Blended Intensive Programmes (BIPs)

In order to receive funding, BIPs should meet the eligibility criteria set by the European Commission:

• The BIP should be developed and implemented by at least 3 HEIs awarded with an Erasmus Charter for Higher Education (ECHE) and coming from at least 3 different Programme Countries. HEIs from third countries not associated with the Erasmus+ Programme can participate and send participants at their own costs. These participants do not count towards the minimum number of participants that are required.
• Within each BIP partnership there must be one coordinating HEI and receiving HEI and minimum two partner HEIs. A coordinating HEI can be a sending or receiving organisation in a mobility activity. BIPs can be open to students and staff from sending higher education institutions outside the partnership, but the receiving HEI must be one of the partnership organisations.
• The physical mobility duration must be between 5 and 30 days. No eligibility criteria have been set for the duration of the virtual component, but the combination of virtual and physical mobility should provide students with a minimum of 3 ECTS credits.

• Eligible participants are:

  • Students registered in a HEI and enrolled in studies leading to a recognised degree or another recognised tertiary level qualification (including the level of doctorate).
  • Staff working at a HEI in a Programme Country.

• To receive funding, a BIP must involve a minimum of 10 participants who will be travelling from the sending HEIs to the receiving HEI as part of an Erasmus+ funded physical mobility,  not including teaching staff involved in the implementation of the BIP, and excluding participants (from the receiving HEI) who will not travel abroad. Important note: The BIP will only be financed if the minimum number of participants is met. Therefore, BIPs should be organised with a surplus of participants, as a certain percentage may cancel at the last minute.

• Follow the Erasmus+ procedures and have all Erasmus+ paperwork (inter-institutional agreement, learning agreements, confirmation of stay, transcripts of records, grade conversion tables, full recognition of credits) in place.

• Additional information for PhD candidates participating in BIPs:

  • PhD candidates who participate in a BIP are considered as students
  • PhD candidates with teaching assignment in the BIP are eligible for Erasmus staff mobility grant; however as a result they do not count as participant of the BIP.

If you are considering organising a BIP, please get in touch to our Exchange Team. All applicants interested in implementing BIP projects between September 2025 and July 2027 must submit their application form by February 1, 2025. The decision on whether the BIP project can proceed will be made by June 2025 after the allocation of Erasmus+ funds by Nuffic.

Please note that there must be valid IIAs between cooperating HEIs. For confirmation, feel free to get in touch with us.

Also, ensure that your application aligns with the ECHE principles, focusing on:

• Inclusion and diversity in the context of higher education mobility;
• Environmental sustainability and green practices;
• Digitalisation and digital education and skills.

When organising a BIP, WUR can take on the role of either the coordinator or partner. Typically, the coordinator acts as the receiving institution, while the partner serves as the sending institution. The funding differs based on the role assumed; the coordinator offers organisational support, whereas the partners contribute individual support for their students and staff involved in the BIPs physical mobility activities.

• WUR as coordinator

The amount for organisational support a blended intensive programme may receive is calculated at € 400 per participant, with a minimum of 10 participants (i.e. a minimum of € 4000 for the programme as a whole), up to a maximum amount of € 8000. This means that funding is limited to 20 participants. Important note: If there are fewer than 10 participants, funding will not be available!

Organisational support for BIPs is intended to cover costs related to the preparation, design, development, implementation and follow-up of the programme and implementation of virtual/remote activities, as well as overall management and coordination.
Participants are not required to pay tuition or course fees. However, the organisers may charge fees for extracurricular activities, such as cultural visits, which are not directly related or relevant to the topic of the programme.

• WUR as partner

If WUR is a partner in a BIP, individual support grants are available for both students and staff. See more information below under "Participating in a BIP as a student or staff member"

The following good practices have emerged from previous BIP organisers:

• Ensure a sufficient number of participants (from sending HEIs) in order to reach the minimum requirement, taking into account possible participant cancellations;
• Target students who are hesitant to participate in long-term mobilities;
• Encourage interdisciplinary and multinational teaching and training, and benefit from special learning and teaching conditions not available in a single institution;
• Ensure multinational participation;
• Allow members of the teaching staff to exchange views on teaching content, new curricula approaches, to test innovative teaching methods that could eventually become part of a newly devised joint course or curriculum in an international classroom environment;
• Provide significantly new learning opportunities, skills development, access to information and to state-of-the art research results and other knowledge for the participating teachers and student/learners;

• Erasmus+ Blended Intensive Programmes, Basic Toolkit, 2024

• Blended mobility implementation guide for Erasmus+ higher education mobility KA131, 2022

Blended mobility (min 5 days- max. 30 days), is open to all students, but is primarily intended for those who do not have the option to participate in long-term mobility (min. 60 days, max.12 months).

PhD candidates interested in going abroad to take part in a study or training activity can also apply for a Doctoral mobility grant. For requirements and procedure please visit this site [under construction].

If you would like to participate in a BIP as a student, please take into account that you should always inform your study advisor at least 2 months before the start of the BIP. If your study advisor approves your participation in a BIP, they will send an application form (see more information about a BIP student participation form below under "Application documents (before the start of the physical mobility)") to the Exchange Office. The Exchange Office will guide you through the Erasmus+ grant application process.

