Take a gap year with EDUC

Are you a student of one of the universities of the EDUC Alliance?
The EDUC Alliance offers you the opportunity to do a 6 month or 1 year gap year at the University Paris Nanterre.

The EDUC gap year is a mobility facility that has been developed within the framework of the EDUC Alliance. This physical mobility experience, lasting 1 or 2 semesters , allows students from each member university of the EDUC Alliance to study one or several disciplines, different from those of their degree at a partner university.

For example, if you are currently studying geography and have always dreamed of studying sociology or law, then the EDUC gap year is for you! This opportunity allows you to develop new skills and/or to think about your future professional career.

As an outgoing student, you can do an EDUC gap year in one or two of the French universities members of the EDUC Alliance (Rennes 1 and Paris Nanterre).

Participating to the EDUC gap year will bring you :

• A disciplinary opening thanks to the study of disciplines, different from those of your diploma degree
• Language immersion through the practice of French or/and another languages taught at the host university (English, Italian, German, Spanish, Arabic, Portuguese, etc.)
• A cultural opening through the discovery of dynamic French student cities (Rennes and Nanterre, close to Paris)
• The opportunity to develop your "soft skills" and your European openness which will be an asset for your future professional integration
• Recognition of your experience with an EDUC certificate

Who can apply?

This new mobility scheme is open to all students registered at one of the member universities of the EDUC Alliance. The gap year is open to undergraduate and master students.

 

What are the selection criteria?

The application form will be evaluated according to the following criteria:

• Completed form
• Validation of the administrative documents to provide
• Quality of the cover letter mentioning:
  - New skills development
  - Linguistic and cultural skills development
  - European openness
  - Asset for social and professional integration
  - Coherence of selected courses with the mobility project of the student

When to leave?

The EDUC gap year (1 or 2 semesters) for EDUC students starts during the first semester (fall semester) or during the second semester (spring/summer semester) depending on the academic calendar of your home university. It will therefore be possible to study either one semester or two semesters in one or two of the French universities members of the EDUC Alliance.

 

Academic calendar:

University Paris Nanterre and University of Rennes 1:

• First semester (Autumn): September to January
• Second semester (Spring): January to May

 

Financial grant for the EDUC gap year

Selected students may receive a mobility grant of up to 900€/month for a maximum of 10 months. The student may also receive financial support of up to €600 to cover travel expenses.
 

When and how to register for EDUC gap year?

• For an arrival at University Paris Nanterre, interested students must follow the internal procedure of their home university for exchange mobility. The application period for an EDUC gap year can vary from one university to another. Applications are open twice a year. For all EDUC gap year requests, students should contact their International Relations Office at their home university.
   
• An application form must be completed and send to the person in charge of the EDUC gap year at their university.
   
• A selection committee will be held twice a year:
  - The next selection committee will take place in June 2022 (date to be confirmed) and will gather members of the IRO (International Relations Office) team and the EDUC team of the receiving and sending universities.
  - When you are selected for an EDUC gap year, final documents are to be transmitted to the host university.
  - A tripartite gap year agreement has to be completed by the student, then it has to be signed by the host university, the home university and finally by the student.
  - Once the gap year agreement is signed by the three parties and all documents are sent to the host university, you are ready to go!
   

If you have any question, please reach out to your contact point at your home university.

Most of the available courses will be in french. We are working to offer more courses taught in english. Depending on the course offering, it will be possible for you to follow courses taught in other languages such as German, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, etc.