Students at RSM have ample opportunities to experience international business at first hand; participation in an exchange programme during their Bachelor and/or Master at RSM is one of them. For many students, this is a valuable opportunity to make international contacts and invest in a career abroad.

Application and selection

Students who have a strong commitment to go on exchange, should start thinking about it from day one of their start at RSM. Focusing on obtaining good grades, along with learning foreign language(s) and joining extracurricular activities, will lead you all the way to the road of exchange. Students will have to go through a strong selection process for the Bachelor Exchange Programme, set up by the International Office, during their second year. Selected students will be spending a term abroad during the first trimester of the third Bachelor year at one of RSM’s exchange partner schools. Exchanges are possible to partner schools in Europe, the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Asia, Africa, Latin America and the Middle East.

How to start?

Whether you're ready to apply or just exploring, it's never too early to start planning.
All information concerning the selection criteria and the application requirements and process can be found under the section 'Getting started'. 

Getting started

Introduction

RSM maintains an international network of around 170 business schools and universities. With 100 of these partner schools we have an exchange agreement on bachelor level.

You could be one of the about 350 students who will be selected to spend block 9, 10 and possibly 11 of their third bachelor year at one of our partner universities in Europe, North America, Latin America, Oceania, Asia, the Middle East or Africa within the framework of the Bachelor Exchange Programme.

Current first and second-year bachelor students in the International Business Administration and Business Administration programmes at Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University (RSM) can refer to this website and the information as provided under the tab sections  to find out more about the selection criteria and application procedure for the Bachelor Exchange Programme.

Will you take up the challenge? Apply for our Bachelor Exchange Programme! For the latest factsheets, study reports and updates, we recommend you to sign up for the RSM Bachelor Exchange page on Canvas.

Destinations

Read more about destinations below.

The International Office of RSM is responsible for initiating, organizing and coordinating international exchange and is therefor able to give you most of the information needed.

Important information on the Bachelor Exchange Programme is communicated in various ways:

  • SIN -Online channel “RSM Bachelor Exchange”.
  • Canvas “RSM Bachelor Exchange”. Please enrol for this channel to find fact sheets, including calendar, course and accommodation information, for all partner universities, as well as exchange reports written by your predecessors. More importantly, you will also find a list of pre-approved courses. Please note that these pre-approved courses do not represent the total offer of a partner university.
  • By giving presentations/information sessions for 1st and 2nd year bachelor students. Updates on when and where will be posted on this website and via SIN and Canvas.
    The first presentation will be offered to you on 07 September 2022, 15:00 – 16:45 hrs., room CB-1; dates for online and live Q&A sessions will follow soon after.
    The second presentation (which is different from the 1st) will be offered to you on 04 October 2022 in the afternoon, during the Study & Internship Abroad Fair, more detailed information will follow via Canvas.
  • Directly via email through the International Office
  • Feel free to drop by our office for questions or contact us to make an appointment. See the tab "Contact Information".
    (At the moment we are still working remotely primarily, but there should be somebody at the office on every day of the week).
  • Canvas “RSM BSc Exchange A23”. Once selected, you will automatically be enrolled for this course. It will provide you with information needed to prepare for your exchange.

There are more than 100 exchange destinations available to you. These business schools and universities are seen as some of the best in their countries and are renowned worldwide.

You have to list 3 preferred destinations in your application. Next to that, you will be able to mention 5 alternative destinations.

Tips to use when selecting your destinations:

  • Check if you are able to fulfill the requirements set by RSM and those of the partner school;
  • Check the partner overview "Partner Schools BSc" mentioning some of the additional requirements, such as e.g. the minimum GPA, language requirements and showing the estimated number of spots. Check the factsheet and website of a partner school for other additional requirements as well;
  • Check the course offering per school; do they offer business and economics related courses only or do they have a broader variety. Are you e.g. able to attend courses from other faculties? What are your interests?
  • Check the costs per destination (easily to be found in student reports from your predecessors, see Canvas "RSM Bachelor Exchange"). What are the costs for tickets, daily expenses, housing, etc.? But also check any additional costs universities may ask from you. E.g. for some universities you will need to show that you have enough funds available before the start of your exchange (around February);
  • Check the academic calendars (including introduction days and examinations). Some universities start in July already and some have their examinations in January;
  • Think about your goals and motivation for going on exchange and try to think about which destinations/schools/courses can best help you meet these goals.

The partner university’s website provides you with information, such as its programmes, accreditations and rankings, location, and accommodation possibilities for international students.

