In addition to the normal study exchange or placement abroad grant, the Erasmus + programme supports students who would otherwise find it difficult to go abroad for financial or health reasons. The Erasmus + programme offers students the opportunity to apply for two different types of support, depending on their own personal situation. Below you will find more information about these.

Erasmus+ programme also supports environmentally friendly means of traveling by awarding Green Travel grant.

Erasmus+ Special Needs and Inclusion Grant

Special needs and inclusion grants are intended to enable study exchange or placement in circumstances when a special need causes additional costs that are not covered by other sources. Special need can be an injury, impairment, physical or psychological illness or learning difficulty. 

Special needs / inclusion grants are granted in addition to the normal exchange grant. You should find out the need for possible special needs / inclusion grant with LUT International Mobility Services already at the application stage. Special needs / inclusion grants are applied by LUT International Mobility Services from Finnish National Agency for Education. They will review each case individually. 

You should reserve a lot of time for exchange arrangements when you need special arrangements related to, for example, living, moving or studying at the exchange destination. 

Going abroad accessible

1. Contact the LUT International Mobility Services already when you are planning to go on an exchange. Regarding study exchange contact outgoing@lut.fi(external site, link opens a new tab), regarding placement abroad contact internships@lut.fi(external site, link opens a new tab).
2. Learn about the accessibility situation and services in higher education institutions or possible placement organizations in your host country, for example, from web sites of universities or from the HEAG database. You can also contact the person responsible for accessibility and disability issues in your host university or placement organization well in advance of your exchange. 
3. If you receive services based on the disability services act in Finland or receive regular rehabilitation, contact the social services providers of your home municipality and the relevant organisation responsible for rehabilitation (e.g. the Social Insurance Institution of Finland KELA, your insurance company or social services) well in advance of your exchange. 
4. If you need special equipment, find out if they are covered abroad by your insurance. 
5. If you use regular medication, it is recommended that you take all the medication needed for the whole duration of your exchange with you from Finland. However, find out what the latest regulations and restrictions regarding export and transport of medication are in the host country and from your airline. 
6. If you need special arrangements due to a disability or illness during your exchange, find out what official documentation your host higher education institution requires. Practices may vary from organisation to organisation, from country to country. Acquire the documents needed, have them translated into English and submit them to LUT International Mobility Services 2 to 3 months before the start of your exchange. 
7. When your exchange period is confirmed, establish how to communicate with your home and host universities before and during your exchange.

Erasmus+ additional support for commuters who have fewer opportunities than others

Inclusion is one of the main cross-cutting focuses of the Erasmus+ program. Inclusion in mobility is supported e.g. with increased grants for students who have fewer opportunities than others. Students who have fewer opportunities to participate in mobility and who belong to nationally defined groups can receive fixed individual support increases to their normal Erasmus+ grant. The amounts of the grant are specified each academic year.

Fixed increase in individual support

Students who have fewer opportunities to participate in mobility and who belong to nationally defined groups can receive fixed individual support increases to their normal Erasmus+ grant. In Finland, starting from the academic year 2022 - 2023, these groups are:

Social obstacles:

• family (underage children)
• family caregivers (agreement on family care with the municipality)

Disabilities:

• students who have an EU disability card, or the right to it
• disabled (at least moderate functional impairment)

Health obstacles:

• suffer from serious and/or chronic health problems (at least moderate functional impairment)

Migrant background:

• students who have received international protection (refugees, asylum seekers, recipients of international or secondary protection, or the student has a refugee travel document)

In order to receive additional support, you must specify in the online form that you belong to the group entitled to additional support and submit the requested additional documentation to LUT Mobility-Online or show the documents to LUT International Mobility Services.