This action supports providers of vocational education and training (VET) and other organisations active in the field of VET that want to organise learning mobility activities for VET learners and staff.

A wide range of activities are supported, including job shadowing and professional development courses for staff, traineeships and long-term placements (ErasmusPro), invited experts, and other activities as explained below.  

The participating organisations should actively promote inclusion and diversity, environmental sustainability, digital education, as well as civic engagement and participation through their activities: by using the specific funding opportunities provided by the Programme for these purposes, by raising awareness among their participants, by sharing best practices, and by choosing appropriate design for their activities. 

Objectives of the Action

The objectives of mobility activities funded by Erasmus+ is to provide learning opportunities to individuals and to support internationalisation and institutional development of VET providers and other organisations active in vocational education and training. The action will support the implementation of the Council Recommendation on vocational education and training and the Osnabrück Declaration, and the European Skills Agenda. It will also contribute to the creation of the European Education Area. Specifically, the objectives of this action are:

Increasing the quality of initial and continuing vocational education and training (IVET and CVET) in Europe by:

• strengthening key competences and transversal skills, in particular language learning and digital skills
• supporting the development of job specific skills needed in the current and future labour market
• sharing best practices and promoting the use of new and innovative pedagogical methods and technologies, and supporting the professional development of teachers, trainers, mentors and other staff in VET
• building the capacity of VET providers to carry out high quality mobility projects, and their ability to form quality partnerships while developing their internationalisation strategy
• making mobility a realistic possibility for any learner in IVET and CVET, and increasing the average duration of mobility for VET learners to increase its quality and impact
• fostering the quality, transparency and recognition of learning outcomes of mobility periods abroad, especially by using European tools and instruments

Strengthening the European dimension of teaching and learning by:  

• promoting values of inclusion and diversity, tolerance, and democratic participation
• promoting knowledge about shared European heritage and diversity  
• supporting development of professional networks across Europe

How to access Erasmus+ mobility opportunities?

VET providers and other organisations active in vocational education and training can apply for funding in two ways:

• Short-term projects for mobility of learners and staff - these projects provide applicants with an opportunity to organise various mobility activities over a period of six to eighteen months. Short-term projects are the best choice for organisations applying for Erasmus+ for the first time, or for those that wish to organise only a limited number of activities.
• Accredited projects for mobility of learners and staff - these projects are open only to organisations holding an Erasmus accreditation in the field of vocational education and training. This special funding strand allows accredited organisations to regularly receive funding for mobility activities that contribute to the gradual implementation of their Erasmus Plan.

Erasmus accreditations are open to all organisations that want to organise mobility activities on a regular basis. Previous experience in the Programme is not required to apply for an accreditation. To find out more about this opportunity, please read the chapter of this guide on Erasmus accreditation in the fields of adult education, vocational education and training, and school education.

In addition, organisations can join the Programme without submitting an application by:

• Joining an existing Erasmus+ mobility consortium led by an accredited consortium coordinator in their country that is accepting new members in their consortium.
• Hosting participants from another country: any organisation can become a host for learners or staff coming from a partner organisation abroad. Becoming a hosting organisation is a valuable experience and a good way to learn more about the Programme before applying yourself.

VET providers are encouraged to join European online platforms such as EPALE and eTwinning. EPALE provides the opportunity to connect with and learn from colleagues across Europe, through its blog posts, forums, the Partner Search tool; it allows to create Communities of practices, find learning material and attend events. It also features the Community of European VET practitioners, a space for VET teachers, trainers, in-company tutors to collaborate and be informed about European initiatives. eTwinning is an online a community funded by Erasmus+ and hosted on a secure platform and accessible to teachers and school staff vetted by the eTwinning national support organisation. eTwinning allows VET providers to set up joint virtual classrooms and carry out projects with other VET providers and other partner organisations (i.e. hosting companies), it allows teachers and trainers to discuss and exchange with colleagues and to get involved in a variety of professional development opportunities. eTwinning is also the perfect environment to find partners for future projects.

Setting up a project

The applicant organisation is the key actor in a Key Action 1 project. The applicant organisation drafts and submits the application, signs the grant agreement, implements the mobility activities, and reports to thei National Agency. The application process for both short-term projects and Erasmus accreditations focuses on the needs and plans of the applicant organisation (or its consortium).

Mobility activities in a mobility project can be outgoing or incoming. Most types of available activities are outgoing mobility activities. This means that the applicant organisation will act as a sending organisation: it will select participants and send them to a hosting organisation abroad. In addition, there are special types of incoming activities that allow applicant organisations to invite experts or teachers and educators in training to their organisation. The purpose of incoming activities is not to create two-way exchanges, but rather to bring in persons who can help develop and internationalise the applicant organisation.

Implementation of all activities supported under this Action must follow the Erasmus quality standards. The Erasmus quality standards cover concrete implementation practices for project tasks such as selection and preparation of participants, definition, evaluation and recognition of learning outcomes, sharing of project results, etc.

Language learning is an important part of every mobility project: beneficiary organisations should provide their participants with language learning support before and during the mobility activities. For this purpose, Erasmus+ funds the Online Language Support platform which is free and open for use by all Erasmus+ participants.

How to find partners for your mobility activities?

