Exchange Students

An exchange student can be defined as a student doing a limited period of study or training abroad (in the framework of ongoing studies at the home institution).

It definitely increases your linguistic and social skills and well as your maturity, confidance and self-esteem.

Having an International experience has a positive impact in your future career and it’s a mind opened for an increasingly global world.

Some advantages of an exchange period:

Linguistic skills development
Knowledge of new cultures;
Personal growth.

Incoming Students

To do an exchange you must be following studies at one of our partner institutions under the umbrella of an Inter-Institutional agreement (Erasmus +) or of a Cooperation Protocol.

You will need to apply through your own Higher Education Institution irrespective of the kind of mobility activity you are interested in. The International Office of your Institution will be able to inform you about the conditions to participate, details of the selection criteria and documents needed. Under no circumstances is it possible to do a partial period of study as a free mover, that is, outside the framework of an existing program or protocol.

Guide for Visa Procedure

What choices do I have

Erasmus +

It’s the most important exchange program covering a wide range of opportunities for students and teaching and non-teaching staff to study, to do teaching assignments or training abroad. It provides also additional opportunities under the previous Erasmus Mundus Program for full master’s degrees through scholarships for Joint Master Degrees. The program is covering now not only the EU countries, and a number of partner countries to regular Erasmus mobility or under ICM (International Credit Mobility).

Given the global pandemic situation, we are going through a series of challenges, causing a great impact on internationalization initiatives.

The Polytechnic of Leiria is making the necessary changes in the procedures, so that everyone can be guaranteed maximum security and assure that our students (mobility and others) will continue to have a profitable academic experience, in the best health and safety conditions.

However, the concrete conditions regarding the development of the semesters will depend on the evolution of the pandemic caused by Covid-19. The scenario is therefore very uncertain.

Our Institution monitors the situation concerning COVID-19 in permanent contact with the competent authorities.

The Polytechnic of Leiria have a webpage on this matter with information and recommendations for this purpose in the link: http://covid-19.ipleiria.pt and if needed you can contact us by the email address: covid-19@ipleiria.pt or gmci@ipleiria.pt.

We must adopt an attitude of social responsibility, maintaining a culture of mutual tolerance and respect for others, so we call for the understanding and collaboration of all, to take into account essentially the official information.

Re-open EU

The coronavirus is spreading across the European Union, affecting our lives in many ways. Governments have taken various restrictive measures to curb the spread of the coronavirus and to protect lives. The situation is changing fast and so is the response by Member States.

This tool provides an overview of the health situation in European countries, based on data from the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC). The information is updated frequently and available in 24 languages. It enables you to follow the evolution of the coronavirus situation in your country and beyond. Re-open EU also provides information on the various restrictions in place, including on quarantine and testing requirements for travelers and mobile coronavirus contact tracing and warning apps. This should help you plan your travel in Europe, while staying safe and healthy. The European Union is making major efforts to overcome this pandemic, to protect citizens and their livelihoods.

More information: https://reopen.europa.eu/en/

Students interested in doing an Erasmus+ mobility period for studies in the Polytechnic of Leiria, must apply via their home university and there must be an agreement between the home university and Polytechnic of Leiria. For a list of our Erasmus partner universities please take a look at the list of Agreements.

Nomination by the sending institution

The nomination it’s a document (can be made by e-mail), always from the home institution, which confirms that the student was selected by your institution to carry out a study period at Polytechnic of Leiria. Applications received without the correspondent nomination will not be considered.

After the Polytechnic of Leiria receive your nomination you are able to start your application procedure.

Application dates:

1st Semester and one academic year: until May 31^th (applications after this date are accepted, but the approval of the Learning Agreement might not be ready before starting classes)
2nd Semester: until November 30^{th (applications after this date are accepted, but the approval of the Learning Agreement might not be ready before starting classes)}

It’s a form provided by the sending institution, which must be filled in by computer and properly signed and stamped by the home institution. All the courses taught at Polytechnic of Leiria are available at https://www.ipleiria.pt/cursos/courses/

Information about the subjects available for Erasmus+ incoming students in the School of Tourism and Maritime Technology (ESTM) in the link https://www.ipleiria.pt/estm/exchange-students/.

Information about degrees and subjects must be given by the corresponding Coordinator in Polytechnic of Leiria. All schools/departments have a Departmental Coordinator which is the contact person for exchange students on all academic matters. They are assisted by the International Office in Polytechnic of Leiria’s headquarters and by extensions of this office in each School (see Contacts).

