Piktalent

    KA1 Mobility · Internships Abroad

    KA121 & KA122 Mobility — Erasmus+ Funding for Internships Abroad

    We act as the receiving organisation for accredited (KA121) and project-based (KA122) Erasmus+ group mobility — sourcing host companies, inspecting accommodation, running 24/7 support and assembling the Beneficiary Module closure pack for groups of 5 to 60+ participants.

    • Vetted host companies
    • Inspected accommodation
    • 24/7 on-the-ground support
    • Beneficiary Module-ready closure pack
    Plan a KA121 / KA122 Program Schedule a call Get a 48h Quote

    Tell us your dates, sectors and group size — 5-minute form, written reply within 48 working hours.

    Piktalent is the Erasmus+ mobility brand of The Student Mobility Group, operating since 2009 — 20,000+ participants placed across 32 European cities for accredited and project-based grant holders.

    Gaia, Global Mobility Manager at Piktalent.

    Gaia

    Global Mobility Manager

    "We act as your receiving organisation end-to-end — from host sourcing to the Beneficiary Module closure pack."

    20k+

    Participants placed

    32

    European cities

    24/7

    On-call support

    What Are KA121 and KA122 — In Plain Terms

    Both are Erasmus+ funding lines that pay for groups of learners and staff to do work placements, training, or job shadowing abroad. The difference is simple: KA121 is an annual budget given to organisations that already hold an Erasmus+ accreditation — you plan multiple flows per year. KA122 is a one-off project grant for organisations that aren't yet accredited — you apply, run one project, then either reapply or move toward accreditation. Both cover travel, subsistence, and organisational support. Both require the same on-the-ground operations: real host companies, safe accommodation, signed learning agreements, attendance, evaluations, and a closure report in the EU Beneficiary Module. Piktalent is the receiving organisation that runs all of that for you, across 32 European destinations — including high-demand hubs like Valencia, Lisbon and Dublin. Unit costs, action comparison and how our pricing maps to your grant lines are detailed in the comparison, pricing and budget sections below.

    Last updated · Reviewed by Piktalent Operations, Mobility Operations Lead

    Erasmus+ coordinator reviewing a KA121 group mobility plan with VET students and a teacher in a bright European coworking space.
    Program structure

    Typical Program Structure

    Standard configuration for an Erasmus+ KA121 (accredited) or KA122 (project-based) group mobility cycle.

    Action

    KA121 for accredited annual envelopes; KA122 for non-accredited single-project grants — both under Erasmus+ KA1.

    Group size

    5 to 60+ participants per flow, with named accompanying staff supported in parallel.

    Duration

    Short flows 2–4 weeks; long flows 1–3 months. Mixed envelopes coordinated within one project cycle.

    Sectors

    VET and HEI fields combined: hospitality, business, IT, technical, healthcare-adjacent, education and creative.

    Recognition

    Europass Mobility, ECVET-aligned learning agreements (or LA-T for HEI), evaluation reports filed in the Beneficiary Module.

    Reporting

    Single audit-ready evidence pack per cycle: supervision logs, attendance, evaluations, EU Survey response evidence.

    What participants learn

    Skills Participants Build Abroad

    What an institution gets out of running a Piktalent-managed KA121 or KA122 cycle — beyond the participant-level skills.

    • Audit-ready Beneficiary Module evidence per flow: learning agreements, attendance, mid- and end-of-mobility evaluations, Europass certificates
    • Quality-report material that maps 1:1 against the Erasmus Quality Standards (host environment, supervision, learner safety, recognition)
    • Consortium-level consolidation when multiple sending institutions share an envelope — single quality report, unified template
    • Documented mid-mobility recovery protocol so individual incidents don't become quality-report risks
    • EU Survey response evidence collected and reconciled with Beneficiary Module entries before close
    • A reusable host-company directory (sector, supervision capacity, prior cohort feedback) that compounds across funding cycles
    Audience

    Who This Program Is For

    Accredited Institutions (KA121)

    Erasmus+ accredited organisations with annual mobility budgets and regular flows.

    Project-Based Institutions (KA122)

    Non-accredited organisations running short-term Erasmus+ mobility projects.

    Consortiums

    Multi-institution groups coordinating joint KA121 or KA122 mobility flows.