Erasmus+ provides various tools and opportunities to find partners for your mobility activities:

• European School Education Platform (ESEP) offers an online partner-finding tool for VET and school education organisations. By registering your organisation on the platform, you can post partner-finding announcements and search through announcements made by other organisations
• Training and Cooperation Activities are regularly organised by Erasmus+ National Agencies. They include contact seminars, online events and other partner-finding opportunities for Erasmus+ applicants and beneficiaries. Information about TCAs is available on your relevant National Agency website and the SALTO Education and Training TCA Resource website.
• The Erasmus+ Project Results Platform allows you to search for all accredited organisations and approved projects.

Horizontal dimensions

All mobility projects should integrate the following dimensions common to the whole Erasmus+ programme.

Inclusion and diversity  

In line with the Erasmus quality standards, organisations that receive support from the Programme must ensure that they offer mobility opportunities in an inclusive and equitable way, to participants from all backgrounds. The selection of learners that will take part in project activities should take into account key factors such as motivation, merit, as well as personal development and learning needs of the participants. Similarly, selection of staff participants should ensure that benefits of their professional development are available to all learners in the organisation.  

Throughout the preparation, implementation and follow-up of mobility activities, the sending and hosting organisations should involve the participants in key decisions to ensure maximum benefits and impact for each participant.   

Beneficiaries and other participating organisations that provide education and training are encouraged to actively create and facilitate mobility opportunities, for example by establishing mobility windows in their academic calendar and defining standard re-integration steps for returning participants.  

Environmentally sustainable and responsible practices

In line with the Erasmus quality standards, organisations that receive support from the Programme must promote environmentally sustainable and responsible behaviour among their participants, raising the awareness about the importance of acting to reduce or compensate for the environmental footprint of mobility activities. These principles should be reflected in the preparation and implementation of all Programme activities, especially by using specific funding support provided by the Programme to promote sustainable means of travel. Organisations providing education and training should integrate these principles in their everyday work, and should actively promote a change of mind-set and behaviour among their learners and staff.   

Digital transformation in education and training

In line with the Erasmus quality standards, the Programme supports all participating organisations in incorporating the use of digital tools and learning methods to complement their physical activities, to improve the cooperation between partner organisations, to improve the quality and inclusiveness of their learning and teaching, and further develop their digital skills. The VET institutions should also raise awareness among their learners and staff about opportunities within the programme to acquire and further develop relevant digital skills, including Digital Opportunity Traineeships for VET learners and recent graduates ¹ . In addition, staff participants can benefit from Digital Opportunity Traineeships: mobility activities allowing them to acquire digital skills and build their capacity to train, teach and complete other tasks with the help of digital tools. Such activities can be organised with any of the available staff mobility formats.

Participation in democratic life

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. They 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.

Activities

This section presents the type of activities that can be funded by Erasmus+, within short-term projects as well as in accredited projects.

All mobility activities must be:

• Learning activities: intended for participants to improve or gain new knowledge, skills, competences and attitudes
• Transnational: involving interactions between people from different countries with the purpose of mutual exchange and learning
• Structured: having a clear methodology, learning programme and planned learning outcomes
• Strategic: contributing to a wider set of project objectives

For any activity, additional financial support can be provided for persons accompanying participants with fewer opportunities, minors, or young adults that require supervision. Accompanying persons can be supported for whole or part of the activity’s duration. 

Staff mobility

Eligible activities

• Job shadowing (2 to 60 days)
• Teaching or training assignments (2 to 365 days)
• Courses and training (2 to 10 days)

In addition to physical mobility, all staff mobility activities can be blended with virtual learning activities. The minimum and maximum durations specified above apply to the physical mobility component.

Implemented activities must fulfil the following qualitative requirements:

Job shadowing: participants can spend a period of time at a hosting organisation in another country with the aim of learning new practices and gathering new ideas through observation and interaction with peers, experts or other practitioners in their daily work at the hosting organisation.

Teaching or training assignments: participants can spend a period of time teaching or providing training to learners at a hosting organisation in another country, as a way to learn through completing their tasks and exchanging with peers.

Courses and training: participants can benefit from a structured course or a similar kind of training provided by qualified professionals and based on a pre-defined learning programme and learning outcomes. 

The total grant for 'Courses and training' will be limited to a maximum of 50% of the awarded project grant. As an exception, for projects with total awarded grant up to 40 000 EUR, this limit will be set at 20 000 EUR.

A maximum of three persons from the same sending organisation and a maximum of ten persons from the same mobility consortium can receive funding for attending the same course together. Each person can participate in only one course per project.

The training must involve participants from at least two different countries and must allow participants to interact with other learners and with the trainers. Entirely passive activities such as listening to lectures, speeches or mass conferences are not supported.

The training must include a clear transnational component, for example by fostering learning interaction between participants from different countries or by integrating other elements of transnational transfer of practices, such as strong involvement of VET staff from the hosting country to interact with and demonstrate their practices to colleagues coming from abroad.

The content of courses and training must be relevant for professional skills of the participating staff and the objectives of the project or accreditation.

For example, supported activities can include courses and training organised by public institutions or volunteer organisations, activities organised as part of an exchange of practices between organisations in different countries, as well as commercially available courses and training.  Entirely passive activities such as listening to lectures, speeches or mass conferences are not supported. Conferences and similarly titled events can be considered for funding only if participants spend most of their time in structured training, workshops, practical exercises, exchange of practices with colleagues, or other forms of active learning.

Applicants should be aware that all course providers are entirely independent from the Erasmus+ programme and are acting as service providers in a free market. The choice of courses and training is therefore a responsibility of the beneficiary organisation. The following quality standards are available as support to guide the applicants in their choice.

