Are the British Council Language Assistantships part of the ERASMUS scheme?

When applying for student finance the other day I said that the Language Assistantship I'm doing in France next semester is not part of the ERASMUS scheme but something on the British Council website really confused me:

http://www.britishcouncil.org/erasmus-student-work-placements.htm

The paragraph called Erasmus Language Assistants makes it seem like what I'm doing is Erasmus. I phoned up the British Council and they said they are two different things. Why would they have this paragraph on their website then? Is it something different to what I'm doing?

Reply 1

wes

They are entirely separate ; Erasmus generally applies simply to university exchanges.

I don't know what Erasmus Language Assistants are, but I'd hazard a guess that it's a rather different thing, probably in a university context. It certainly won't apply to the vast majority of assistants.

Reply 2

Ahern

British Council language assistants are now part of the Erasmus Scheme as long as you are applying through a university which is part of the scheme - the bit about work placements refers to other jobs. Are you applying for the Language Assistant job through your university? Haven't they given you any guidance about it? It has to be between 3 and 12 months I think so when you say you are going next semester does that mean that it is shorter than 3 months?

Reply 3

*banana

Ahern

This.

I am an ELA at the moment and an Erasmus student. Basically, you'll need to check with your uni because it's only just starting to change... So, for example, although I've been in France since September, I didn't find out til March that I had the Erasmus grant aswell - it was a nice surprise! :smile:

Reply 4

charlietb

Oh that is indeed annoying. I am applying through University of Liverpool and on there Year Abroad Gateway http://www.liv.ac.uk/soclas/yrabroad/index.htm under 'Which pathways are available?' They have seperated ERASMUS and British Council Assistantships. But I wouldn't be surprised if they hadn't told us as I've been confused about a lot of things to do with this year abroad to be honest.

Sorry by next semester I meant I am starting in September and will be there for about 7 months.

I guess I will have to phone up Liverpool when term starts after Easter. Is there any actualy difference between doing it as part of ERASMUS or not? I just don't want to find out half way through that I've missed out on a big erasmus grant. Thanks guys

Reply 5

Ahern

I think you may be a bit late to apply for ERASMUS for September, but there is something on the site about some places possibly becoming available in June in France - I've heard that there have been fewer applications this year than in the past but I don't know how true that is.
I'd be surprised if Liverpool wasn't involved in this scheme - get in touch with your year abroad coordinator asap - even if the grant is only small you might as well have it if you should be entitled to it.

Reply 6

*banana

charlietb

Get in touch with the university - if your YA tutor doesn't know, it's worth going to the people who deal with grants and stuff. Our Languages dept didn't really know much about it.

Anyway - I imagine you will fall into the Erasmus category - I think most unis have got that sorted now - it was just because it's only recently been decided that LAs can be Erasmus aswell.

It made loads of difference for me - as an Erasmus student you have no tuition fees and you get a €1700 grant. So, it's definitely worth getting.

I can't remember exactly what your original post said, but if you're applying for your tuition fees and that's why you need to know - don't worry too much, you can always fill out a change of circumstance form that's not too much hassle. That's what I had to do. Hope this helps!

Reply 7

charlietb

Yea I've sent the YA organiser and one of the tutors and email so hopefully they should sort me out.

In terms of tuition fees I think I have to pay £625 regardless of whether I'm erasmus or not:
http://www.liv.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/money/future/fees.htm
Which we all think is a bit ******** considering you're not actually at Uni at all for that year apart from maybe for module choices.

No I was just worried about missing out on a nice grant but hopefully I can get in on that now. Thanks for the help.

Reply 8

charlietb

Oh I just read Ahern's last post, that may be a problem if I haven't applied as an erasmus student because then I don't think I'll be entitled to the grant. Hopefully because I've gone through the uni I will be but I'll have a check.

Reply 9

*banana

charlietb

Hmm... that's strange - I don't know any LAs who have had to pay tuition, from any uni!

Don't worry about missing the ERASMUS deadline... if you do it just means you don't get your loan til later. There's no selection process - as far as I'm aware, everyone can have it as long as you meet the requirements. I didn't fill out the forms til February and I still got it :smile:

Reply 10

charlietb

My tutor sent me this email back:

'The position regarding the British Council English Language Assistantships is complicated. It is not the case that the ELAs are part of Erasmus, but - more precisely - Erasmus is now managed in the UK by the British Council. Assistants are therefore, thanks to the generosity of the British Council, entitled to some of the benefits offered to Erasmus students. However, as to the wording of the forms by student finance, I am not sure as to what the University requires you to write. At the Year Abroad Pre-Departure Day in late May, there is a session on form filling for the University, led by administrators from student finance, so we ensure you complete the paperwork accurately.'

I guess I might just have to leave my student finance in limbo until that meeting. Because I know for definite non Erasmus ELAs have to pay tuition fees at Liverpool and Erasmus don't, so I don't want to request no tuition loan from SLC and then find a £625 bill. I think the deadline for means assessed is in june anyway.