Practical Training Abroad
You can also complete your degree specific practical training abroad. Working abroad combines professional development, international expertise, and networking opportunities. With the international work experience gained during your studies you will stand out in job hunting, and for many Oamk students, the practical training abroad has served as a launching pad for an international career and employment overseas.
Places for practical training abroad are primarily sought independently. An exception to this is the practical training opportunities in the field of social and health care offered by Oamk’s partner universities, which are separately available during the annual Erasmus+ exchange application period.
The work abroad can be paid or unpaid, but in either case, you gain valuable experience and learning. The duration of a practical training can range from five days to several months, but the recommended minimum duration is two months. Your practical training can also be virtual, involving work performed from Finland to another country, or it can include both a virtual component and a physical work component in the destination country. While there is no separate grant for virtual practical training, it still allows you to engage in international work as part of your Oamk degree.
Oamk supports practical training abroad through different grants. When planning your practical training, study carefully the different grant options and requirements and find out which grant would best suit your plans. Erasmus+ traineeship grants are also available for recent graduates. This means that you should have an Erasmus+ eligible traineeship that begins after your official graduation but is agreed with signed traineeship agreement already before the date of your graduation. For more information about the opportunity, please contact the International Mobility Services.
Finding the practical training
Opportunities for practical training abroad are primarily sought independently. An exception is the practical training positions in the field of social and health care offered by Oamk’s partner universities, which are separately open for application during the annual Erasmus+ exchange application period. Self-acquired practical training opportunities are among the best experiences during your studies, so consider boldly where you would like to go.
Inquire and explore what kind of practical training aligns with your career aspirations. What kind of work tasks would you like to pursue after graduation? What professional dreams and goals do you have? Which companies, organisations or associations might offer jobs that interest you? Which employer would you like to work for?
You can search for opportunities in companies, organisations or associations related to your field in different countries. Google is also a helpful tool for finding open practical training positions (use keywords like “internship”, “placement” or “practical training”). Additionally, explore country-specific websites, such as “Internships in Ireland.” Various Facebook groups for expatriates can also provide a network for seeking advice on job hunting. Ask for tips and recommendations from your teachers, internship supervisor, and fellow students.
Applying for practical training
When searching for a practical training position, treat it like a regular job application. Be proactive and polite when reaching out to potential employers, and include your CV, LinkedIn profile, or portfolio in your inquiry. Introduce yourself, express your interest, and highlight your skills. It is essential to tailor your application to the specific opportunity. Additionally, you can mention that you will be receiving a practical training grant, making salary less critical.
Once you have a potential opportunity for practical training, contact the practical training coordinator in your degree programme. Ensure that the proposed opportunity aligns with the Oamk practical training requirements and can be credited toward your degree. Study the criteria for available practical training grants and verify that your plan qualifies. After receiving preliminary approval from your degree programme, contact the International Mobility Services for detailed instructions on necessary documents and grant application.
Available grants and applying for the grant
As an Oamk student, you have an opportunity to apply the following grants:
- Erasmus+ traineeship grant: practical training in Europe.
- Erasmus + grant for recent graduates in Europe
- Oamk practical training abroad grant: practical training outside Europe or a practical training within Europe that is not eligible for Erasmus+ funding.
Grants are always paid in two installments: 80% before the departure and the remaining 20% after the practical training has been successfully completed and appropriately reported. Each grant type has its own rules and conditions. Please review the grant information carefully and consider which grant best suits your plans. If you intend to study and do your practical training at the same time, the exchange will be considered a student exchange and you must apply for a student exchange grant, not a practical training grant.
To apply for a grant, you always need a signed practical training agreement that is appropriate for your practical training type. The grant is applied through Oamk’s exchange application portal using the “Practical Training Grant Application (Self-Acquired Traineeship)” form.
When you have a preliminary plan for practical training abroad, and it has also been approved by your degree programme, contact the International Mobility Services for detailed instructions on the necessary agreements and grant application.
The Erasmus+ traineeship grant is intended for practical training in countries participating in the Erasmus+ programme. These countries include EU member states as well as Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Serbia, Turkey, and North Macedonia. The grant is not paid to organisations that administer European Union/EU programmes. You can complete multiple Erasmus+ traineeships and study exchanges during your studies and receive Erasmus+ funding for a total of up to 12 exchange months within one degree. If your traineeship is in Europe but, for some reason, is not eligible for Erasmus+ support, please see the option of Oamk practical training abroad grant.
Through Erasmus+, you have the opportunity for:
- Long-term traineeship (minimum duration of the traineeship agreement 60 days).
- Short-term blended traineeship (duration of 5-30 days, with a compulsory virtual component of at least one day before or after the physical traineeship).