    Included

    What's Included

    Every programme includes comprehensive services managed end-to-end by Piktalent.

    Host-company placements

    Sourced from a 3,000+ verified network across 32 cities, sector-matched to the learning agreement, with named in-company tutors confirmed in writing before departure.

    Group accommodation

    Student residences, shared apartments or vetted host families within 30–45 min commute. Inspected against a fixed checklist (safety, internet, kitchen, bills).

    Insurance

    Travel + medical + civil liability cover meeting Erasmus+ KA1 minimums (€30,000 medical, repatriation included). Certificates issued before flight.

    Language preparation

    OLS-supplemented pre-departure module + 8–10h on-arrival workplace-language coaching, targeted at workplace vocabulary.

    Beneficiary Module pack

    Learning agreements (ECVET or LA-T), attendance logs, mid- and end-of-mobility evaluations co-signed by tutors, Europass certificates and an audit-ready closure file.

    Local coordinator + 24/7 line

    One named coordinator per city plus a 24/7 emergency line tested before each cohort lands. Daily check-ins for week 1, weekly thereafter.

    In practice

    How Institutions Actually Use This Programme

    Concrete ways VET centres, universities, and consortiums actually deploy their KA121/KA122 envelopes — not theory, what we run every month.

    Annual VET mobility flows (KA121-VET)

    A VET centre splits its accredited envelope into 3–4 cohorts per academic year — typically 2–4 week placements in Spain, Portugal, or Italy aligned to the curriculum (hospitality, IT, business admin, mechanics).

    First international project for a new applicant (KA122)

    A school or adult-education provider wins their first Erasmus+ grant for a single 15–25 learner cohort — often used as a stepping stone toward accreditation.

    Multi-destination cohort split

    One flow split across 2–3 cities (e.g. Valencia + Lisbon + Dublin) so different specialisations get sector-relevant placements while sharing common logistics and reporting.

    Combined learner + accompanying-staff mobility

    A learner cohort runs in parallel with a teacher job-shadowing or training week in the same city — staff develop methodology while supervising students.

    Long-term ErasmusPro flows (KA121-VET)

    Selected learners do 90+ day placements for deeper integration — used by centres with strong industry partnerships in cities like Barcelona, Porto and Milan.

    Consortium mobility under a coordinating institution

    A lead institution holds the accreditation and channels flows for partner schools, with Piktalent providing one unified delivery layer across all members.

    Coordinator pain points

    Common Challenges — and How We Solve Them

    What Erasmus+ coordinators tell us breaks first when group mobility scales — and what we put in place so it doesn't.

    Challenge

    Finding enough host companies in the right sectors — especially for niche fields like renewable energy, healthcare-adjacent roles, or technical trades.

    How Piktalent solves it

    We work from a 3,000+ vetted host network across 32 cities, sector-mapped to ESCO codes. We confirm named in-company tutors in writing before departure, not just a company name.

    Challenge

    Coordinating flights, accommodation, transfers, insurance, and SIMs for 30–60 participants without a dedicated travel team.

    How Piktalent solves it

    One project manager handles the full logistics chain per cohort: inspected accommodation, airport pickups, group insurance certificates, language top-up, and a 24/7 emergency line tested before learners land.

    Challenge

    Keeping documentation audit-ready for the National Agency — learning agreements, attendance, evaluations, EU Survey evidence, Europass.

    How Piktalent solves it

    We deliver a single Beneficiary Module-ready closure pack within 2 working days of return — co-signed evaluations, attendance logs, Europass certificates, and EU Survey reconciliation included.

    Challenge

    Handling incidents abroad — illness, host mismatch, accommodation issues — without it becoming a quality-report problem.

    How Piktalent solves it

    Named local coordinator per city plus a documented mid-mobility recovery protocol: host re-placement within 48h, daily check-ins for week 1, supervisor visit at midpoint, written incident log for the file.

    Challenge

    Demonstrating compliance with the Erasmus Quality Standards at accreditation review.

    How Piktalent solves it

    Our delivery workflow maps 1:1 to the Erasmus Quality Standards (host environment, supervision, learner safety, recognition). Coordinators cite our process directly in National Agency reviews — and use it to support envelope growth.

    Challenge

    Running parallel programmes for accompanying teachers without doubling internal workload.

