What is Erasmus + ?

Erasmus+ is the EU's programme to support education, training, youth and sport in Europe. It has an estimated budget of €26.2 billion. This is nearly double the funding compared to its predecessor programme (2014-2020). The 2021-2027 programme places a strong focus on social inclusion, the green and digital transitions, and promoting young people’s participation in democratic life. It supports priorities and activities set out in the European Education Area, Digital Education Action Plan and the European Skills Agenda. The programme also:



  • supports the European Pillar of Social Rights
  • implements the EU Youth Strategy 2019-2027
  • develops the European dimension in sport

https://erasmus-plus.ec.europa.eu/about-erasmus/what-is-erasmus

Opportunities

Students

Studying abroad is a central part of Erasmus+ and has been shown to have a positive effect on later job prospects. It is also an opportunity to improve language skills, gain self-confidence and independence and immerse yourself in a new culture. Erasmus+ also offers the chance to combine studying abroad with a traineeship. Opportunities are available for students at short-cycle Bachelor, Master or Doctoral levels.



Studying abroad

Erasmus+ can offer you support during your period of study abroad: whether this is in an Erasmus+ Programme country or in an Partner country.


https://erasmus-plus.ec.europa.eu/opportunities/opportunities-for-individuals/students/studying-abroad

Traineeships abroad

Erasmus+ supports traineeships (work placements, internships, etc.) abroad in a Programme or Partner country for students enrolled in higher education in a Programme Country. These opportunities are also open to recent graduates.


https://erasmus-plus.ec.europa.eu/opportunities/opportunities-for-individuals/students/traineeships-abroad-for-students

Erasmus Mundus Joint Master Degrees

Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters are offered by multiple higher education institutions and run across various countries. They are distinguished by their academic excellence and by the high-level of integration of the courses. There are also scholarships for students to take part in these prestigious programmes.


https://erasmus-plus.ec.europa.eu/opportunities/opportunities-for-individuals/students/erasmus-mundus-joint-masters

Students with physical, mental or health-related conditions

Additional funding is available and students have the right to the same support services offered to local students by receiving institutions.


https://erasmus-plus.ec.europa.eu/opportunities/opportunities-for-individuals/students/students-and-staff-with-physical-mental-or-health-related-conditions

Teaching opportunities for staff

With Erasmus+, opportunities are available to spend time teaching at an education institution abroad. These opportunities are available to both staff working in the education sector and to individuals in businesses invited to share their knowledge of a given sector, subject or issue to students. Opportunities to teach abroad with Erasmus+ are available in education institutions operating at all levels.



Higher education

Erasmus+ supports teaching periods at higher education institutions abroad. If you work in higher education, you can spend time teaching at an institution in an Erasmus+ Programme or Partner country. People working in businesses can receive support to teach and share knowledge with higher education institutions located in a Programme country.


https://erasmus-plus.ec.europa.eu/opportunities/opportunities-for-individuals/teaching-opportunities-for-staff/higher-education-teaching-staff

Oportunities for organisations

Organisations wanting to participate in Erasmus+ may engage in a number of development and networking activities, including strategic improvement of the professional skills of their staff, organisational capacity building, and creating transnational cooperative partnerships with organisations from other countries in order to produce innovative outputs or exchange best practices. In addition, organisations facilitate the learning mobility opportunities for students, education staff, trainees, apprentices, volunteers, youth workers and young people. The benefits for involved organisations include an increased capacity to operate at an international level, improved management methods, access to more funding opportunities and projects, increased ability to prepare, manage, and follow-up projects, as well as a more attractive portfolio of opportunities for learners and staff at participating organisations.


https://erasmus-plus.ec.europa.eu/opportunities/opportunities-for-individuals/teaching-opportunities-for-staff/higher-education-teaching-staff

