Exchange study at the University of Groningen under the MoU
For: Undergraduate · Postgraduate
MOAUM's records say the 2024 MoU covers student exchange. Groningen's rule is that the home university must have an exchange agreement with it and must nominate the student. No exchange agreement with MOAUM, no places and no call are published, so this route is not open for direct application; it depends on confirmation and nomination by MOAUM.
- Eligible students
- Students of a university that has an exchange agreement with the University of Groningen or one of its faculties, nominated by their home university's exchange coordinator. Not verified for MOAUM.
- Study level
- As agreed between the two universities; not specified.
- Eligible disciplines
- Depends on which Groningen faculty holds the agreement; not specified.
- Duration
- Groningen states exchange periods typically last three to twelve months, in the September to February or February to July semester.
- Destination
- University of Groningen, Netherlands
- Funding
- Funding not specified
- Application status
- Contact MOAUM for Current Opportunities
- Application method
- Nomination by MOAUM is required
Application Deadline: No deadline is published for MOAUM. Deadlines are set by each Groningen faculty; as an example, the Faculty of Spatial Sciences states 1 May for the first semester or full year and 15 October for the second semester.
Academic intake: September (semester 1) and February (semester 2)
Before submitting an external application, contact the relevant MOAUM faculty or the office responsible for international linkages to confirm eligibility and whether institutional nomination is required.
How to apply
The home university's exchange coordinator must nominate the student. After nomination Groningen sends the student a registration link for its Mobility Online system. A student cannot start this alone, and MOAUM can nominate only if an exchange agreement with the relevant Groningen faculty is in force.
Step 1: Confirm with MOAUM that an exchange agreement is in force
Ask the Centre for Advancement and Linkages which Groningen faculty the MoU is with, whether it includes student exchange places and a tuition waiver, and whether MOAUM is nominating students.
Step 2: MOAUM nominates the student
Groningen requires an official nomination from the home university's exchange coordinator by the faculty's deadline.
Step 3: Register in Mobility Online
After nomination Groningen emails a registration link; the student enters personal data and uploads the required documents.
Step 4: Immigration, housing and insurance
Groningen's Immigration Service Desk applies for the entry visa and residence permit on the student's behalf. Housing must be found by the student.
Application checklist
- Official nomination by the home university
- Transcript of records
- Copy of passport
- English language certificate or the home institution's statement of proficiency (accepted form varies by faculty)
- Learning agreement or course selection approved by MOAUMMay be required
- Proof of sufficient funds for the residence permit
- Health, liability and other insurance for the stay
“May be required” marks a document that is usual for this kind of application but is not confirmed on the official page. Check before you apply.
Eligibility
- Home university
- Must have an exchange agreement with the University of Groningen or the relevant faculty; not verified for MOAUM
- Nomination
- By MOAUM's exchange coordinator
- Academic requirements
- Set by the receiving faculty.
- Language requirements
- Set by each faculty. Example: the Faculty of Spatial Sciences accepts IELTS 6.0 or higher, TOEFL iBT 80 or higher, or Cambridge at B2 or higher, or an institutional statement of proficiency.
Funding and costs
Funding not specified.
Groningen states that exchange students do not pay its tuition fee. No grant attached to the MoU is published. Groningen's Erasmus+ grants for incoming exchange students are limited to its 23 ICM partner universities, which do not include MOAUM, so living, travel, insurance and visa costs should be assumed to fall on the student unless MOAUM confirms funding in writing.
Financial requirements: For the residence permit the Dutch Immigration and Naturalisation Service requires proof of sufficient funds; its required amount for university and higher professional education students is 1,130.77 euros per month, valid from 1 January 2026 to 31 December 2026. Groningen publishes its own living cost estimate on its exchange financial matters page.
Visa, travel and stay
Nigerian citizens need both an entry visa (MVV) and a residence permit for a stay of more than 90 days. The student does not apply to the embassy alone: the University of Groningen, as recognised sponsor, applies to the Immigration and Naturalisation Service (IND) on the student's behalf through its Immigration Service Desk. The IND lists a fee of 254 euros, a decision period of up to 60 days, and an appointment to collect the MVV within three months of the decision. Students must be enrolled full time and obtain at least 50 percent of the credits each year. The IND page states that a tuberculosis test in the Netherlands may be required within three months of receiving the permit; whether this applies to Nigerian nationals was not confirmed on the pages opened. Figures as shown on 6 October 2026.
Official visa information (ind.nl) (opens in a new tab)
Accommodation and insurance: The university does not own student housing. Its exchange pages point to SSH student housing (furnished rooms for up to one year, listed at 700 to 900 euros per month including utilities, reservation fee 113 euros) and to the At Home in Groningen and Hospi Housing platforms. Exchange students need health, third-party liability and other insurance.
Official contact
University of Groningen Sub-Saharan Africa desk: africa@rug.nl. Mobility and Scholarship Desk: msd@rug.nl.