The direct links to webpages for (bachelor/undergraduate) incoming exchange students are in most cases mentioned on a partner university's factsheet. These factsheets are posted on our Canvas page "RSM Bachelor Exchange". This will save you a lot of searching on the web.

At Erasmus University Rotterdam (EUR) there are several offices that promote, support and facilitate outgoing and incoming student mobility. At the faculties, institutes and schools, these offices are usually called 'international offices', like at the RSM. On a university-wide level, the concerning office is called the International Office EUR. 

International Office EUR is able to give you advice about scholarships en more general information on studying and living abroad.

You will be able to find this information on the following website:
https://www.eur.nl/english/essc/internationaloffice/studyabroad/

Social media channels are easy and available for everyone to use. For example, you could check the RSM Exchange Students 2022-2023 group on Facebook to contact our current exchange students. For students going on exchange or coming to Rotterdam in 2023-2024 a new Facebook group will be launched after selection.

Use social media to get information about the universities, the countries, to learn from students who went on exchange already etc.

The Netherlands Organisation for International Co-operation in Higher Education (Nuffic) is the Dutch organisation for international co-operation in higher education. They provide useful information about studying abroad, grants, etc. The Dutch website provides more information compared to their pages in English as it mainly focuses on Dutch students but it can be of some help for international students as well: www.wilweg.nl

Selection criteria

Read more about selection criteria below.

There are several mandatory requirements which you must fulfil in order to be considered eligible for an exchange abroad via RSM, on top of that, sometimes even more requirements are needed for specific destinations in particular. We will mention the basic requirements set by RSM in order to be able to apply for the exchange programme. Any extra requirements needed for a specific destination and/or university can usually be found on the website or factsheet of the partner university.

  1. You should have completed all your Bachelor 1 courses in your first year of studies (including compensation).

  2. You should complete your Bachelor 1 in your first year of enrolment at RSM and obtain a minimum of 60 EC before you start your Bachelor 2 programme.

  3. You should be enrolled in Bachelor 2 at the time of application.

Note: Students who de-register for their first year of enrolment at RSM before 1 February and who decide to register again at RSM the year after, will in that year be considered as first year students (as if it's their first year of enrolment).

You are eligible to apply for the exchange programme when your average weighted grade for all of your Bachelor 1 courses is at least a 6.5. The weighted average is calculated using the total number of EC of courses that you have completed from Bachelor 1, including credits and grades from compensated courses for which you scored between 4.5 and 5.4, and excluding credits and grades from courses for which you received an exemption. Always use the final grades, rounded to the nearest 100th of a decimal in your calculations.

2 examples:
A 6.4948 will be a 6.49. As a minimum of a 6.5 is required for an exchange, you will not be able to apply. As of a 6.4950, it will be rounded off to a 6.50.
A 6.9578 will be a 6.96. If a minimum of 7.0 is required for a specific school you will not be able to apply for that destination.
This is different from what you are used to at RSM. However we need to work with this as we have partner schools asking for a minimum GPA who work with a different way of rounding grades.

Our online application system is linked to OSIRIS which makes it possible to upload your courses and grades automatically. How to make your own GPA calculation sheet is mentioned on the presentation slides of the first information session, for your convenience so you can calculate your Bachelor 1 GPA yourself. Be sure to add the grade you received (between 4.5-5.4) for your compensated course!

If you have received any exemptions then you do not need to include them in your GPA calculations (simply remove the EC from the calculation sheet). This sheet is purely for your own information and to make sure that you know your own GPA for your first year courses; after the application deadline we will calculate the “correct” GPA for all students.

Certain destinations have higher Bachelor 1 GPA requirements than others, so you should closely review these specific requirements before completing your application. This GPA prerequisite which applies to certain destinations represents the only influence that a student’s GPA has on the exchange selection process. Please have a look at  the overview under the section “Partner Schools BSc” which indicates the minimum weighted average grade of Bachelor 1 you need in order to make a fair chance during the selection procedure.

The reason that you chose your 3 preferred destinations plays a crucial role in the selection process. Therefore, we advise you to devote a sufficient amount of time to preparing your application.
As of the academic year 2020-2021, you no longer have to write a motivation letter. Instead a couple of questions will be asked in a new system called "Interview Stream". This is Part II of your exchange application which focusses on your motivation. Some questions need to be answered in writing and some by making a short video pitch.

The questions are written in English, we expect you to answer these (in writing or by explaining in a video) in English as well.
When answering the questions, please do not include generic terms such as “high rankings” and “great location”, try to avoid using these.

