German students are going abroad in the context of the Erasmus programme, wherever this is possible during the COVID-19 pandemic. 8,765 students embarked on a stay abroad in the international summer semester (starting in January 2021), according to the preliminary figures published by the National Agency for EU Higher Education Cooperation within the DAAD. Up to the reporting date at the end of April, around 75 percent of Erasmus stays abroad could be realised, compared to 2019. Around 12,000 students had been abroad with the Erasmus+ programme in the international summer semester of 2019, before the coronavirus pandemic had begun.

Digital learning formats have been gaining importance for realising stays abroad with the Erasmus+ programme. The digital options of the programme have so far been used by around 800 students in the international summer semester 2021. These allow students to start their stay abroad virtually from home, and to travel to the host country later on - as far as this is possible. This approach is referred to as ‘blended mobility’. As an alternative, students can also opt to complete a fully virtual course of study from their home. The DAAD points out that the type of stay is determined by the host institution’s regulations and the pandemic-related provisions in the respective host country.

Link to DAAD press release