Erasmus+ is the largest European Union programme in the field of education, training, youth and sport.
It is a continuation of European educational programs implemented since 1998, and its budget for 2021-2027 amounts to over EUR 28 billion. The program, to a greater extent than before, focuses on social inclusion and supports ecological and digital changes, in line with the foundations of the European Education Area.
The program is divided into three main groups of activities, called Key Actions:
Key Action 1 – Learning mobility of individuals – supports mobility of learners and staff i.e. opportunities for pupils, students, trainees and young people, as well as for professors, teachers, trainers, youth workers, sport coaches, staff of education institutions and civil society organisations to undertake a learning and/or professional experience in another country. This Kay Action also funds Youth Participation Activities - youth-led local and transnational initiatives run by informal groups of young people and/or youth organisations to help young people engage and learn to participate in democratic life; as well as DiscoverEU Activities - action offering 18-years-old young people the opportunity to have a first-time experience traveling throughout Europe in the frame of an informal educational activity. Participants of the programme are offered language learning opportunities.
Key Action 2 – Cooperation among organisations and institutions – supports Partnerships for Cooperation, including Cooperation Partnerships and Small-scale Partnerships; Partnerships for Excellence – European Universities, Centres of Vocational Excellence, Erasmus+ Teacher Academies as well as the Erasmus Mundus Action; Partnerships for Innovation, including Alliances for Innovation and Forward-looking Projects. This Action also funds Capacity Building projects in the field of youth and Not-for-profit sport events. The aim of the implemented projects is to develop, transfer or implement innovative practices aimed at specific target groups at the organizational, local, regional, national or European level.
Key Action 3 – Support to policy development and cooperation – provides support to policy cooperation at European Union level, thereby contributing to the development of new policies, which can trigger modernisation and reforms both at the EU and systems' level in the fields of education, training youth and sport.
Additionally, the programme includes „Jean Monnet” Actions supporting projects contributing to the dissemination of knowledge on issues related to the integration of the European Union. In the field of higher education, the projects promote teaching and research on European integration and promote policy debate and exchanges involving the academic world and policy-makers on EU policy priorities - „Jean Monnet” Modules, „Jean Monnet” Chairs and „Jean Monnet” Centres of Excellence. In other fields of education and training this action promotes knowledge on the European Union in schools and vocational education and training (VET). As part of the Support to designated institutions, support is given to entities pursuing an aim of European interest, providing to the EU, its Member States and its citizens with high quality services in specific priority subject areas.
Implementation of the Erasmus+ Actions is coordinated:
at central level (so-called central projects) – by the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA)
at national level (so-called decentralized/national projects) – by National Agencies of the Erasmus+ Programme in selected countries, in Poland by the Foundation for the Development of the Education System (FRSE)
You can find detailed information about open calls for proposals and project implementation guidelines on the websites of the above mentioned institutions.
We also encourage you to get acquainted with information published on the following subpages regarding selected actions of the programme dedicated in particular to higher education institutions.
Important documents:
Erasmus+ Programme Guide for 2026
Mobility of students and university staff between Programme Countries
The Erasmus+ programme supports mobility of students and university staff between Programme Countries, i.e. member states of the European Union, Turkey, Republic of North Macedonia, Serbia, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway.
More information on academic exchange projects with universities from Programme Countries implemented at Lodz University of Technology is available at Student Mobility and Staff Mobility.
Mobility of students and university staff between Programme and Partner Countries
The Erasmus+ programme supports mobility of students and university staff between Programme and Partner Countries, i.e. countries other than Programme Countries divided into world regions.
More information on academic exchange projects with universities from Partner Countries implemented at Lodz University of Technology is available at Student Mobility and Staff Mobility.
Erasmus+ Master Degree Loans
Loans for students undertaking full-time study programme at Master level in another Erasmus+ Programme Country, available at selected national banks and institutions.
More information is available at https://ec.europa.eu/programmes/erasmus-plus/opportunities/individuals/students/erasmus-plus-master-degree-loans_en
Selected programme actions supporting projects with the participation of higher education institutions:
Cooperation Partnerships in the field of higher education
The action supports projects implemented by international consortia of universities, other institutions, organizations, enterprises from Program Countries (i.e. countries of the European Union, Turkey, North Macedonia, Serbia, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway), as well as - if justified – from Partner Countries from other parts of the world. The main goal of the partnerships is the development, transfer and/or implementation of innovative practices as well as the implementation of joint initiatives promoting cooperation, peer learning and exchanges of experience at European level for the modernization of the educational offer of universities, its better adaptation to the needs of society and the economy and improvement of the quality of education.
Applications for co-financing are submitted to the National Agency of the Erasmus+ Programme in the country of the institution leading the consortium. Applications led by Polish universities are submitted to the Foundation for the Development of the Education System (FRSE).
Erasmus Mundus Action
This action aims at fostering excellence and world-wide internationalisation of higher education institutions via study programmes – at master course level – jointly delivered and jointly recognised by higher education institutions established in Europe, and open to institutions in other countries of the world. The action includes Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters (EMJM) and Erasmus Mundus Design Measures (EMDM).
The EMJM projects relate to the implementation of joint study programs. They aim to enhance the attractiveness and excellence of European higher education in the world and attract talented students from all over the world to Europe. EMJM contain a compulsory student mobility component and the best candidates are awarded EU-funded scholarships.
The EMDM projects support the design of new, innovative and highly integrated transnational study programmes at Master level, jointly delivered by an international consortium of HEIs from different countries worldwide and, where relevant, other partners with specific expertise and interest in the concerned study areas/professional domains.
European Universities
This action supports the emergence of bottom-up networks of higher education institutions, which will bring cross-border cooperation to the next level of ambition, through the development of joint long-term strategies for top-quality education, research and innovation, based on a common vision and shared values.
Alliances for Education and Enterprises
This action supports transnational, structured and result-driven projects, in which partners share common goals and work together to foster innovation, new skills, a sense of initiative and entrepreneurial mind-sets. They aim to foster innovation in higher education, vocational education and training, enterprises and the broader socioeconomic environment. This includes confronting societal and economic challenges such as climate change, changing demographics, digitalisation, artificial intelligence and rapid employment changes through social innovation and community resilience, as well as labour market innovation.
Alliances for Sectoral Cooperation on Skills (implementing the ‘Blueprint’)
This action supports projects aimed at creating new strategic approaches and establishing cooperation for concrete skills development solutions in given economic sectors, or in areas implementing a major action of the European Skills Agenda for sustainable competitiveness, social fairness and resilience.
The goal of the projects implemented under this action is to tackle skills gaps on the labour market that hamper growth, innovation and competitiveness in specific sectors or areas of the EU economy. Alliances will be implemented in the 14 industrial ecosystems identified in the New Industrial Strategy for Europe.