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Funding sources for PhD studies in Europe

PhD positions in European countries are funded through a diverse range of sources. Understanding the different funding sources for PhD studies in Europe is pivotal: With this knowledge, prospective PhD students can turn their abstract ambition to pursue a degree in Europe into a concrete strategy.

Doing a PhD in Europe

Phd funding in europe through university budgets, phd funding in europe through external project grants, phd funding in europe through individual grants from governments & research councils, phd funding in europe through individual scholarships from foundations, phd funding through governmental scholarships from countries of origin, part-time phd funding in europe through non-academic employers.

A brief disclaimer to begin with: There is a huge variety between European countries. Therefore, when embarking on a PhD journey, it is always necessary to check out country-specific arrangements! That said, there are some general differences, for instance, doing a PhD in North America.

For starters, to qualify for PhD studies in most European countries, a master’s degree is required. Furthermore, in many European countries, PhD students are treated as employees. This means that they are formally employed, receive a salary and make pension contributions.

The money that is used to pay for PhD positions can come from a variety of sources. However, prospective students are often not aware of the wide range of possibilities to fund their PhD studies.

Knowing about different funding sources for PhD studies is crucial because often prospective candidates play an active role in securing PhD funding!

The most straightforward funding arrangement is PhD funding via university budgets. This essentially means that a university has money available to invest in PhD students.

The types of PhD positions that stem from university budgets tend to ask for an individual research proposal within the framework of a specific theme. This proposal becomes an important part of the application process, in which a professor selects one or more PhD students to work with.

Prospective PhD students cannot influence this funding source. Often, they simply have to apply to an open position advertised on a university website or a job portal.

Examples of academic job portals:

Academic Positions
HigherEDJobs

Many universities rely on external funding to create PhD positions. This external funding often comes in the form of research grants for specific research projects. Common sources of funding are the European Commission and national scientific research councils.

The PhD positions that are created within externally funded research projects are often clearly defined. The PhD student works as part of a larger project team and completes a set of concrete tasks.

During the application process, applicants often have to showcase how they fit into the specific project. Furthermore, they have to make suggestions of how they would approach and execute certain tasks to meet the project’s goals.

Prospective PhD students can rarely influence this funding source. Exceptions exist when they already worked with a Principal Investigator, for instance during a master’s degree. Then they could support the project proposal and grant writing process, in the hope that the project receives funding and creates a position for them.

Example sources for external project grants:

Horizon Europe
European Research Council Grants
French National Research Agency ANR
German Research Foundation DFG

National scientific research councils play a dominant role in the European academic landscape. Next to providing funding for large-scale (international) research projects, many of them also offer specific individual grants for PhD studies.

The PhD positions that are created from individual grants by scientific research councils often require unique, individual PhD research projects. These projects offer room for creativity but require a high degree of independence.

Individual grants and scholarships are very competitive. Applications often involve multiple stages, including pre-proposals, proposals, and interviews. In some cases, prospective PhD students can only apply for these grants if they already have a potential supervisor and the backing of an eligible university.

Prospective PhD students have a high degree of influence when it comes to this source of funding. They have to proactively approach potential supervisors and universities well in advance of the application deadline, and develop a competitive research idea.

Example sources for individual research grants:

Economic and Social Research Council ESRC
National Science Centre Poland
Dutch Scientific Research Council
Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships
Stipendium Hungaricum by the Hungarian Government

There are many foundations that either support or fully fund PhD studies in Europe. These foundations are often connected to political parties, religious institutions, specific industries, companies or non-profit organisations.

The PhD studies that receive funding from foundations are diverse but tend to have a concrete link to the funding body. This link can be thematic or ideological. For instance, the foundation of a country’s Green Party is likely more inclined to fund a research project addressing climate change instead of one on fossil fuel excavation.

Furthermore, the profile of the prospective candidate is extremely important in these scholarship applications. Some foundations also target prospective PhD students from specific countries or backgrounds.

Prospective PhD students have a high degree of influence when it comes to this source of funding. They tend to be in charge of the whole application process.

Examples of PhD funding through foundations:

Rotary Foundation Global Scholarship Grants for Development
The Green Political Foundation
The Boehringer Ingelheim Fonds (BIF)
German Academic Exchange Service DAAD
Swedish Childhood Cancer Fund

Several non-EU countries provide PhD scholarships for their nationals to pursue a PhD full-time and are fully funded in Europe. Thus, as an international student, these government schemes are interesting to explore.

The application process for these governmental scholarship schemes is hard to generalise. However, a common denominator is that prospective PhD students seem to have a high degree of influence when it comes to this source of funding.

Applicants usually have to undergo two application processes: One to receive the scholarship, and another one to secure a position at a European university.

Sometimes, the scholarship is attached to certain requirements after the completion of a PhD. For instance, to return to the country of origin and work in the national academic system for several years.

Examples of countries providing scholarships to conduct PhD studies in the EU are China, Turkey and Indonesia.

If there is a connection between a PhD topic and a non-academic job, some employers enter a formal arrangement that covers PhD fees. Furthermore, they allow the PhD student to do PhD-related work during some of their ‘regular’ working hours.

Prospective PhD students are very much in charge when it comes to this source of funding. Entering an arrangement between a non-academic employer and an academic institution requires a lot of coordination. All parties have to agree in advance.

While this is not the most common PhD funding arrangement, the construction of a part-time PhD can have many advantages. For example the increased cooperation and knowledge transfer between academia and non-academic research and practice.

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Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions

Developing talents, advancing research

Supporting excellence in research and innovation

The Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions are the European Union’s reference programme for doctoral education and postdoctoral training.

Discover the MSCA

What's new

Funding opportunities in research and innovation

Funding programmes and open calls Information about research and innovation funding programmes, including Horizon Europe, the Cohesion Fund, LIFE, ERDF, ESIF and RFCS

ERC grants for frontier research
Marie Skłodowska-Curie actions - Research Fellowship Programme
EU Award for Gender Equality Champions
EIC Horizon Prizes
SOFT Innovation prize
EU Prize for Women Innovators
European Capital of Innovation (iCapital)
Horizon Impact Award
Nuclear Innovation
Prize for renewable energy islands (RESponsible island)

EU Contest for Young Scientists (EUCYS) Contest for young science students at European level.

Seal of Excellence What the Seal of Excellence is, how to use it, funding opportunities, information for funding bodies and latest news.

EU TalentOn Event that challenges young researchers to find solutions to the most pressing global issues.

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European Education Area

Quality education and training for all

How to apply for doctoral studies in Europe

Find out how to apply for doctoral studies, including a PhD, in Europe.

Getting started

In Europe, every university sets its own application criteria for doctoral studies.

To successfully enter the world of research, it´s very important to be proactive and start your preparation early.

The enrollment procedures take time. Prepare early, check entry requirements and collect your documents.

Choose your topic

Choose your research topic well before starting your studies.

Find out which university or programme meets your research interests and your academic background.

Find a supervisor

Finding a supervisor before applying could be either compulsory or advisable and it is usually the applicant’s responsibility.

Check the research teams in the university and look at the publications written by your potential supervisor, as well as their research projects and supervised dissertations to ensure that his or her research areas match your plans.

Check language requirements

Examine the language skills needed for enrollment. It might be necessary to take a test or present internationally validated test results.

Recognition of qualifications

Find out what documents need to be translated before applying and which ones may need ENIC-NARIC evaluation.

Some documents might need to be certified by a notary, with an apostille attached.

Prepare your documents

The required documents vary. Usually, you need to prepare the following:

official copy of the previous diploma(s)
curriculum vitae (CV)
research proposal for your PhD
motivation letter
references and/or recommendation letters

Find a position and funding

EURAXESS is a European Commission portal providing information on research positions and funding to help researchers come to Europe to study, work in another European country and more.

How to finance a Doctorate in France

Funding must often be found before enrolling in a Doctorate. Depending on your situation, your host establishment, your country of origin, a company or the European Union may finance your research project.

The tools indispensable for finding funding

Before looking for doctoral funding, check to see if the doctoral school that you're interested in requires minimum funding before you can enrol. This is especially the case when you are in the natural and technological sciences. The amount is indicated on the school's page in the directory of doctoral schools .

Check the list of possible funding for your Doctorate in the Campus Bourses catalogue. Depending on the case, your Doctorate may be financed by your host establishment, a company or your country or university of origin.

Finally, each year the Association nationale des docteurs (ANDès - the National Association of Doctors) publishes a guide to funding for Doctorates in which you will find additional information concerning funding for your Doctorate.

Doctorates financed by your host establishment

On their Internet sites, doctoral schools, laboratories and research institutes regularly publish proposals for financed thesis subjects. This doctoral funding constitutes the first way for you to find funding for your Doctorate. There are three types:

Funding from a doctoral fellowship : your doctoral school provides you with 1,400 euros net funding for your Doctorate per month for three years. This is done either through its research budget or as a complement to your own funding. The doctoral fellowship is a work contract specifically for doctoral students, with no age or nationality conditions. It can be renewed twice for one year each time, for a total of 5 years.
Funding from a contract with a research institute : your research institute (CNES, CNRS, CEA, etc.) provides you with 1,500 euros net funding for your Doctorate per month.
Funding from a contract connected to a project financed by the Agence Nationale de Recherche (ANR National Research Agency), at 1400-1500 euros net per month.

Doctorates financed by your country of origin

Some countries have implemented Doctorate funding programmes , such as the Conacyt grants in Mexico, the ProFas B+ programme in Algeria and the Higher Education Commission (HEC) programme in Pakistan. To find out which one is suitable for you, check the list of Doctorate funding programmes or the Campus France office in your country of origin , and also contact your government.

The amount of the grants varies according to the country. It is usually from 900 to 1,500 euros per month. In all cases, check with your doctoral school to make sure that the proposed funding is sufficient. Otherwise, the host laboratory will have to find additional funding for your position.

Further, some French establishments provide 50% of the funding required for a Doctorate, and look for partners willing to pay the remaining 50%.

financement pour un doctorat, et cherchent des partenaires disposés à payer les 50% restants.

Doctorates financed by a company

In partnership with the Association Nationale de la Recherche et de la Technologie (ANRT - National Research and Technology Association), the CIFRE ( Conventions Industrielles de Formation par la Recherche - Industrial Agreements for Training through Research) enables young researchers to be hired by a company or public authority to conduct their research, in conjunction with a university team.

The company or authority then finances your Doctorate via a work contract under private sector law. It provides you with a minimum salary of approximately 1,800 euros net per month for three years. It is a good opportunity to acquire experience in research in a company.

Doctorates financed by the European Union

Established as part of the Marie Skłodowska-Curie actions , the European Joint Doctorate provides funding for 36 months. It is aimed at foreign students who are enrolled in a Doctorate in a European institute of higher education that belongs to a consortium of at least three establishments in three different countries. The funding request must be sent to the coordinating establishment.

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Erasmus + Short-Term Mobility for PhD Students

Erasmus+ short-term mobility for phd students.

Enriching Your Personal and Academic Growth

Are you looking for an opportunity to develop and/or acquire new relevant academic and research skills, participate in a particular training/course or carry out research work necessary for the successful preparation of your doctoral dissertation/thesis at a European partner institution abroad?

The Erasmus+ Short-Term funding line for PhD Students offers you the opportunity to immerse yourself in different cultural and academic environments. This programme provides flexibility and financial support to complete a short-term stay abroad in Europe, enriching your interntional experience during your doctoral studies at the University of Konstanz.

General Information

Funding conditions.

Generally, all Doctoral Students enrolled in a third-cycle programme at the University of Konstanz are eligible for funding through Erasmus+. The Erasmus+ funding line supports doctoral mobility for a duration of min. 5 working days to max. 30 working days.

