months before final exams.
• Lock the host organisation before defence — finding one after graduation is harder without university backing.
• Use the post-graduation mobility to bridge into a first full-time role abroad.

The Programme Guide gives the same 12-month window everywhere, but local registration, residence and tax rules vary. The list below covers the gotchas we see most often in the recent-graduate cohort.

• Spain — empadronamiento (city-hall registration) is requested by many landlords; non-EU graduates also need a NIE for any rental contract.
• Germany — health-insurance student rates end the day you graduate; budget €110–€160/month for adult statutory cover during the recent-graduate window.
• Netherlands — BSN registration at the gemeente requires a registered address; book the appointment before flying in.
• Portugal — NIF tax number is mandatory for any contract over 30 days, including rental and stipend disbursement.
• France — the gratification minimum (~€4.35/h in 2026) applies to recent-graduate trainees the same as enrolled students.
• Ireland — host stipends are taxable; PPS number registration adds 2–3 weeks unless started pre-arrival.

Recent-graduate traineeships are typically longer than enrolled-student SMTs and more closely resemble entry-level roles. The pattern below holds across our 2024–2026 cohorts.

• Average duration — 5.7 months (vs 3.4 months for enrolled-student SMTs).
• Conversion to a full-time role at the same host — 38% within the 12-month window.
• Median monthly host stipend — €450 in Group-2 cities, €750 in Group-1 cities.
• Most common fields — IT, marketing, business development, engineering and design.
• Most common destinations — Spain, Germany, Portugal, the Netherlands and Ireland.

Recent-graduate placements work best when treated as a probation period for a future full-time hire — both sides know it, both sides invest accordingly.

Each of the traps below has cancelled at least one placement we have seen. Read them once and treat them as non-negotiable.

• Selection paperwork dated after graduation — the entire mobility is ineligible. The selection meeting minutes must be dated before the defence date.
• Letting the 12-month window expire mid-mobility — the placement must finish before the 12-month anniversary, not just start before it.
• Combining the recent-graduate window with a new study cycle at another HEI — only the just-completed cycle's allowance counts, not the next one.
• Switching the LA-T after departure to a different host without HEI sign-off — funding can be clawed back.
• Forgetting to file the EU Survey within 30 days of return — does not void the window but blocks the final grant tranche.

Each trap is preventable with a single dated checklist signed by the participant and the coordinator at selection. Build it once, reuse it every cycle.