Please follow the instructions issued by your host institution during your stay abroad (Article I.). If you wish to suspend your mobility and return home earlier, make sure to notify your faculty coordinator (by e-mail) and the Department of Erasmus+ and International Programmes at erasmus.out@dep.elte.hu. The e-mail subject must include the term ‘vis major’. Once you have notified the responsible persons about the suspension of your mobility, please follow the regulations and steps of the guide below (Article II-III).

If you started your mobility in the spring semester of 2019/20, but your mobility was suspended due to the coronavirus pandemic, please read the following vis major guide.

I. If you decide to stay abroad and finish your mobility as planned:

• If your mobility can be finished and there is a good chance to achieving the learning outcomes of your learning agreements, you are entitled for the grant. Please monitor closely and follow the instructions and advices of the local authorities in your host country
• Please follow the instructions issued by your host institution during your stay abroad!
• In case of shorter mobilities (e.g. traineeships of 1-3 months) it might happen that your host cannot provide the proper conditions of the professional activities, thus your mobility might become pointless in this sense. In these cases we suggest interrupting the mobility and returning to Hungary, your mobility period can be postponed.
• In case of longer mobilities (i.e. 3-6+ months) the circumstances of your hosting institution and the regulations of the host country should be considered. While real chances of fulfilling the grant agreement can be foreseen, staying abroad might be an option. If the conditions of successfully complying with the agreement are not met, you should travel home without further hesitation. Please keep in mind, if you cannot justify your stay abroad, your grant should be partly or fully reimbursed.
• Please do not forget to ask for a mobility period certificate.
• You are free to make this decision even later during this global pandemic, you do not have to worry, the current mobility scheme provides a stable framework for your mobility.
• All students are advised to inform themselves thoroughly about current situations, travel possibilities and circumstances (some airports and borders are closed) before leaving for home. Be prepared that your return home might be challenging. You can learn more about the situation in Hungary at https://www.elte.hu/en/coronavirus (in Hungarian), if you are experiencing difficulties or troubles, contact the Hungarian consulate in your host country.
• Considering the uncertainty of the current situation, we advise students against casual travel, no matter if the purpose is a casual visit home or touristic.

II. If you decide to suspend your mobility and travel home:

A) You are able to achieve the learning outcomes in your learning agreement by following courses online and by doing assignments:

• According to the current guidelines of the Tempus Public Foundation, we can provide mobility grant only for the abroad period of your mobility. Please keep all documents about your travelling home.
• If you can continue your studies remotely by following courses online, please do so, try to achieve your planned learning outcomes. Please do not forget to ask for a mobility period certificate and a transcript of records from your host university or organisation.
• If you have extra costs related to travelling home that are not attributable to you (e.g. mandatory prepayment of your housing for a longer period), you may apply for reimbursement on an equitable basis (vis major – Article III).

B) You are not be able to continue your studies even by means of online courses

• If you wish to suspend your mobility and return home earlier, make sure to notify the responsible persons at erasmus@elte.hu.

• According to the current guidelines of the Tempus Public Foundation, we can provide mobility grant only for the abroad period of your mobility. Please keep all documents about your travelling home.
• If you have extra costs related to travelling home that are not attributable to you (e.g. mandatory prepayment of your housing for a longer period), you may apply for reimbursement on an equitable basis (vis major – Article III).

III. Vis major – equity claim (from 5 June 2020)

The suspension of current ongoing mobilities (returning home before the intended closing date) will be handled as vis major - this means that you may apply for reimbursement on an equitable basis for all your extra expenses regarding the vis major situation so that you would not have any financial loss over non-refundable expenses already payed for. In the case of the vis major suspension of the mobility, the participant is entitled to receive the amount of their scholarship that is proportionate to the length of the completed mobility. If the participant has non-refundable expenses for the whole original mobility that exceed the pro rata grant, in order to avoid financial loss (eg. you has mandatory prepayment of your housing in advance, you had to buy plane ticket or had to finance your getting home in other ways with extra cost), the participant can apply for an equity claim to reimburse their extra costs. The sum of approved vis major costs and the grant calculated on your realised mobility duration may exceed the original grant stated in your grant agreement.

Please submit your claim to the erasmus@elte.hu address by following the step below:

1. Vis major form – excel sheet
   • Fill in the details applicable, indicate the contractual and the realised start- and closing dates of your mobility.
   • If you do not have the details included in the Grant Agreement, please contact Ms Ágnes Ruzsa at erasmus.out@dep.elte.hu.
   • In the "Justification" section of the application, please provide a brief and comprehensible description of the circumstances in order to make the occurrence of your expenses understandable and substantiated.
   • Please list all your expenses, indicated in euro. If you can provide proof of payment (with invoice or other documents) of the amount paid for already in a different currency (forint, pound, etc.) you can calculate the sum in euro using the European Commission’s official exchange rate (InforEuro, https://ec.europa.eu/budget/graphs/inforeuro.html), based on the exchange rate from August 2019 (e.g. 1 HUF = 0.00305 EUR).
   • Indicate the type of proof that you are enclosing, connecting to the expenses listed above. Scanned copies of the documents, receipts, certificates will suffice (or a legible photo captured by the camera of your phone), but they must be clearly related to the mobility that you wish to receive a reimbursement for. Please name and indicate the documents clearly in your claim. For further information consult Article III, point 2 (Expenses that can be reimbursed) and Article III. point 3 (Compulsory attachments).
   • Please name the finished Excel sheet according to the following: “lastname_firstname_vis_maior_claim”
   • Print the Excel sheet, sign it, scan it and save it in a pdf format as well, similarly to the saved Excel sheet: “lastname_firstname_vis_maior_claim”. If you do not have the opportunity to print (e.g. because of home quarantine), indicate this obstacle in your e-mail, and the e-mail will replace the signed claim.
2. Expenses that can be reimbursed:
   • Please note that only non-refundable expenses, which connect closely to your mobility, can be reimbursed! Please try to ask for refund from the travel and accommodation providers (you have to prove by emails that you have acted so).
   • Accommodation, guarantee, travel expenses (flight ticket, train ticket, bus ticket, car hire, etc.), insurance, or other non-refundable expenses can be reimbursed.
3. Compulsory attachments:
   • Vis major form as an excel sheet
   • Signed vis major form in a pdf format. If you do not have the opportunity to print (e.g. because of home quarantine), indicate this obstacle in your e-mail, and the e-mail will replace the signed claim.
   • A certificate that the expenses which you have listed are non-refundable (e-mail, website link).
   • Documents that are proof of your vis major expenses: Scanned copies of the documents, receipts, certificates will suffice (or a legible photo captured by the camera of your phone), but they must be clearly related to the mobility that you wish to receive a reimbursement for. Please name and indicate clearly the documents used as proof in your claim,
     • Certificate of travel expenses (plane-, train-, bus ticket): if your mobility has been cancelled, you can prove your expenses by presenting your ticket and receipt, or with the confirmation (usually electronic) of your reservation. Make sure that your name, the location (to and from), the actual dates of your travel, and the price of the ticket is visible.
     • Certificate of accommodation: the certificate should include the address, the time of your stay, the price of the room and either your name or e-mail address.
     • Insurance: name, period of validity, prices must be visible.
   • Certificate of attendance from the host institution
4. Please submit your equity claim with all the attachments to erasmus@elte.hu (subject of the e-mail: „vis major”).

According to the University’s position and proposal, the Tempus Public Foundation will assess the claims individually in each case, approximately every three weeks.

Please follow the instructions issued by your host institution during your stay abroad (Article I.). If you wish to suspend your mobility and return home earlier, make sure to notify the responsible persons at erasmus@elte.hu. The e-mail subject must include the term ‘vis major’. Once you have notified the ELTE DEP about the suspension of your mobility, please follow the regulations and steps of the guide below (Article II-III).

I. If you decide to stay abroad and finish your mobility as planned:

• If your mobility can be finished and there is a good chance to achieving the learning outcomes of your learning agreements, you are entitled for the grant. Please monitor closely and follow the instructions and advices of the local authorities in your host country
• Please follow the instructions issued by your host institution during your stay abroad!
• In case of shorter mobilities (e.g. traineeships of 1-3 months) it might happen that your host cannot provide the proper conditions of the professional activities, thus your mobility might become pointless in this sense. In these cases we suggest interrupting the mobility and returning to Hungary, your mobility period can be postponed.
• In case of longer mobilities (i.e. 3-6+ months) the circumstances of your hosting institution and the regulations of the host country should be considered. While real chances of fulfilling the grant agreement can be foreseen, staying abroad might be an option. If the conditions of successfully complying with the agreement are not met, you should travel home without further hesitation. Please keep in mind, if you cannot justify your stay abroad, your grant should be partly or fully reimbursed.
• Please do not forget to ask for a mobility period certificate.
• You are free to make this decision even later during this global pandemic, you do not have to worry, the current mobility scheme provides a stable framework for your mobility.
• All students are advised to inform themselves thoroughly about current situations, travel possibilities and circumstances (some airports and borders are closed) before leaving for home. Be prepared that your return home might be challenging. You can learn more about the situation in Hungary at https://www.elte.hu/en/coronavirus (in Hungarian), if you are experiencing difficulties or troubles, contact the Hungarian consulate in your host country.
• Considering the uncertainty of the current situation, we advise students against casual travel, no matter if the purpose is a casual visit home or touristic.