The Erasmus+ programme promotes stays abroad to:

expand, further develop and/or acquire new relevant (research) skills or provide research work/training, participate in courses or have access to equipment or libraries necessary for the successful preparation of your doctoral dissertation/thesis offered by the host institution
exchange experience about skills acquired at the U Konstanz
support international network activities
improve foreign language, digital communication skills and intercultural competences
improve and extend collaboration between partner institution
better understand the European Higher Education Area aspects for 3rd cycle students/young academics by experiencing a different scientific environment on site and in action
prepare for a European job market in academia and beyond

Examples: participation in seminars and lectures, tutorials, research colloquia; learn, professionalise, expand research methods skills, research data analysis training, literature/archive research, participation in a particular training and/or workshop offered by the host institution.

Not eligible is the participation in conferences or language courses. No fees may be charged by the host university.

If applicable, we recommend a work load of min. 3 ECTS per mobility or at least 30 hours/week to be documented in the Learning Agreement .

No strict deadlines during the Academic Year 2023/2024*

PhD Short term mobilities will be possible any time during your doctoral studies, usually for one month (min. 5 working days, max. 30 working days) between October 1, 2023 and September 30, 2024.

* Outlook: Academic Year 2024/25 onwards funding will be available within Erasmus Project 2023 – slightly different rules may apply depending on budget and demand (updates will be announced).

Partner universities in Europe which have signed an Erasmus+ Inter Institutional agreement (IIA) for student mobility with the University of Konstanz preferably within your subject area/department. You can find the complete list of our Erasmus+ partner institutions in Europe for the academic year 2024/2025 here .

Not eligible are mobilities

to the country of your permanent residence
to the United Kingdom or Switzerland as they are currently not regular Erasmus partner countries.

Erasmus + Grant

Grant and top up's.

The purpose of the Erasmus + grant is to co-finance your mobility abroad , not to cover all expenses.

Begining with the 2023 Project (AJ 2024/25), Erasmus+ supports your short-term study/research stay with 79 € per day for the first 14 days of your physical mobility and 56 € per day for the remaining stay period (max. 30 days incl. travel). Virtual activities before or after the mobility are encouraged but not eligible for funding.

Top Up for students with fewer opportunities and/or special needs

The Erasmus+ programme is offering Top Ups for students with fewer opportunities and/or special needs starting with the Project 2023 (AJ 2024/25).

Top Up Fewer Opportunities and/ or special needs are available for:

first generation students
working students
students with disabilities
student with child

With the project 2023, students who meet the criteria receive an additional lump-sum of 100€ (day 1-14) or 150€ (Day 15-30).

According to the Erasmus+ programme, the combination and/or complementary financial support from other national or institutional funding programmes is possible, except other EU funds! Please check relevant budget rules.

How to apply

Get started.

The programme is still relatively new for many universities, so processes and coordination with partner universities may take longer. Please apply at least eight weeks before the planned physical mobility abroad. The earlier, the better—as long as funding is available.

Provide detailed information about your individual study/work plan, time frame, and confirm the individual and institutional motivation and benefits using the application form .

Include an informal confirmation from your supervisors at both the home and host institutions (an email is sufficient).

Submit proof of enrollment or an official acceptance as a doctoral candidate from the relevant department along with your application form.

On this basis, the International Office will review your application to ensure it meets the formal requirements, and evaluate the eligibility of your mobility project, taking into account the available funding and how well your project aligns with the programme's objectives.

Important : The procedures of the institutions have significantly diverged since the inception of the programme. While some universities support these mobilities for study purposes, others accept them exclusively for traineeships (internships). This results in discrepancies in the opportunities, conditions, and implementation of the programme. Please be aware that we can only fund your mobility project once the host institution has confirmed that they will accept the PhD student under the conditions stipulated by the University of Konstanz.

Before the mobility

Upon positive decision and confirmation from the International Office regarding the eligibility of the mobility plan you will need following documents in order to recieve your first payment (70% of Grant Agreement) :

Confirmation of Acceptance for your mobility from the host university refers to their official approval of your application for the mobility programme. An official Erasmus+ Officer at the host institution must confirm your acceptance for the mobility programme, which is required before any further arrangements can be made (e.g. via email) .
Erasmus Learning Agreement (see useful information and documents ) : Before the Erasmus+ PhD Short Term mobility, both home and host university must confirm the study plan by signing the "Learning Agreement" (LA) and accepting this funding line within the I nter I nstitutional A greement (IIA). The LA documents the learning experience in detail and confirms the recognition for your PhD programme by both supervisors. If there are ECTS awarded, please state this in the document.
Erasmus Grant Agreement is stating your individual funding. Once the signed Learning Agreement has been submitted, the individual grant amount will be calculated and a Grant Agreement will be issued. This agreement must be signed and returned to the International Office in the original. Upon receiving the signed Grant Agreement, we will disburse the first installment.
Dienstreiseantrag (if you are employed by the U Konstanz) and Confirmation of secondment if your stay exceeds 14 calendar days or Antrag auf Übernahme der Reisekosten
Online Linguistic test/course in working language (only for mobilities >15 days) - access will be provided by International Office

During the mobility

Important Requirement :

Your host institution must confirm your stay by signing a Confirmation of Stay and issuing ECTS credits through a Transcript of Records or another form that proves your achievements and activities.

Optional Opportunities:

If you're interested, the International Office can provide you with information materials to represent the University of Konstanz during your stay.

We would greatly appreciate your help in promoting the Erasmus+ programme, whether through social media, reports, or interviews. If you’re interested, please contact us at [email protected]

Enjoy your study experience abroad!

After the mobility

EU Survey: After your mobility, you will receive an email from the EU's Reporting Tool inviting you to participate in a survey. This email will contain a link to the questionnaire.

Proof of Recognition: Please submit proof of your achievements during your mobility. Ideally, this should be in the form of a Transcript of Records, reflecting the ECTS credits earned, which you can download from ZEuS.

Final Payment: Once all the required documents and formalities are submitted, the second installment (30%) of your payment will be issued.

Any questions? Please contact us with your ideas and plans!

Search university of konstanz, suggestions.

Funded PhD opportunities in Europe - MSCA Doctoral Networks

This event has now ended.

Please find the recording and presentation slides below.

phd_training_in_europe_what_are_msca_doctoral_networks_and_how_can_researchers_in_asean_participate_dr_sohail_luka_0.pdf

msca_euraxess_webinar_jeanne_ligte.pptx

Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) offer funding for PhD students to study across Europe. They are part of the European Commission’s Horizon Europe research funding scheme and are the main EU programme for doctoral training. Some 25,000 PhDs are being funded under this scheme. MSCA funding for PhD students is offered within partnerships called MSCA Doctoral Networks. Those partnerships can include both academic and non-academic partners. MSCA funding is open to PhD students of all disciplines, irrespective of nationality, for up to three years. It covers full costs of accommodation and travel, as well as providing a monthly living allowance. Join us for this 75 minute webinar to find out about the opportunities to carry out doctoral training in Europe in a MSCA Doctoral Network. MSCA Fellows from ASEAN will share their experience, tips & advice! This webinar is open to researchers of all nationalities and disciplines who are keen to find out more about PhD opportunities in MSCA funded programmes in Europe.

Speakers & Agenda

'PhD training in Europe: What are MSCA Doctoral Networks and how can researchers in ASEAN participate' , Dr Sohail Luka, Policy Officer, Marie Skłodowska Curie Actions, European Commission.

My experience as a MSCA-funded PhD candidate in Europe - researchers from ASEAN share their story and advice. Jeanne Svensky Ligte, Early-Stage Researcher at SAPIENS Network Project, Lodz University of Technology, Poland

Presentations will be followed by Q&A with the audience members.

The webinar will be held in English.

Starting Grant

Are you a talented early-career scientist who has already produced excellent supervised work, is ready to work independently and shows potential to be a research leader? The ERC Starting Grant could be for you.

Who can apply?

Researchers of any nationality with 2-7 years of experience since completion of PhD, a scientific track record showing great promise and an excellent research proposal can apply.

Eligibility can be extended for reasons such as maternity, paternity, illness, national service, training, natural disasters, or asylum.

Check out the Parental leave webpage and the latest ERC Work Programme to find the specific rules regarding eligibility criteria.

The European Research Council (ERC) has changed the reference date for calculating the eligibility window for the Starting and Consolidator Grant calls in their Work Programme 2023.

Instead of the date of the actual award, the certified date of the successful PhD defence will be used as a reference point. This change was made to ensure fair competition in terms of career stage, as the term "award" varies across countries and universities.

For applicants where no defence/viva was organised in the awarding institution, the applicant should provide a written confirmation from that awarding institution stating that no defence/viva was organised and indicating the date when the PhD was approved.

What proposals are eligible?

Criteria .

Applications can be made in any field of research The ERC's grants operate on a 'bottom-up' basis without predetermined priorities.

Research must be conducted in a public or private research organisation (known as a host institution/HI). It could be the HI where the applicant already works, or any other HI located in one of the EU Member States or associated countries .

Host Institution

Applications for an ERC grant require a single Principal Investigator (PI) to submit the application on behalf of their host institution.

The host institution must offer suitable conditions for the PI to independently lead the research and manage funding. The PI can be hosted by any legal entity in an EU Member State or associated country.

The PI does not need to be employed by the host institution at the time of proposal submission, but a mutual agreement and commitment are necessary if the proposal is successful.

ERC grants support projects carried out by an individual researcher who can employ researchers of any nationality as team members. It is also possible to have one or more team members located in a non-European country.

Vacancies for team members interested in joining an ERC led research project, can be published on the Euraxess-Jobs portal. Initiatives, under the form of 'Implementing Arrangements', exist for ERC-funded teams in Europe to host non-European talented scientists. Find out more about the agreements .

The European Commission and the United Kingdom have reached a political agreement on the UK's participation in Horizon Europe, the EU's research, and innovation programme. Read more

Starting Grants may be awarded up to € 1.5 million for a period of 5 years . (pro rata for projects of shorter duration). However, an additional € 1 million can be made available to cover eligible “start-up” costs for researchers moving from a third country to the EU or an associated country and/or the purchase of major equipment and/or access to large facilities and/or other major experimental and field work costs.

An ERC grant can cover up to 100% of the total eligible direct costs of the research plus a contribution of 25% of the total eligible costs towards indirect costs.

How to apply?

ERC grant applications can only be submitted in response to a Call for Proposals.

The ERC has yearly calls for proposals covering all scientific fields.

For an ERC grant application to be complete, it needs to include the administrative forms, the research proposal and the supplementary documents. The completed proposal should be submitted by the specified closing date.

Calls are published on this page, the EU Funding & Tenders Portal and in the Official Journal of the European Union.

Before the call is published:

Find out which ERC grant and which call is suitable for you.
Identify the host institution and team members you would like to work with. (see also the online research partner search services )
Contact the National Contact Point (NCP) in your country for support.

Once the call is open:

Read the call documents carefully.
Contact the host institution and gather all the details you need for the application.
Start writing your proposal. Allow time for other people to review your draft. Your NCP , peers and other scientists can all give you helpful support and feedback.
Familiarise yourself with the EU submission service . This is the online system through which proposals must be submitted.
Submit your proposal as early as possible. Deadlines cannot be changed under any circumstances. You can update your submitted proposal any time before the deadline by simply submitting a new version, which will overwrite the old one.
You will get an ‘acknowledgement of receipt’ by e-mail for each submission.

After the deadline:

The ERC will check whether your proposal meets the call’s eligibility criteria.
External experts will evaluate all the eligible proposals.
You will receive further information as your proposal progresses through the evaluation. For more information we invite you to consult the timeframe for the current call.

How does the evaluation process work?

Proposals are evaluated by selected international peer reviewers who evaluate proposals on the basis of excellence as the sole criterion . It will be applied to the evaluation of both the research project and the Principal Investigator in conjunction.

Peer reviewers are in charge of assessing and scoring the proposals. Those who pass the quality threshold are ranked. Depending on the call budget available, a budgetary cut-off applies to the ranking list and only the highest ranked proposals are offered an ERC grant until the call's budget has been used.