    How Piktalent solves it

    We arrange parallel job-shadowing or training weeks in the same destination, synced to the learner cohort's calendar — one coordinator, one schedule, one evidence pack.

    Process

    How It Works

    01

    Define (week 0–4)

    Project review: KA121 envelope or KA122 grant, group size, sectors, destinations, learning-agreement template. Indicative quote and city plan returned within 48 hours.

    02

    Match (week 4–10)

    Host sourcing per learner across selected cities, profile validation against the learning agreement, named tutors confirmed and routed back to your coordinator.

    03

    Organise (week 10 to flight)

    Group accommodation booked, insurance issued, airport transfers scheduled, language top-up delivered, full pre-departure pack sent to your institution.

    04

    Execute & close

    First-week daily check-ins, on-call 24/7 line, mid-mobility supervisor visit, attendance and evaluations tracked weekly. Beneficiary Module closure pack delivered within 2 working days of return.

    Real scenarios

    How this programme runs in practice

    Three concrete institutional or participant situations and the operational path Piktalent runs for each.

    Accredited consortium running 4 KA121 flows in one academic year

    A consortium of 5 VET schools shares a KA121 envelope of 200+ mobilities across 4 flows in different sectors and destinations. Piktalent acts as the receiving organisation in each city. A shared quality framework, common learning-agreement template and unified Beneficiary Module export pack remove duplication across the consortium.

    Outcome

    All 4 flows completed within budget. Consortium-level quality report prepared in 2 days instead of the previous 3 weeks. Future envelope grows by 18%.

    First-time KA122 applicant for a niche-sector group

    A small adult VET provider wins its first KA122 grant for a 22-learner cohort in renewable-energy installation — a niche where the provider has no host network. Piktalent maps the learning outcomes to ESCO codes, sources 22 hosts in Spain and Portugal, runs the pre-departure briefing remotely, and embeds a local supervisor for the full mobility.

    Outcome

    100% completion. The provider reapplies for KA121 accreditation citing the KA122 outcomes as proof of operational capacity.

    Multi-country KA121 with accompanying staff

    A KA121 flow of 45 students across 3 cities — Dublin, Barcelona and Porto — with 6 accompanying teachers needing parallel job-shadowing and training activities. Each city hosts a learner cohort plus an accompanying-staff parallel programme (job shadowing in week 1, training in week 2). Logistics, transfers and evening cultural events synced across all three cities.

    Outcome

    45 placements + 6 staff job-shadowing entries completed in a single quality-report cycle. Staff retention on KA flows improves the following year.

    Decision framework

    Is this the right programme for you?

    KA121 (accredited) and KA122 (project-based) are the project-management lens. Choose this page if you are planning at the project level.

    Choose this programme when…

    • You hold an Erasmus+ accreditation (KA121) or are running a project-based grant (KA122).
    • You manage groups of 5–60+ participants per flow and need single-point coordination.
    • You need multi-destination logistics with consistent quality across cities.
    • Your project includes both learners and accompanying staff.
    • You want an audit-ready evidence pack at project close.

    Consider another programme when…

    Compare programmes

    KA121 vs KA122 vs KA131 vs KA171

    Quick reference for coordinators choosing the right Erasmus+ KA1 action for an upcoming flow.

    • KA121

      Sector
      VET / school / adult ed.
      Funding model
      Annual envelope (accredited)
      Who can apply
      Erasmus+ accredited organisations
      Group size
      5–60+ per flow
      Reporting
      Annual + per-flow Beneficiary Module
      Best fit for
      Recurring institutional flows

    • KA122

      Sector
      VET / school / adult ed.
      Funding model
      Per-project grant
      Who can apply
      Any eligible organisation
      Group size
      5–30 typical
      Reporting
      Single project final report
      Best fit for
      First-time / one-off projects

    • KA131

      Sector
      Higher education
      Funding model
      Annual envelope (HEI Charter)
      Who can apply
      Charter-holding HEIs
      Group size
      Individual + group
      Reporting
      Per-mobility OLA + final report
      Best fit for
      HEI student traineeships in Europe

    • KA171

      Sector
      Higher education (intl.)
      Funding model
      Annual envelope (intl. partners)
      Who can apply
      Charter-holding HEIs
      Group size
      Individual + group
      Reporting
      Per-mobility OLA + final report
      Best fit for
      HEI mobility with non-EU partners

    Piktalent operates as the receiving organisation across all four actions in the 32 European destinations.