Key Actions

Key Action 1: Learning mobility of individuals

Learning mobility opportunities aim to encourage the mobility of students, staff, trainees, apprentices, youth workers and young people. The role of the organisations in this process is to organise these opportunities for individuals. The benefits for the organisations include an increased capacity to operate at an international level, improved management skills, access to more funding opportunities and projects, increased ability to prepare, manage, and follow-up projects, a more attractive portfolio of opportunities for students and staff at participating organisations, the opportunity to develop innovative projects with partners from around the world.


https://erasmus-plus.ec.europa.eu/opportunities/opportunities-for-organisations/learning-mobility-of-individuals

Key Action 2: Cooperation among organisations and institutions

The cooperation among organisations and institutions is expected to result in the development, transfer and/or implementation of innovative practices at organisational, local, regional, national or European levels.


https://erasmus-plus.ec.europa.eu/opportunities/opportunities-for-organisations/cooperation-among-organisations-and-institutions

Key Action 3: Support for policy reform

Opportunities under this Key Action contribute to supporting the overall EU policy agenda, the Education and Training 2020 cooperation framework, and the Youth Strategy. Organisations will contribute to improving the quality of education, training, and youth systems in Europe, as well as promoting transnational learning and cooperation between authorities. They will also contribute to developing the basis for evidence based policy-making, as well as supporting networks and tools for policy implementation. Organisations will also contribute to improving the involvement of young people in democratic life and their engagement with politicians.


https://erasmus-plus.ec.europa.eu/programme-guide/part-b/key-action-3

Jean Monnet

Opportunities for teaching, research, and policy debate on the EU and its policies.


https://erasmus-plus.ec.europa.eu/opportunities/opportunities-for-organisations/jean-monnet-actions

Sport

Designed to develop and implement joint activities to promote sport and physical activity, identify and implement innovative activities in the field of sport, and manage not-for-profit events to increase participation in sport.


https://erasmus-plus.ec.europa.eu/opportunities/opportunities-for-organisations/sport-actions

Opportunities from outside the EU

Organisations from countries outside the EU can take part in selected actions of the Erasmus+ programme. In the context of Erasmus+, these countries are referred to as "non-associated third countries (Partner Countries)".


https://erasmus-plus.ec.europa.eu/opportunities/opportunities-from-outside-the-eu

ECTS and Accumulation System

What is the European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System?

The European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS) is a tool of the European Higher Education Area for making studies and courses more transparent. It helps students to move between countries and to have their academic qualifications and study periods abroad recognised. ECTS allows credits taken at one higher education institution to be counted towards a qualification studied for at another. ECTS credits represent learning based on defined learning outcomes and their associated workload. ECTS enhances the flexibility of study programmes for students. It also supports the planning, delivery and evaluation of higher education programmes. It is a central tool in the Bologna Process, which aims to make national education systems more comparable internationally. ECTS also helps make other documents, such as the Diploma Supplement, clearer and easier to use in different countries. ECTS has been adopted by most of the countries in the European Higher Education Area as the national credit system and is increasingly used elsewhere.



Why is ECTS needed?

Differences between national higher education systems can lead to problems concerning the recognition of qualifications and mobility periods abroad. This issue is addressed in part by enhancing the comprehension of the learning outcomes and workload of programmes of study. ECTS also makes it possible to blend different learning styles, such as university and work-based learning, within the same programme of study or through lifelong learning.



How does it work?

60 ECTS credits are the equivalent of a full year of study or work. In a standard academic year, these credits are usually broken down into several smaller modules. A typical 'short cycle qualification' typically includes 90-120 ECTS credits. A ‘first cycle’ (or bachelor's) degree consists of either 180 or 240 ECTS credits. Usually a ‘second cycle’ (or master's) degree equates to 90 or 120 ECTS credits. The use of the ECTS at the ‘third cycle’, or PhD level, varies. ECTS is applied to support student mobility between higher education institutions. The course catalogues, Learning Agreements and Transcripts of Records help the recognition and transfer of credits earned by students during a mobility period abroad. The ECTS Users' Guide describes the system and how it is used in greater detail.



Incoming Mobilities