For each call there are 28 panels, each covering a sub-section of one of three domains:

1. Life Sciences (LS) 2. Physical and Engineering Sciences (PE) 3. Social Sciences and Humanities (SH) Each ERC panel consists of a chairman and 10-16 members. The panel chair and the panel members are selected by the ERC Scientific Council on the basis of their scientific reputation.

In addition to the panel members (who act as “generalists”), the ERC evaluations rely on input from remote experts external to the panel, called referees. They are scientists and scholars who bring in the necessary specialised expertise.

Before the deadline of a call, the names of the panel chairs are published on the ERC website. Similarly, the names of panel members are published, however, after the evaluation process is concluded. See all panel members

Searching for data on ERC funded projects and proposals?

You can use two different platforms for views and analysis of ERC funded projects and evaluated proposals.

ERC dashboard

This dashboard allows you to:

Filter by multiple criteria: Refine your search by funding scheme, country, year, panel, and more
Export data: Export results and graphs for detailed analysis and presentation

Discover how to use the ERC dashboard with the quick start guide

ERC Research Information System (ERIS)

ERIS provides advanced features to analyze research data:

Rich filters: Apply filters on any available data field for more precise searches
Text mining: Use text mining capabilities to uncover patterns and insights
Dynamic visualizations: Access a variety of visual tools, including interactive word clouds and clustering tools
Project outputs & bibliometrics: Search and view comprehensive data on project outputs and bibliometrics
Export data: Export results and graphs data for further analysis and presentation

Interested to learn more?

Watch our instructional videos describing the full ERC grant application and evaluation process, step by step.

Please make sure to review the 2024 Work Programme, as there have been updates to the application process.

Title Ongoing evaluation

Timeframe Starting Grant 2025 evaluation

Title Key documents

ERC Work Programme 2025

Info for applicants StG 2025

Guide for peer reviewers

Gender Equality Plans guidance

Bias awareness

Find more documents

Title Get in touch

For questions contact your National Contact Point or the ERCEA

Title Evaluation panels

ERC Starting Grant 2025

Panel chairs
Panel members

ERC Starting Grant 2024

See all evaluation panels

Title Latest results

List of all selected researchers

Lists of selected researchers by domain:

Physical Sciences and Engineering
Life Sciences
Social Sciences and Humanities

Select your language

Official eu languages.

slovenščina

Erasmus+ Programme Guide

The essential guide to understanding Erasmus+

Need a quick overview?

This guide is a detailed technical description of the Erasmus+ programme. It is mainly intended for organisations applying for funding.

If you are looking for a quicker overview, please read how to take part .

Mobility projects for higher education students and staff

This higher education mobility action supports physical and blended mobility of higher education students in any study field and cycle (short cycle, bachelor, master and doctoral levels). Students can either study abroad at a partner higher education institution or carry out a traineeship in an enterprise, a research institute, a laboratory, an organisation or any other relevant workplace abroad. Students can also combine a study period abroad with a traineeship, further enhancing the learning outcomes and development of transversal skills. While long term physical mobility is strongly encouraged, this action recognises the need to offer more flexible physical mobility duration to ensure the Programme is accessible to students from all backgrounds, circumstances and study fields.

This action also supports higher education teaching and administrative staff to take part in professional development activities abroad as well as staff from the world of work to teach and train students or staff at higher education institutions. These activities may consist of teaching as well as training periods (such as job shadowing, observation periods, training courses).

Furthermore, this action supports blended intensive programmes, allowing for groups of higher education institutions to jointly develop blended mobility curricula and activities for students as well as academic and administrative staff.

Objectives of the action

The objective of this action is to contribute to establishing a European Education Area with a global outreach and to strengthen the link between education and research.

The action aims to foster employability, social inclusion, civic engagement, innovation and environmental sustainability in Europe and beyond by enabling students from all study fields and at all study cycles to have the opportunity to study or train abroad as part of their studies. The objectives of the action are to:

expose students to different views, knowledge, teaching and research methods as well as work practices in their study field in the European and international context;
develop their transversal skills such as communication skills, language skills, critical thinking, problem solving, inter-cultural skills and research skills;
develop their forward looking skills, such as digital and green skills, that will enable them to tackle the challenges of today and tomorrow;
facilitate personal development such as the ability to adapt to new situations and self-confidence.

The objective is also to enable any staff, including staff from enterprises, to teach or train abroad as part of their professional development in order to:

share their expertise;
experience new teaching environments;
acquire new innovative pedagogical and curriculum design skills as well as digital skills;
connect with their peers abroad to develop common activities to achieve the programme’s objectives;
exchange good practices and enhance cooperation between higher education institutions;
better prepare students for the world of work.

In addition, the objective is to foster the development of transnational and transdisciplinary curricula as well as innovative ways of learning and teaching, including online collaboration, research-based learning and challenge-based approaches with the objective of tackling societal challenges.

How to access Erasmus+ higher education mobility opportunities?

The applicant organisation must be established in an EU Member State or third country associated to the Erasmus+ programme and have a valid higher education accreditation. It may either apply as an individual higher education institution, requiring an Erasmus Charter for Higher Education (ECHE), or on behalf of a mobility consortium, requiring a consortium accreditation.

Individual organisation accreditation – the Erasmus Charter for Higher Education

Higher education institutions (HEIs) must have been awarded the Erasmus Charter for Higher Education (ECHE) before applying for a mobility project to their Erasmus+ National Agency. By signing the Erasmus Charter for Higher Education, higher education institutions commit to provide all the necessary support to mobile participants, including linguistic preparation. Mobile participants can use the Erasmus+ Online Language Support (OLS) to improve their foreign language competences before and/or during mobility.

Among other ECHE principles, the participating HEI has to carry out mobility for the purpose of studying and teaching only within the framework of prior agreements between institutions and select prospective participants and award mobility grants in a fair, transparent, coherent and documented way, in line with the provisions of its grant agreement with the National Agency. It should ensure such fair and transparent procedures throughout all stages of mobility and in the process of responding to queries/complaints from participants. It must ensure that no fees are charged in the case of credit mobility, to incoming mobile students for tuition, registration, examinations or access to laboratory and library facilities. After the mobility, the institution also has to ensure that it automatically and fully recognises the outcomes from the learning period abroad.

The ECHE is complemented by the ECHE guidelines , a document which supports higher education institutions in implementing the ECHE principles. Higher education institutions must duly respect the ECHE and its supporting guidelines while implementing all actions that require this accreditation. For this purpose, an ECHE Self Assessment is made available to support higher education institutions to assess how they are performing in implementing the ECHE principles and which areas could be strengthened, as well as offering suggestions on how to further improve.

Although higher education institutions in third countries not associated to the Programme are not eligible to sign the ECHE 1 , they have to respect the ECHE principles. Therefore aspects such as fair and transparent selection of participants, recognition of learning outcomes and all the necessary support offered to mobile participants have to be made explicit in the inter-institutional agreement for international mobility.

Group accreditation - Erasmus accreditation for higher education mobility consortia

In addition to individual HEIs, groups of HEIs may also apply for funding of a higher education mobility project. Such a group is called a mobility consortium. The mobility consortium needs to have an Erasmus accreditation for higher education mobility consortia.

The coordinator of the mobility consortium applies on behalf of a mobility consortium for the Erasmus accreditation for higher education mobility consortia and for an Erasmus+ grant. This accreditation is awarded by the same National Agency that assesses the request for funding for a higher education mobility project. The requests for accreditation and for grants for mobility projects can be made during the same call. However, the grant for mobility projects will be awarded only to those groups of HEIs and organisations that are successful at the end of the accreditation process.

To obtain a consortium accreditation, the following conditions must be met:

Eligibility criteria

Eligible participating organisations.

A mobility consortium in higher education can be composed of the following participating organisations:

higher education institutions holding a valid Erasmus Charter for Higher Education;
any public or private organisation active in the labour market or in the fields of education, training and youth.

Each participating organisation must be established in the same EU Member State or third country associated to the Programme. Mobility consortia cannot be established in third countries not associated to the programme.

All member organisations of the mobility consortium must be identified at the time of applying for the consortium accreditation.

Who can apply?

Any eligible participating organisation can act as coordinator and apply on behalf of all the organisations involved in the consortium.

Number of participating organisations

A mobility consortium must comprise a minimum of three eligible participating organisations, including two HEIs.

Duration of the consortium accreditation

The whole programme period.

After the award of the accreditation, substantial changes to the composition of the mobility consortium require a new application for accreditation.

Where to apply?

To the National Agency of the country in which the applicant organisation is established.

When to apply?

Applicants have to submit their accreditation application by 20 February at 12:00:00 (midday Brussels time) for projects starting as of 1 June of the same year or later years .

How to apply?

Please see part C of this Guide for details on how to apply.

Award criteria

The application for accreditation will be assessed against the following award criteria:

Relevance of the consortium - (maximum score 30 points)

the objectives of the action;
the needs and objectives of the organisations participating in the consortium and of the individual participants.
The extent to which the proposal is relevant for the respect and promotion of shared EU values, such as respect for human dignity, freedom, democracy, equality, the rule of law and respect for human rights, as well as fighting any sort of discrimination.
producing high-quality learning outcomes for participants;
reinforcing the capacities and international scope of the organisations participating in the consortium;
bringing added value at EU level through results that would not be attained by activities carried out by each individual HEI.

Quality of the consortium composition and the cooperation arrangements - (maximum score 20 points)

the consortium involves an appropriate composition of sending higher education institutions with, where relevant, complementary participating organisations from other socio-economic sectors with the necessary profile, experience and expertise to successfully deliver all aspects of the project;
the consortium coordinator has previous experience in managing a consortium or a similar project type;
the distribution of roles, responsibilities and tasks/resources is well defined and demonstrates the commitment and active contribution of all participating organisations;
tasks/resources are pooled and shared;
the responsibilities are clear for contractual and financial management issues;
the consortium involves newcomers and less experienced organisations to the action.

Quality of the consortium activity design and implementation - (maximum score 20 points)

The clarity, completeness and quality of all the phases of a mobility project (preparation, implementation of mobility activities, and follow-up);
The quality of the practical arrangements, management and support modalities (e.g. finding receiving organisations, matchmaking, information, linguistic and intercultural support, monitoring);
The quality of cooperation, coordination and communication between the participating organisations, as well as with other relevant stakeholders;
Where relevant, the quality of arrangements for the recognition and validation of participants' learning outcomes, as well as the consistent use of European transparency and recognition tools;
If applicable, the appropriateness of measures for selecting participants in the mobility activities and for promoting persons with fewer opportunities to participate in mobility activities.

Impact and dissemination - (maximum score 30 points)

The quality of measures for evaluating the outcomes of the activities led by the consortium;
on participants and participating organisations during and after the project lifetime;
outside the organisations and individuals directly participating in the project, at institutional, local, regional, national and/or international levels.
The appropriateness and quality of measures aimed at disseminating the outcomes of the activities led by the consortium within and outside the participating organisations and partners.

To be selected for accreditation, proposals must score at least 60 points in total. Furthermore, they must score at least half of the maximum score points for each award criterion.

Setting up a project

The applicant organisation applies for the mobility project grant, signs and implements the grant agreement and does the reporting.

Participating organisations involved in the mobility project assume the following roles and tasks:

Sending organisation: in charge of selecting students/staff and sending them abroad. These responsibilities also include grant payments (for those participants in EU Member States and third countries associated to the Programme), preparation, monitoring and automatic recognition related to the mobility period.
Receiving organisation: in charge of receiving students/staff from abroad and offering them a study/traineeship programme or a programme of training activities, or benefiting from a teaching activity. These responsibilities also include grant payments (to those participants coming from third countries not associated to the Programme).
Intermediary organisation: this is an organisation active in the labour market or in the fields of education, training and youth work in an EU Member State or third country associated to the Programme. It may be a member in a mobility consortium, but is not a sending organisation. Its role may be to share and facilitate the administrative procedures of the sending higher education institutions and to better match student profiles with the needs of enterprises in case of traineeships and to jointly prepare participants.

