Erasmus+ youth exchanges are one of the most widely used and most impactful mobility activities in the programme. They bring together groups of young people from different countries for a short-term international experience — typically 6 to 21 days — focused on a shared theme, non-formal learning and intercultural dialogue. For youth organisations, youth centres and non-governmental organisations working with young people, a youth exchange is often the first Erasmus+ activity they organise and the foundation of their international work.
But a youth exchange is not simply a group trip abroad. The Erasmus+ programme funds youth exchanges specifically because they are structured non-formal learning experiences — with defined objectives, clear learning outcomes, preparation and follow-up activities, and a genuine intercultural dimension. Applications that describe a trip without demonstrating this learning architecture consistently fall short of the funding threshold. This guide explains what youth exchange funding covers, who can apply, how the budget works and what a strong application looks like.
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13–30
Age range for youth exchange participants — all participants must fall within this range at the time of the activity
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2+
Minimum partner countries required — at least 2 organisations from 2 different Erasmus+ programme countries
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5–21
Days duration for a standard youth exchange — excluding travel days, which are also funded separately
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Auto
Budget calculated automatically by the form based on participant numbers, destination and duration
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📋 In This Guide
1. What Is an Erasmus+ Youth Exchange
A youth exchange is a short-term mobility activity in which groups of young people from two or more countries come together in one of the partner countries for a shared programme of non-formal learning, intercultural dialogue and collaborative activity around a common theme. The exchange is hosted by one of the partner organisations and attended by participant groups from all partner organisations.
Youth exchanges are funded under Erasmus+ Key Action 1 — Learning Mobility of Individuals — in the youth sector. The applicant is the sending organisation — the organisation that applies for the grant, manages the funding and sends participants to the activity. The hosting organisation is the partner in the destination country that receives the participants and delivers the programme.
The defining characteristic of an Erasmus+ youth exchange is its non-formal learning dimension. The programme must be structured around explicit learning objectives — what participants will learn, experience or develop during the exchange. It is not sufficient to describe cultural visits, meals and sightseeing. The application must demonstrate that the exchange is designed to produce measurable learning outcomes for all participating young people, grounded in a clear educational methodology.
💡 Youth Exchange vs Youth Worker Mobility
Erasmus+ KA1 in the youth sector funds two distinct activity types: youth exchanges (for young people aged 13–30) and youth worker mobility (for youth workers, trainers and youth leaders). They have different participant profiles, different duration rules and different funding rates. This guide focuses exclusively on youth exchanges. If you are looking to send youth workers abroad for training or job shadowing, the youth worker mobility activity type applies instead.
2. Eligibility Requirements
Youth exchange eligibility requirements cover both organisations and participants. All criteria below are checked before evaluation begins — an application that fails any one of them is rejected at the admissibility stage.
Organisation eligibility. The applicant must be a legally constituted public or private organisation active in the youth sector, based in an Erasmus+ programme country and holding a valid OID from the EU Funding and Tenders Portal. Eligible organisations include youth NGOs, youth centres, youth associations, local authorities with youth programmes, and informal groups of young people.
Partner requirements. A youth exchange requires at least 2 organisations from 2 different Erasmus+ programme countries. Partnerships of 3 to 6 countries are common and produce richer intercultural exchanges. All partner organisations must have valid OIDs.
Participant age. All participants must be aged between 13 and 30 at the time of the activity. Group leaders are exempt from the upper age limit but must be at least 18 years old.
Group size. Each participating group must include a minimum of 10 young people per country plus a group leader, with a maximum of 60 participants in total across all groups.
Duration. The activity must last between 5 and 21 days, excluding travel days. Travel days at the start and end of the activity are funded separately.
Location. The exchange must take place in one of the partner countries — the country of one of the participating organisations.
⚠️ Informal Groups: Specific Rules Apply
Informal groups of young people can apply for youth exchanges under specific conditions. The group must be composed of young people aged 13–30, based in an Erasmus+ programme country, and have an OID. The group leader must be at least 18. Contact your National Agency before applying to confirm current rules for your country.
3. Activity Types and Funding Overview
| Format | Participant Profile | Duration | What It Funds |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard youth exchange | Young people aged 13–30 from 2+ programme countries; minimum 10 per country | 5–21 days | Travel (distance band), individual support (daily rate), organisational support lump sum, preparation costs per participant |
| Inclusion exchange | Young people with fewer opportunities — socioeconomic, disability or geographic barriers | 5–21 days | Same as standard plus exceptional costs for participants with specific needs |
| Virtual exchange component | Same participant groups — preparatory or follow-up online sessions | Variable | Organisational support contribution only — no travel or individual support for virtual component |
| Bilateral exchange | Two partner organisations, two countries | 5–21 days | Same cost structure as standard; minimum 10 participants per country applies |
| Multilateral exchange | Three or more partner countries | 5–21 days | Travel funded per group from home country to host country; costs scale with participant numbers |
4. How the Budget Is Calculated
Youth exchange budgets are calculated entirely through unit costs — you enter the activity data into the application form and the system generates the grant amount automatically. There are no manually entered euro figures and no receipts required for unit cost items.
Travel costs. Funded per participant per trip using distance bands from the participant’s home location to the activity destination. For most European exchanges, Band B (100–499km), Band C (500–1,999km) or Band D (2,000–2,999km) applies. Host country participants do not receive travel funding.