Eligible participants

Eligible participants include teachers, trainers, and all other non-teaching experts and staff working in initial vocational education and training (iVET) and in continuing vocational education and training (cVET).

Eligible non-teaching staff includes staff working in initial and continuing VET, either in VET providers (as management staff, international mobility officers, Erasmus+ coordinators, etc.) or in other organisations active in vocational education and training (e.g. trainers in local partner companies, counsellors, Erasmus+ coordinators, policy coordinators in charge of vocational education and training, etc.).

Participants must be working in the sending organisation or must be regularly working with the sending organisation to help implement the organisation’s core activities (for example as external and in-company trainers, experts, volunteers, board members, inspectors, etc.).

In all cases, the tasks that link the participant to the sending organisation must be documented in a way that allows the National Agency to verify this link (for example with a work or volunteer contract, task description, or a similar document). The National Agencies shall establish a transparent and consistent practice on what constitutes acceptable working relationships and supporting documentation in their national context.

Staff members working remotely from abroad cannot take part in activities in the country they are working from.

Eligible venues

Activities must take place abroad, in an EU Member State or in a third country associated to the Programme. Activities must take place in the country where the host organisation is legally established. Each mobility activity can take place in only one country ² .

In addition, organisations holding an Erasmus accreditation can send participants on job shadowing and teaching or training assignments in third countries not associated to the Programme (Regions 1 to 3 and 5 to 14 as specified in Part A: Eligible countries).

Nota Bene: Mobilities to Belarus and Russia are not eligible.

Documentation of learning outcomes

Requirements for documentation of learning outcomes are established in the Erasmus quality standards and further elaborated in the project grant agreement.

Before the mobility activity, the sending organisation, hosting organisation, and the participant must agree on a learning agreement (or a similar document) specifying the participant’s expected learning outcomes. For courses and training, a course programme can be used in place of a learning agreement.

After the activity, the participant’s achieved learning outcomes must be recognised by issuing a Europass Mobility or a similar document. The beneficiary organisation must keep a copy of the issued document as proof of having completed the activity.

Learner mobility

Eligible activities

• Participation in VET skills competitions (1 to 10 days)
• Group mobility of VET learners (2 to 30 days, at least two VET learners per group)
• Short-term learning mobility of VET learners (10 to 89 days)
• Long-term learning mobility of VET learners (ErasmusPro) (90 to 365 days)

In addition to physical mobility, all learner mobility activities can be blended with virtual learning activities. The minimum and maximum durations specified above apply to the physical mobility component.

Implemented activities must fulfil with the following qualitative requirements:

Participation in VET skills competitions: VET learners can participate in international sectoral events in which competitive demonstration of skills is central for promotion, recognition and exchange of experience, know-how and technological innovations in VET ³ . Funding is also provided for staff, mentors or experts accompanying the learners during the activity.

Group mobility of VET learners: a group of learners from the sending organisation can spend time learning together with their peers at a partner VET provider abroad. The sending organisation must design the learning activities in cooperation with a partner VET provider in the hosting country⁴ . Teachers, trainers, or other qualified education staff from the sending organisation must accompany the learners for the entire duration of the activity and guide their learning process. If needed, other adults may also act as accompanying persons to support the accompanying staff⁵ .

Short-term learning mobility of VET learners: VET learners can spend a period learning abroad at a partner VET provider, in a company, or in another organisation active in the field of VET or the labour market. The learning period must include a strong work-based component and an individual learning programme must be defined for each participant. For participants with fewer opportunities, mobility can be organised with a minimum duration of 2 days, if justified.

Long-term learning mobility of VET learners (ErasmusPro): VET learners can spend a longer period learning abroad at a partner VET provider, in a company, or in another organisation active in the field of VET or the labour market. The learning period must include a strong work-based component and an individual learning programme must be defined for each participant.

Please note that the difference between group and individual activity formats is not based on travelling and accommodation arrangements, but rather on requirements for collective or individual learning programmes, as described below under ‘Documentation of learning outcomes’. Accordingly, a different level of organisational support is provided for group and individual activities, as defined in the funding rules presented at the end of this chapter.

Eligible participants

Eligible participants include learners and apprentices in initial vocational education and training (iVET) and in continuing vocational education and training (cVET). Participants must be enrolled in an eligible iVET or cVET programme ⁶ .

Recent graduates (including former apprentices) of eligible iVET and cVET programmes are eligible to participate up to 12 months after their graduation. In case the participants have been fulfilling obligatory civil or military service after graduation, the period of eligibility will be extended by the duration of the service. Participants in group mobility must be enrolled in an eligible iVET programme⁷ .

Eligible venues

Activities must take place abroad, in an EU Member State or in a third country associated to the Programme. Activities must take place in the country where the host organisation is legally established. Each mobility activity can take place in only one country ² .

In addition, organisations holding an Erasmus accreditation can send learners for Short-term mobility, Long-term mobility (ErasmusPro) and Participation in VET skills competitions in third countries not associated to the Programme (Regions 1 to 3 and 5 to 14 as specified in Part A: Eligible countries).

Nota Bene: Mobilities to Belarus and Russia are not eligible.

Group mobility of VET learners must take place at a hosting VET provider. Exceptionally, activities can take place at another venue in the country of the hosting organisation, if justified by the content and quality of the activity. In this case, travel of participants from the hosting organisation to the venue will not be considered as a transnational mobility activity. Additional funds therefore cannot be requested for this purpose.  