The sending and receiving organisations, together with the students/staff, must have agreed on the activities to be undertaken by the students - in a 'learning agreement' - or by staff members - in a 'mobility agreement' - prior to the start of the mobility period. These agreements define the content for the mobility period abroad, and specify the formal recognition provisions of each party. The rights and obligations are set out in the grant agreement signed between the the beneficiary and the participant. When the activity is between two higher education institutions (student mobility for studies including blended mobility, and staff mobility for teaching), an 'inter-institutional agreement' has to be in place between the sending and the receiving institutions before the exchanges can start.

Horizontal dimensions

When designing a mobility project, the following horizontal dimensions have to be strengthened.

Inclusion and diversity in higher education mobility

In order to make access to student and staff mobility as easy as possible, in line with the principles of the ECHE, HEIs must ensure equal and equitable access and opportunities to current and prospective participants from all backgrounds. This means including participants with fewer opportunities, such as participants with physical, mental and health related conditions, students with children, students who work or are professional athletes and students from all study fields underrepresented in mobility. Defining internal selection procedures that take into account equity and inclusion and assess applicants' merit and motivation holistically is essential in respecting this principle. Furthermore, HEIs are encouraged to establish built-in mobility opportunities, such as mobility windows within their curricula to help facilitate the participation of students from all study fields. In this regard, blended mobility can help offer additional opportunities that may be more suitable for some individuals or student groups. In this context, having in place inclusion officers within the higher education institutions helps address inclusion and diversity. Inclusion officers can for example help raise awareness, define strategies for communication and outreach, ensure adequate support throughout mobility in cooperation with relevant colleagues and help facilitate cooperation between relevant staff within the institution with expertise in the field of inclusion and diversity.

Environmental sustainability and green practices in higher education mobility

In line with the principles of the ECHE, HEIs must promote environmentally friendly practices in all activities related to the Programme. This means promoting the use of sustainable means of transport for mobility, taking active steps when organising events, conferences and meetings related to Erasmus+ mobility in a more environmentally friendly manner, and replacing paper-based administrative processes with digital processes (in line with the standards and timeline of the European Student Card Initiative). HEIs should also raise awareness amongst all participants about various measures they can take while abroad to reduce the carbon and environmental footprints of their mobility activities and monitor progress towards achieving more sustainable student and staff mobility activities.

Digitalisation and digital education and skills in higher education mobility

In line with the principles of the ECHE, HEIs should implement digital management of student mobility in line with the technical standards of the European Student Card Initiative . This means that HEIs participating in the programme must connect to the Erasmus Without Paper Network in order to exchange mobility data and manage digital learning agreements and digital inter-institutional agreements as soon as these features become operational. HEIs can use their organisational support funds for the implementation of digital mobility management. The institutions should promote blended mobility, the combination of a physical mobility with a virtual component, within their institution to offer more flexible mobility formats and further enhance the learning outcomes and impact of physical mobility. HEIs must ensure the quality of blended mobility activities and formal recognition for participation in blended mobility, including the virtual component. The institutions should also raise awareness among their students and staff about opportunities within the programme to acquire and further develop relevant digital skills in all study fields, including Digital Opportunity Traineeships for students and recent graduates to further develop or acquire digital skills 2 . Teaching and administrative staff can also benefit from digital skills training to acquire relevant digital skills for making use of digital technologies in courses and for digitalising administration 3 .

Participation and civic engagement

The programme aims to help the participants discover the benefits of active citizenship and participation in democratic life. Supported mobility activities should reinforce participatory skills in different spheres of civic society, as well as development of social and intercultural competences, critical thinking and media literacy. Wherever possible, projects should offer opportunities for participation in democratic life, social and civic engagement through formal or non-formal learning activities, as well as fostering practices of co-creation and co-design of learning activities. Participation in mobilities should also improve participants’ understanding of the European Union and the common European values, including respect for democratic principles, human dignity, unity and diversity, intercultural dialogue, as well as European social, cultural and historical heritage.

Description of the activities

Student mobility

Student mobility can be carried out in any study field and cycle (short cycle/bachelor/master/doctoral). To ensure high-quality mobility activities with maximum impact on the students, the mobility activity has to be compatible with the student’s degree-related learning and personal development needs.

Students may carry out the activities described below:

A study period abroad at a partner higher education institution. The study period abroad must be part of the student's study programme to complete a degree at any study cycle. A study period abroad may include a traineeship period as well. Such a combination creates synergies between the academic and professional experience abroad. In terms of workload, in countries belonging to the European Higher Education Area (EHEA) an academic year of full-time study is normally made up of educational components totalling 60 ECTS credits (or equivalent units in countries outside the EHEA). It is recommended that for mobility periods shorter than a full academic year, the educational components included in the learning agreement should be adjusted proportionally.

A traineeship (work placement, internship) abroad in an enterprise, a research institute, a laboratory, an organisation or any other relevant workplace. Traineeships abroad are supported during studies at any study cycle and for recent graduates. This also includes teaching assistantships for student teachers and research assistantships for students and doctoral candidates in any relevant research facility. To further enhance the synergies with Horizon Europe, these mobilities can also take place in the context of Horizon Europe funded research projects, in full respect of the principle of no double EU funding of activities. Wherever possible, the traineeships should be an integrated part of the student's study programme.

In terms of workload, in principle the participants have to work full time, based on their receiving organisation’s working time.

In the case of doctoral mobility , to better meet the diverse learning and training needs of doctoral candidates and to ensure equal opportunities with those that have the status of higher education staff, doctoral candidates and recent graduates (‘post-docs’) 4 can undertake short-term or long-term physical study or traineeship mobility periods abroad. Adding a virtual component to the physical mobility is encouraged.

Any study period or traineeship abroad of any duration, including doctoral mobility, may be carried out as a blended mobility . Blended mobility is a combination of physical mobility with a virtual component facilitating a collaborative online learning exchange and teamwork. For example, the virtual component can bring learners together online from different countries and study fields to follow online courses or work collectively and simultaneously on assignments that are recognised as part of their studies.

Any student can also undertake blended mobility by participating in a blended intensive programme according to the specific eligibility criteria for blended intensive programmes, described in this Guide.

Staff mobility

Staff mobility can be carried out by any type of higher education staff or by invited staff from outside the HEIs. To ensure high-quality mobility activities with maximum impact, the mobility activity has to be related to the staff’s professional development and to address their learning and personal development needs.

Staff may carry out any of the activities described below:

A teaching period abroad at a partner higher education institution. The teaching period abroad enables any teaching staff at a higher education institution or staff from enterprises to teach at a partner higher education institution abroad. Staff mobility for teaching can be in any study field.
A training period abroad at a partner higher education institution, enterprise or any other relevant workplace. The training period abroad enables any staff at a HEI to take part in a training activity abroad that is relevant to their day-to-day work at the HEI. It may take the form of training events (excluding conferences) or job shadowing and observation periods.

A staff mobility period abroad can combine teaching and training activities. Any teaching or training period abroad may be carried out as a blended mobility .

Blended intensive programmes

These are short, intensive programmes that use innovative ways of learning and teaching, including the use of online cooperation. The programmes may include challenge based learning where transnational and transdisciplinary teams work together to tackle challenges for example those linked to the United Nations’ sustainable development goals or other societal challenges identified by regions, cities or companies. The intensive programme should have added value compared to existing courses or trainings offered by the participating HEIs and can be multiannual. By enabling new and more flexible mobility formats that combine physical mobility with a virtual part, blended intensive programmes aim at reaching all types of students from all backgrounds, study fields and cycles.

Groups of higher education institutions will have the opportunity to organise short blended intensive programmes of learning, teaching and training for students and staff. During these blended intensive programmes, groups of students and/or staff as learners will undertake a short-term physical mobility abroad combined with a compulsory virtual component facilitating collaborative online learning exchange and teamwork. The virtual component must bring the learners together online to work collectively and simultaneously on specific assignments that are integrated in the blended intensive programme and count towards the overall learning outcomes.

In addition, blended intensive programmes can be open to student and staff from HEIs, including local students and local staff. Blended intensive programmes build capacity for developing and implementing innovative teaching and learning practices in the participating HEIs.

International mobility involving third countries not associated to the Programme

The primary focus of the higher education mobility action is to support mobility activities among EU Member States and third countries associated to the Programme – the European dimension. In addition, the action supports the international dimension through two strands of mobility activities involving third countries not associated to the Programme across the whole world. One strand supports mobility to all third countries not associated to the Programme (regions 1-14 5 ) and is funded by EU internal policy funds 6 . Another strand supports mobility to and from third countries not associated to the Programme (with the exception of regions 13 and 14) and is funded by EU external action instruments (see section on " eligible countries " in Part A of this Guide).

The two strands of international mobility pursue different, yet complementary objectives, reflecting the policy priorities of the respective funding sources:

International outgoing mobility supported by internal policy funds

The priority focus is on the development of forward-looking and other relevant skills of students and staff from HEIs located in the EU Member States and third countries associated to the Programme. International mobility activities to any non-associated country are financed from the grant awarded to mobility projects. Grant beneficiaries may use up to 20% of the last awarded project grant for outgoing mobility to non-associated countries all over the world (Regions 1-14). These opportunities are intended to encourage an organisation in an EU Member State or third country associated to the Programme to develop outgoing mobility activities with several third countries not associated to the Programme, and are expected to cover the widest possible geographic scope.

International outgoing and incoming mobility supported by external policy funds

This action follows the EU's external policy priorities; and as such, a number of targets and rules for cooperation are set with the twelve eligible regions (1-12), which are detailed hereafter in the section "additional information for mobility projects supported by external policy funds”.

International mobility activities described in this action, unless stated otherwise, are applicable to both strands.

What are the criteria used to apply for and implement a mobility project?

General eligibility criteria address general requirements at project level, whereas the specific criteria listed in the following sections address the requirements for the implementation of specific activities.

General Eligibility Criteria of mobility projects

In order to be eligible for an Erasmus+ grant an applicant must comply with the following criteria:

Eligible activities

Higher education institutions (HEIs) may implement one or more of the following activities:

Student mobility for traineeships

Staff mobility for teaching

Staff mobility for training

Blended intensive programmes (not for mobility projects supported by external policy funds)

Eligible mobility activity flows:

For mobility projects supported by internal policy funds: from EU Member States and third countries associated to the Programme to any country in the world (EU Member States and third countries associated to the Programme and third countries not associated to the Programme from the Regions 1-14).
For mobility projects supported by external policy funds: between EU Member States or third countries associated to the Programme and third countries not associated to the Programme (excluding the Regions 13 and 14).

Organisations with the following accreditation may apply for a grant:

For an application as an individual HEI: higher education institutions established in an EU Member State or third country associated to the Programme and awarded with an Erasmus Charter for Higher Education (ECHE).
For an application as a mobility consortium: coordinating organisations established in an EU Member State or third country associated to the Programme and coordinating a consortium awarded with an Erasmus accreditation for higher education mobility consortia. Organisations that do not hold a valid consortium accreditation can apply for this accreditation on behalf of a mobility consortium during the same call as when applying for a mobility project grant or a previous call. All the involved higher education institutions from EU Member States and third countries associated to the Programme must hold an Erasmus Charter for Higher Education (ECHE). These organisations will be eligible for a mobility project only if their application for the consortium accreditation is successful.

Higher education students and staff cannot apply directly for a grant; the selection criteria for participation in the mobility activities and in blended intensive programmes are defined by the higher education institution in which they study or are employed.

Eligible countries

For participation in activities:

any EU Member State or third country associated to the Programme
any third country not associated to the Programme (for possible conditions in mobility projects supported by external policy funds please see the section “Additional information for mobility projects supported by external policy funds” of this action and “Eligible countries” in Part A)

The number of organisations in the application form is one (the applicant). It is either an individual HEI or a mobility consortium coordinator established in an EU Member State or third country associated to the Programme.