The coordinator is the only person that can inform if the subjects are available or not to Erasmus students.

Students should be aware that some changes on the LA’s will have to be done upon their arrival in Leiria depending on the instructions of the coordinators and the schedule of each subject.

Changes to the previous Learning Agreement can be made within one month after arrival, after permission of both institutions: the sending and the receiving.

Nomination by the sending institution
Learning Agreement (LA)
Scanned transcript of records of the previous semesters (if not in Portuguese or English, translated, signed and stamped by the sending institution);
1 photo (jpeg format);
Scanned Passport or ID document;
Scanned of valid European health insurance card

All the required documents must be sent before arriving in Polytechnic of Leiria to the following e-mails: naide.martins@ipleiria.pt; margarida.cerejo@ipleiria.pt; internacional.estg@ipleiria.pt; gamci.esad@ipleiria.pt; gac.estm@ipleiria.pt and internacional.esslei@ipleiria.pt (originals are not necessary)

Documents that prove the acceptance of the students in Polytechnic of Leiria:

Acceptance letter – issued by Polytechnic of Leiria proving that the student was accepted and which will be used for visa’s purposes only (the only formal acceptance letters that we issue are the ones for visa purposes of the students outside the European Union. For the rest of Erasmus students, the signature of the Learning Agreement is a sufficient proof of our acceptance);
Learning Agreement approved by Polytechnic of Leiria – After signed and stamped by the Departmental Coordinator, Learning Agreement is sent by e-mail to the sending institution. The signature of the Learning Agreement is a sufficient proof of our acceptance.

The acceptance letter for visa procedures will be sent only after the approval of the LA by the correspondent coordinator in Polytechnic of Leiria and the reception of the language certificate.

As sooner as we receive the LA – to get it approved and signed by our coordinator – and the required certificate of language (by e-mail; original documents are not needed), early we’ll send the acceptance letter for visa procedures.

Polytechnic of Leiria has seven student residences in the cities of Leiria, Caldas da Rainha and Peniche. It also has a School-Hotel and Pousadinha José Saramago, with a total of 740 beds. Any student can be lodged in the residences, although they are destined, preferably, to the scholarship students of Polytechnic of Leiria’s Social Action Services.

Contacts of Polytechnic of Leiria’s residences: sas@ Polytechnic of Leiria.pt

More information: https://www.ipleiria.pt/sas/accomodations/

Accommodation in the city of Leiria:

Leiria also offers a variety of other residential options for students.

For more information:

Leiria Mobility Students Network
- https://www.facebook.com/groups/141408659221714/

Erasmus Leiria 2015/2016
- https://www.facebook.com/groups/684867464957940/

Erasmus Student Network Leiria
- https://www.facebook.com/esnleiria/

Hotel Leiria Classic

Casullo
- http://www.casulo.pt/en
Atlas Hostel
- http://www.atlashostel-leiria.com/
Bquarto:
- http://www.bquarto.pt/
Airbnb
- https://www.airbnb.pt/
Housinganywhere
- https://housinganywhere.com/
Second Option
- https://www.facebook.com/secondoption.leiria/?fref=ts
- www.secondoption.pt

Coming for the Autumn/Winter semester you should arrive by the beginning of September (at least one week before the starting of classes).

Coming for the Spring/Summer semester you should arrive by the beginning of February (at least one week before the starting of classes).

At your arrival you should meet the international responsible person for incoming students in the corresponding School.

In order to schedule the time to receive you, as soon as possible, you must inform the international responsible colleague about the date and the time of your arriving in Polytechnic of Leiria.

Opening hours: 10 am- 12.30am.

Polytechnic of Leiria will have a welcome day after the arrival of every students and you will be informed about the welcome day after your arrival to Polytechnic of Leiria.

Before returning home you need to have the following documents:

Confirmation letter – issued by Polytechnic of Leiria with the respective mobility dates proving that the student completed the mobility program. It’s given to the student the day before leaving from Leiria;

Transcript of records / Grade Certificate – issued by Polytechnic of Leiria with the marks obtained which will formalize the academic recognition at the home institution. Every student is entitled to an official Transcript of Records – TOR after having completed his studies in Polytechnic of Leiria (the TOR doesn’t include the Portuguese Language Course). The TOR will be send directly to the International Office of the sending institution;
Final exchange report (provided for the effect) – must be filled before the student returns their home country.