    Common misconceptions

    What This Programme Is NOT

    Clarifying scope avoids confusion in tender briefings, accreditation reviews and Beneficiary Module documentation.

    Not this

    Not a grant-writing or accreditation consultancy

    We do not draft KA122 applications or KA121 accreditation files. We provide operational evidence (host network, quality framework, sample evaluations) that strengthens applications written by your team or consultant.

    Not this

    Not a National Agency sub-contractor

    Piktalent is a private receiving organisation, not appointed or audited by any National Agency. The legal beneficiary is always your institution.

    Not this

    Not a substitute for academic recognition

    ECVET / ECTS validation, Europass issuance approvals and recognition decisions remain with the sending institution. We supply the structured evidence pack that supports those decisions.

    Not this

    Not a reseller of third-party local agencies

    Each destination city is staffed by Piktalent team members — host vetting, accommodation inspection and 24/7 response are operated in-house, not subcontracted.

    Pricing transparency

    Indicative Per-Participant Pricing

    Group mobility under KA121 / KA122 is priced per participant. Ranges below are indicative for a 4-week placement and depend on city, sector and inclusions. Final per-cohort pricing is fixed in writing within 48 hours of consultation.

    Standard cities

    €1,200 – €1,600

    Valencia, Seville, Lisbon, Porto, Krakow. Shared apartment, host placement, insurance, transfers, orientation, 24/7 support, full Beneficiary Module-ready documentation.

    Mid-tier cities

    €1,600 – €2,100

    Madrid, Barcelona, Milan, Berlin, Dublin. Same inclusions; reflects higher accommodation and operational costs.

    Premium cities

    €2,100 – €2,800

    Paris, Amsterdam, central Dublin. Same inclusions; reflects accommodation scarcity and premium operational margins.

    What drives the variance

    • Destination city and accommodation type (residence, shared apartment, host family)
    • Flow duration (per-week marginal cost decreases beyond 8 weeks)
    • Sector competitiveness (specialised hosts in IT, healthcare, engineering, renewables)
    • Group size (volume discounts from 15+ participants per flow)
    • Accompanying-staff parallel programmes
    • Add-ons: extended language hours, single-room upgrades, cultural programme

    These ranges are designed to fit within Erasmus+ KA1 unit costs (individual support + organisational support + travel) for the 32 European destinations. Final pricing in writing within 48 hours of consultation. Confirm Erasmus+ unit costs for your call year with your National Agency.

    Erasmus+ budget mapping

    How Pricing Maps to Erasmus+ KA1 Unit Costs

    Worked example: a 4-week VET placement to a Country Group 1 destination (e.g. Spain, Portugal, Italy, Ireland), indicative for Call 2025. Use it to reconcile our per-participant package with the grant lines you actually have to spend.

    Erasmus+ grant lineIndicative amountWhat it covers in a Piktalent package
    Individual support (learner, day 1–14)€81/day × 14 = €1,134Accommodation, daily living, local transport, on-site supervision.
    Individual support (learner, day 15–28)€57/day × 14 = €798Same scope at the reduced post-day-14 unit rate.
    Travel (distance band 500–1,999 km)€309 (or €395 for green travel + 4 extra days)Return travel from sending country to host city.
    Organisational support (per participant, first 100)€350Host sourcing, learning agreement, evidence pack, Beneficiary Module support, monitoring.
    Inclusion support (if applicable)€100 + real costsAdditional support for participants with fewer opportunities.
    Total grant available per learner≈ €2,591 (excl. inclusion)Piktalent KA121/KA122 packages typically land at €1,400–€1,800 for this profile, leaving headroom for institutional overhead and contingency.

    Figures based on Erasmus+ Programme Guide Call 2025 unit costs for VET learners on a 4-week mobility, country group example. Always confirm exact rates with your National Agency. Source: European Commission, Erasmus+ Programme Guide.

    Ready to map your KA121 or KA122 envelope to a real cohort?

    Send your group size, sectors and target cities — we return an indicative quote and city plan within 48 hours.