During the implementation of the mobility project, a minimum of two organisations (at least one sending and at least one receiving organisation) must be involved. For mobility projects supported by external policy funds, minimum one organisation from a non-associated third country must be involved.

For blended intensive programmes in mobility projects supported by internal policy funds: in addition to the applicant (applicant HEI or a HEI in an applicant mobility consortium), at least two HEIs from two other EU Member States and third countries associated to the Programme have to be involved in the organisation of the blended intensive programme during implementation.

Duration of project

Mobility projects supported by internal policy funds: 26 months

Mobility projects supported by external policy funds: 24 or 36 months

Applicants have to submit their grant application by 20 February at 12:00:00 (midday Brussels time) both for projects funded with internal policy funds starting on 1 June of the same year and for projects funded with external actions instruments starting on 1 August of the same year.

Other criteria needed

A HEI may apply for grants to its National Agency via two different channels:

directly as an individual HEI,
via a national mobility consortium of which it is a coordinator/member.

A HEI can apply only once per selection round for a mobility project as individual HEI and/or as the coordinating HEI of a given consortium. However, a HEI may be part of or coordinate several different mobility consortia applying at the same time.

Both channels (individual application and consortium application) may be used simultaneously. However, the HEI remains responsible of preventing double funding of a participant when the two channels are used in the same academic year.

The mobility project should implement the European Student Card Initiative to facilitate the online management of the mobility cycle and other more environmentally friendly and inclusive approaches in line with the Erasmus Charter for Higher Education (ECHE) and the ECHE guidelines.

In addition to the eligibility criteria indicated above, applicants will be assessed against the relevant eligibility criteria indicated in the following section and against the relevant exclusion, selection and award criteria . For more information please consult Part C of this Guide .

Specific eligibility criteria for student mobility

See eligible activities under General Eligibility of Mobility Projects.

Student mobility for studies:

All participating organisations from EU Member States or third countries associated to the Programme (both sending and receiving) must be higher education institutions (HEIs) awarded with an ECHE. All receiving organisations from third countries not associated to the Programme (both sending and receiving) must be HEIs recognised by competent authorities and have signed inter-institutional agreements with their partners from EU Member States or third countries associated to the Programme, before the mobility takes place.

Student mobility for traineeships:

The sending organisation must be a HEI from an EU Member State or third country associated to the Programme awarded with an ECHE or a HEI from a not associated third country recognised by competent authorities that has signed inter-institutional agreements with their partners from EU Member States or third countries associated to the Programme before the mobility takes place.

In case of student mobility for traineeships the receiving organisation can be 7 :

a public or private, a small, medium or large enterprise (including social enterprises);
a public body at local, regional or national level;
embassies or consular offices of the sending EU Member State or third country associated to the Programme;
a social partner or other representative of working life, including chambers of commerce, craft/professional associations and trade unions;
a research institute;
a foundation;
a school/institute/educational centre (at any level, from pre-school to upper secondary education, and including vocational education and adult education);
a non-profit organisation, association, NGO;
a body providing career guidance, professional counselling and information services;
a HEI from an EU Member State or third country associated to the Programme awarded with an ECHE, or a HEI from a third country not associated to the Programme recognised by competent authorities that has signed inter-institutional agreements with their partners from an EU Member State or third country associated to the Programme, before the mobility takes place.

Duration of the activity

Student mobility for studies : from 2 months (or one academic term or trimester) to 12 months of physical mobility. This can include a complementary traineeship period, if planned, and may be organised in different ways depending on the context: either one activity after the other or both at the same time. The combination follows the funding rules and minimum duration of study mobility, excluding travel time.

Student mobility for traineeships : from 2 to 12 months of physical mobility, excluding travel time.

Any student, in particular those who are not able to participate in a long-term physical mobility for studies or for traineeships, for example, due to their study field or because they have fewer opportunities for participation, may combine a shorter physical mobility with a virtual component (blended short-term mobility). In addition, any student may participate in blended intensive programmes. In these cases, physical mobility must last between 5 days and 30 days (excluding travel time) and be combined with a compulsory virtual component facilitating collaborative online learning exchange and teamwork. A blended mobility for studies must award a minimum of 3 ECTS credits.

Mobility for studies and/or traineeships for doctoral candidates : from 5 to 30 days or from 2 to 12 months of physical mobility (a study mobility may include a complementary traineeship period, if planned), excluding travel time.

Total eligible duration per study cycle:

The same student may participate in mobility periods totalling up to 12 months 8 of physical mobility maximum per each cycle of study 9 , independently of the number and type of mobility activities:

during the first study cycle (Bachelor or equivalent) including the short-cycle (EQF levels 5 and 6);
during the second study cycle (Master or equivalent - EQF level 7); and
during the third cycle as doctoral candidate (doctoral level or EQF level 8).

The duration of a traineeship by recent graduates counts towards the 12 months maximum of the cycle during which they apply for the traineeship.

The physical mobility period may be interrupted. The interruption period does not count towards the duration of the mobility activity.

For traineeships, an enterprise/organisation holiday is not considered as an interruption period. The grant is maintained during that holiday. The holiday period counts towards the minimum duration of a traineeship period.

Venue(s) of the activity

Students must carry out their physical mobility activity in an EU Member State or third countries associated to the Programme or a third country not associated to the Programme different from the country of the sending organisation and the country where the student has his/her accommodation during their studies 10 .

Eligible participants

Students registered in a HEI and enrolled in studies leading to a recognised degree, including double/joint degrees 11 , or another recognised tertiary level qualification (up to and including the level of doctorate). In case of doctoral mobility, the participant must be at EQF level 8.

Recent higher education graduates may participate in a mobility for traineeships. The beneficiary organisation may opt out of recent graduate traineeships. Recent graduates must be selected by their HEI during their last year of study, and must carry out and complete their traineeship abroad within one year of obtaining their graduation 12 .

Other criteria

Student mobility can be in any study field. Student mobility can be a study period combined with a short traineeship (of less than 2 months) while being considered as an overall study period. The student, the sending and the receiving organisation must sign a learning agreement.

The study period abroad must be part of the student’s study programme to complete a degree. Wherever possible, the traineeships should be an integrated part of the student’s study programme.

Following courses at a higher education institution cannot be considered as a traineeship.

In case of blended student mobility the activities may include participation in courses offered in a blended learning format at any partner HEI, online training and work assignments or participation in blended intensive programmes.

Regarding international mobility, see section on “International mobility involving third countries not associated to the Programme”.

Specific Eligibility Criteria for Staff Mobility

The sending organisation must be:

a HEI from an EU Member State or third country associated to the Programme awarded with an ECHE, or
a HEI from a third country not associated to the Programme recognised by competent authorities that has signed inter-institutional agreements with their partners from an EU Member State or third country associated to the Programme, or
a body providing career guidance, professional counselling and information services.

The receiving organisation must be a HEI from an EU Member State or third country associated to the Programme awarded with an ECHE or a HEI from a third country not associated to the Programme recognised by competent authorities and having signed an inter-institutional agreement with the partner from an EU Member State or third country associated to the Programme before the mobility takes place.

The sending organisation must be a HEI from an EU Member State or third country associated to the Programme awarded with an ECHE, or a HEI from a third country not associated to the Programme recognised by competent authorities that has signed inter-institutional agreements with their partners from an EU Member State or third country associated to the Programme, before the mobility takes place.

The receiving organisation must be:

A HEI from a EU Member State or third country associated to the Programme awarded with an ECHE, or a HEI from a third country not associated to the Programme recognised by competent authorities that has signed inter-institutional agreements with their partners from an EU Member State or third country associated to the Programme before the mobility takes place, or
any public or private organisation from EU Member States and third countries associated to the Programme (or from third countries not associated to the Programme, if the mobility project is funded with internal policy funds) active in the labour market or in the fields of education, training, youth research and innovation.

Duration of the mobility activity

Staff mobility for teaching and training.

The duration of mobility among EU Member States and countries associated to the Programme must be from 2 to 60 days of physical mobility, excluding travel time. In the case of invited staff from enterprises, the minimum duration is 1 day of physical mobility.

In case of mobility involving third countries not associated to the Programme, the duration must be from 5 to 60 days, excluding travel time. The same applies for invited staff from enterprises.

In all cases, the minimum number of days must be consecutive.

A teaching activity has to comprise a minimum of 8 hours of teaching per week (or any other period of stay shorter than a week). If the mobility lasts longer than one week, the minimum number of teaching hours for an incomplete week should be proportional to the duration of that week. The following exceptions apply:

There is no minimum number of teaching hours for invited staff from enterprises.
If the teaching activity is combined with a training activity during a single period abroad, the minimum number of hours of teaching per week (or any other period of stay shorter than a week) is reduced to 4 hours.

Any staff may participate in blended intensive programmes. In the case of staff mobility for training to a blended intensive programme, physical mobility must last between 5 and 30 days (excluding travel time) and be combined with a compulsory virtual component facilitating collaborative online learning exchange and teamwork. For staff mobility for teaching to a blended intensive programme supported by internal policy funds, physical mobility must last between 2 and 30 days (excluding travel time), or minimum 1 day for invited staff from enterprises, and the virtual component is optional.

Staff must carry out their physical mobility activity in any EU Member State or third country associated to the Programme or third country not associated to the Programme different from the country of the sending organisation and the staff country of residence 13 .

Staff working at a HEI in an EU Member State or third country associated to the Programme or third country not associated to the Programme.

Staff from any enterprise from any country, working in a public or private organisation (which is not a HEI holding an ECHE), active in the labour market or in the fields of education, training and youth, research and innovation and are invited to teach at a HEI in any country (including employed doctoral candidates).

Staff mobility can be a teaching period combined with a training period while being considered as an overall teaching period. A teaching or training mobility can take place in more than one receiving organisation in the same country, while being considered as one teaching or training period with the minimum duration of stay applying.

Teaching mobility can be in any study field.

Teaching mobility may include providing training for the development of the partner HEI.

The staff member, the sending and the receiving organisation must sign a mobility agreement.

Regarding international mobility, see “International mobility involving third countries not associated to the Programme”.

Specific eligibility criteria for blended intensive programmes

A blended intensive programme has to be developed and implemented by at least 3 higher education institutions (HEIs) coming from at least 3 EU Member States and third countries associated to the Programme.

In addition, any other HEI or organisation located in an EU Member State, third country associated to the Programme or third countries not associated to the Programme may participate in order to send participants.

The HEIs sending students and staff to participate as learners in blended intensive programmes must be HEIs from an EU Member State or third country associated to the Programme awarded with an ECHE or a HEI from a third country not associated to the Programme recognised by competent authorities that has signed inter-institutional agreements with their partners from an EU Member State or third country associated to the Programme, before the mobility takes place.

For teaching and training staff involved in the delivery of the programme, it can be any organisation from an EU Member State or third country associated to the Programme or from a third country not associated to the Programme (see eligible participants).

Participants can be sent with Erasmus+ funding or take part at their own costs. HEIs from third countries not associated to the Programme may send participants with Erasmus+, if the receiving institution has, in parallel, a mobility project funded with external policy funds funding incoming students and staff from these countries. These participants from third countries not associated to the Programme do not count towards the minimum requirements.

The receiving HEI must be awarded with the ECHE. The receiving HEI can be the same as or different from the coordinating HEI. Other organisations may also co-host participants in the receiving country during part of the physical activity.

The coordinating HEI must also be awarded with an ECHE. The coordinating/receiving HEI is either the applicant HEI or a HEI member of the applicant mobility consortium for a mobility project funded with internal policy funds.

The duration of the physical component of a blended intensive programme must be between 5 and 30 days for learners. No eligibility criteria is set for the duration of the virtual component but the combined virtual and physical components must award a minimum of 3 ECTS credits for students.