It's not easy to explain your motivation and making sure that you stand out from the other students.
Here are some questions that you could ask yourself before starting your application:

  • How will your selected destinations/schools support your personal, academical and professional goals?
  • How have you prepared for your exchange abroad?
  • What makes you an ideal candidate for the schools selected?
  • What makes you a better candidate than your peers? What makes you different?
  • If whatever you mention about the university or destination can easily be mentioned by your peers (rankings, class sizes, non-business courses, description of the city etc.; basically the general information) as well, you will end up with an non-personal motivation. Make sure you elaborate by mentioning your characteristics, your experiences, your interests etc. to make it more personal. The more personal your motivation is, the more you stand out from the crowd applying for the same destinations.

We’re interested in hearing about your current or previous experiences that show a clear link to your motivation for exchange, such as a part-time job, an active role in a student association, volunteer work, internships, your own company, sports, etc. In Part II of the application a question will be asked with regards to your extracurricular activities and where you will be able to elaborate on what skills you’ve learned etc.

Select the ones that really support your motivation for the exchange. This can be shown in many different ways and we would like you to explain this clearly in the space available. We do not expect you to give us a detailed description of your tasks, but expect you to eloborate on how these activities are linked to the exchange. You can e.g. think of the following:

  • would you like to focus on activities that show your interest and/or passion in a certain area?
  • does it tell a story about who you are or who you would like to become as a person (personal development)?
  • are there certain skills that you have learned or that you are still hoping to be able to work on?
  • are they related to pursuing your future goal?

At the time of application in November and at the start of the exchange, students should have a certain standard of language skills. All students have to master the English language, so you must include official proof of your English language level when submitting your online application. If the school offers its business courses in the local language and you are planning to attend these, you will need proof of an advanced level in the local language as well. Please check category “Language Skills” in order to find out which language level is required at each stage of the application and selection process and which test results or proofs of proficiency are accepted.

Students who, due to personal circumstances, are unable to meet the requirements as mentioned in "Selection Criteria" are advised to contact the student advisers to discuss the possibilities.

The Bachelor Exchange Programme is not open to pre-master students. Pre-master students should apply for an exchange during their master programme.

Language skills

As mentioned in "Selection Criteria", all students need to submit proof of their proficiency in English and if applicable proof of the local language as well.

For proof of your level in English you must submit either your official TOEFL or IELTS test scores (the academic version). English proficiency is measured through the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). There are two testing methods: internet-based (iBT) and paper-based (PBT). A score of at least 580 on the paper based exam or 93 on the internet based TOEFL is required.

These are the official TOEFL examinations and are not offered by the Language and Training Centre, here at Erasmus University. In the Netherlands the test can be done at any of the test centres. Please keep in mind that available test dates and spots are limited. About two weeks after the test, you can check your result online. TOEFL sends the score report 13 days after making the test but it is send from the USA. They mention that it can take up to six weeks before it arrives elsewhere; outside the USA. We know from experience that it indeed  can take up to 8 weeks in total before the student receives it at the home address in the Netherlands.
The test centre will ask you where to send the test results to. Always mention your own address. Do not opt for the option to send it to RSM and/or Erasmus University as it will get lost in the internal mail as we know from experience.

We also accept the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) scores (academic version) in which students must score at least a 6.5. If you’re interested in passing the IELTS tests in the Netherlands, you can do this at any of their centres. IELTS tests all four language skills: listening, reading, writing and speaking. IELTS is accepted by thousands of organisations, including universities, in more than 135 countries. The test centre will send you the score report per post, 13 days after making the test. As it is done from the Netherlands, it will take about 2 weeks after the test date to get the results at your home address in the Netherlands.

We need a copy of your official score report before the application deadline on 10 November, 2022. We strongly advice you to make the test as soon as possible and no later than mid September if you are planning on doing the TOEFL.  For the IELTS test we advice you to make the test as soon as possible and before the end of October (don't stretch it to the very last moment) but make sure that you register for the test date in September before all spots are filled at the test centre where you are expected to make the test. Please do not choose the TOEFL Home Edition as we cannot guarantee that this will be accepted at our partner schools.

The test facilitators even advices you to plan to take the test 2 to 3 months before the deadline (our application deadline) and  to register 3 to 4 months before the test date.

For more information concerning the validity date and what will or will not be accepted, check the tab " How long are language certificates valid?". The options are described in there.

Normally accommodations for test takers with disabilities or health-related needs can be arranged. Do keep in mind that a request has to be handed in before registration of a test and that the review of the request can sometimes take up another 6 weeks. For more information contact the organization of your preference.