Individual support. A daily rate per participant per day, including travel days, covering accommodation and subsistence. The rate varies by destination country. Check the current Programme Guide for your destination country’s daily rate before planning your activity.
Organisational support. A lump sum contribution to coordination costs per participant, with a tiered structure where a higher rate applies to the first participants and a lower rate to additional ones.
Preparation costs. A unit cost per participant covering preparatory activities before the exchange — language preparation, cultural briefing, pre-departure meetings, Youthpass orientation. Every eligible participant should have preparation costs claimed.
Exceptional costs. Real costs up to a defined ceiling for participants with specific needs — higher transport costs due to remote location, accessibility adaptations, support person costs for participants with disabilities.
💡 Always Use Current Rate Tables
Unit cost rates are updated annually. Using rates from the previous Programme Guide will produce inaccurate financial projections. Always download the Programme Guide for the current call year and verify all rates before finalising your activity plan.
5. How to Apply: Step by Step
Step 1 — Register your organisation. Your organisation must have a valid OID from the EU Funding and Tenders Portal. If applying for the first time, complete registration at least two weeks before the deadline — OID validation takes 1–5 working days.
Step 2 — Identify and confirm partners. Contact partner organisations, confirm participation and collect their OIDs. Confirm the host organisation and activity location at this stage.
Step 3 — Develop the exchange programme. Design the full activity programme — daily schedule, learning objectives, non-formal education methods, intercultural activities, Youthpass sessions and follow-up plan. Agree the programme outline with partner organisations before writing the application.
Step 4 — Complete the application form. Open the Beneficiary Module, select the correct call and create a new application. Complete all mandatory fields: organisation profile, partner details, activity description, participant profile, programme description, learning objectives, preparation and follow-up plan, and Youthpass commitment. Enter activity data to generate the budget automatically.
Step 5 — Write specific narrative sections. The activity description, learning objectives and preparation and follow-up plan are the most important sections. Each must be specific to this exchange — generic non-formal education language without describing the specific programme, methods and expected outcomes will score below the threshold.
Step 6 — Review and submit. Before submitting, verify participant numbers, duration eligibility, partner OIDs and activity location. Submit before the call deadline — late submissions are not accepted.
Step 7 — Await evaluation result. National Agencies typically publish results within 3–5 months of the call deadline. If approved, sign and return the grant agreement promptly.
6. What Makes a Strong Youth Exchange Application
A specific, relevant theme with documented need. The exchange must be built around a specific topic — climate action, digital citizenship, inclusion, democratic participation, mental health — with a clear rationale for why this theme matters to the specific group involved.
Clear, measurable learning objectives. State what participants will know, be able to do or have experienced differently by the end of the exchange. “Participants will develop awareness” is not measurable. “Participants will be able to identify three local environmental initiatives and design one peer-action plan” is.
A detailed, methodologically grounded programme. Describe the daily programme structure — workshops, simulations, group activities, reflection sessions — and explain the non-formal education methods used. Evaluators look for evidence that the programme was designed by people who understand youth work methodology.
Genuine inclusion measures. Applications that actively include young people with fewer opportunities score higher on the inclusion dimension. Describe specifically who these participants are and what concrete support measures are in place.
Youthpass integration. All youth exchange participants are entitled to a Youthpass certificate. Applications that describe how Youthpass will be integrated into the programme — self-assessment at start and end, reflection on competence development — demonstrate a commitment to learning recognition that evaluators reward.
7. Most Common Youth Exchange Mistakes
Describing the exchange as a trip rather than a learning experience. Every activity in the programme must serve a learning purpose — and that purpose must be stated clearly. Applications that describe sightseeing and social activities without connecting them to explicit learning objectives are the most common reason for rejection.
No preparation or follow-up described. Preparation and follow-up are explicit evaluation sub-criteria. Applications that describe only the in-person exchange days score below the threshold on project design.
Participant groups below the minimum size. Most National Agencies apply the 10-participant-per-country minimum strictly. If your group is smaller, contact your NA before applying.
No Youthpass commitment. Failing to mention Youthpass — or describing it as optional — signals unfamiliarity with youth sector standards. Youthpass must be offered to all participants and integrated into the programme design.
Partner organisations with no youth work profile. All partner organisations must be active in the youth sector. Partners without a documented youth work mission weaken the Quality of Project Team score.
Participants outside the 13–30 age range. This is an eligibility issue. Verify participant ages against the planned activity dates — not the application submission date.
8. Youth Exchange Application Checklist
- ✅ Applicant organisation has a valid OID from EU Funding and Tenders Portal
- ✅ Minimum 2 partner organisations from 2 different Erasmus+ programme countries confirmed
- ✅ All partner organisations have valid OIDs
- ✅ All participants aged 13–30 at the time of the activity — not at submission date
- ✅ Minimum 10 participants per country group confirmed
- ✅ Activity duration between 5 and 21 days — excluding travel days
- ✅ Activity location in one of the partner countries
- ✅ Specific, documented theme with clear relevance to participants’ context
- ✅ Measurable learning objectives stated — not generic awareness-raising language
- ✅ Programme description covers daily structure, non-formal education methods and reflection
- ✅ Preparation activities described — language prep, cultural briefing, Youthpass introduction
- ✅ Follow-up activities described — dissemination of learning or community action
- ✅ Youthpass integrated into programme design — not mentioned as optional
- ✅ Inclusion measures described for participants with fewer opportunities
- ✅ Unit cost rates verified from current 2026 Programme Guide
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