The physical activity can take place at the receiving HEI or at any other venue in the country of the receiving HEI.

Students registered in a HEI in an EU Member State or a third country associated to the Programme or a third country not associated to the Programme, and enrolled in studies leading to a recognised degree or another recognised tertiary level qualification (up to and including the level of doctorate).

Staff working at a HEI in an EU Member State or third country associated to the Programme or a third country not associated to the Programme.

Teaching and training staff involved in the delivery of the programme

Staff working at a HEI in an EU Member State, third country associated to the Programme or third countries not associated to the Programme.
Staff invited to teach at a HEI: coming from any public or private enterprise/organisation (with the exception of HEIs awarded with an ECHE); the enterprise/organisation should come from an EU Member State, third country associated to the Programme or third countries not associated to the Programme active in the labour market or in the fields of education, training and youth, research and innovation; employed doctoral candidates also count as eligible under this action.

Blended intensive programmes for students and staff must comprise a short-term physical mobility abroad combined with a compulsory virtual component facilitating a collaborative online learning exchange and teamwork. The virtual component must bring the learners together online to work collectively and simultaneously on specific assignments that are integrated in the blended intensive programme and count towards the overall learning outcomes.

Blended intensive programmes have to award at least 3 ECTS credits for students.

To be eligible for organisational support, a blended intensive programme needs to involve a minimum of 10 Erasmus+ mobile learners supported by internal policy funds (not including teaching/training staff involved in the delivery of the programme). These 10 mobile learners must be undertaking their mobility specifically to attend the blended intensive programme through either one of the following Erasmus+ mobility activities: blended short-term student mobility for studies or blended staff mobility for training.

The individual support and, when applicable, travel support to participants for the physical activity is provided by the sending HEI (and the receiving HEI in the case of invited staff from enterprises and participants from third countries not associated to the programme funded with external action instruments).

Additional information for mobility projects supported by external policy funds

The funds available for mobility projects supported by external policy funds are divided between different regions of the world in 12 budgetary envelopes and the size of each budgetary envelope is different according to EU external policy priorities. Further information on the amounts available under each budgetary envelope will be published on the National Agencies' websites.

The EU has set a number of indicative targets regarding geographical balance and priorities that have to be attained at European level over the whole duration of the programme (2021-2027), including cooperation with least developed countries. These indicative targets and priorities do not have to be attained by individual higher education institutions, but National Agencies will take them into account in order to allocate the available budget. These are the targets set for mobility projects supported by external policy funds as a whole at the level of the EU Member States and countries associated to the Programme by call 2027:

A minimum of 25% of the budget should be spent on mobility with the least developed countries (LDCs) of the region;
No more than 25% of the budget should be spent on mobility with the High Income Countries (HICs) of the region;
No more than 15% of the budget should be spent on mobility with China;
No more than 10% of the budget should be spent on mobility with India.
No more than 86.5 % of the budget should be spent on mobility with Australia and New Zealand together.
A minimum of 35% of the budget should be spent on mobility with the least developed countries (LDCs) of the region, with a special emphasis on migration priority countries;
no more than 8% of the budget should be spent on mobility with any country.
No more than 30 % of the budget should be spent on mobility with Brazil and Mexico together.
A minimum of 40% of the budget should be allocated to students with fewer opportunities.
No more than 15% of the budget should be spent on mobility with any country;
A minimum of 65% of the funds should be allocated to students, 50% of whom should be with fewer opportunities.
Western Balkans: emphasis should be on student mobility.

Due to the requirement to contribute to the objectives of the EU external action, mobilities for short-, first- and second cycle students carried out with countries eligible for official development assistance (ODA) 14 in regions 2-11 are limited to incoming mobility from third countries not associated to the Programme. Outgoing mobility towards these regions is only available for students at doctoral level and for staff.

If the applicant has been awarded a mobility project supported by internal policy funds, the aforementioned non-eligible international outgoing mobility flows to these regions may be funded in a complementary way by this mobility project supported by internal policy funds.

Finally, higher education institutions can to apply for 100% staff mobility or 100% student mobility or any combination thereof, provided this complies with any additional eligibility criteria for projects set by the National Agency (see next section below).

Additional eligibility criteria for mobility projects supported by external policy funds set by National Agencies

Where the budget envelope for a particular partner region is limited, a National Agency may choose to add one or more eligibility criteria from the list below:

Limiting the degree level for participants (for example limiting applications to one or two cycles only – bachelor, master or doctoral level);
Limiting the type of participants to staff or students only;
Limiting the duration of mobility periods (for example limiting student mobility to 6 months, or limiting staff mobility to 10 days).

In the event that a National Agency decides to use these additional eligibility criteria for the projects, this decision will be communicated in advance of the applications submission deadline, in particular on the National Agency’s website.

Award criteria for mobility projects supported by internal policy funds

There is no qualitative assessment (the quality has been assessed at the ECHE application stage or when selecting a mobility consortium accreditation) and therefore there are no award criteria.

Any eligible grant application (after having passed the eligibility check) will get funding.

The maximum grant amount awarded will depend on a number of elements:

the number of mobilities applied for;
the past performance of the applicant in terms of number of mobilities, good quality in the implementation of activities and sound financial management, in case the applicant has received a similar grant in previous years;
the number of blended intensive programmes applied for;
the total national budget allocated for the mobility action for mobility projects supported by internal policy funds.

Award criteria for mobility projects supported by the external policy funds

Eligible grant applications (after having passed the eligibility check) will be assessed on the basis of the following award criteria:

Project-level award criterion: Quality of the project design and cooperation arrangements - (maximum 40 points)

The extent to which the applicant organisation describes with clarity the responsibilities, roles and tasks between partners.
The completeness and quality of arrangements for the selection of participants, the support provided to them and the recognition of their mobility period (in particular in the third country not associated to the Programme).

Region-level award criterion: Relevance of the strategy - (maximum 40 points)

For each regional partnership:

The extent to which the planned mobility project is relevant to the internationalisation strategy of the higher education institutions involved.
The rationale for choosing staff and/ or student mobility.
The rationale for targeting cooperation with higher education institutions/organisations in specific countries in the partner region.

Region-level award criterion: Impact and dissemination - (maximum 20 points)

The potential impact of the project on participants, applicants, partner organisations, at local, regional and national levels
The quality of measures aimed at disseminating the results of the mobility project at faculty and institution levels, and beyond where applicable, in all countries involved.

The applicant will explain how the project meets these three criteria from the point of view of its own institution (or institutions in the case of applications submitted by consortia) and that of the partner institutions in the third countries not associated to the Programme. The question corresponding to the award criterion "Quality of the project design and cooperation arrangements" must be answered once for the whole project proposal, while the questions corresponding to the award criteria "Relevance of the strategy" and "Impact and dissemination" must be answered once for every region the applicant is planning to involve in the project.

The applicants should cluster their proposal in “regional partnerships”, i.e. regrouping all activities involving countries of the same region. Each regional partnership will be scored separately. Only regional partnerships scoring at least 60 points, while meeting a 50% threshold per each award criterion presented in the table, will be considered for funding.

The total grant awarded to the project will be a sum of the grants awarded to the regional partnerships that have secured the minimum quality threshold, depending on a number of elements:

The grant awarded to a higher education institution will depend on a number of elements:

the number of participants and the activity duration applied for;
the budget allocated per country or region;
the geographical balance within a given region.

Regardless of a regional partnership's score above the indicated threshold, the National Agency may prioritise mobilities with certain countries to ensure geographical balance within that region, as defined by the geographical targets mentioned above.

The National Agency is not obliged to fund all the mobilities requested for a particular third country not associated to the Programme, if the request is considered excessive with respect to the budget available.

A) Funding rules applying to all mobility activities

Budget category - organisational support, eligible costs and applicable rules.

Costs directly linked to the implementation of mobility activities (excluding subsistence and travel for participants).

Financing mechanism : contribution to unit costs.

Rule of allocation : based on the number of mobility participants.

For mobility projects supported by internal policy funds:

Up to the 100th participant: 400 EUR per participant, and beyond the 100th participant: 230 EUR per additional participant

For mobility projects supported by external policy funds:

500 EUR per participant

Budget category - Travel support

Contribution to the travel costs of participants, from their place of origin to the venue of the activity and return.

Below 500 KM, participants will, as a general rule, travel with low-emissions means of transport.

Financing mechanism : contribution to unit costs

Rule of allocation : based on the travel distance per participant. The applicant must indicate the distance between the place of origin and the venue of the activity 15 by using the distance calculator supported by the European Commission.

If necessary, individual support to cover subsistence costs are eligible for travel time before and after the activity, with a maximum of two travel days for participants and accompanying persons receiving non-green travel support, and a maximum of six travel days in case of green travel support.

If duly justified, National Agencies in agreement with their National Authorities 16 may opt out from providing travel support for long-term intra-European student mobility in mobility projects supported by internal policy funds (i.e., long-term student mobility to EU Member States and third countries associated to the Programme or to third countries not associated to the Programme from Regions 13 or 14).

- students and recent graduates studying or having studied in higher education institutions located in outermost regions of EU Member States, Cyprus, Iceland, Malta, and Overseas Countries and Territories (OCTs) associated to EU Member States and who are going to EU Member States and third countries associated to the Programme or third countries not associated to the Programme from Regions 13 or 14;

- students and recent graduates with fewer opportunities on short-term mobility; and

- outgoing and incoming students and recent graduates in international mobility involving third countries not associated to the Programme, except Regions 13 and 14.

- In mobility projects supported by internal policy funds, grant beneficiaries may opt out of providing travel support for all eligible students and recent graduates on mobility from EU Member States and third countries associated to the Programme to third countries not associated to the Programme. Students and recent graduates with fewer opportunities are not included in this opt-out and must always receive travel support .

Budget category - Inclusion support

Inclusion support for organisations: Costs related to the organisation of mobility activities for participants with fewer opportunities requiring additional support based on real costs.

Rule of allocation : based on the number of participants with fewer opportunities receiving additional support based on real costs through the inclusion support category.

125 EUR per participant

Inclusion support for participants: Additional costs directly related to participants with fewer opportunities, which cannot be covered through the top-up amount for individual support for participants with fewer opportunities. In particular these costs aim at covering the extra financial support required for participants with physical, mental or health related conditions to allow their participation in the mobility as well as in preparatory visits and for accompanying persons (including costs related to travel and subsistence, if justified and as long as it is not covered through budget categories "travel support" and "individual support" for these participants). 17

Financing mechanism : real costs.

Rule of allocation : the request must be justified by the applicant and approved by the National Agency.

100% of eligible costs

Budget category - Exceptional costs

Costs for providing a financial guarantee, if the National Agency asks for it.

In the case of a mobility project funded with internal policy funds: Expensive travel costs of participants eligible for travel support.

Rule of allocation : the request must be justified by the applicant and approved by the National Agency

Costs for financial guarantee : 80% of eligible costs

Expensive travel costs : 80% of eligible travel costs

Organisational support grant for the beneficiary (higher education institutions or consortia)

The organisational support linked to the mobilities is a contribution to any cost incurred by the institutions in relation to activities in support of student and staff mobility, both inbound and outbound, to comply with the Erasmus Charter for Higher Education in EU Member States and third countries associated to the Programme, and with the principles of the ECHE as reflected in the inter institutional agreements agreed in the case of institutions from third countries not associated to the Programme. For example:

organisational arrangements with partner institutions, including visits to potential partners, to agree on the terms of the inter-institutional agreements for the selection, preparation, reception and integration of mobile participants; and to keep these inter-institutional agreements updated;
provide updated course catalogues for international students;
provide information and assistance to students and staff;
selection of students and staff;
preparation of the learning agreements to ensure full recognition of the students’ educational components; preparation and recognition of mobility agreements for staff;
linguistic and intercultural preparation provided to both incoming and outbound students and staff, complementary to the Erasmus+ Online Language Support;
facilitate the integration of incoming mobile participants in the HEI;
ensure an efficient mentoring and supervision arrangements of mobile participants;
specific arrangements to ensure the quality of student traineeships in receiving enterprises/organisations;
ensure recognition of the educational components and related credits, issuing transcript of records and diploma supplements;
support the reintegration of mobile participants and build on their acquired new competences for the benefit of the HEI and peers;
implement the European Student Card Initiative (digitalisation of mobility management);
promote environmentally friendly ways of mobility and greening of administrative procedures;
promote and manage the participation of individuals with fewer opportunities;
identify and promote civic engagement activities and monitor participation in such activities;
promote and manage blended and/or international mobility.

