Learning Agreement

When on Erasmus, students choose their modules and organise their own timetable. A form called the Learning Agreement is used to record and approve module choices.

The Learning Agreement is an essential Erasmus document and is required as part of the Erasmus programme. It is the contract of study agreed between the student, the UL Erasmus Academic Coordinator and the host institution. 

The Learning Agreement outlines the modules that the student intends to study at the host university, along with the ECTS credit weighting of each module and the required level of language competence.

The Learning Agreement must be signed by the student, the UL Erasmus Academic Coordinator and the Academic Coordinator at the host university prior to the academic exchange. This helps to ensure that the choice of courses is approved by the UL academic coordinator and thus can help to prevent any later misunderstandings.

ATTN: Students are advised to use the EU Online Learning Agreement if possible. Please refer to the explanatory document on the left hand-side of this webpage for further information.

If the host university is not set up on the EU OLA system, then students should use the Word version of the form. Note: As students are usually off campus at that time, they may send the Learning Agreement to the coordinators at the home university and host university via email. For list of UL Erasmus Academic Coordinators, please see here.

Learning agreement

All European universities (except UK universities) use ECTS credits (European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System).
For the Erasmus study placement, the semester workload is defined in terms of ECTS credits, not in number of modules.
Students must ensure that the modules they register for at the host university equate to 30 ECTS credits.
Modules are likely to have different credit weightings than UL modules. For example, modules might be worth 2 ECTS, 4 ECTS, 7.5 ECTS, 15 ECTS, etc.
Students must ensure that they have enough modules to reach the credit requirement to pass Erasmus (30 ECTS).
To obtain the credits, you must pass each module. If you fail a module, you get no ECTS credits for that module. Most European universities have a Pass rate of 50%. Please check the grading system at your host institution.
The grading system, examinations format, etc will be different from the UL system. The grading system at the host university will apply.

Students whose degree includes an integrated academic exchange are expected to take the majority of their modules in their own academic field. It may be possible to take a couple of modules from other academic areas, if permitted by the host university.

Students on a voluntary academic exchange are expected to select modules that match the content of the UL semester as closely as possible.

The UL Erasmus Academic Coordinator should be consulted before departure to establish the agreed workload with regard to module selection and degree requirements. The Academic Coordinator will usually have details of the courses available in partner universities and students should discuss what courses they are expected to take while abroad. It is important that students know exactly what is expected of them, in terms of the types of courses to take, workloads, credits, results etc., before leaving Ireland.

If there are changes to the provisional module selection, students should contact the UL Erasmus Academic Coordinator to verify changes. If there are any issues regarding courses at the host university, it is important to contact the UL Erasmus Academic Coordinator straight away.

The Learning Agreement is divided into three sections:

Section A: To be completed BEFORE the mobility

Before the Erasmus placement, Section A of the Erasmus Learning Agreement must be completed with a provisional choice of modules and signed by the UL Academic Coordinator. Blank learning agreements (i.e. no selected module listed) will not be signed.  

At this stage, the module choices are provisional and can still be changed when you start your placement.

Note: for the level of language proficiency, the reference used is the Common European Framework of Reference (A1=beginner; C2=near native)

Section B: To be completed DURING the mobility

​Section B of the Erasmus Learning Agreement is used to record changes made to the original choices. It must be finalised at the host university during the first 2 weeks of classes.

On arrival at the host university, you should contact the Academic Coordinator at the host university to discuss the module selection and examination arrangements. Contact the UL Erasmus Academic Coordinator for advice on selection of subjects or if there is significant deviation regarding the number of subjects or credits from that listed on the initial Learning Agreement.

Section C: To be completed AFTER the mobility

Section C is used to record your Erasmus results. Once completed,  please upload your Learning Agreement to the UL Erasmus Power app. NB: UL also requires that students submit an official Transcript of Records of their Erasmus results, issued by the host university.

For more information on documents required for Erasmus, please see here.