What Is Erasmus+ Mobility? — A Complete Guide for Institutions
Erasmus+ mobility is a European Union-funded programme that enables students, trainees, teachers, and educational staff to spend time in another European country for work placements, traineeships, job shadowing, or professional training. It is managed by the European Commission through National Agencies in each participating country. Institutions apply for grants and use the funding to organise international mobility experiences for their learners and staff.
Erasmus+ Mobility at a Glance
| Programme | Erasmus+ (2021–2027 cycle) |
| Key Action | KA1 — Learning Mobility of Individuals |
| Managed by | National Agencies in each participating country |
| Eligible participants | VET learners, HEI students, recent graduates, teachers, staff |
| Duration | 2 weeks to 12 months depending on activity type |
| Funding covers | Travel, individual support (subsistence), organisational costs |
| Countries | EU member states + associated countries (Iceland, Norway, Türkiye, etc.) |
Erasmus+ in Numbers — 2021–2027 Cycle
Source: European Commission — Regulation (EU) 2021/817 and Erasmus+ Annual Reports.
| Indicator | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Total programme budget 2021–2027 | ≈ €26.2 billion | Regulation (EU) 2021/817 |
| Annual participants (latest reported year) | ≈ 1.2 million learners & staff | Erasmus+ Annual Report 2023 |
| Mobilities funded since 1987 | ≈ 14 million | European Commission — DG EAC |
| Programme & Partner Countries | 33 Programme + worldwide Partner countries | Programme Guide 2025 |
| Main Key Actions | KA1 (mobility), KA2 (cooperation), KA3 (policy support) | Programme Guide 2025 |
| Share of budget on inclusion / green / digital | +30% vs previous cycle | Regulation (EU) 2021/817 |
Erasmus+ Glossary — The Acronyms Coordinators Actually Use
Every acronym a first-time coordinator runs into in the Programme Guide, in plain English.
| Acronym | Stands for | What it means in practice |
|---|---|---|
| KA1 | Key Action 1 | Learning mobility — the entire family of individual mobilities (HEI, VET, school, adult). |
| KA120 | Erasmus+ Accreditation | The label institutions get once, then use to access KA121 annual funding. |
| KA121 | Accredited mobility project | Annual budget for accredited organisations; no per-year application. |
| KA122 | Short-term mobility project | Single-shot 6–18 month project, no accreditation needed. |
| NA | National Agency | The body in each country that runs the call and pays the grant. |
| OID | Organisation ID | Mandatory 9-character ID assigned by the Erasmus+ Platform. |
| BM | Beneficiary Module | EU portal where mobilities are encoded and reports submitted. |
| OS | Organisational Support | Per-participant grant line that funds coordination & intermediary services. |
| LA | Learning Agreement | Tripartite contract between sender, host and participant. |
| OLS | Online Language Support | Free EU Academy language platform required as preparation. |
| ECHE | Erasmus Charter for Higher Education | Quality charter every HEI must hold to receive Erasmus+ funding. |
Types of Erasmus+ Mobility Activities
Benefits of Erasmus+ Mobility
How Institutions Get Started
Choose a Funding Route
Apply for Erasmus+ accreditation (KA121) for ongoing annual mobility, or submit a short-term project application (KA122).
Find a Hosting Partner
Select an intermediary organisation in the destination country to manage placements and logistics.
Design the Programme
Work with your partner to define sectors, learning objectives, group size, and timeline.
Send Participants
Prepare learners, sign agreements, and execute the mobility with on-site support.
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 — Definitive rulebook for KA1 mobility activities, funding rates and eligibility.
- Erasmus+ — What is Erasmus+ (official portal)
European Commission — DG EAC
- National Agencies directory
European Commission — Each EU member state administers Erasmus+ through its own National Agency.
- Regulation (EU) 2021/817 establishing Erasmus+ (2021-2027)
EUR-Lex — Official Journal of the EU
- Europass Mobility certificate
European Union — Europass — EU-wide document recording Erasmus+ learning outcomes.
Looking for an Erasmus+ Mobility Partner?
Piktalent is a full-service Erasmus+ mobility partner operating in 12+ European countries.