Erasmus: True Facts?

LilyPool

Hi!
I'm away on Erasmus in Spain at the moment and I was just wondering about a few things:
1) Is it close to impossible to fail Erasmus? I've been told that you only need something like 10 ECTS (credits) to pass...
2) If you do fail, are the lecturers back home in Galway helpful? As in will they let you write an essay to make up for it?
3) Also, if you fail do you have to pay fees the following year?

Thanks!

ILoveSpuds

Hope you have a savage time! I was on Erasmus in Spain 7 years ago now so can't give you up to date advice on your questions but it is classified as part of your course; depending on your course I would imagine that you would be getting a different degree taking in to account that you passed the Erasmus year so I would be sure not to fail just in case
In relation to the Galway specific questions, best contacting your department's administrator or the Erasmus coordinator as these are things you should definitely know! Enjoy, it'll be the best year of your life, you'll make lifelong friends and do lots of travelling while your there around Spain as so many amazing places to see and do there.

I know someone who failed erasmus ten years ago and was made pay fees for final year. Got a BA rather than a BA International.

lmtduffy

LilyPool wrote: »

Hi!
I'm away on Erasmus in Spain at the moment and I was just wondering about a few things:
1) Is it close to impossible to fail Erasmus? I've been told that you only need something like 10 ECTS (credits) to pass...
2) If you do fail, are the lecturers back home in Galway helpful? As in will they let you write an essay to make up for it?
3) Also, if you fail do you have to pay fees the following year?

Thanks!

wow, you got all the way to your host country without reading the agreement you signed?

It is possible to fail erasmus if you do not get sufficient credits in relevant courses. For me 20 credits in my main field and 20 from elsewhere.

If you fail you dont get a BA international and have to repay the maintenance grant.

Dont know about your last question, but I dont think so...

They can be flexible if you are a bit short and have made an effort.

If you haven't made much of an effort well...

A hint would be to go to class/tutorials and get to know your lecturers.

Naomithecool

Lilypool, I know exactly how you feel as I'm on Erasmus in Spain too - do i know you?! For an Erasmus student it's not necessarily a question of just putting in the work, its bloody hard studying this stuff in a foreign language! Plus, the lecturers just arent as helpful as the ones at home, nor are the resources - AFAIK, where I am there isn't an archive of past exam papers, which would help greatly!!

The International department says we need to get 40 credits, but look at it from their point of view - they're trying to promote the Erasmus experience, they don't want past Erasmus students telling people how hard it is to fail, they want prospective Erasmusers to hear glowing reports about how great the year was and how it wasn't too hard to pass. So if you are a bit short, they'll want to help you earn credits to make it up. For the Commerce peeps, they fail if they have 10 credits or less, and for every 5 credits short have to do an essay. Not entirely sure if that's the same for us in Arts, they're very vague about it.

A lot of it depends on how sympathetic your lecturers in Spain are. I know a guy here who was in France last semester; he went to his French Civilisation class on the first day, didn't like it so never went back; turned up for the exam and wrote just his name and "étudiant Erasmus" and the prof passed him. The wisest thing to do is keep up your attendance, introduce yourself to your lecturers as an Erasmus student so they'll remember you and pass you for effort even.

Make sure and check if your lecturers at home have set you any assignments for the year, I know we Artsies have a media thingy to do, and every credit counts.

sparklingdude

Is this a cartoon?

2in1bubbleparty

Hey all!

I'm now on my ERASMUS year, well year abroad as I am in México! woop!

I love it over here, but have got myself in a wee bit of a sticky situation!
I signed up for a course for psychology (studying BA international Spanish and Psychological studies) here, made sure to find out all the details before I chose it and all was grand.

But wait, theres more, my lecturer here failed to tell me when I asked at the start of the term, that we would have a 25 page report with over 30 APA references due for next week.

She's a bit of a mong and doesnt really give us any advise! starts class late, finishes early and talks more about her divorce and her cat than psychology. Now Im in panic stations cause I dont want to fail the class.