We do not accept any other English language tests results, copy of a passport from an English speaking country or lower scores than the ones mentioned above.

Please be aware that after selection, the partner school may require additional language requirements, such as higher scores or even minimum sub scores (for listening, speaking, writing and reading). On our Blackboard page an overview is posted with the required TOEFL and IELTS scores per partner school.

It might be the case that a partner school does not ask for proof or a TOEFL or IELTS test or that the required score is lower than our required score. Please do bear in mind that you need to meet our minimum requirements, this is non-negotiable.

In the event that the school offers both its business courses in English and in the local language, proof that you have advanced knowledge of the local teaching language is usually required. Please check “Specific language requirements (next to English)” in order to find out which language level is required at each stage of the application and selection process and which test results or proofs of proficiency are accepted.

For more information about the (required) language tests or test centers/institutes, please have a look at the following web pages:

For English:
Official TOEFL: www.toefl.org or IELTS: www.ielts.org

The webpage www.toeflgoanywhere.org  provides test takers with detailed information on the test. It also offers preparation material for free, includes videos and also is the place to register for the TOEFL Test.
TOEFL Talks is for test takers where they can ask questions to one of the TOEFL test experts. 
ETS offers a MOOC for the TOEFL Test for students for free. It is a six-week course which helps prospective test takers get ready for the test.

For local languages:
https://www.eur.nl/en/education/language-training-centre

1 exemption only:
A combination of a native passport (UK, USA, New Zealand, Australia, Canada and Ireland) and a high school diploma showing that it was completely taught in English and confirming that you did your full high school over there.

Language courses

The Language & Training Centre (LTC ) of the Erasmus University provides high quality language courses for Dutch and international students. For proof of the English language, this is not the place to obtain it as we accept the official TOEFL and IELTS only. For the local languages the LTC has many courses to offer, ones which take place at the university or some which take place at a language institute that they work with. Please visit www.eur.nl/ltc or email languagecentre@oos.eur.nl for more information.

Language tests via the LTC

You can do a language test to determine at which level you are and/or to determine which language course you should take if the level is lower than required by the International Office of RSM and/or the partner school. In order to determine your level and to get an official proof of this, the LTC offers the following:

You can do a Spanish language assessment for which you will obtain an official result. Of course you will also be able to use this result to determine which language course you should take but with the assessment, costs are involved.

The LTC also offers a Spanish intake, free of charge. This intake consists of a short oral test (conversation with a teacher) only to determine for which course you can enroll. For this you will not get an official result.

If you need official proof of your level for the French or German language, the LTC will refer you to the language institutes called Alliance Française (www.alliancerotterdam.nl) or the Goethe Institute (www.goethe.de/rotterdam). Both institutes offer language tests and language courses. If you would like to do the language test purely to get proof of your level, make sure you clearly mention this to the institute.

The Spanish language assessment, official proof of your level of the German or French language or an official certificate mentioning that you obtained the required level by successfully passing the language course can be used as proof for the application:

  • at the International Office of RSM (the minimum requirements set by RSM can be found under "Specific language requirements (next to English)";
  • at most European and Latin American partner schools. Do keep in mind that partner schools might ask for a higher score than the minimum requirements set by RSM .

 

Please be aware that some official language certificates (like TOEFL and IELTS) are valid for two years only. Partner universities have the right to reject these certificates if invalid. It is your responsibility to make sure that you have a valid certificate to show to the partner university.

In "Partner Schools BSc" we will try to keep track of universities that do or do not accept certificates of which the validity date has expired. You are also advised to always check the partner school's application requirements on their website or their factsheet. Unfortunately they do not always mention this specifically. If you want to be on the safe side, make sure that you will have a certificate that is valid till at least June 2023.

Here are the following options describing when to have what:

RSM's bachelor application deadline (10 November, 2022): all students need to upload a copy of their IELTS or TOEFL test score. An expired test score will be accepted by RSM though.
It is the student's responsibility to upload a test score that is valid until the partner school's application deadline (which could be in between February and June, 2023), which they should check themselves for all 8 destinations.
By uploading an expired test score, students should know that they limit their choice in destinations as they can only apply for those partner schools that accept an expired or "old" test score, as shown on our overview.
Students are not allowed to upload an expired test score before our deadline in November and to upload a new test score afterwards. As the International Office starts with the selection process immediately after the deadline, we will work with the documents uploaded before the deadline only.

