Step 3. Registering for an exchange

Requirements:
The minimum requirement for going on an exchange is that you have completed your first year. Each programme might have additional requirements. For more info regarding this, go to When?.

Registration:

• If you meet the conditions you can register in Osiris for an exchange. Go to 'Buitenland' or 'Stay Abroad' and click 'New Request' to start registration.
• You have to select at least 2 and a maximum of 4 destinations where you want to go. Important: you cannot combine the Outside of Europe destinations and Europe destinations in one request! If you are not selected for Outside of Europe, you can try again for European destinations.
• Upload a motivation letter, explaining why your first-choice university offers added value to you. This added value can be academic or professional. The maximum number of words is 70. This letter is for internal use only, and you can write in Dutch, English, or German.
• Please name your motivation letter using this format: student number - motivation name University (e.g. S1234567 - motivation Osnabrück University).
• Please start your motivation letter with your student number - motivation name University (for example S1234567 - Osnabrück University). This won't be counted for the maximum of 70 words.

Guidelines for the motivation letter:

What to do

• Make sure your motivation letter is tailored to the specific university, not to the country or the city.
• Explain why your first‑choice university offers real added value for you.
• Write from your own perspective (what matters to you?) and be original.
  à This means: do not use ChatGPT or similar tools, as AI does not produce original writing.

Can you use the same letter for another university? Then it is not a good motivation letter.

What not to do

Avoid empty phrases such as:

• This fits perfectly with my interests and ambitions.
  → Explain what those interests and ambitions actually are, and why this university fits them.
• This is a place where I can grow academically and personally / where I can deepen my knowledge.
  → You can also do that at Radboud University and at all of our partners.
• Studying in another academic culture will help me view my field from a broader perspective.
  → That is true for all our partner universities.

Avoid unnecessary information or idealised statements:

• Ever since I was a child, I have been fascinated by <name of country/city>.
• I am curious about the Spanish perspective on Psychology/Communication/Sociology.
• I would like to learn the Queen’s English (especially unhelpful when applying to Glasgow, Scotland, where you certainly will not learn it).
• The music, the dancing, the creative lifestyle, the spirituality, and the connection to nature appeal to me enormously.

Registration deadlines:

You will get notified about your non-European placement around 5 February. If you are not selected you can try again for European destinations.

Please note: registering is not without obligation!
When you are selected for an exchange you can only cancel if you have a very good reason to do so. So if you are not sure you want to on an exchange, wait until after the deadlines. A lot of interesting destinations will still be available and if you decide not to go it is also possible to cancel because of not-so-good reasons.