Polytechnic of Leiria organizes a Portuguese Language Course for Erasmus Students in each semester. This course, of 120 hours, will be held on a b-learning modality (listening, speaking, reading, writing and interacting) to all students who are doing an international mobility at Polytechnic of Leiria.

This course isn’t a subject of any degree. It doesn’t have any code and it can’t be included in the final Transcript of Records – TOR.

When students approved the Portuguese Language Course, they receive a specific certificate with the number of hours and number of ECTS.

All the interested students will be informed about the registration procedure and specific information about this course in the beginning of each semester (after the arrival to Polytechnic of Leiria).

It is strongly recommended that participants in transnational projects are in possession of a European Health Insurance Card. This is a free card that give access to medically necessary, state-provided healthcare during a temporary stay in any of the 28 EU countries, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland, under the same conditions and of the same costs (free in some countries, like UK) as people insured in their country.

More information on the card and on how to obtain it is available at the European Commission.

Students outside EU should have a certificate providing that are covered by a health insurance in your country.

Leiria has already a section of the ESN – Erasmus Student Network, which collaborates directly with the Polytechnic of Leiria.

If you want to know more about this Association and the support that they can provide to international students, you should contact:

Facebook page: ESN Leiria

https://www.facebook.com/groups/2140807252822975/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/esnleiria/

Website: www.esnleiria.org

Email: esnleiria@esnleiria.org

Student Guidebook: Studying and Training Abroad

Contacts

International Office

Polytechnic of Leiria

Edifício Sede – Rua General Norton de Matos

Apartado 4133| 2411-901 Leiria | PORTUGAL

Email: naide.martins@ipleiria.pt | gmci@ipleiria.pt

Phone number: +351 244 860 448 | +351 244 830 010

https://www.ipleiria.pt

International Office in the Schools

School of Education and Social Sciences (ESECS), Leiria: Margarida Cerejo – margarida.cerejo@ipleiria.pt

School of Technology and Management (ESTG), Leiria: Eduardo Batalha – internacional.estg@ipleiria.pt

School of Arts and Design (ESAD.CR), Caldas da Rainha: Sandra Ferreira – gamci@ipleiria.pt

School of Tourism and Maritime Technology (ESTM), Peniche: Helena Santos – gac.estm@ipleiria.pt

School of Health Sciences (ESSLei), Leiria: Tânia Mota – internacional.esslei@ipleiria.pt

Brazil

Polytechnic of Leiria has a long tradition cooperating with Brazil, sharing ,as they do, the same language and common culture. Regarding Brazil Polytechnic of Leiria has bilateral protocols with each institution. Students have to pay enrollment and tuition fees at their home institutions and are exempt of this expenses in Polytechnic of Leiria, even though they have to pay their accommodation and food. The only exception to the rule is UNIVATES

Macau and China

Macau for historical reasons has a strong connection with Portugal and Polytechnic of Leiria was always a step ahead seeing China as a strategic economic partner. We were pioneer in the course of translation Portuguese-Chinese and Chinese-Portuguese, especially in the unique characteristics it has.

Africa

Promote activities on the continent through cooperation for development, providing assistance and strenghten unity and friendship within the scope of cultural diversity.

Azerbaijan, Armenia, Moldova, Bielorrússia

The partner countries form the ex-russian federation are very important for the EU, mainly in what concerns its politics with neighbouring countries. Polytechnic of Leiria is now implementing the protocols within the scope of dual and join degree, Erasmus Mundus projects or merely bilateral exchanges.

ADA University (Azerbaijan)
Azerbaijan State Agricultural University (Azerbaijan)
Azerbaijan University of Architecture and Construction (Azerbaijan)
Technical University of Moldova (Moldova)
State Engineering University of Armenia (Armenia)
Polotsk State University (Bielorússia)
Brest State Technical University (Bielorrússia)

Outgoing Students

Erasmus +

You may find all information regarding this programe on our mobility page.

Brazil

Polytechnic of Leiria has a long tradition cooperating with Brazil, sharing ,as they do, the some language and common culture. Regarding Brazil Polytechnic of Leiria has bilateral protocols with each institution. Students have to pay enrollment and tuition fees at their home institutions and are exempt of this expenses in Polytechnic of Leiria, even though they have to pay their accommodation and food. The only exception to the rule is UNIVATES

Macau and China

Africa

Promote activities on the continent through cooperation for development, providing assistance and strenghten unity an friendship within the scope of cultural diversity.