How to apply for an Erasmus + grant

In this guide, Stud&Globe explains why you should apply to the Erasmus+ program, and more importantly, how to do it. This step is certainly one of the most complex and daunting for many of you. By following the steps detailed below, you’ll be able to submit a complete application and increase your chances ofobtaining an Erasmus+ grant. For the purposes of the following explanations, we’ll assume that you are a representative of the organization applying to the Erasmus+ program.

The procedure consists of 4 steps:

Step 1: register your organization

The first step is to register your organization on the Education, Audiovisual, Culture, Citizenship and Volunteering participants’ portal. To do this, you must :

Create an EU account
Go to the participant portal and register on behalf of your organization and/or group
Download the following documents to your participant portal
- legal identity form
- financial identification form associated with the country of your bank (if different from the country in which your organization is registered)

Following registration, you will receive a Participant Identification Code (PIC). This number, which will be your unique identifier, will be required for the submission of applications and will make it easier for you to fill in all the electronic forms required when setting up an Erasmus+ project. In fact, just like a group identity card, using the PIC number on the form enables you to enter all the information about the group and the organization. You’ll save time and be sure to provide the right information.

For grants over €60,000, you may be asked to provide more documents.
If you are a partner organization, you do not need to provide the financial identification form.

Step 2: Check that your project meets Erasmus+ criteria

Erasmus+ eligibility criteria

Eligibility criteria are more generally linked to the types of activities you wish to organize and the objectives of your mobility. However, some criteria can only be verified and validated during the mobility and when the final report is submitted. It is therefore important to respect the criteria put forward at the time of application, to avoid any recovery of subsidies by the organizing body.

To consult the eligibility criteria for your type of mobility, please refer to pages 32 – 221 of the Erasmus+ program guide. The details of the different types of mobility are detailed there and will help you to set up your project in accordance with the expectations of the Erasmus+ program. We’ll take the example of a mobility project for students and staff in higher education (pages 35 to 55 of the guide).

Erasmus+ criteria for
student and staff mobility in higher education

Student mobility can involve either an internship or a period of study at a partner university or school. For both programs, the duration of mobility can be up to 12 months, with a minimum of 2 months for internships and 3 months for study periods.

Teacher mobility can take the form of a period of teaching in a foreign country that is a member of the Erasmus+ program. It can also be a period of training for teachers and teaching staff, involving exchanges, observation and sharing with teachers from the partner school. To meet the eligibility criteria, the duration of the mobility must be between 2 days and 2 months.

Whether the mobility is for students or staff, it must be managed and initiated by the higher education institution or a consortium of institutions, all of which must hold an Erasmus+ charter.

Step 3: Secure the right financial conditions

To begin with, Erasmus+ mobility can be financed in a number of different ways. It can be the reimbursement of part of the costs deemed eligible under Erasmus+ criteria. The funding rules for organizing international mobility via the Erasmus+ program have been adapted to European realities, and now take into account the cost of living in different EU countries. Thus, reimbursement is based on the unit costs awarded for an activity carried out. Other financing methods exist and are detailed on page 277 of the Erasmus+ Guide .

It is also important to note that European subsidies are subject to control and must comply with certain fundamental principles. Firstly, financial aid cannot be retroactive. It is therefore imperative to wait for the grant award decision before organizing the mobility of participants. In addition, each project may receive only one European grant, and may be submitted only once. Lastly, any subsidies received by the participant must not, under any circumstances, generate a profit during the mobility period.

Funding conditions also differ according to the type of mobility you are applying for. For student and staff mobility, eligible costs are categorized into three main areas: organizational support, special needs support and exceptional costs. Each of these costs has different amounts, funding mechanisms and distribution rules, which you can consult in the guide. By carefully studying these funding rules, you’ll be able to put together a coherent project and thus multiply your chances of receiving an Erasmus+ grant for the organization of your mobility.

Step 4: Complete and submit the application form

For most projects, you can submit your application online using the electronic form corresponding to your type of mobility. This form must be complete, correct and contain all the appendices requested. It is also essential to respect the deadline for submission. Each action linked to the application has its own deadline, which is specified in the eligibility criteria for your mobility.

Once submitted, your application will be evaluated by the national or executive agency responsible for awarding your grant. By studying all the criteria mentioned above, the decision-making bodies will decide which projects will be subsidized. Once your application has been approved, you will receive a grant and can begin organizing your mobility program. However, the amount will not necessarily correspond to that requested in your application. The grant will be paid in several parts: a pre-financing payment within 30 days of the date of signature of the agreement. The remainder of the grant is paid on the basis of the final report, the submission date of which is specified in the grant agreement. For more details on payment methods and deadlines, please consult pages 286-287 of the Erasmus+ Guide .

Applications must be submitted to the dedicated national agency no later than 12 noon (Brussels time) on February 05, 2020 .