Covid-19 and your stay abroad

Current student mobility policy

The conditions below currently apply to all types of international student mobility including study exchange, internships, conference visit, research visit, summer/winter school, etc.

Please also read our FAQ carefully!

FAQ

When can my stay abroad take place?

Your stay abroad may take place provided that your host institution is able to receive you, and you meet one of the following two conditions at the time of departure:

Your destination has code green or yellow according to the travel advice of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Min BuZa), or
Your destination has code orange because of covid-19 according to the travel advice of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and you have submitted a signed Own Risk Declaration form (pdf, 124 kB) to Student Life and International Mobility

If you are going abroad to a destination with code orange due to covid-19, signing and submitting the Own Risk Declaration form is obligatory, because you need to know and accept the elevated risks (pdf, 142 kB) of participating in a stay abroad in a country that has an orange travel advice due to covid-19. The deadline for submitting this document is 2 weeks before the start of your stay abroad. You can submit your form to erasmus@ru.nl (for the Erasmus+ grant) or studentexchange@ru.nl (Individual Travel Grant or Holland Scholarship).

Please be aware that your stay abroad in a country with code orange due to covid-19 cannot take place if you do not sign and submit the Own Risk Declaration form in time. For more information about the consequences of not submitting this document in time, please see ‘Consequences of departure without meeting our conditions’. Apart from these conditions, you should also be aware of the greater financial risk when traveling to a country with an orange travel advice. Read more under ‘Compensation of costs in case of cancellation’.

Please note: a stay abroad in a country that has received an orange travel advice due to other reasons than covid-19, or a red travel advice, is not permitted. Read more under ‘Consequences of departure without meeting our conditions’ for more information about the consequences if you decide to travel to such a destination anyway.

You need to meet the abovementioned conditions at the time of your departure – both the approval of your host institution as the travel advice from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. That means it is of the utmost importance to stay up to date with news from your chosen institution and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. A signed Learning Agreement or Letter of Approval constitutes no guarantee that you may travel abroad.

Please check the travel advice 3 months ahead of your departure to assess if it is realistic that your stay abroad can take place. Refrain from making any (non-refundable) costs until that moment. Is the travel advice orange at this time? You are allowed to continue your preparations at your own risk, but please consider your decision and the risks carefully. Costs you make during code orange cannot be compensated. You can read more about possible compensation under ‘Compensation of costs in case of cancellation’.

Consequences of departure without meeting our conditions

If your stay abroad does not meet the conditions, but you still decide to travel without permission from Radboud University, you are doing so as a private person.

In that case the following consequences will apply (when applicable:)

The credits obtained at the foreign institution will not be recognized at Radboud University;
You will not be eligible for any form of funding from Radboud University;
In the case of a study exchange: you will have to pay tuition fees to your host institution.

If you have already received an advance on your grant, you will have to return this in full.

Please note: Student Life and International Mobility will under no circumstance provide grants when you are travelling abroad if you do not meet the requirements.

Compensation of costs in case of cancellation

Postpone making non-refundable costs as long as possible, and refrain from making any costs until 3 months ahead of your departure.

Unfortunately, no compensation can be offered for costs incurred under orange travel advice. Continuing your preparations for your study or internship with an orange travel advice is therefore entirely at your own risk. Costs made under colour code yellow/green can be compensated in case of cancellation in advance (for example if your host institution cancels your physical exchange) and in case the cancellation is out of your control. The compensation has a maximum of the awarded grant amount.

Also check our FAQ for more information about the compensation schemes that apply under the different colour codes before and during your stay abroad.

Please note: for all international mobility, the compensation scheme only applies to costs incurred within 3 months of departure.

Further information and questions

The above conditions concerning international mobility have been established in consultation with representatives of all faculties and are in line with the general policy of Radboud University.

Do you still have questions about the colour codes and these regulations? Please read our FAQ for more information.

Please contact:

Your study advisor for questions regarding your study progress;
Your faculty's International Office or Student Life and International Mobility (studentexchange@ru.nl) (depending on who nominated you) for questions about your study exchange;
Your faculty's International Office for questions about your internship, short stay or research abroad;
Your faculty's International Office or Student Life and International Mobility (studentexchange@ru.nl) (depending on who nominated you) for questions about alternatives to an exchange;
Student Life and International Mobility for questions about your Erasmus+ scholarship (erasmus@ru.nl);
Student Life and International Mobility for questions about your Individual Travel Grant/Holland Scholarship (studentexchange@ru.nl).

General tips

Check the travel advice of the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs for the most up-to-date travel advice (unfortunately in Dutch only). You can turn on notifications for specific countries via the travel app so that you are informed immediately if there is a change in the travel advice for your destination country.
Carefully check whether your insurance covers costs under code yellow/orange/red. It is very important to have good insurance cover during your stay abroad. Please check your travel, cancellation and health insurance.
Do you think that your studies will be delayed and/or that you will be unable to follow certain courses/internships? Discuss your situation with your study advisor and your faculty’s International Office to limit the consequences for your study progress.
If you have been abroad, we advise you to keep a close eye on your health when you return to the Netherlands and to follow the guidelines of the RIVM (National Institute for Public Health and the Environment). For specific complaints, check the information and instructions on the 'The coronavirus and Radboud University' webpage.

Covid-19 and your stay abroad

Current student mobility policy

When can my stay abroad take place?

Consequences of departure without meeting our conditions

Compensation of costs in case of cancellation

Further information and questions

General tips

Other useful links regarding Radboud University and covid-19 for international students

Faculty International Offices

External sites on Internationalisation in higher education

Contact