NEWTON students travel. Go to your dream country on Erasmus too

While studying, you can spend your free time in cafés around Brno or Prague, or work hard on yourself and gain invaluable experience abroad. At NEWTON, you have the best conditions for travelling.

Among students, the most popular destinations are countries participating in the Erasmus+ programme – that is, all EU states and other partner countries, such as Turkey. Tuition is free, and students receive a scholarship from the university, intended to cover travel and living expenses. “Students choose their destination based on the host university and simply according to whether they want to go to the mountains or the sea. Popular choices include Sweden, Spain, and other Western countries. They receive a scholarship ranging from €330 to €510 per month, depending on the country they study in. For work placements, the scholarship is an additional €150,” explains Jan Orava, coordinator of international internships at NC.

Students who want to go on Erasmus+ are selected based on several criteria for scholarship eligibility, including:

• academic average,
• level of English,
• preparation of a CV,
• motivation letter,
• interview,
• and activity at NEWTON College.

In addition, they should be familiar with how things work in the country they are heading to and gather as much information as possible about it.

Student Dominika Pytelová presented on the Czech Republic at Slovenia’s GEA College, where she spent her study stay. In the second photo, she is with classmates at Prešeren Square in Ljubljana, in front of the statue of the poet Prešeren with his muse.

Have you chosen just one country? It’s better to pick three

NEWTON students first rank three foreign universities where they would like to study. They don’t always get into their top choice. “I personally discuss preferences with students. Some universities offer only a few spots, and students compete for them. Unfortunately, I cannot predict which universities will be most in demand. One year, everyone wanted to go to Italy, and the next year, almost no one applied there,” explains Jan.

Most students do get a placement. “The saying goes: patience pays off. Occasionally, students need to compromise and choose another university where spots are available. In rare cases, a student who had been accepted drops out, freeing a place at the last minute,” Jan adds. Another option is to reorganize plans and apply for the study abroad programme the following year.

Study versus work placements with Erasmus+

NEWTON students go on study placements for an entire semester, while work placements typically last two to four months.

On a study placement, the host university usually arranges accommodation and travel and takes care of the students. If the university has no dormitories, students must arrange accommodation themselves.

Students become part of the university community, attend lectures, and can spend their free time with classmates.

Work placements place greater demands on students, as they must manage their stay and travel independently.

They need to be more proactive, communicate directly with the company, and cannot fully anticipate the work environment. The main advantage, however, is gaining experience in their field under different work practices than they are used to at home. For example, student Pavla Novotná chose Spain and ultimately preferred a small town over Barcelona.