How Erasmus+ Mobility Programs Actually Work — The 5 Phases, EU Tools & Responsibilities
An Erasmus+ KA1 mobility project is not just travel logistics — it is a regulated EU funding lifecycle that runs through five distinct phases and four official European Commission systems (OID registration, the Beneficiary Module, EU Login / Mobility Tool+, and Europass). Each phase has fixed deliverables, defined responsibilities split between the National Agency, the sending institution, the hosting partner, the company, and the participant — and missing one step (e.g. encoding mobility in the Beneficiary Module within 4 weeks of return) can block grant payment. This guide maps the entire lifecycle to the EU systems and roles, so coordinators know exactly what happens, when, and inside which platform.
The 5 Lifecycle Phases of an Erasmus+ KA1 Mobility
Every KA1 project (KA121 or KA122) moves through the same five phases. Each phase has a regulated EU output that the National Agency will check during grant payment.
Pre-application — OID & accreditation
The organisation registers in the EU Single Electronic Data Interchange Area to receive an OID (Organisation ID, e.g. E10123456). Without an OID, no Erasmus+ form can be submitted. KA121 applicants must already hold a valid Erasmus+ Accreditation (KA120) from a previous call.
Application & contracting
The legal representative signs the grant agreement with the National Agency using EU Login + EU Sign. KA121 receives an annual budget letter; KA122 receives a single project contract (6–18 months).
Preparation
Selection of participants, signature of the tripartite Learning Agreement for Traineeships (sender + host + participant), OLS language assessment, pre-departure briefing, insurance check (liability + accident + health), and invitation to the Erasmus+ App.
Mobility execution
The participant travels, signs in on day one, completes the placement, and is monitored through mid-term check-ins. Any change of dates, host or duration must be reflected in a Learning Agreement Annex signed by all three parties.
Closure & reporting
Within 4 weeks of return, the mobility is encoded in the Beneficiary Module. The participant submits the EU Participant Report (auto-triggered email). The host signs Europass Mobility. KA121 = annual report; KA122 = final report + financial declaration. Files are retained 5 years (EU Funding & Tenders Online Manual).
Which EU System You Use at Each Phase
Erasmus+ runs on a chain of European Commission platforms. Knowing which one to open at which phase is the single biggest source of coordinator delay.
| Phase | EU Platform | What you do there | Login type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pre-application | Erasmus+ & ESC Platform (OID registration) | Get / verify your OID. Update legal & financial info. | EU Login |
| Application (KA121/KA122) | EU Funding & Tenders Portal | Submit the call form on official deadlines (Feb / Oct). | EU Login |
| Accreditation (KA120) | Erasmus+ application forms (DG EAC) | Submit your Erasmus Plan + Quality Standards commitment. | EU Login |
| Contract signature | EU Sign | Legal representative signs grant agreement digitally. | EU Login + qualified signature |
| Preparation — language | EU Academy / OLS | Language assessment & courses for participants. | EU Login |
| During mobility | Erasmus+ App | Participant companion app: documents, tips, ratings. | EU Login or eduGAIN |
| Encoding & reporting | Beneficiary Module (BM) | Encode each mobility within 4 weeks of return; trigger participant reports; submit interim & final reports. | EU Login |
| Recognition | Europass | Issue Europass Mobility certificate signed by host. | Europass account |
Who Does What — Erasmus+ Responsibility Matrix
RACI-style split of responsibilities across the five Erasmus+ stakeholders. R = Responsible (does the work), A = Accountable to the NA, C = Consulted, I = Informed.
| Task | National Agency | Sending institution | Hosting partner | Host company | Participant |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grant award & financial control | A | R | I | — | — |
| OID registration | I | R (own OID) | R (own OID) | — | — |
| Participant selection | I | R / A | C | — | I |
| Learning Agreement signature | I | R | C | R | R |
| Pre-departure briefing & OLS | I | R / A | C | — | R |
| Insurance verification | I | A | R (often) | — | I |
| Company sourcing & matching | I | C | R | C | I |
| Accommodation & local logistics | I | I | R | — | I |
| Day-to-day mentoring | I | I | C | R | R |
| Monitoring & mid-term visit | I | C | R | C | I |
| Europass Mobility issuance | I | A | R | R (signs) | R (receives) |
| Beneficiary Module encoding | I | R / A | C | — | — |
| Final / annual report | A | R | C | — | — |
| 5-year document retention | I | R / A | C | — | — |
Hard Deadlines You Cannot Miss
From the Erasmus+ Programme Guide 2025 and the National Agency procedures. Missing any of these can result in budget reductions or ineligibility of the mobility.
Most Common Compliance Mistakes
Frequently Asked Questions
Sources & Further Reading
Primary references from the European Commission, National Agencies and recognised EU institutions used to compile this guide.
- Erasmus+ Programme Guide 2025
European Commission — Full process rules: eligibility, grant calculation, reporting obligations.
- Beneficiary Module (BM) — Erasmus+ project management platform
European Commission — Where institutions encode mobilities and submit interim & final reports.
- OID — Organisation Identification on Erasmus+ portal
European Commission — Mandatory registration step before any KA1 application.
- Erasmus Quality Standards (mobility)
European Commission
- EU Sign — Mobility Tool & login
European Commission
- Europass Mobility certificate
European Union — Europass
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