In the event that the partner school offers both its business courses in English and in the local language, proof that you have advanced knowledge of the local teaching language is usually required. Please check below which language level is required at each stage of the application and selection process and which test results or proofs of proficiency are accepted: 

 * Please note: If you are planning to attend courses in a local language, the host university may ask for a proof of proficiency in that language.

 

* Note: 
South America: Spanish is required for all partner schools, except Fundação Getúlio Vargas in Brazil, ESAN in Peru, ITESM in Mexico and UTDT in Argentina if you are planning in attending courses in English only. For UTDT, please note that the course offer in English is very limited and no guarantees can be given that you will get the courses (in English) of your choice.
Spain: Spanish is not required if you are planning to attend courses in English only, but knowing the Spanish language is an advantage during the selection. 

 *Note
The following universities require proof of another language in addition to English:

  • Switzerland: Universität St. Gallen: German (CEFR B2) if attending courses in German. Courses in English are limited.
  • Germany: University of Mannheim: German (CEFR B2/C1) if attending courses in German. Courses in English are limited.

* Note

The following universities require proof of another language in addition to English: 

  • For the other schools French is not required if you are planning to attend courses in English only, but knowing the French language is a slight advantage during the selection

Finances

A study experience abroad always involves additional costs such as language course fees, visas, insurance, airfare and other travel expenses. The total amount of additional costs depends on the destination and your personal expenses.

Please do make sure that you make a realistic budget overview for yourself before deciding where you would like to go. Do not calculate receiving possible scholarships or grants within this budget overview as you can never be sure if you will actually receive them. If you do, see it as extra spending money.

Please read the study reports of your predecessors on Blackboard, as all students mentioned their budget spent.
In the factsheets of our partner universities (to be found on Blackboard as well) and/or on their webpages, most universities mention the approximate costs for an exchange at their school.
Always look for extra costs involved, some might be mentioned in their application requirements.
For example:

Some universities in countries such as the USA or Australia need proof that you have enough funds to support yourself during your stay at the host university. Selected students for these universities need to show evidence at the time of application (around February) at the host university that they have the equivalent of approximately $ 5000 or more on their or their parents’ bank account. In some cases, grants and scholarships are available.

As an exchange student selected by RSM’s International Office, you don’t have to pay any tuition fee at the host university, however you need to be enrolled at RSM. An exchange always involves at least half a year RSM tuition fee. Once the exchange is over, the International Office needs to wait for your exchange results and process these into your home studies (conversion). The whole conversion process, meaning the moment your results have been sent until registration into Osiris, can take up 6-8 weeks after your exchange.

Small administration fees for e.g. facilities might be charged by the partner school, these costs are your responsibility.

The following information may also help to you to reduce your extra costs.

Subletting your room during your exchange
Subletting your room during your exchange period can reduce exchange costs, and using your room will help us to accommodate our incoming exchange students.

There is always a shortage of rooms for exchange students studying in Rotterdam. If you want to rent out your room temporarily you can use the housing webpage: www.HousingAnywhere.com. This webpage was developed to bring student accommodation supply and demand together; and it operates student-to-student, without using intermediaries.

You can also check out the Facebook group “RSM Exchange Students 2023-2024” and interact with international students coming to Rotterdam for their exchange who may want to rent your room. This page will be launched after the selection in 2023. If you sublet your room via HousingAnywhere, post the link to your room here on Facebook.

Student grants and loans & reimbursement of OV student card
Dutch students will continue to receive student grants and loans while abroad. Students who receive a student grant from DUO and who take components of their Dutch university studies abroad are entitled to receive approximately € 100 per month instead of their OV student card. Leisure travel time before or after your exchange programme is not calculated in this period. To receive timely reimbursement you should submit your request to DUO at least two months before departure. Request forms are available at the Erasmus Student Service Centre (ESSC) in the E-building, and on DUO’s website: https://duo.nl/particulier/studiefinanciering-buitenland/ov-vergoeding.jsp  Complete the form and email it to intoffice@rsm.nl; the International Office of RSM can sign this form.

ERASMUS+ grant / scholarschip
The European education programme is the programme that financially supports students who will be exchanged to universities in any EU and EEA/EFTA country. Students can not send in an application for this grant individually. Therefore, after the exchange selection, the International Office makes sure that the central EUR International Office (responsible for the administration of the Erasmus+ programme) receives a list of all selected students eligible for this grant. The central EUR International Office will inform those students how to proceed with their application for the Erasmus+ programme grant.
See also:
https://my.eur.nl/en/eur/erasmus-application-procedure
https://www.eur.nl/en/education/practical-matters/financial-matters/scholarships-grants/current-students-going-abroad/erasmus

For all questions on the Erasmus+ grant, please send email to erasmusplus@eur.nl

Erasmus Trustfonds / A.A. van Beek Fonds
The Erasmus Trustfund (including A.A. van Beek Fonds) aims to advance academic education at Erasmus University Rotterdam. It does so by granting financial contributions to students associated with the university, who

1. go on exchange/internship abroad;
2. have no or little experience abroad;
3. have insufficient financial means to go on exchange. 