Higher education institutions commit themselves to comply with all the principles of the Charter to ensure mobility of high quality, including these ones: "ensure that outgoing mobile participants are well prepared for their activities abroad, including blended mobility, by undertaking activities to achieve the necessary level of linguistic proficiency and develop their intercultural competences” and "provide appropriate language support to incoming mobile participants". Advantages can be taken of existing facilities within the institutions for language training. Those HEIs which would be able to provide student and staff mobility of high quality, including language support, at a lower cost (or because it is funded under other sources than EU funding) would have the possibility to transfer a share of the organisational support grant to fund more mobility activities. The grant agreement specifies the level of flexibility in this regard.

In all cases, beneficiaries will be contractually obliged to deliver such high quality services and their performance will be monitored and checked by National Agencies, taking into account also the participant reports provided by students and staff and directly accessible to the National Agencies and the Commission.

The organisational support is calculated on the number of all supported mobile participants (including mobile participants with a zero-grant from Erasmus+ funds for the entire mobility period – see below on zero grant mobilities – and staff from enterprises teaching at a HEI). Mobile participants with a zero-grant from Erasmus+ funds for the entire mobility period count as supported mobile participant, as they benefit from the mobility framework and organisational activities. Organisational support is therefore also paid for these participants. This excludes persons accompanying participants during their activity abroad.The organisational support calculation does not automatically increase when additional mobilities are organised by transferring funds between budget categories.

In the case of mobility consortia, the organisational support received can be shared among all the members according to rules that they will have agreed among themselves.

For mobility projects supported by external policy funds, the organisational support grant will be shared by the partners concerned on a mutually acceptable basis decided upon by the participating institutions.

Mobile participants with a zero-grant from EU Erasmus+ funds

Students and staff with a zero-grant from EU Erasmus+ funds are mobile participants that do not receive an Erasmus+ grant related to travel and subsistence, but they otherwise fulfil all student and staff mobility criteria and benefit from all advantages of being Erasmus+ student and staff. They may receive a non-Erasmus+ EU fund (ESF, etc.), or national, regional or other type of grant to contribute to their mobility costs. The number of mobile participants with a zero-grant from EU Erasmus+ funds for the entire mobility period counts in the statistics for the performance indicator used to allocate the EU budget between the countries. Participants with fewer opportunities cannot be participants with a zero-grant.

Inclusion support

A person with fewer opportunities faces personal, physical, mental or health-related conditions that make participation in the project/mobility action not possible without extra financial or other support. Higher education institutions that have selected students and/or staff with fewer opportunities can apply for additional grant support to the National Agency in order to cover the supplementary costs for their participation in the mobility activities. For participants with fewer opportunities, in particular those with physical, mental or health-related conditions, the grant support may therefore be higher than the maximum individual grant amount set out below. Higher education institutions will describe on their website how students and staff with fewer opportunities can request and justify such additional grant support.

Extra funding for students and staff with fewer opportunities may be provided also from other sources at local, regional and/or national level.

Each higher education institution, by signing the Erasmus Charter for Higher Education, commits to ensuring equal access and opportunities to participants from all backgrounds. Therefore, students and staff with fewer opportunities can benefit from the support services that the receiving institution offers to its local students and staff.

Exceptional costs for expensive travel

Only participants eligible for travel support participating in mobility projects supported by internal policy funds are eligible for exceptional costs for expensive travel.

Beneficiaries of mobility projects will be allowed to claim financial support for expensive travel costs of participants under the budget heading "exceptional costs" (80% of total eligible costs). This will be allowed provided that beneficiaries can justify that the funding rules (based on unit costs per travel distance band) do not cover at least 70% of the travel costs of participants. If awarded, the exceptional costs for expensive travel replace travel support.

Other sources of funding

Students and staff may receive, on top of the Erasmus+ grant, or in replacement of the Erasmus+ grant (mobile participants with a zero-grant from EU funds), regional, national or any other type of grant, managed by another organisation than the National Agency (e.g. Ministry or regional authorities). Erasmus+ grants may also be replaced by other funds from the EU budget (ESF, etc.). Grants provided by other sources of funding than the EU budget are not subject to the amounts and min/max ranges set in this document.

Receiving organisations for traineeships may provide financial support or contribution in kind to the trainees.

B) Grant support for the mobility of students

Individual support for physical mobility – base amounts for long-term mobility.

Students may receive an individual support grant as a contribution to their additional costs for travel and subsistence related to their period of study or traineeship abroad.

For mobility between EU Member States and third countries associated to the Programme and to third countries not associated to the Programme from Regions 13 and 14, the monthly amounts will be defined by the National Agencies in agreement with National Authorities, and/or the HEIs on the basis of objective and transparent criteria as described below. The exact amounts will be published on the websites of National Agencies and of HEIs.

EU Member States and third countries associated to the Programme and and third countries not associated to the Programme from Regions 13 and 14 18 are divided into the three following groups:

Group 1 - Countries with higher living costs

Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden.

Third countries not associated to the Programme from Regions 13 and 14.

Group 2 - Countries with medium living costs

Cyprus, Czechia, Estonia, Greece, Latvia, Malta, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain.

Third countries not associated to the Programme from Region 13.

Group 3 - Countries with lower living costs

Bulgaria, Croatia, Hungary, Lithuania, North Macedonia, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Türkiye.

The EU Erasmus+ individual support grant provided to students will depend on their mobility flow between the sending and receiving countries of the student, as follows:

mobility towards a country with similar living costs: students will receive the medium range EU grant;
mobility towards a country with higher living costs: students will receive the higher range EU grant;
mobility towards a country with lower living costs: students will receive the lower range EU grant.

The amounts defined by National Agencies will be set within the following minimum and maximum ranges

Medium range EU grant : a medium range, between 292 and 606 EUR per month, will apply to mobility activities towards a country of similar living costs: a) from Group 1 to Group 1, b) from Group 2 to Group 2 and c) from Group 3 to Group 3.

Higher range EU grant : corresponds to the medium range applied by the National Agency plus at least 50 EUR and between 348 and 674 EUR per month. It applies to mobility activities towards a country of higher living costs: a) from Group 2 to Group 1 countries and b) from Group 3 to Group 1 and 2 countries.

Lower range EU grant : corresponds to the medium range applied by the National Agency minus at least 50 EUR and between 225 and 550 EUR per month. It applies to mobility activities towards a country of lower living costs: a) Group 1 to Group 2 and 3 countries and b) from Group 2 to Group 3.

When defining the amounts to be applied by beneficiaries in their country, National Agencies will consider two specific criteria:

the availability and the level of other sources of co-financing from private or public bodies at local, regional or national level to complement the EU grant;
the general level of demand of students who intend to study or receive training abroad.

For mobility activities between EU Member States and third countries associated to the Programme and to third countries not associated to the Programme from Regions 13 and 14, National Agencies may decide to grant flexibility to their higher education institutions by fixing ranges instead of amounts at national level. This should be based on justified grounds, for example in countries where co-financing is available at regional or institutional level.

Students and recent graduates with fewer opportunities - top-up amount to the individual support for long-term mobility

Students and recent graduates with fewer opportunities receive a top-up amount to the individual support of their EU Erasmus+ grant with an amount of 250 EUR per month. The criteria to be applied are defined at national level by the National Agencies in agreement with National Authorities.

Students and recent graduates on traineeships - top-up amount to the individual support for long-term mobility

Students and recent graduates carrying out traineeships receive a top-up amount to the individual support of their EU Erasmus+ grant with an amount of 150 EUR per month. Students and recent graduates with fewer opportunities who take part in traineeships are entitled to receive the top-up amount for students and recent graduates with fewer opportunities and the top-up amount for traineeships.

Students and recent graduates from outermost regions and OCTs on long-term mobility

Considering the constraints imposed by the remoteness from other EU Member States and third countries associated to the Programme and the economic level, students and recent graduates studying or having studied in higher education institutions located in outermost regions of EU Member States, and Overseas Countries and Territories (OCTs) associated to EU Member States will receive the following higher amounts for individual support

The top-up amounts for students and recent graduates with fewer opportunities and for traineeships will not apply in this case.

Students and recent graduates on international long-term mobility involving third countries not associated to the Programme

The base amounts for individual support is set as follows:

The top-up amount for students and recent graduates with fewer opportunities will apply in this case.

The top-up amount for traineeships will apply only in the case of mobility to third countries not associated to the Programme from Regions 13 and 14.

The EU Member States and third countries associated to the Programme include outermost regions and OCTs.

Students and recent graduates on short-term physical mobility - base amounts of individual support (blended mobility and doctoral short-term mobility)

The base amounts of individual support are set as follows:

The top-up amount for traineeships will not apply in this case.

Students and recent graduates with fewer opportunities - top-up amount to the individual support for short-term physical mobility

Students and recent graduates with fewer opportunities receive a top-up amount to the individual support of their EU Erasmus+ grant of an amount of 100 EUR for a physical mobility activity period of 5-14 days and 150 EUR for the one of 15-30 days. The criteria to be applied are defined at national level by the National Agencies in agreement with National Authorities.

C) Grant support for the mobility of staff

Staff will receive an EU contribution to their costs for subsistence during the period abroad as follows:

Budget category - Individual support

Costs directly linked to the subsistence of participants during the activity.

Rule of allocation : based on the duration of the stay per participant.

Up to the 14th day of activity: table A1.1, per day per participant from EU Member States and third countries associated to the programme or table A1.2, per day per participant from third countries not associated to the programme

between the 15th and 60th day of activity: 70% of table A1.1, per day per participant from EU Member States and third countries associated to the programme or 70% of table A1.2, per day per participant from third countries not associated to the programme

Table A – Individual support (amounts in euro per day)

The amounts depend on the receiving country. These amounts will be set within the minimum and maximum ranges provided in the table below. When defining the amounts to be applied by beneficiaries in their country, National Agencies, in agreement with National Authorities, will consider two specific criteria:

the general level of demand of staff who intend to teach or receive training abroad.

The same percentage within the range should be applied to all destination countries. It is not possible to give the same amount for all destination countries.

D) Level of financial support for students and staff defined by higher education institutions and mobility consortia

In all cases, HEIs and mobility consortia will be required to respect the following principles and criteria when defining and/or applying the EU rates within their institution:

Once the rates have been defined by the institutions/consortia, they shall remain the same throughout the duration of the mobility project. It is not possible to decrease or increase the level of grants within the same project.
The rates must be defined and/or applied in an objective and transparent manner, taking into account all the principles and the methodology described above (i.e. considering the mobility flow as well as the additional specific funding).
The same level of grant must be given to all students going to the same group of countries for the same type of mobility – studies or traineeships (except for students and recent graduates with fewer opportunities or from outermost regions and OCTs).

E) Blended intensive programmes

Budget category - organisational support.

Costs directly linked to the organisation of the intensive programmes (excluding subsistence and travel for participants).

Rule of allocation : based on the number of higher education (mobile learners) funded from mobility projects supported by internal policy funds, not taking into account teachers/trainers involved in the delivery of the programme.

The coordinating higher education institution applies for the organisation support on behalf of the group of institutions jointly organising the blended intensive programme.

