Your questions answered by Brian Mooney

My son is applying for a college course that includes a year abroad on the Erasmus scheme. Is this worthwhile or will it just be a distraction from his real studies at home? How will it affect us financially?

The Erasmus scheme is a European Commission exchange programme that allows students to spend time studying in a university in one of the 25 EU countries, as well as in Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Bulgaria, Romania or Turkey. Students who have completed at least one year of study can spend between three and 12 months abroad at a partner university of their home institution.

Naturally, Erasmus exchanges are particularly attractive to language students - it gives them a chance to improve their French, German, Spanish or Swedish. Young people studying science, medicine or nursing can also get exposure to cutting-edge research and teaching methods which may not be in use at home.

But the opportunity to experience another culture and way of life is valuable for any student. In the global economy, cross-cultural skills are much sought after by employers. On top of that, living away from home in a foreign country can help young adults to mature and they'll have an opportunity to make a network of friends from across the EU.

The programme is popular all over Europe, and the latest figures show that students from the 10 new member states are enthusiastically taking part. The most popular destinations are Germany, France, Spain and Britain. Irish universities attract 3,649 Erasmus students, with many coming to study in the institutes of technology.

Despite all this, fewer Irish students went on Erasmus last year than in 2003/04. Some 1,572 went abroad in 2004/05, compared to 1,705 the previous year. Some third-level institutions have also reported that they have seen applications going down for courses with an Erasmus element.

This reluctance to study abroad could be put down to a lack of language skills. A recent EU report showed that two-thirds of Irish people can speak only English. Compare that to the three-quarters of Dutch people who are fluent in three European languages.

However lack of a second or third language won't keep your son out of the Erasmus programme. There are many universities - in the Nordic countries, Greece, Turkey, the Netherlands and Central and Eastern Europe - that offer courses through English. As a bonus, he's sure to pick up some of the local lingo.

Students may worry that they won't get academic recognition for their studies while on Erasmus, or that they'll be expected to sit exams at home for courses that they missed while abroad. The Erasmus scheme guarantees full academic recognition for students and a credit system provides a common scale for measuring the work done while abroad. Before they go, students should sign a learning agreement with their home and host institutions, stating clearly the courses they will follow, the exams they will sit and the academic credit they will get for them.

If your son or daughter's university refuses to recognise the work they've done abroad, they should contact the Higher Education Authority's Erasmus section. The international relations office in any university or institute should be able to answer questions about this and other aspects of Erasmus.

Financially, you may have to pay some costs. Under the scheme, students do not have to pay fees to the foreign university and can apply for an Erasmus grant. This is intended to offset part of the difference between the cost of living in Ireland and the other country, but won't cover all expenses. Your son's university should be able to help him to find low-cost accommodation.

For more information on the Erasmus programme, see www.europa.eu.int/comm/education/programmes/socrates/erasmus/erasmus_en.html

Brian Mooney is president of the Institute of Guidance Counsellors. E-mail questions to bmooney@irish- times.ie