At all times, read the application requirements very carefully in order to know if you are eligible to apply.
Information and application forms can be found here:
A.A. van Beek Fonds

The International Office’s letter of confirmation which will be sent to you after selection, can serve as evidence that you are officially selected for an exchange through RSM.

Find more grants & scholarships
The website  www.wilweg.nl/financiering/beursopener of Nuffic (Netherlands organisation for international co-operation in higher education) is for students, researchers and staff looking for grants, scholarships and funds for a study, work placement or research abroad. Also check out www.scholarshipportal.eu

Application

You can best prepare your application by:

  • reading this website carefully;
  • subscribing yourself to the SIN-Online channel and Canvas "RSM Bachelor Exchange"​​​​​​​ in where you will e.g. find partner school information and study reports from your predecessors;
  • registering for a language level test and/or a language course, if applicable;
  • attending our information session.

The following information sessions are offered on a yearly basis:

  • For 1st year bachelor students an information session is offered in February.
  • For 2nd year bachelor students we will organize the first session in September. This is followed by online/live Q&A sessions (dates to be announced on Canvas/SIN Online). The focus of this session is on the selection criteria and all the ins and outs regarding an exchange.
  • In October the 2nd session, focusing on the application and selection process, will be provided, again followed by Q&A sessions (dates to be announced).

To apply for an exchange term abroad, students need to complete the application form (Part I) and complete our new system called Interview Stream (Part II), of which both are online. The link to Part II will show in a pop up message as soon as you submitted Part I of your application. For Part I, you can start by filling in the online application form below. 

Deadline is: Thursday 10 November, 2022 before 23.59 h
After the deadline both the Online Application System (Part I) and Interview Stream (Part II) will be closed.

You will have access to the online application form and Interview Stream as of 01 October, 2022.

Part I: this is where you need to start. Your personal details and your study progress (derived from OSIRIS) will show in here. See what information is asked from you, what you need to submit and or upload. Do not wait with accessing the online application form just before the deadline.You will be asked to e.g. mention the schools of your interest, the courses, extra curricular activities and this is where you will need to upload the documents as mentioned in the requirements. As long as you do not press the final submit button you will still be able to edit this part of your application. As soon as you submit, no changes can be made! You will receive a pop up message to confirm that you submitted the form succesfully, the option to save a pdf of your application (highly recommended) and the link to Interview Stream (Part II). Save this link as well, unless you immediately want to complete Part II as well.

Part II: If you saved the link to this part of your application, you can start whenever you want to, as long as you complete it before the deadline of 10 November, 2022. Do note, that this part will have to be completed in one go. On the introduction/welcome page you will find a text box with instructions (e.g. requirements for your laptop/pc etc.). Read this carefully! When starting with this application the advice is to work with the lastest version of Google Chrome or Firefox as your internet browser, to avoid any potential issues.

This exchange application, Part II, consists of approx. 6 questions.
- Several of these questions must be answered in written form, and several by doing a video pitch.
- All questions should be answered in English (written part & video pitch).
- You will have to complete the application in one go. You are not able to save part of it and complete it later.
- A time limit has been set for each question and the time will start running as soon as you click on the "Get Started" button.
- For the written questions you get 15 minutes per question to complete your answer.
- For the video questions you get a prep time of 5 minutes and 2 minutes to record your video pitch.
- You have two attempts for the video pitch, however if you make use of the 2nd attempt the latter will be saved (there is no possibility to select one of the two!).

Ps. if you saved the PDF of Part I of your application, you might find it useful to have it on hand when completing Part II.

Both part I and II need to be submitted before 10 November 2022 at 23.59 h the latest. After this deadline the systems will automatically close.
For both parts, you will receive a confirmation that you successfully submitted your application.

Initial selection

The initial selection is based on your application form (Part I) and our new system in Interview Stream (Part II). Both are online applications.

Online Application (Part I); focusses on the general information, study progress and the requirements.
Interview Stream (Part II); focusses on your motivation. In this system you will be asked several questions which you will need to answer either in writing or via a video pitch. This way you can represent yourself in writing and in person!

