The European Commission has published the Erasmus+ Programme Guide 2026, introducing targeted updates while maintaining overall continuity with the 2025 framework. This post summarises the key changes and differences between the two guides — covering priorities, actions, and structural adjustments — to help organisations, educators, and project developers quickly understand what’s new and how it may affect future applications.
🔹 High-Level Programme Orientation
| Area | 2025 Guide | 2026 Guide | What Changed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Strategic EU linkages | Links to European Education Area, Digital Education Action Plan, EU Youth Strategy, EU Work Plan for Sport | Same links plus explicit support to the Union of Skills initiative and EU Preparedness Union Strategy | New explicit political alignment in 2026 |
| Ukraine-related support | Mitigation of consequences of the “Russian invasion” of Ukraine; support to refugees, learners, staff and organisations | Same focus; reworded to “Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine” | Terminology update; policy continuity |
| Overall objectives | Lifelong learning, mobility, inclusion, innovation, European identity | Same objectives | No change |
🔹 Horizontal Priorities (used across actions)
| Priority Area | 2025 | 2026 | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Inclusion & diversity | Focus on fewer opportunities, migrants, rural/remote areas, gender inequality, refugees from Ukraine, mental health | Same scope and wording | No change |
| Environment and the fight against climate change | Sustainability competences, green sector skills, New European Bauhaus | Same | No change |
| Digital transformation | Digital readiness, capacity, AI, digital pedagogy, disinformation, digital well-being | Same | No change |
| Civic engagement / EU values | Participation in democratic life, EU awareness, Youth Participation Strategy | Same, adds preparedness and resilience | Broader societal framing |
🔹 Structure of Actions — Key Actions Overview
| Key Action | 2025 | 2026 | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| KA1 Learning Mobility | Same set of mobility actions | Same | No structural change |
| KA2 Cooperation | Partnerships for Cooperation, Excellence, Innovation, Capacity Building | Same categories, plus “European Partnerships for School Development” under Cooperation | New sub-action in 2026 |
| KA3 Policy Support | European Youth Together; Jean Monnet | Same | No change |
🔹 Key Action 2 – Notable Change
| Element | 2025 | 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Partnerships for Cooperation | Cooperation Partnerships; Small-scale Partnerships | Same plus European Partnerships for School Development | New action line in 2026 |
This new action focuses specifically on school education cooperation at European level, implemented by schools and school authorities, and contributes to the Union of Skills.
🔹 Partnerships for Excellence
| Sub-action | 2025 | 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Centres of Vocational Excellence | ✔ Dedicated chapter | ✔ Dedicated chapter | No change |
| Erasmus+ Teacher Academies | ✔ Dedicated chapter (p.263), with full eligibility and funding rules | Still listed as a supported action, but no longer has its own dedicated chapter — only a brief mention in the general overview | Lost standalone chapter in 2026 |
| Erasmus Mundus Action | ✔ Dedicated chapter | ✔ Dedicated chapter | No change |
If you’re planning a Teacher Academies application for 2026, note that the Programme Guide itself no longer walks through detailed eligibility and award criteria for this action the way it does for CoVE and Erasmus Mundus — check directly with EACEA or the relevant call documentation for the specifics.
🔹 Jean Monnet Actions
| Area | 2025 | 2026 | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fields covered | HE; other education & training; policy debate | Same | No change |
| Description | Standard modules, chairs, centres, networks | Same | No change |
🔹 Capacity Building – International Dimension
| Aspect | 2025 | 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Regions & strands | Regional + cross-regional | Same | No change |
| Global Gateway alignment | Strand 3 projects in several regions must align with Global Gateway priorities | Same requirement, same wording | No change — already mandatory in 2025 |
| Special initiative | None specified | EU–Moldova Master’s in European Affairs | New flagship action |
🔹 Budget Information
| Aspect | 2025 | 2026 | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall envelope | ~€26 billion (2021–2027) | Same | No change |
| Legal basis reference | Erasmus+ Regulation; EU Financial Regulation (2024/2509) | Same references | No change |
Final Thoughts
Most of the 2026 Programme Guide carries the 2025 framework forward with only targeted updates: sharper political alignment (Union of Skills, EU Preparedness Union Strategy), a new school-education cooperation action, and a new Moldova flagship initiative. The one change worth double-checking before you plan around it is Erasmus+ Teacher Academies, which no longer gets a dedicated chapter in the guide itself.
Want to see how these updates apply to your specific project idea? Explore all current Key Actions in our free Erasmus+ 2026 Action Explorer, or get in touch with GrowthProjects.eu for help turning these changes into a competitive application.