ERASMUS + – Erasmus+ Virtual Exchanges – 2026

Objectives

• To encourage intercultural dialogue with third countries not associated to the Programme and increase tolerance through online people-to-people interactions, building on digital, youth-friendly technologies
• To promote various types of virtual exchanges as a complement to Erasmus+ physical mobility, allowing more young people to benefit from intercultural and international experience
• To enhance critical thinking and media literacy, particularly in the use of internet and social media, such as to counter discrimination, indoctrination, polarization and violent radicalisation
• To strengthen the youth dimension in the relations of the EU with third countries

Priorities

• Priority 1: inclusion and diversity
• Priority 2: digital transformation
• Priority 3: environment and fight against climate change
• Priority 4: participation in democratic life, common values and civic engagement

Among financed actions

• Interactive open online courses including traditional course materials such as filmed lectures, readings, and problem sets
• Online-facilitated discussions between young people of youth organisations based in different countries

Eligibility

• Be a legal entities (public or private bodies) and fall under the following categories :
  • entities active in the field of higher education or youth (non-formal education)
  • youth organisations
  • higher education institutions, associations or organisations of higher education institutions

• Be established in one of the eligible countries:
  • EU Member States
  • a third country associated to the Programme
  • a third country not associated to the Programme from an eligible region. The eligible regions covered by this action are Regions 1, 2, 3 and 9
• A consortium composed of :
  • at least 6 entities, established in at least 6 different eligible countries to the programme must be constituted
  • at least 3 higher education institutions or youth organisations from 3 different EU Member States and third countries associated to the Programme and 3 higher education institutions or youth organisations from 3 different eligible third countries not associated to the Programme belonging to the same eligible region

Additional information

• Initial duration of the action: 36 months

Extensions are possible, if duly justified and through an amendment of the grant agreement.

• Contact: EACEA-EPLUS-VIRTUAL-EXCHANGES@ec.europa.eu

Useful

• Guidelines: Click here
• Other call documents: Click here
• Executive Agency website: Click here
• More information: Click here

• Total budget of the call: 9 861 900 euros
• Budget per topic:
  • ERASMUS-EDU-2026-VIRT-EXCH-NE : 2 040 948 euros
  • ERASMUS-EDU-2026-VIRT-EXCH-SMC : 1 646 667 euros
  • ERASMUS-EDU-2026-VIRT-EXCH-SSA : 5 174 285 euros
  • ERASMUS-EDU-2026-VIRT-EXCH-WB : 1 million euros
• Amount of the grant: maximum per project is 500.000 euros
• The grant awarded may be lower than the amount requested.
• Funding rate: up to 95% of the total eligible costs