To avoid cultural mistakes and linguistic hurdles when you are getting settled into your traineeship we advise you to take enough time for adequate preparations.

Online Linguistic Support (OLS)

The Online Linguistic Support (OLS) is designed to assist Erasmus+ participants in improving their knowledge of the language in which they will work, study or volunteer abroad so that they can make the most out of this experience.

As the lack of language skills remains one of the main barriers to the participation in European education, training and youth mobility opportunities, OLS makes linguistic support accessible in a flexible and easy way. It also contributes to a specific objective of the Erasmus+ programme, which is to promote language learning and linguistic diversity.

More than 350,000 Erasmus+ participants test their language skills with OLS every year and have the opportunity to improve their level with OLS language courses. On average, participants who follow courses actively improve their proficiency by at least one CEFRlevel (Common European Framework of Reference for Languages).

OLS is available for all European official languages: Bulgarian, Czech, Danish, German, Greek, English, Estonian, Spanish, Finnish, French, Irish Gaelic, Croatian, Hungarian, Italian, Lithuanian, Latvian, Maltese, Dutch, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Slovak, Slovenian and Swedish.

How does it work?

By taking the OLS language assessment after receiving the confirmation for an Erasmus+ scholarship and before going abroad, Erasmus+ participants are able to determine their proficiency in the language they will use to study, work or volunteer. Taking this assessment before departure is a pre-requisite for higher education students, to make sure that they meet the recommended level at their receiving organisation (except for native speakers or in duly justified cases). The results of the language assessment do not prevent participants from taking part in Erasmus+.

Participants who wish to improve their language proficiency have the opportunity to follow an online language course before and during their time abroad. Access to the language course includes a great variety of Live Coaching activities, amongst which tutoring sessions and interactive MOOCs. Participants who are already sufficiently proficient in the main language used abroad (at least a B2 level) can follow a language course in the language of the country instead, provided that such language is available in OLS.

In cases where the main language is not covered by OLS, linguistic support is provided through other means by the sending or the receiving organisation. Upon their return, participants take the final assessment, which allows them to measure the progress made during their stay abroad.