The Selection Committee will first check if you fulfill the basic requirements as provided in the online application for the Bachelor Exchange. If  you do not meet the selection criteria, you can no longer participate in the selection process. Those concerned will be notified by email around mid-January 2023.

Then they will check if you fulfill all requirements for the chosen universities (top 3 and 5 alternatives) before reading and listening to your motivation and the questions asked in Interview Stream.

Matching of students and exchange spots

When all the selection criteria have been checked, the Selection Committee will proceed with the selection and placement of the candidates. The committee will take the sequence of preferred universities into account but it is often difficult to match preferred destinations with the available exchange places.

The committee starts with the selection for the most competitive destinations, which have many applications and few available places. This way they go through the various destinations, in declining order. Because of the tough competition among students, the selection process for certain destinations will be more rigid than for other destinations. Therefore, the opportunities for students who have lower scores on the selection criteria to be placed are limited. Students that do not get their first choice will compete for placement in their second choice destination, and so on.

If you do not meet the selection criteria, you can no longer participate in the selection process. Those concerned will be notified by email between 10 and 13 January, 2023.

SELECTED:
Students who are selected for any exchange programme abroad will be informed by their EUR email address on the designated exchange places on 31 January, 2023. Exact date to be announced.
In the email you will find a link which will direct you to the start page of your online application form. On the top of the page, in the blue bar, you will need to click on the offer button. Here you can either accept or decline your offer within 5 days after the offer has been sent to you.
Please be aware that after completion of the form you will need to press the submit button. If this is done correctly you will be automatically directed to the next page which states that your offer has been received.

After selection instructions on how to proceed with your exchange preparations will be given to you. A so-called Pre-Departure Session will be planned for all selected students. However, some of you need to take immediate action to arrange the application at the partner university, these students will be contacted via email.
Traditionally the results of the selection process are festively celebrated with a drink for all selected students. This drink is not only a perfect opportunity to meet your fellow students who are going to the same exchange destination, but you will also meet the students who are currently doing their exchange in Rotterdam whom you can ask for information and advice.

NOT SELECTED:
Students who are not selected for an exchange abroad will be notified by the programme manager of the Bachelor Exchange Programme by their EUR email address between 24 and 27 January, 2023.
This bad news is for students who are not selected because, including but not limited to:

  • they scored lower on the selection criteria than others for the same exchange place(s);
  • they only applied for one particular partner school (or just a few) for which there were better applicants;
  • they were not open to alternative destinations;
  • they failed to show a proper plan for the progress of their study or language skills.

 NOTES:
 The results of the selection are final and non-negotiable.

You are not able to switch your designated spot with a spot offered to another student.

You will have to accept or decline an offer within the given deadline. After the deadline, it is up to the Selection Committee to decide whom will be offered a left over spot. The students who have not been offered any destination at all are first in line. The Selection Committee will apply the same selection criteria and the same process as the first selection.

Partner Schools BSc

This section on our Bachelor and Partner schools has just been launched. Please check this section on a regular basis, since minor changes with regard to the entry requirements may still occur. 

View all partner schools

In the Canvas Course Bachelor Exchange a document has been prepared to help you finding the schools which require a GPA of 6.5., 7.0 or 7.5.

To check which countries are considered as native English (important for your language requirements, please download the overview of our partner schools and what they consider as "Native English Speaking Country". 

Checklist

The checklist here below is from previous academic year. The content remains the same, but the dates will be updated as soon as possible

FAQ

The International Office deals with questions from students every day. We have listed the most common questions and answers here. Please check if the information you need is on these pages before contacting the International Office.

If you are doing the regular 3-year bachelor programme, the exchange takes place during block 9, 10 and possibly 11 of your bachelor programme’s third year. It takes place on a semester basis,
normally from late August until late December. Academic calendars at host universities
might vary. For example, programmes in Australia and New Zealand could start in July and the
programmes in China and Portugal run into January. It is your responsibility to be aware
of these dates. Most students can return to RSM in December and begin in block 11 according to RSM’s calendar, but some do not have this option. 

Students who are in their 4th bachelor year are not able to apply for the bachelor
exchange anymore.

An exchange does not cause a delay to your studies if you hand in a proper Exchange Study Plan (ESP) before you leave for your exchange. This ESP needs to be approved by the Executive Director of the bachelor programmes. Please bear in mind that the minimum workload as set by the International Office must always be equivalent to 20 EC but we do advice students to try to obtain 30 EC as by the end of block 11, you will need to have 30 EC to fulfill that part of your bachelor programme (block 9-11).
If you e.g. return from your exchange by the end of December, you can return with a minimum of 20 EC but with less than 30 EC. It will then be required for you to obtain the remaing EC by doing the electives in January at RSM.
If your exchange runs until mid or the end of January, it will be important to obtain all 30 EC during the exchange.