In addition, group mobility of VET learners can take place at a seat of an Institution of the European Union if the activity is organised at or in cooperation with an EU institution⁸ .

Regardless of the venue, group activities must involve learners from at least two EU Member States or third countries associated to the Programme.

Documentation of learning outcomes

Requirements for documentation of learning outcomes are established in the Erasmus quality standards and further elaborated in the project grant agreement.

Individual mobility activities: before the activity, the sending organisation, hosting organisation, and the participant must agree on a learning agreement (or a similar document) specifying the participant’s expected learning outcomes. After the activity, the participant’s achieved learning outcomes must be recognised by issuing a Europass Mobility or a similar document. The beneficiary organisation must keep a copy of the issued document as proof of having completed the activity.

Group mobility activities: a learning programme must be defined for the whole group (individual learning agreements are not required). After the activity, beneficiary organisation must keep the learning programme and a participants list (including accompanying persons) as proof of having completed the activity.

Other supported activities

Eligible activities

• Invited experts (2 to 60 days)
• Hosting teachers and educators in training (10 to 365 days)

Implemented activities must fulfil the following qualitative requirements:

Invited experts: organisations can invite trainers, teachers, policy experts or other qualified professionals from abroad who can help improve the teaching, training and learning at the receiving organisation. For example, invited experts may provide training to the receiving organisation’s staff, demonstrate new teaching methods or help transfer good practices in organisation and management.

Hosting teachers and educators in training: applicant organisations can host teachers in training who want to spend a traineeship period abroad. The hosting organisation will receive support to set up the activity, while the travel and individual support for the participant should be provided by their sending institution (who may also apply for Erasmus+ funding for this purpose).

Eligible participants

Invited experts can be any person from another EU Member State or third country associated to the Programme, who can provide expertise and training relevant for the needs and objectives of the organisation that invites them.

Hosting teachers and educators in training is available for participants who are enrolled in or recently graduated ⁹ from a teacher education programme (or a similar kind of education programme for trainers or educators) in another EU Member State or third country associated to the Programme.

Eligible venues

The venue for invited experts and teachers/educators in training is always the beneficiary organisation (including consortium members).

Documentation of learning outcomes

For invited experts, the learning programme that the expert will deliver must be agreed with the hosting organisation before the activity. After the activity, the beneficiary organisation must keep the executed learning programme as proof of having completed the activity.

For hosted teachers and educators in training, requirements described for individual learner mobility activities are applicable.

Preparatory visits

What is a preparatory visit?

A preparatory visit is a visit to a prospective hosting organisation by staff from the sending organisation with the purpose of better preparing a learner or staff mobility activity.

When can a preparatory visit be organised?

Each preparatory visit must have a clear reasoning and must serve to improve inclusiveness, scope and quality of mobility activities.

For example, preparatory visits can be organised to better prepare mobility of participants with fewer opportunities, to start working with a new partner organisation, or to prepare longer mobility activities.

Preparatory visits can be organised in preparation for any type of learner or staff mobility, except ‘courses and training’.

Who can take part in a preparatory visit?

Preparatory visits can be carried out by any persons eligible for staff mobility activities and involved in the organisation of the project.

Exceptionally, learners who will take part in long-term learning mobility and participants with fewer opportunities in any type of activity can take part in preparatory visits for their activities.

A maximum of three persons can take part in a preparatory visit.

Where can preparatory visits take place?

Preparatory visits take place at the premises of the prospective hosting organisation, or any other venue where mobility activities are planned to take place. Rules applicable to venues of staff and learner mobility activities apply also to preparatory visits linked to those activities.

Only one preparatory visit can be organised per hosting organisation.

Short-term projects for mobility of learners and staff in vocational education and training

Short-term projects for mobility of learners and staff are a straightforward and simple way to benefit from Erasmus+. Their purpose is to allow beneficiaries to set up a few activities in an easy way and to gain experience in the Programme.  

In order to stay simple, short-term projects include a limit on the number of participants and the duration of the project. The format is open only to individual organisations and not to consortia. Accredited organisations cannot apply for short-term projects since they already have permanent access to Erasmus+ funding.

The application for short-term projects includes a list and description of activities that the applicant organisation plans to organise.

Eligibility criteria

Eligible organisations: who can apply?

The following organisations are eligible ¹⁰ to apply:

• Organisations providing initial or continuing vocational education and training¹¹
• Local and regional public authorities, coordination bodies and other organisations with a role in the field of vocational education and training
• Companies and other public or private organisations hosting, training or otherwise working with learners and apprentices in vocational education and training

Organisations holding an Erasmus accreditation in vocational education and training cannot apply for short-term projects.

Eligible countries

Applicant organisations must be established in an EU Member State or in a third country associated to the Programme.

Where to apply?

Applications are submitted to the National Agency of the country where the applicant is established.

Application deadlines

Round 1 (for all National Agencies): 19 February at 12:00:00 (midday Brussels time)

Round 2: National Agencies may decide to open a second deadline (Round 2).

In this case, the National Agency will inform the applicants through its website. For Round 2 applicants must submit their applications by 1 October at 12:00:00 (midday Brussels time).

Project start dates

Projects can choose the following start dates:

• Round 1: between 1 June and 31 December of the same year
• Round 2 (if open): between 1 January and 31 May of the following year

Project duration

From 6 to 18 months

Number of applications

Per selection round, an organisation may apply for only one short-term project in the field of vocational education and training.