400 EUR per participant, with a minimum of 10 and a maximum of 20 funded Erasmus+ mobile learners.

The organisational support grant for blended intensive programmes is a contribution to any cost incurred by the institutions involved in relation to the organisation of the blended intensive programmes, such as costs related to the preparation, design, development, implementation and follow-up of the programmes, including the delivery of physical and virtual/remote activities as well as the overall management and coordination.

The coordinating HEI is responsible for sharing the organisational support grant for blended intensive programmes among the partnership where the above-mentioned costs are incurred.

With the exception of higher education institutions from Western Balkans third countries not associated to the programme, for the purpose of the Call for Proposals on the European Universities initiative, to which they are eligible. ↩ back
Any student traineeship will be considered as a “traineeship in digital skills” when one or more of the following activities are practised by the trainee: digital marketing (e.g. social media management, web analytics); digital graphical, mechanical or architectural design; development of apps, software, scripts, or websites; installation, maintenance and management of IT systems and networks; cybersecurity; data analytics, mining and visualisation; programming and training of robots and artificial intelligence applications. Generic customer support, order fulfilment, data entry or office tasks are not considered in this category. ↩ back
Any staff mobility for training will be considered “digital skills training” when one or more of the following activities are practiced by the staff member: job shadowing/participation in training courses on European Student Card Initiative (ESCI) tools, digital education tools/software, programming, and specialised IT software and systems for the HEI administration. ↩ back
Post-docs may participate in traineeships with the same requirements as any other recent graduate within 12 months of graduating. For those countries where graduates must enrol in obligatory military or civil service after graduation, the period of eligibility for recent graduates will be extended by the duration of that service. ↩ back
For the definition of the regions see section "eligible countries" in Part A of this guide. ↩ back
EU budget Heading 2 - Cohesion, resilience and values ↩ back
Prior experience under the Erasmus+ Programme and/or as Erasmus Mundus scholarship holders counts towards the 12 months per study cycle. ↩ back
In one-cycle study programmes, such as medicine, students can be mobile for up to 24 months. ↩ back
In the case of branch campuses that are legally dependent on the parent institution and not able to sign separate inter-institutional agreements, the country where the parent institution is located will be considered as the sending or receiving country for determining the individual support and the eligibility of the mobility flow. Beneficiaries must use the actual location of the branch(es) when calculating the distance band for travel support. Independent branches must participate in the programme separately from their parent institutions. ↩ back
Mobility between institutions involved in delivering a joint or double degree is eligible to be funded as long as there is no double funding. In the case of joint or double degrees, the institution sending the participant on mobility is the one funding the mobility supported by internal policy funds. In the case of international mobility, institutions involved in delivering a joint or double degree can use funding from mobility projects supported by internal and external policy funds, while respecting the eligibility of activities and flows in each strand. ↩ back
For those countries where graduates must enrol in obligatory military or civil service after graduation, the period of eligibility for recent graduates will be extended by the duration of that service. ↩ back
The list of countries for which this requirement applies can be found in the DAC List of Countries receiving Official Development Assistance DAC-List-of-ODA-Recipients-for-reporting-2022-23-flows.pdf (oecd.org). The DAC list is periodically updated, so that countries can move from one category to another or, either, exit the list. Nevertheless, the ODA status of a country and the relative restrictions go on unchanged for the whole life cycle of the projects under the same call. ↩ back
For example, if a person from Madrid (Spain) is taking part in an activity taking place in Rome (Italy), the applicant will calculate the distance from Madrid to Rome (1365,28 KM) and then select the applicable travel distance band (i.e. between 500 and 1999 km). ↩ back
National Agencies cannot opt out from providing travel support to students studying and recent graduates having studied in higher education institutions located in outermost regions of EU Member States and Overseas Countries and Territories (OCTs) associated to EU Member States and who are going to EU Member States and third countries associated to the Programme or to third countries not associated to the Programme from Regions 13 or 14. ↩ back
In case of accompanying persons, the rates for staff as well as exceptional costs for expensive travel may apply. In exceptional cases, where the accompanying person needs to stay abroad for more than 60 days, extra subsistence costs beyond the 60th day will be supported under the budget heading "Inclusion support". ↩ back
Third countries not associated to the Programme from regions 13 and 14 are only receiving countries, unless an arrangement is concluded with a neighbouring country to facilitate their participation in the Programme as both sending and receiving country. ↩ back
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How to obtain funding in Europe as an international PhD student?
1. European Training Networks (ETN) Researchers gain experience of different working environments while developing transferable skills. 2. European Industrial Doctorates (EID) Joint doctoral training delivered by at least one academic partner entitled to award doctoral degrees, and at least one partner from outside academia, primarily enterprise.
Fellowships and individual research grants
These grants are awarded to researchers of any nationality working in any field of research. Marie Skłodowska-Curie actions - Research Fellowship Programme This programme funds researchers and supports doctorates and training.
Scholarships, grants and financial support
Find out how to access over 100,000 scholarships and financial support schemes across Europe for international students. Learn about Erasmus+, Erasmus Mundus, Scholarshipportal, EURAXESS and other opportunities per country.
Find a scholarship
Find out how to get a scholarship in Europe, EU funding programmes for education, and country profiles for international students. Learn about Erasmus Mundus Joint Master Degrees, bursaries for conference interpreting students, and other opportunities.
20 Research Fellowships in Europe for Current Doctoral Students
The B.A.E.F. will award up to ten fellowships as outright non-renewable grants carrying a stipend of $27,000 for Master's or Ph.D. students and $32,000 for Post-doctoral Fellows. Applicants must be citizens or permanent residents of the United States.
Funding sources for PhD studies in Europe
PhD positions in European countries are funded through a diverse range of sources. Understanding the different funding sources for PhD studies in Europe is pivotal: With this knowledge, prospective PhD students can turn their abstract ambition to pursue a degree in Europe into a concrete strategy. Contents Doing a PhD in EuropePhD funding in Europe
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The MSCA fund doctoral and postdoctoral programmes and collaborative projects across Europe and beyond. Learn about the MSCA funding opportunities, jobs, calls and events in 2024 and beyond.
Funding opportunities
Learn about the EU funding programmes and open calls for research and innovation projects, including Horizon Europe, Cohesion Fund, LIFE and more. Find out how to apply for fellowships, individual grants, prizes and the Seal of Excellence.
Funding programmes
Here you find a selection of funding programmes for international PhD students by various funding organisations. For more funding opportunities please search our funding databases. ... PhD students receive structured doctoral training within these networks, which are formed jointly by different European institutions.
PhD Study in Europe
Learn about PhD opportunities, fees, funding and visas in different European countries and regions. Explore the benefits of the European Higher Education Area, ECTS credits and the European Research Area for PhD students.
Erasmus PhD Funding
MSCA funding supports students to complete a full PhD abroad. These preset projects are organised through Innovative Training Networks (ITN), in which you work in both the academic and non-academic sectors. Do note that the participating countries differ slightly for this programme. For full information, read our guide to MSCA PhD funding.
How to apply for doctoral studies in Europe
Learn the key steps to apply for a PhD or other doctoral studies in Europe, such as choosing your topic, finding a supervisor, checking language requirements and preparing your documents. Find out how to access research positions and funding opportunities in Europe with EURAXESS.
Financing a Doctorate
Learn about the different sources of funding for your Doctorate in France, such as your host establishment, your country of origin, a company or the European Union. Find out the requirements, amounts and procedures for each type of funding and check the Campus Bourses catalogue.
Apply for a grant
The European Research Council (ERC) offers various grant schemes for researchers at different career stages and levels of excellence. Find out how to apply, what are the eligibility criteria, and what are the additional opportunities for non-EU researchers.
Erasmus + Short-Term Mobility for PhD Students
The Erasmus+ Short-Term funding line for PhD Students offers you the opportunity to immerse yourself in different cultural and academic environments. This programme provides flexibility and financial support to complete a short-term stay abroad in Europe, enriching your interntional experience during your doctoral studies at the University of ...
21 Fellowships in Europe for Graduate Students
Three-year Ph.D. studentships and M.Phil. Bursaries are open to UK or EU graduate students who are registered for the Ph.D. degree (or NOTAF, CPGS) or M.Phil. in any branch of study within the University. Cambridge University will offer to fund up to 100 EU students. Applicants must have applied for a Research Council award if they are eligible.
Funded PhD opportunities in Europe
They are part of the European Commission's Horizon Europe research funding scheme and are the main EU programme for doctoral training. Some 25,000 PhDs are being funded under this scheme. MSCA funding for PhD students is offered within partnerships called MSCA Doctoral Networks. Those partnerships can include both academic and non-academic ...
Starting Grant
The ERC Starting Grant is a prestigious award for early-career researchers with 2-7 years of experience since PhD. Learn how to apply, what proposals are eligible, and how the evaluation process works for this EU funding scheme.
Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters (students)
Learn how to apply for an Erasmus Mundus Joint Master, a prestigious international master's degree delivered by a group of higher education institutions. Find out the benefits, requirements, scholarships and application process for students worldwide.
europe PhD Projects, Programmes & Scholarships
Browse hundreds of PhD projects, programmes and scholarships in various disciplines and locations across Europe. Search by keywords, funding, institution, deadline and more.
Mobility projects for higher education students and staff
Learn how to apply for funding and access opportunities for physical and blended mobility of students and staff in higher education. Find out the objectives, principles and conditions of the Erasmus+ programme for mobility projects in any study field and cycle.
fully funded PhD for international students PhD Projects ...
Browse 287 fully funded PhD projects, programmes and scholarships for international students in various disciplines and locations. Apply now for September 2024 entry at top universities and research institutions worldwide.

Find a scholarship

Funding sources for PhD studies in Europe

Doing a PhD in Europe

Master Academia

How to disagree with reviewers (with examples!)

Deciding between a one- or a two-year master’s degree

How many conferences postgrads should attend

10 common challenges of first-year students (+ practical solutions)

How to write a winning motivation letter for a master’s scholarship

Supporting excellence in research and innovation

What's new

Funding opportunities in research and innovation

How to apply for doctoral studies in Europe

Getting started

Choose your topic

Find a supervisor

Check language requirements

Recognition of qualifications

Prepare your documents

Find a position and funding

Related content

How to finance a Doctorate in France

The tools indispensable for finding funding

Doctorates financed by your host establishment

Doctorates financed by your country of origin

Doctorates financed by a company

Doctorates financed by the European Union

Related contents

Recommended items

Follow the main steps to come study in France

Erasmus + Short-Term Mobility for PhD Students

General Information

Erasmus + Grant

How to apply

Before the mobility

During the mobility

After the mobility

Any questions? Please contact us with your ideas and plans!

Funded PhD opportunities in Europe - MSCA Doctoral Networks

Starting Grant

Who can apply?

What proposals are eligible?

Host Institution

How to apply?

How does the evaluation process work?

Searching for data on ERC funded projects and proposals?

Interested to learn more?

Title Ongoing evaluation

Title Key documents

Title Get in touch

Title Evaluation panels

Title Latest results

Related links

Select your language

Need a quick overview?

Mobility projects for higher education students and staff

Objectives of the action

How to access Erasmus+ higher education mobility opportunities?

Individual organisation accreditation – the Erasmus Charter for Higher Education

Group accreditation - Erasmus accreditation for higher education mobility consortia

Eligibility criteria

Who can apply?

Number of participating organisations

Duration of the consortium accreditation

Where to apply?

When to apply?

How to apply?

Award criteria

Relevance of the consortium - (maximum score 30 points)

Quality of the consortium composition and the cooperation arrangements - (maximum score 20 points)

Quality of the consortium activity design and implementation - (maximum score 20 points)

Impact and dissemination - (maximum score 30 points)

Setting up a project

Horizontal dimensions

Inclusion and diversity in higher education mobility

Environmental sustainability and green practices in higher education mobility

Digitalisation and digital education and skills in higher education mobility

Participation and civic engagement

Description of the activities

Staff mobility