What is the ALFA Programme?
ALFA is a European programme of co-operation between higher education institutions of the European Union and Latin America, which is implemented through networks of higher education institutions (HEI).

What is the TACTS-META – Transatlantic Student Mobility?
TACTS-META – Transatlantic Student Mobility is an ALFA project approved by the European Community that foresees pre-graduate student mobility for project work development.

Who can participate?
Last year pre-graduate students within Biotechnology, Chemical, Biological Engineering study areas, from the following universities:
-Universidad de Costa Rica (Costa Rica)
-UNESP (Brasil)
-Universidad La República (Uruguay)
-Universidade do Minho (Portugal)
-Universidad de Santiago de Compostela (Spain)
-Université de Valenciennes et du Hainaut-Cambrésis (France)

To which universities can I go?
If you are a student from a European University, you can go to Latin-American Universities. If you are a student from a Latin-American university, you can go a European one.

Can I choose freely the host institution?
No. You should contact your home university in order to find out where exactly you can go to.

What is the mobility period duration?
The mobility period lasts for 6 months.

What are the selection criteria?
Each sending institution defines its specific selection criteria, respecting the general ones defined beforehand such as good academic profile, language knowledge and personal profile fitting mobility.

Do I need to pay any fees at the host institution?
No, students do not need to pay fees at the host institution. They are supposed to continue paying fees at their home university.

Does the study period performed abroad replace the equivalent at my home university?
Yes, as long as you perform it successfully. In the end of your mobility period, the host institution issues your ‘Transcript of Records’ with your grade and sends it to your home university, in order to start your academic recognition process.

What are the ECTS credits?
ECTS, European Credit Transfer System, is a European tool aiming at providing transparency and facilitating academic recognition of student mobility. Within ECTS, a semester is worth 30 ECTS credits and an academic year is worth 60 ECTS credits.

Where am I evaluated?
You are evaluated at the host institution. Therefore, you must comply with all evaluation criteria defined by your supervisor at the host institution (jointly with your home academic supervisor).

Who arranges my accommodation?
During the preparation of your study period abroad, you and the International Relations of your home university are supposed to apply for accommodation in compliance with the procedures required by the host institution. Whenever possible/available, students will have access to university accommodation, but private apartments or family accommodation may also be the solution presented by each specific host university.

Who takes care of my travel arrangements?
You are supposed to take care of your own travel arrangements. It is important to highlight that you are supposed to advance payment of your travel costs. You must keep the original flight tickets, original invoices, boarding cards and transportation receipts from and to airport in order to receive the travel grant, upon arrival to the host institution.

How much is the mobility grant?
Your mobility grant consists of three parts:
a) stay grant
b) travel grant
c) language grant (optional)

a) The stay grant, financed by the ALFA project, is 487,50€ per month.
b) The travel grant is 75% of the student travel costs, maximum 1125€.
c) You may also be allocated a grant for the perfection in languages of 500€. Please take into account that you will only receive 375€, financed by the network, but you are requested to present a cost proof for the total amount.

When will I receive my mobility grant?
You will receive your mobility grant in three instalments according to the following:

1st instalment: you will receive 50% to the total stay grant + travel grant (against the presentation of copy of travel tickets, original receipt, boarding cards, and a declaration)

2nd instalment: you will receive 40% to the total stay grant (against the presentation of the intermediate report and a declaration)

3rd instalment: you will receive the remaining 10% to the total stay grant (against the presentation of original travel tickets, boarding cards, final report, questionnaire and a declaration).
In case you attend a language course, you may have it reimbursed together with the 1st or 2nd instalment, depending on where you attended it (home or host institution).

What are the required application documents?
You are requested to submit a pre-application form properly filled in and a Curriculum Vitae (according to the European model that you can download from the site). A compulsory selection interview will also take place at your home institution.

What is the application deadline?
Each institution has its own internal application deadline. Please, check yours.

Where should I submit my application?
Your application documents must be submitted to the International Relations Office of your home university.