The virtual component in the short-term blended traineeship should be collaborative working facilitated by the employer, where you participate remotely from Finland.
Grants and country groups
Erasmus+ programme countries are divided into two groups. Your destination country and the duration of your practical training determine the exact amount of your grant. The days exceeding whole calendar months are supported with the daily grant amount. The total grant consists of a monthly/daily grant (automatically including two funded travel days) and a separate travel support. Keep in mind that if you are already at the destination or you travel on a day when your programme/studies start, you might not be eligible for the two funded travel days and/or the travel support.
For long-term Erasmus+ traineeships, the grant amount for the academic year 2024/25 is:
| Country group | grant (€/month) | (€ /day) |
| Group 1 Austria, Netherlands, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom | 690 € | n.23 € |
| Group 2 Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Estonia, Greece, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Turkey | 640 € | n.21 € |
The grant for short-term blended traineeship is €79 per day (for the first 14 days) and €56 per day (days 15–30). The grant is paid only for the physical part of the stay, not for virtual days.
Additional monthly grant
The Erasmus+ programme aims at being accessible for students from all backgrounds and circumstances. Hence the participants with fewer opportunities in mobility may apply for additional funding on top of the basic monthly grant. You may apply for additional funding, if you: have family (underage children)
are a family carer, have disabilities, have received international protection or, suffer from a severe or chronic health condition.
For more information about the additional support for the students with fewer opportunities, please contact the International Mobility Services.
Travel support
In addition to monthly grants, all Erasmus+ students receive travel support based on the distance between Oulu and the destination (see the table below). The distance is calculated using the Erasmus+ distance calculator.
| distance (km) | travel grant (€) |
| 10 – 99 | 28 |
| 100 – 499 | 211 |
| 500 – 1999 | 309 |
| 2000 – 2999 | 395 |
| 3000 – 3999 | 580 |
The final distance is counted by using the Erasmus+ distance calculator by International Mobility Sevices.
Green travel support
Erasmus+ programme supports travelling green. Environmentally friendly modes of transportation include train, bus, bike or carpooling. If you complete your journey to the destination or at least one leg of your round-trip is environmentally friendly, you are eligible for a higher travel grant for green travel (see the table below). Additionally, you may qualify for Erasmus+ grant for up to four actual travel days. While green travel requires more time and planning, it also offers an opportunity to turn your exchange into an adventure.
| distance (km) | Green travel grant (€) |
| 10–99 | 56 |
| 100–499 | 285 |
| 500–1999 | 417 |
| 2000–2999 | 535 |
| 3000–3999 | 785 |
Grant requirements
To be eligible for the foreign internship grant, your practical training must meet the following criteria:
- The practical training must be an approved part of your degree programme, and you should earn a minimum of three study credits per month.
- The work must be full-time (at least 30 hours per week).
- You must be enrolled present at Oamk during the internship period, and your permanent address should be in Finland when departing abroad.
- You should not receive any additional financial support for your practical training from external sources. Employer-paid salaries do not impact grant eligibility.
- Apply for the grant well in advance; grants are not awarded for practical training that has already begun.
- You must complete your practical training and have time to do all the reporting before your official graduation from Oamk (with the exception of Erasmus+ traineeship for recent graduates).
- The practical training period involves work only and does not include studying at the location.
- Your employer can be a company, private or public organisation, or a higher education institution (such as a research laboratory). Grants are not provided for work performed for private persons.
If you are graduating soon and are interested in working in Europe after your studies, you can apply for the Erasmus+ grant for recent graduates. The Erasmus+ traineeship for recent graduates must begin after your official graduation from Oamk, but the process itself must be initiated and the necessary agreements made before the graduation. For more information about this opportunity, please contact the International Mobility Services.
The Oamk practical training abroad grant is primarily intended for practical training outside Europe as well as for short term traineeships and for European traineeships that are not eligible for Erasmus+ funding.
You can receive the grant for:
- Long-term practical training outside Europe (with a minimum training agreement duration of 60 days).
- Short-term practical training in Europe or outside Europe(with a training duration of 5 days to less than two months).
- Long term practical training in Europe in cases, where the traineeship is not Erasmus+ grant eligible.
For long-term practical training, the grant consists of a one-time payment of 1500 € plus approximately 300 € per month based on the actual days of your practical training. The monthly grant is not paid if you receive a salary of 1000 € or more. The travel grant is available for paid practical training also. In the long term traineeships in Europe, the grant is calculated according to Erasmus+ rules without the additional funding opportunities.
For short-term practical training, the grant is €150 per week within Europe and €200 per week outside Europe. The maximum grant for Europe is €1050, and for destinations outside Europe, it is €1200.