Yes. The selection is based on several criteria; being an IBA or a BA student is not one of them.

There is always a tough competition for exchange places, and for some destinations even more than for others. That’s why we ask you to apply to more than one destination. As a rule, the more destinations you are willing to be exchanged to, the more chance you have to be selected for an exchange.

The International Office cannot tell you exactly how likely you are to be selected, either for all or particular destinations. Both hard and soft selection criteria are used. We do not only look at how you score on these criteria, but also compare this to your fellow students’ profiles. The Selection Committee will always do its best to offer you one of your first three preferred destinations.

Contact information

The International Office at Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University (RSM) is responsible for initiating, organising and co-ordinating international exchange and joint / double degree programmes with international business schools and universities at bachelor and master levels.

LOCATION AND OPENING HOURS

  • Location: Woudestein campus, Mandeville (T) Building, 5th floor, rooms 5-14, 5-18, 5-22,
  • General email address: intoffice@rsm.nl
  • Opening hours: Monday to Friday, 9:00 - 17:00
  • Closed for lunch: Between 12:00 - 13:00
  • Appointments: Appointments are recommended as all staff members work parttime. Please see contact information.

Programme manager, Bachelor exchange
Who               Ligaya Borgonje
Room             5-14
Tel.                +31 10 408 2132
Email             Lborgonje@rsm.nl
Website         More information
SIN + Canvas “RSM Bachelor Exchange”

Student advisers 
Website          More information

 

Erasmus Student Services Centre (ESSC)
Room           Sanders building
Tel.              +31 - (0)10 - 408 88 80 (option 1)
Website        https://www.eur.nl/en/education/practical-matters/contact
Open daily     9:30 to 16:00 h.

The ESSC can help you when:
• applying for scholarships, grants or funds;
• reimbursing your OV student card;
• registering for a language test or course;
• you need information on practical matters concerning an academic period abroad,
such as visa and insurance;
• you need statements of enrolment or other documents.

Privacy notice – Outgoing students

Your privacy is important for us. When you are going on an exchange, Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University (RSM) needs to process your personal data. The personal data we process is:

  • Identification data
  • (Emergency) Contact & Address data
  • University transcripts (including language certificates)
  • C.V.
  • Copy passport
  • (Passport sized) photo(s)

The information above will be processed by RSM and shared with partner schools for participation in the exchange abroad.

RSM will process personal data, and share this personal data with partner schools, via a printed version and/or a digital version of your entire exchange file only for the purposes of:

  • Admission & Enrolment at partner school
  • Immigration (if applicable)
  • Emergency situations
  • Accommodation

RSM will provide partner schools with your personal data. Please note that the partner school may be located in a country that is not deemed adequate regarding privacy by the European Commission. If you have any questions regarding your privacy at the partner school, please contact them.

RSM will provide selected RSM employees with details of your entire exchange file only for the purposes of:

  • Registration of academic results in Osiris
  • Receipt of Acceptance Package from host university
  • Receipt of academic results (transcripts) from host university
  • Access to the Bachelor/Master exchange Canvas module
  • Publishing exchange reports on Canvas
  • Creating a Facebook group
  • Sharing information/announcements on Facebook

RSM will provide fellow students with details of personal and contact data for the purpose of:

  • Sharing previous exchange experience
  • Organizing social, cultural or networking events
  • Social media

You have the right to rectify, inspect and erase details of your personal data in accordance with all applicable laws and regulations. For further information please read the privacy policy on the privacy statement page.

RSM International Office team

Linda de Vries

Head International Office

Working days: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday 9:00 - 17:00

Ligaya Borgonje

Programme Manager Outgoing Bachelor Exchange

Working days: Monday 9:00 - 13:00 and Tuesday, Thursday, Friday 9:00 - 17:00

Ellen Vermeulen

Programme Manager Incoming Exchange

Working days: Monday, Tuesday 9:00 - 14:30, Thursday 9:00 - 17:00, Friday 9:00 - 16:30

Sherida Wong

Manager Digital Projects

Working days: Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday 9:00 - 17:00

Karin Valentijn

Exchange Officer

Working days: Monday, Tuesday, Friday 9:00 - 17:00

Sofie van Hattem

Senior Exchange Officer

Working days: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday 9:00-17:00