Organisations that receive a grant for a short-term project under the first round of applications may not apply for the second round of the same call for proposals.

Within a period of any five consecutive call years, organisations may receive a maximum of three grants for short-term projects in vocational education and training. Grants received in the 2014-2020 period do not count towards this limit.

Eligible activities

All types of activities for vocational education and training. For a detailed list and rules, see section ’Activities’. To be eligible, applications must include at least one staff or learner mobility activity.

Project scope

An application for a short-term project can include a maximum of 30 participants in mobility activities.

Preparatory visits and participation of accompanying persons will not count towards this limit.

Supporting organisations

A supporting organisation is an organisation assisting the beneficiary organisation in practical aspects of project implementation that do not concern core project tasks. Core project tasks include financial management of the programme funds, contact with the National Agency, reporting on implemented activities, as well as all decisions that directly affect the content, quality and results of the implemented activities (such as the choice of activity type, duration, and the hosting organisation, definition and evaluation of learning outcomes), etc. Involvement of a supporting organisation is subject to approval of the National Agency).

The role and obligations of supporting organisations must be formally defined between them and the beneficiary organisation. The supporting organisation acts under the supervision of the beneficiary organisation, who remains ultimately responsible for the results and quality of implemented activities. All contributions of supporting organisations must comply with the Erasmus quality standards.

In case of poor implementation of quality standards or other form of failure to comply with these requirements, the National Agency may request that the beneficiary stop receiving assistance for certain tasks and implements them itself. As a final remedial measure, the National Agency may terminate the grant agreement.

Hosting organisations that provide learning content and mentoring to the beneficiary organisation’s participants are not considered supporting organisations, unless they are at the same time supporting the beneficiary in other project management tasks that are normally performed by the sending organisation.

Selection criteria, exclusion criteria and rules on original content and authorship

Applicants must have sufficient operational and financial capacity to implement the proposed project.

Applicants must submit a signed declaration on their honour, certifying that they are not in any of the situations referred to in the exclusion criteria listed in Part C of this Guide. In addition, by signing the declaration, the applicants will certify that the submitted application contains original content authored by them, and that no other organisations or external individuals have been paid for drafting the application.

Please read Part C of this Guide for more information about the selection criteria, exclusion criteria and rules on original content and authorship.

Award criteria  

Submitted applications will be assessed by assigning points out of a total of 100, based on the below criteria and scores. To be considered for award, applications must pass the following thresholds:

• At least 60 out of the total 100 points, and
• At least half of the maximum points in each of the three award criteria below

Relevance (maximum score: 20 points)

The extent to which:

• the applicant’s profile, experience, activities and target population of learners are relevant for the field of vocational education and training
• the project proposal is relevant for the objectives of the action
• 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
• the project proposal is relevant for the following specific priorities:
  • supporting newcomers and less experienced organisations
  • supporting participants in ErasmusPro activities
  • supporting participants with fewer opportunities

Quality of project design (maximum score: 50 points)

The extent to which:

• the proposed project objectives address the needs of the applicant organisation, its staff and learners in a clear and concrete way
• the proposed activities are appropriate for the achievement of the project objectives
• the operational and logistical aspects of the project design (such as proposed venues) are appropriate and cost-effective
• the project incorporates environmentally sustainable and responsible practices
• the project incorporates the use of digital tools (particularly eTwinning for iVET and EPALE for cVET) and learning methods to complement their physical mobility activities, and to improve the cooperation with hosting partner organisations

Quality of follow-up actions (maximum score: 30 points)

The extent to which:

• the applicant has clearly defined the tasks and responsibilities for delivery of activities in accordance with Erasmus quality standards
• the applicant has proposed concrete and logical steps to integrate the results of mobility activities in the organisation’s regular work  
• the applicant has proposed an appropriate way of evaluating the project outcomes
• the applicant has proposed concrete and effective steps to make the results of the project known within the applicant organisation, to share the results with other organisations and the public, and to publicly acknowledge the European Union funding

Accredited projects for mobility of learners and staff in vocational education and training

Organisations holding an Erasmus accreditation in vocational education and training can apply for funding as part of a special funding strand open only for them. Applications are based on the previously approved Erasmus Plan, so a detailed list and description of the planned activities is not required at the time of applying for funds. Instead, the applications focus on estimating the budget needed for the next set of activities.

Eligibility criteria

Eligible organisations: who can apply?

Applicants must hold a valid Erasmus accreditation in vocational education and training on the project start date.

Mobility consortium

Organisations holding an Erasmus accreditation for mobility consortium coordinators must apply for the mobility consortium format.

List of mobility consortium members must be provided as part of the application and must include at least one member organisation in addition to the coordinator.

Any organisation meeting the eligibility criteria for Erasmus accreditation in the same field can become a member of a mobility consortium ¹² . All planned consortium member organisations must be from the same EU member state or a third country associated to the Programme as the mobility consortium coordinator. The relationship between the consortium coordinator and the consortium members must be based on a cooperative, non-profit basis.

Consortium members do not need to have an Erasmus accreditation.

Organisations taking part in a mobility consortium can apply for funding in a maximum of two Key Action 1 applications in the field of vocational education and training under the same Call for proposals. Therefore, within the field of VET, organisations that apply for a grant for a short-term project or an accredited project can additionally take part in only one application for a mobility consortium as member organisations. Other organisations can take part in up to two mobility consortium applications.