Requirements to receive a short-term blended mobility grants:

• There is a physical mobility period between 5 and 30 days;
• There is a compulsory virtual component before, during and/or after the physical mobility period;
• You will receive at least 3 ECTS for your participation in the BIP. These credits will be recognised in your academic programme;
• You have not yet exceeded the maximum amount of 12 Erasmus+ grant months within the same study cycle (bachelor/master). This also includes Erasmus+ grant(s) you may have already received for long-term mobilities;
• You do not receive an Erasmus+ grant for a long-term mobility during the BIP;
• There is an existing IIA between WUR and the receiving institution.

Erasmus+ grant amount:

Your total Erasmus+ grant includes an individual support and, if applicable, one or more top-ups:

Application documents (before the start of the physical mobility):

• BIP student participation form

Your study advisor needs to approve your participation in a BIP. If your study advisor agrees to your participation, you should send a completed application form, together with an official BIP (promotional) flyer, at least 6 weeks before the start date to studentexchange@wur.nl

• Grant Agreement (GA)

The document can be downloaded here.

The GA is a contract between the student and the Exchange Office. This document contains information about your study exchange, financial matters, and all the rights and responsibilities involved. After checking the completed document, please sign, name it "GA BIP [Last name]" and send it to studentexchange@wur.nl.

• Learning Agreement (LA)

The document can be downloaded here.

The LA is a contract between the student, the home university (=Exchange Office) and the receiving university (= university where you will be studying). The LA ideally needs to be submitted one month prior to your departure, but no later than the start of your exchange period. As it can take some time to get your Learning Agreement signed by all parties, we are a bit more flexible with the deadline for this form. Please inform us on time about any delays. Note that the Erasmus+ grant will only be paid once we have received all the required forms. Once this document is fully completed, signed by all three parties, and named "LA BIP [Last name]", please send it to studentexchange@wur.nl.

Upon return documents (after the end of the physical mobility)

• Certificate of Attendance (CA)

The document can be downloaded here.

The CA needs to be completed, signed and stamped by the receiving institution and will be used to calculate the actual grant that you should receive for the exchange period. Please name the document: CA BIP [Last name] and send it to studentexchange@wur.nl

• Original Transcript of Records (TOR)

Do not forget to ask your host institution for a TOR before you return to the Netherlands. The courses on the TOR have to correspond with those on your Learning Agreement.

The original transcript from the receiving institution of your exchange has to be handed in as soon as it is available and has to be dated, signed and stamped.

TOR can be handed in as follows:

• Digitally secured pdfs can be either forwarded to studentexchange@wur.nl;

• Your host university can email us a digital copy directly at studentexchange@wur.nl. If you applied for the grant via Osiris Student, we will upload this copy for you in your grant application;

• You can come to the Erasmus Office (Forum room 57D) and we will scan your hard copy;

• Your host university can send us a hard copy by post:

Study abroad office
Room 57D Forum (building 102)
Droevendaalsesteeg 2
P.O. Box 414
6708 PB Wageningen
The Netherlands

TOR not yet available?

In that case you can hand in your TOR and Academic Recognition Form when they become available. However, do hand in the other forms within 4 weeks, and please keep us informed about the progress.

• Academic Recognition Form (ARF)

The document can be downloaded here.

The ARF is a form which we will send to the Examining Board in order to get your grades registered at WUR. The courses need to be the same as those on your Learning Agreement.

The ARF needs to be completed, named ARF BIP [Last name] and sent in word format to studentexchange@wur.nl

If you are a PhD candidate, please contact your PhD graduate school at WU if you would like to have your credits recognised in your PhD programme/curriculum.

• Erasmus+ participant survey

You will need to fill in the Erasmus+ participant survey to provide feedback on your Erasmus+ Mobility period. You will receive an email from the European Commission with a link to this questionnaire after your exchange period has ended.

• How to get your external grades registered in Osiris

We will send your grades to the examining boards after we have received your ARF and TOR. They will convert your external credits and grades.

Enter the courses you wish to use in the Osiris PlanApp and submit for approval together with your “Electives Motivation Form”. For instructions please go to Osiris Student and select the PlanApp.

It will take 2-3 weeks until your grades are visible in Osiris. During the holidays this may take longer.

Erasmus+ grant payment

After we have received your signed GA and LA the 70% of the total amount of Erasmus + grant (mentioned in your GA) will be deposited to your bank account within 30 days.

Once your mobility has ended, you will need to arrange the required documents for your return (see more information under 'Upon return documents (at the end of the physical mobility)' above). When all the requested documents upon return are in our administration, we will proceed with the remaining payment of 30% of the Erasmus+ grant. If you do not meet these conditions, you are obliged to fully reimburse the financial support received.

As a WUR employee, you can either be a participant or teacher in a BIP. Involvement as a participant is considered a training assignment (‘staff training mobility’), and participation as a teacher is considered a teaching assignment (‘staff teaching mobility’).

The conditions and application process are available on the website for Erasmus+ staff mobility.

For general information please contact the Exchange Office