II. If you decide to suspend your mobility and travel home:

A) You are able to achieve the learning outcomes in your learning agreement by following courses online and by doing assignments:

• According to the current guidelines of the Tempus Public Foundation, we can provide mobility grant only for the abroad period of your mobility. Please keep all documents about your travelling home.
• If you can continue your studies remotely by following courses online, please do so, try to achieve your planned learning outcomes. Please do not forget to ask for a mobility period certificate and a transcript of records from your host university or organisation.
• If you have extra costs related to travelling home that are not attributable to you (e.g. mandatory prepayment of your housing for a longer period), you may apply for reimbursement on an equitable basis (vis major – Article III).

B) You are not be able to continue your studies even by means of online courses

• If you wish to suspend your mobility and return home earlier, make sure to notify the responsible persons at erasmus@elte.hu.

• According to the current guidelines of the Tempus Public Foundation, we can provide mobility grant only for the abroad period of your mobility. Please keep all documents about your travelling home.
• If you have extra costs related to travelling home that are not attributable to you (e.g. mandatory prepayment of your housing for a longer period), you may apply for reimbursement on an equitable basis (vis major – Article III).

III. Vis major – equity claim (March 2020 - 4 June 2020)

The suspension of current ongoing mobilities (returning home before the intended closing date) will be handled as vis major - this means that you may apply for reimbursement on an equitable basis up to the full amount of the scholarship for the mobility period, so that you would not suffer any financial losses over non-refundable expenses already payed for. In case of the vis major suspension of the mobility, the participant is entitled to receive the amount of their scholarship that is proportionate to the length of the completed mobility. If the participant has non-refundable expenses covered by their individual grant during the completed mobility that exceed the pro rata grant, the participant can apply for an equity claim to receive the full grant.

Please submit your claim to the erasmus@elte.hu address by following the step below:

1. Vis major form – excel sheet
   • Fill in the details applicable, indicate the contractual and the realised start- and closing dates of your mobility.
   • If you do not have the details included in the Grant Agreement, please contact Ms Ágnes Ruzsa at erasmus.out@dep.elte.hu.
     All expenses must be indicated in euro in the Excel sheet. If you can provide proof of payment (with invoice or other documents) of the amount paid for already in a different currency (forint, pound, etc.) you can calculate the sum in euro using the European Commission’s official exchange rate (InforEuro, https://ec.europa.eu/budget/graphs/inforeuro.html), based on the exchange rate from August 2019 (e.g. 1 HUF = 0.00305 EUR)
   • Fill out the “Justification” section as well, clearly and concisely.
   • Indicate the type of proof that you are enclosing. Scanned copies of the documents, receipts, certificates will suffice (or a legible photo captured by the camera of your phone), but they must be clearly related to the mobility that you wish to receive a reimbursement for. Please name and indicate the documents clearly in your claim. For further information consult Article III, point 2 (Expenses that can be reimbursed) and Article III. point 3 (Compulsory attachments).
   • Please name the finished Excel sheet according to the following: “lastname_firstname_vis_maior_claim”
   • Print the Excel sheet, sign it, scan it and save it in a pdf format as well, similarly to the saved Excel sheet: “lastname_firstname_vis_maior_claim”. If you do not have the opportunity to print (e.g. because of home quarantine), indicate this obstacle in your e-mail, and the e-mail will replace the signed claim.
2. Expenses that can be reimbursed:
   • Please note that only non-refundable expenses, which connect closely to your mobility, can be reimbursed! Please try to ask for refund from the travel and accommodation providers (you have to prove by emails that you have acted so)! As an alternative to the emails, you can provide a link to the website where it is clearly stated that your claim for refund is denied.
   • Accommodation, travel expenses (flight ticket, train ticket, bus ticket), insurance, or other non-refundable expenses can be reimbursed. Meal and leisure expenses (e.g. theatre- or cinema tickets) cannot be reimbursed.
3. Compulsory attachments:
   • Vis major form as an excel sheet
   • Signed vis major form in a pdf format (does not have to be submitted in case of an obstacle, subject to individual assessment)
   • A certificate that the expenses which you have listed are non-refundable (e-mail, website link).
   • Documents that are proof of your vis major expenses: Scanned copies of the documents, receipts, certificates will suffice (or a legible photo captured by the camera of your phone), but they must be clearly related to the mobility that you wish to receive a reimbursement for. Please name and indicate clearly the documents used as proof in your claim,
     • Certificate of travel expenses (plane-, train-, bus ticket): if your mobility has been cancelled, you can prove your expenses by presenting your ticket and receipt, or with the confirmation (usually electronic) of your reservation. Make sure that your name, the location (to and from), the actual dates of your travel, and the price of the ticket is visible.
     • Certificate of accommodation: the certificate should include the address, the time of your stay, the price of the room and either your name or e-mail address.
     • Insurance: name, period of validity, prices must be visible.
   • Certificate of attendance from the host institution (if available)
4. Please submit your equity claim with all the attachments to erasmus@elte.hu (subject of the e-mail: „vis major”).

According to the University’s position and proposal, the Tempus Public Foundation will assess the claims individually in each case, approximately every three weeks.