    Request a 48h quote
    Operational SLA

    Operational Service Levels

    Concrete commitments — not aspirations. Tracked per cohort and reviewed at every closure meeting.

    • Critical incident first response

      < 60 minutes

      Medical, safety, host collapse — 24/7/365.

    • Critical incident on-site presence

      < 4 hours

      Where geographically possible within destination city.

    • Operational issue first response

      < 4 hours

      Housing, supervisor change, attendance dispute.

    • Operational issue resolution plan

      < 24 hours

      Documented action with owner and ETA.

    • Host company re-vetting

      Every 12 months

      Site visit, supervisor interview, learner feedback review.

    • Accommodation quality check

      Pre-arrival + week 1

      Photo-documented inspection, signed-off checklist.

    • In-mobility participant check-in

      Week 1 daily + bi-weekly

      Structured 1:1 with local coordinator.

    • Closure documentation delivery

      < 2 working days post-mobility

      Beneficiary Module-ready: attendance, evaluations, Europass, EU Survey reconciliation.

    SLAs apply to all KA121 / KA122 cohorts under a Piktalent service agreement.

    Destinations

    Recommended Destinations

    Spain
    Italy
    Portugal
    Germany
    France
    Ireland
    Poland
    Netherlands
    Browse Erasmus+ Mobility Destinations
    Why Piktalent

    Why Institutions Choose Piktalent

    200+
    Accredited & project grants run
    60+
    Max participants per flow
    3–6 mo
    Recommended planning lead time
    2 days
    Closure pack assembly (vs. weeks)
    Single point of contact across all destinations: one inbox, one timeline, one invoice — instead of negotiating with multiple cities and providers.
    Beneficiary Module-ready documentation per flow, so KA121 cycle close or KA122 final report assembly drops from weeks to days.
    Workflow mapped 1:1 against the Erasmus Quality Standards — directly cited in National Agency quality reviews.
    Multi-destination logistics with consistent quality across cities, supported by named local coordinators per city (not a call centre).
    Accompanying-staff support managed in parallel: parallel job-shadowing or training programmes synced with the learner cohort.
    Mid-mobility recovery protocol documented and used in real cohorts, so isolated incidents stay isolated and don't surface in audit findings.
    Strong delivery track record strengthens accreditation reviews and supports envelope growth in subsequent KA121 cycles.
    First-time KA122 applicants get a turnkey delivery model and a written reference for their next KA121 accreditation application.
    Resources

    Related Resources

    VET Mobility Programs

    Operational view of vocational placements under KA121-VET and KA122.

    Full-Service Mobility

    End-to-end delivery model: placements, accommodation, compliance, support.

    KA121 vs KA122 Explained

    Detailed comparison of accredited vs project-based funding.

    How Erasmus+ Mobility Works

    Step-by-step process for sending institutions.

    Case Studies

    Real KA121/KA122 group mobility outcomes managed by Piktalent.

    Reference · Official sources

    Official Sources & References

    Show ▾

    Primary references coordinators should consult when planning, running, or reporting a KA121 or KA122 mobility project.

    FAQ

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Proof in practice

    Real Cohorts We've Delivered

    Documented outcomes from institutions that ran this programme with Piktalent.

    24 VET Students Complete a 4-Week Internship Program in Barcelona

    KA122 VET Mobility · Barcelona, Spain

    24 VET Students Complete a 4-Week Internship Program in Barcelona

    IES Técnico de Formación, Germany

    How Piktalent placed 24 German VET students across 12 host companies in Barcelona with 100% completion rate under the Erasmus+ KA122 programme.

    Read the case study

    Engineering Traineeships in Rome for French University Students

    KA131 HEI Mobility · Rome, Italy

    Engineering Traineeships in Rome for French University Students

    Université de Bordeaux, France

    How Piktalent placed 18 French engineering students in 3-month professional traineeships at Italian engineering firms in Rome under Erasmus+ KA131.

    Read the case study

    For Universities, VET Centres & Coordinators

    Plan a KA121 / KA122 Program

    Share your envelope size, sector mix and destination preferences. We respond with a city plan, host availability and indicative pricing within 48 hours.

    Book a Free ConsultationRead the KA121 / KA122 explainer
    Plan a KA121 / KA122 Program