Where to apply?

Applications are submitted to the National Agency of the country where the applicant organisation is established.

Application deadline

19 February at 12:00:00 (midday Brussels time)

Project start date

1 June of the same year

Project duration

All accredited projects will have an initial duration of 15 months. If justified, beneficiaries can request a prolongation of their project to a total duration of 24 months. Prolongations will be made after 12 months of implementation, unless otherwise decided by the National Agency.

Number of applications

Accredited organisations may apply only once per selection round.

Eligible activities

All types of activities for vocational education and training. For a detailed list and rules, see section ’Activities’.

To be eligible, applications must include at least one staff or learner mobility activity.

Project scope

The number of participants that can be included in accredited projects is not limited, apart from any limitations defined at the budget allocation stage.

Projects may not allocate more than 20% of the awarded grant to activities with third countries not associated to the Programme ¹³ . These opportunities are intended to encourage organisations in EU Member States and third countries associated to the Programme to develop outgoing mobility activities with several third countries not associated to the Programme. These activities are expected to cover the widest possible geographical scope.

Supporting organisations

A supporting organisation is an organisation assisting the beneficiary organisation in practical aspects of project implementation that do not concern core project tasks. Core project tasks include financial management of the programme funds, contact with the National Agency, reporting on implemented activities, as well as all decisions that directly affect the content, quality and results of the implemented activities (such as the choice of activity type, duration, and the hosting organisation, definition and evaluation of learning outcomes), etc. Involvement of a supporting organisation is subject to approval of the National Agency.

The role and obligations of supporting organisations must be formally defined between them and the beneficiary organisation. The supporting organisation acts under the supervision of the beneficiary organisation, who remains ultimately responsible for the results and quality of implemented activities. All contributions of supporting organisations must comply with the Erasmus quality standards. 

In case of poor implementation of quality standards or other form of failure to comply with these requirements, the National Agency may request that the beneficiary stop receiving assistance for certain tasks and implements them itself. As a final remedial measure, the National Agency may terminate the grant agreement.

Hosting organisations that provide learning content and mentoring to the beneficiary organisation’s participants are not considered supporting organisations, unless they are at the same time supporting the beneficiary in other project management tasks that are normally performed by the sending organisation. 

Budget allocation

The quality of the applicant’s Erasmus Plan has been assessed at the accreditation application stage and therefore no qualitative assessment takes place at budget allocation stage. All eligible grant applications will receive funding.

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

• the total budget available for allocation to accredited applicants  
• the requested activities (including the estimated budget required to implement them)
• the basic and maximum grant
• the following allocation components: qualitative performance, policy priorities, and geographical balance (if applied by the National Agency)

The budget available for accredited projects and detailed rules of budget allocation will be published by the National Agency ahead of the call deadline. Budget allocation rules must respect the principles of fairness, transparency and equal treatment. Indicators and metrics used in budget allocation must be objective, verifiable and their values must be known to the applicants ahead of the call deadline. Based on the applicable unit contributions and historical data, the National Agency will estimate the budget required to implement the activities requested by each applicant. Applicants cannot be awarded a grant higher than the resulting estimated budget.

If an applicant is awarded the full estimated budget required to implement their requested activities, then the activities requested in the application will be included in the project grant agreement as targets delivery. Otherwise, if the applicant is not awarded the full estimated budget, then the targets for delivery will be adjusted to stay proportional to the awarded grant ¹⁴ .

Budget for cost categories ‘Inclusion support for participants’ and ‘Exceptional costs’ cannot be estimated in the same way as budget for cost categories applying unit contributions. The National Agency will assess requests for these types of costs separately, based on provided description and justification. During project implementation, beneficiaries can make further requests for these types of costs when needed. The National Agency will process such additional requests in order of reception, as long as funds remain available.

What are the funding rules?

The following funding rules apply for short-term projects and accredited projects for mobility of learners and staff in vocational education and training.

Erasmus+ projects are funded based on the co-financing principle. Accordingly, the unit costs defined in the table below are calculated to cover 80% of actual costs on average.

Projects can include participants whose entire grant or a part of it is funded from sources other than Erasmus+. For any individual participant, the beneficiary can request funding for all eligible budget categories or only some of them, if the rest of the costs are covered in a different way. Funds received from Erasmus+ can be supplemented by the beneficiary organisation, by other EU funds, donations, or through participant contributions, third party contributions etc. Principle of no double funding must be respected: financial support for the same cost cannot be claimed twice, e.g. from different sources. In case the beneficiary requests participant contributions, they must remain in line with the relevant provisions of Erasmus quality standards. In particular, such contributions must not create barriers to inclusion of participants with fewer opportunities.

Budget category - Organisational support

Eligible costs and applicable rules

Costs directly linked to the implementation of the project that are not covered by other cost categories.

For example: preparation (pedagogical, intercultural, and other), mentoring, monitoring and support of participants during mobility, services, tools, and equipment needed for project implementation, virtual components in blended activities, recognition of learning outcomes, sharing results and making the European Union funding visible to the public.

Organisational support covers the costs incurred by both sending and hosting organisations (except in the case of staff mobility for courses and training). The division of the received grant will be agreed between the two organisations.

Financing mechanism: contribution to unit costs

Rule of allocation: based on the number of participants. Accompanying persons are not participants in learning mobility activities and are not counted for calculation of Organisational support.