Im studying for one semester and have 24 credits in total.
this class makes up 10!
I was just wondering since ye guys returned, how did it all go?? Did anyone fail and what not? and whats the deal with the other subject? The Psych department in NUIG have given me no guidelines....

Hope someone can help....
cheers

Lockstep

AFAIK, it's fairly up to your home department. If you're a few credits short, they'll pass you no bother, but it gets trickier the fewer credits you get.

If you've clearly done no work at all, they'll have no problems failing you but if it looks like you're a decent student who had a tricky year then they will usually let you take up extra work to make up for it.
However, this is usually a fair bit of extra work to be done in the 1st semester of final year/over the Christmas holidays so while losing credits isn't the end of the world, it's not something that should be taken lightly either.

lauralaura3

Hi guys my boyfriend has to do the erasmus next year for Spanish, NUIG, does anybody know how to get out of it? They told him he can go for 3 months instead but he won`t get the BA international, about which he doesn`t really care as he just needs regular BA. But in that case why even bother and go for the 3 months....has anybody had similar situation and know exact regulations?

elefant

lauralaura3 wrote: »

Hi guys my boyfriend has to do the erasmus next year for Spanish, NUIG, does anybody know how to get out of it? They told him he can go for 3 months instead but he won`t get the BA international, about which he doesn`t really care as he just needs regular BA. But in that case why even bother and go for the 3 months....has anybody had similar situation and know exact regulations?

Why doesn't he want to go on erasmus? That's like not wanting to get presents at Christmas.

Also, if he wants a BA with Spanish it's prefectly reasonable that he has to go to Spain. The improvement in language students' oral skills after erasmus is huge.

Ficheall

elefant wrote: »

Why doesn't he want to go on erasmus? That's like not wanting to get presents at Christmas.

A lot of people seem to be under the illusion that Erasmus is wonderful - but of the few people that I know that have done Erasmus, as many have hated it as have liked it. And sure, many change their mind as the time gets closer to coming home etc and look back on it with rose-tinted spectacles, but Erasmus certainly isn't for everyone - especially people who are in a relationship, as it would seem Laura's boyfriend is.

Laura - why can he not just go into third year and take the BA?
Coming from a Science background, I've no idea how the Arts programmes work, mind, but I don't see why they should have a huge issue with him doing the BA instead of BA International.

shinesun

When I did Erasmus, it was optional for either couple of months or a year. I enjoyed it, but having said that I was not in a relationship at the time and would have to consider it now. There were ppl on course who found it extremely difficult with their partners at home.

However if it's only for 3 months should be fine, could fly over and forth every couple of weeks.
Laura, are you sure he has to do it? We were given the option and only a handful went.. Maybe it's compulsory where he is doing it.

lauralaura3

thats exactly the point, he doesnt want to waste 3 months in Spain, his Spanish is good enough, and he doesnt want to have BA international, as he is concentrating on the other subject anyway, and being a mature student he is not really into the whole Erasmus experience anyway. So if anybody knows how to go around it, and not go for the three months let me know...

Vivagora

Erasmus is all about you and what you make of it yourself. Of course it will be hard and lonely especially if you stay in your room not making friends and pining for home.
Its really important to choose the people you go with carefully if you can as they will be your rock of support for the year.
I did 9 months Erasmus in Franec and loved it so much I stayed the summer and have fantastic friends because I put myself out there. So many people waste Erasmus when it can truely be the best year of your life! I wish I could go back!

The Cool

While I agree with Ficheall that Erasmus isn't always what it's cracked up to be, the bottom line is, if your boyfriend wants a degree in Spanish, he's going to have to go. He won't get the feel for the language if he doesn't spend time there - there's quite a difference between textbook-learned language and the language that people speak every day! If he doesnt go and immerse himself in Spanish for at least a few months, he will struggle in final year. You reckon his Spanish is good enough - it probably isn't. If he's totally set on not going, then he'd better be prepared to set up language exchanges, start watching Spanish tv etc, and just generally work his bum off because coming from experience - I've just finished final year - Erasmus is when you learn the most Spanish. He will be at a disadvantage to his classmates who have been, and will have to work much harder at it.
I know myself all too well that Erasmus is the best year of your life for some people and something that you just have to get through for others, but it is worth it. So please, do consider it properly!! And FYI, I did it while I had a boyfriend at home and managed fine, if thats what you both are worried about.

