For some, studying on an exchange is a once in a lifetime experience but comes at a price. However, finances should not deter you from pursuing an exchange program. Paying tuition fees to other institutions is often the primary financial burden that students who would like to study abroad incur, although at UCU this burden has been removed. When you attend an exchange, you are only required to pay the UCU tuition fees while abroad. During your exchange semester, you will not need to pay the UCU campus fees as you will not be living on campus. You can instead put those funds towards housing at the partner university. 

To provide you with insight into the costs at a partner university, we ask that you look at our partner pages. How much money you will spend while off-campus will depend on where you go and how much you travel and go out. An additional factor is the local financial systems in the country in which you are studying. Click on a "partner" to see estimates of the cost of living. You can also find more information on each partner university website.

To make an overview of the costs of studying abroad, you may use the financial plan template on our website.

You can also look at the following grants to finance your plans

Erasmus+ Grant

UCU/UU and other institutions/organizations provide various grants that students can apply for to use toward an exchange. A widely known scholarship is the Erasmus+ Grant for students travelling to an EU partner university. Non-EU students planning to attend an EU partner university are also eligible to apply for this grant. Depending on the country you go to, you can receive up to €360 per month. This grant also provides top-ups for students with a disability that incur higher costs due to, for example, specific housing needs or facilities. 

More information on the grant amounts, procedures, restrictions, and other up-to-date information can be found here. You can apply for this grant a few months before the start of the exchange. 

Holland Scholarship

The Holland Scholarship is a scholarship made available by the Dutch Ministry of Education Culture and Science together with Dutch research universities and universities of applied sciences.

The scholarship is meant for students who want to study or do research at of one of the three strategic partners of Utrecht University:

  • Chinese University of Hong Kong
  • University of Sydney
  • University of Toronto

The scholarship is a one-off payment of € 1,250 and is meant as a contribution towards your study or research expenses. More information on the grant and the application procedure can be found here. 

Morocco Grant

Our partner École de Governance et d'Économie de Rabat has now become a part of the larger university, Mohammed VI Polytechnic University but remains in Rabat. Our students will once again have the opportunity to study at this young, innovative partner in the capital of Morocco. Students will receive a grant of €700 a month + travel allowance. 

Grants will be awarded to two students who are selected for our partner Mohammed VI Polytechnic University. They will be contacted once the allocation of places has been finalized. 

UCU Exchange Financial Aid 

Students who are unable to completely fund their exchange by way of parental contribution, government assistance like DUO loans, savings or other sources can apply for an exchange grant. The exchange grant is meant to help students bridge the gap between what you have and what you need. As the available funding is limited, a grant is not guaranteed to meet 100% of need.  

The grant application is part of the exchange application. You will be asked to submit the necessary financial information and proof to allow for a fair evaluation of your financial situation. We will only consider complete applications submitted on or before the deadline.

If we cannot give you the amount you need, we will help you find a suitable partner where you can still have an amazing experience but is a cheaper option.