Amount

100 EUR

• Per participant in VET skills competitions
• Per learner in group mobility of learners
• Per participant in staff mobility for courses and training
• Per invited expert
• Per hosted teacher or educator in training

350 EUR; 200 EUR after one hundred participants in the same type of activity

• Per participant in short-term learning mobility of VET learners
• Per participant in staff mobility for job shadowing and teaching or training assignments

500 EUR

• Per participant in long-term learning mobility of VET learners (ErasmusPro)
• Per participant in any individual activity taking place in a third country not associated to the Programme

Budget category - Travel

Eligible costs and applicable rules

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

Below 500 km, participant will, as a general rule, travel using low-emissions means of transport.

Financing mechanism: contribution to unit costs

Rule of allocation: based on the travel distance and number of participants and accompanying persons

The applicant must indicate the air distance between the place of origin and the venue of the activity ¹⁵  by using the distance calculator supported by the European Commission.

Amount

Budget category - Individual support

Eligible costs and applicable rules

Costs of subsistence for participants and accompanying persons ¹⁶   during the activity.

If necessary, 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 grant, and a maximum of six travel days in case of a green travel grant.

Financing mechanism: contribution to unit costs.

Rule of allocation: based on the number of participants and accompanying persons, duration of stay and receiving country ¹⁷ .

Amount

The above are the allowed ranges for base rates per day of activity. Within these ranges, each National Agency will decide on the exact base rates for projects under their management, and will publish this information on its website.

The base rate is payable up to the 14th day of activity (including travel days). From the 15th day, the payable rate will be equal to 70% of the base rate. Payable rates will be rounded to the nearest whole Euro.

Budget category - Inclusion support

Eligible costs and applicable rules

Inclusion support for organisations: Costs related to the organisation of mobility activities for participants with fewer opportunities.

Financing mechanism: contribution to unit costs.

Rule of allocation: based on the number of participants with fewer opportunities.

Amount

125 EUR per participant

Inclusion support for participants: Additional costs directly linked to participants with fewer opportunities and their accompanying persons (including costs related to travel and subsistence if a grant for these participants is not requested through budget categories "Travel" and "Individual support"). Inclusion support can also be provided to staff with fewer opportunities taking on the role of accompanying persons or participating in a preparatory visit.

Financing mechanism: real costs.

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

Amount

100% of eligible costs

Budget category - Preparatory visits

Eligible costs and applicable rules

Costs covering travel and subsistence for participation in a preparatory visit.

Financing mechanism: contribution to unit costs.

Rule of allocation: based on the number of participants.

Amount

680 EUR per participant

Budget category - Course fees

Eligible costs and applicable rules

Costs covering enrolment fees for staff mobility format 'Courses and training'.

Financing mechanism: contribution to unit costs.

Rule of allocation: based on the duration of the course.

Amount

80 EUR per participant per day

Budget category - Linguistic support

Eligible costs and applicable rules

Costs of providing language learning materials and training to participants who need to improve the knowledge of the language they will use to study or receive training during their activity.

Linguistic support is eligible for participants in the following types of activities: in job shadowing, teaching and in training assignments, short-term learning mobility of VET learners and long-term learning mobility of VET learners.

Support is payable only if the participant cannot receive Online Language Support due to unavailability of the required language or level., or due to particular barriers faced by participants with fewer opportunities. The above conditions do not apply to reinforced support provided for participants in Long-term learning mobility of VET learners (ErasmusPro).

Financing mechanism: contribution to unit costs.

Rule of allocation: based on the number of participants.

Amount

150 EUR per participant

In addition: 150 EUR of reinforced language support per participant in Long-term learning mobility of VET learners (ErasmusPro)

Budget category - Exceptional costs

Eligible costs and applicable rules

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

Expensive travel costs of participants and their accompanying persons that cannot be supported with the standard “Travel” category due to geographical remoteness or other barriers. If awarded, the exceptional costs for expensive travel replace the travel support based on unit costs.

Visa and visa-related costs, residence permits, vaccinations, medical certifications.

Financing mechanism: real costs.

Rule of allocation: the request must be justified by the applicant and approved by the National Agency. Expensive travel applies in cases where the travel support based on unit cost does not cover 70% of the travel costs of participants.

Amount

Costs for financial guarantee: 80% of eligible costs

Expensive travel costs: 80% of eligible travel costs

Visa and visa-related costs, residence permits, vaccinations, medical certifications: 100% of eligible costs