Vivagora

I agree with The Cool. College tends to teach formal language but the only way to become fluent is to live in that country because all the other students that have done Erasmus will be well versed in slang and everyday spanish so he will be at a disadvantage. Plus think of the free holidays you could have- Spain is amazing

shinesun

Vivagora wrote: »

Erasmus is all about you and what you make of it yourself. Of course it will be hard and lonely especially if you stay in your room not making friends and pining for home.
Its really important to choose the people you go with carefully if you can as they will be your rock of support for the year.
I did 9 months Erasmus in Franec and loved it so much I stayed the summer and have fantastic friends because I put myself out there. So many people waste Erasmus when it can truely be the best year of your life! I wish I could go back!

+1 I spent 9 months in France too! Freakin loved it and enjoyed every minute of it!!!

Camilo

I'm hopefully starting Latin American studies(BA connect course) in September and am very much looking forward to my Erasmus year.

To students studying Spanish; what are the options for countries to visit? I was hoping for Cuba but i doubt it shall be available because Ireland is America's bitch so we dont have formal diplomatic relations with Cuba

Argentina would be interesting though. Are there many options?

joshuatree

Camilo wrote: »

I'm hopefully starting Latin American studies(BA connect course) in September and am very much looking forward to my Erasmus year.

To students studying Spanish; what are the options for countries to visit? I was hoping for Cuba but i doubt it shall be available because Ireland is America's bitch so we dont have formal diplomatic relations with Cuba

Argentina would be interesting though. Are there many options?

Spain and Mexico... That's the choice for regular BA Int. Spanish students. Maybe you Latin American folk might get to travel out there, i mean, that would make sense!

Camilo

joshuatree wrote: »

Spain and Mexico... That's the choice for regular BA Int. Spanish students. Maybe you Latin American folk might get to travel out there, i mean, that would make sense!

What are the city choices for Spain? Rather not spend a year on the Costa Del Sol!

I've heard enough things about Mexican cities to make me not want to be a foreign student with a faint grasp of the language there although im sure most of that is just stereotyping "oh Mexico is a scumhole" absolute nonsense but still.

joshuatree

I can't think of 'em all, but there's... Valencia, Bilbao, Grenada, Málaga, Valladolid, Alcalá, Salamanca, Oviedo, Extremadura, Logrono, Cádiz, León, La Rioja, Murcia...

Think that's it?!

Camilo

Oh spent a few weeks in Salamanca in the summer, twas lovely.

Where may i ask did you yourself go, or plan to go?

joshuatree

Valladolid for me in September! Not my first choice... But then again, Erasmus is what you make it! So i'll be graaaaaaaaand once I get there

._.

false facts.

Fuinseog

LilyPool wrote: »

Hi!
I'm away on Erasmus in Spain at the moment and I was just wondering about a few things:
1) Is it close to impossible to fail Erasmus? I've been told that you only need something like 10 ECTS (credits) to pass...
2) If you do fail, are the lecturers back home in Galway helpful? As in will they let you write an essay to make up for it?
3) Also, if you fail do you have to pay fees the following year?

Thanks!

why would you fail unless you are a complete dosser?
you are going there to have the craic, but ultimately to study? the two can be managed

Trader1991

Hey,

Im on erasmus in austria right now! I am supposed to get 24 credits which I have done. However while I am doing very well in all my subjects there is one that I am certain I will fail. Its way to advanced. The problem is aswell that this module is worth 8 credits. I have told my academic co adviser in Limerick and he said that I will just have to stick it out and try and pass.
Is there a good chance I will fail if I do not get my 24 credits?

Thanks!