Footnote

1. Any VET learner mobility will be considered as “Digital Opportunity Traineeship” when one or more of the following activities are practiced 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
2. 2 a b Short cross-border trips are permitted when relevant for the activity, however for the purpose of grant calculation this will not be considered as a change of the country of venue. If consecutive activities are organised in different countries, each activity must meet all relevant eligibility criteria on its own.
3. Further details about the definition of VET skills competitions can be found in Part D – Glossary of terms. ↩ back
4. Group activity programmes consisting entirely or mainly of commercially available activities such as courses in a language school or other commercial ‘ready-made’ activities are not eligible. Activities at the hosting VET provider can be complemented with a period of time practicing work-based learning in a company. If relevant for the learning programme of the activity, learners can spend a part of the mobility period in joint trips to nature, cultural venues, international competitions or similar learning activities. However, such content must always be secondary to the main learning activities and embedded in a peer-learning programme designed by the two VET providers. ↩ back
5. In all cases, sending and hosting organisations remain responsible for ensuring the full respect of applicable rules and laws in sending and hosting countries. ↩ back
6. The eligible iVET and cVET programmes in each EU Member State or third country associated to the Programme will be defined by the competent National Authority and published on the website of the relevant National Agency. ↩ back
7. The competent National Authority will decide whether all or only some iVET programmes are eligible for group mobility activities. ↩ back
8. Seats of the Institutions of the European Union are Brussels, Frankfurt, Luxembourg, Strasbourg, and The Hague. Activities at the EU seats will be considered as a transnational mobility and funding (as described in section ‘What are the funding rules?’) can be requested for all participants, regardless of their country of origin. ↩ back
9. Recent graduates are eligible to participate up to 12 months after their graduation. In case the participants have been fulfilling obligatory civil or military service after graduation, the period of eligibility will be extended by the duration of the service. ↩ back
10. The eligible organisations in each EU Member State or third country associated to the Programme will be defined by the competent National Authority and published on the website of the relevant National Agency together with relevant examples. ↩ back
11. VET providers established in an EU Member State or in a third country associated to the Programme that have a special status and function under supervision of national authorities in another country may need to apply to the NA of the supervising country. For precise information in each case, please contact the National Agency in the host country or in the country of the relevant national authority. Due to requirements for all mobility activities to be transnational, VET providers in this type of special status cannot organise mobility activities with other organisations in the same status (i.e. supervised by the same National Authority and National Agency), even if the other organisation is located in a different country. ↩ back
12. 95 For contracting purposes, consortium members may be co-beneficiaries, affiliated entities or third parties receiving financial support. Support to third parties can be provided based on the requirements set out in the Erasmus quality standards for eligible activities and eligible participants defined for this action, up to a maximum amount of 60 000 Euro per recipient organisation. Consortium members that are legally part of the same entity as the consortium coordinator may benefit from the project grant, and will not be considered as co-beneficiaries, affiliated entities or third parties for legal purposes.  

    The decision on the contractual structure of each mobility consortium project will be made by the National Agency based on the status and formal links of the consortium coordinator and consortium members in the national legal framework. In all cases, the participating consortium members must be listed in the project application and the project grant agreement as part of the project description. ↩ back

13. Budget categories ‘Inclusion support for participants’ and ‘Exceptional costs for expensive travel’ do not count towards this limit. ↩ back
14. The National Agency can make limited modifications to the proportional adjustment to allow for a better fit between the awarded grant and target activities, to ensure coherence with the approved Erasmus Plan, to provide adequate support for priority activities, to maintain at least one participant in each activity type and category requested by the applicant, and to comply with the rules of the call. ↩ back
15. 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
16. In case of accompanying persons, the rates for staff 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

17. Receiving country groups for EU Member States and third countries associated to the Programme:
    Country group 1: Austria, Belgium, France, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden
    Country group 2: Cyprus, Czechia, Estonia, Greece, Latvia, Malta, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain
    Country group 3: Bulgaria, Croatia, Hungary, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Serbia, North Macedonia, Türkiye

    Receiving country groups for third countries not associated to the Programme:
    Country group 1: Japan,  Israel, South Korea, Georgia, Argentina, Armenia, Angola, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, United States, United Kingdom, Bahrain, Azerbaijan, Sudan, Saint Kitts & Nevis, St. Vincent & Grenadines, United Arab Emirates, Hong Kong, Lebanon, Vietnam, Mexico, Taiwan, Moldova, Malaysia, Tanzania, Canada, Singapore, Australia, Thailand, Fareo Islands.
    Country group 2: India, Kazakhstan, Brazil, DR Congo, Chile, Nigeria, Uganda, Liberia, Djibouti, DPR Korea, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Dominican Republic, Jamaica, , Belarus, Libya, Syria, Cuba, Yemen, Kenya, Rwanda, Seychelles, Antigua and Barbuda, Brunei, Montenegro, Switzerland, Malawi, Barbados, Saint Lucia, Grenada, Dominica, Uruguay, Albania, China, Philippines, Peru, Venezuela, Panama, Ghana, Chad, Guyana,  Egypt, Morocco,  Kiribati, Oman, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Iran, Mozambique, Senegal, Mauritius, Qatar, Andorra, Jordan, Indonesia, Laos, South Africa, Ethiopia, Bangladesh, Ecuador, Paraguay, Costa Rica, Côte d’Ivoire, Sierra Leone, Gabon, Haiti, Bahamas, Papua New Guinea, Micronesia, Ukraine, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Monaco, San Marino, Palestine, Vatican City State.
    Country group 3: Nepal, Maldives, Tajikistan, Nicaragua, Zambia, Guinea, Congo, Botswana, Belize, Samoa, Marshall Islands, Palau, Tuvalu, Nauru, Cook Islands, Niue, New Zealand, Pakistan, Bhutan, El Salvador, Suriname, Guatemala, Honduras, Somalia, Trinidad and Tobago, Algeria, Colombia, Gambia, Fiji, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Cambodia, Zimbabwe, Burundi, Mongolia, Cameroon, Timor-Leste, Sri Lanka, Madagascar, Mali, Togo, Sao Tome & Principe, Tonga, Bolivia, Benin, Lesotho, Macao, Tunisia, Iraq, Burkina Faso, Equatorial Guinea, Central African Republic, Guinea-Bissau, Namibia, Comoros, Eritrea, Myanmar, Afghanistan, Niger, Mauritania, Cabo Verde, Kosovo, Eswatini, South Sudan. ↩ back