What is an Erasmus+ youth exchange?
Picture this scenario. It is late January. A youth worker at a small association has spent weeks shaping a youth exchange on climate and local democracy with three partners. The young people chose the topic. The programme is ready. Then, two weeks before the deadline, the paperwork starts: one partner sends a profile from three years ago, with staff who have left. Another cannot find its OID. The day-by-day timetable is still a draft. None of this is about the idea, and all of it can stop the application. The rest of this guide is the rules, page by page, so that the deadline week is about checking, not chasing.
In the Programme Guide, youth exchanges are an action of Key Action 1, learning mobility in the field of youth, under the name Mobility of young people (Programme Guide 2026, p. 143). Organisations and informal groups of young people can receive support for projects that bring young people from different countries together to exchange and learn outside their formal educational system (Programme Guide 2026, p. 152). The Commission's application form template for this action is called Mobility of young people (KA152-YOU) (European Commission, 2026 template application form).
From the Programme Guide
“Youth Exchanges are meetings of groups of young people from at least two different countries who gather for a short period to implement jointly a non-formal learning programme (a mix of workshops, exercises, debates, role-plays, simulations, outdoor activities, etc.) on a topic of their interest, seeking inspiration from the European Youth Goals.”
The action is open to all young people, with a special focus on those with fewer opportunities (Programme Guide 2026, p. 152). Learning outcomes are identified and documented, in particular through Youthpass (Programme Guide 2026, p. 155).
Some activities are not eligible: academic study trips, exchanges that aim to make financial profit, exchanges that can be considered as tourism, festivals, holiday travel, performance tours, statutory meetings, and training courses by adults for young people (Programme Guide 2026, p. 153).
Who can apply for an Erasmus+ youth exchange?
Young people do not apply on their own. Any eligible participating organisation or informal group of young people established in an EU Member State or a third country associated to the Programme can be the applicant, and it applies on behalf of all the participating organisations (Programme Guide 2026, p. 156). The Commission's page for youth exchanges tells organisations to visit their National Agency website to find and apply for funding (European Commission, Erasmus+ website, 'Funding for youth exchanges and activities').
A participating organisation can be (Programme Guide 2026, p. 157):
- a non-profit organisation, association or NGO, including a European Youth NGO;
- a public body at local, regional or national level;
- a social enterprise;
- a profit-making body active in corporate social responsibility, with proven experience in the youth field, if its involvement has no commercial purpose and does not aim to generate profit;
- an informal group of young people.
Participating organisations can be established in an EU Member State, a third country associated to the Programme, or a third country not associated to the Programme that neighbours the EU (regions 1 to 4) (Programme Guide 2026, p. 157). Up to 20% of the budget available can fund activities with organisations and participants from those neighbouring countries (Programme Guide 2026, p. 152, footnote 144).
An informal group of young people is a group of at least four young people aged 13 to 30, without legal personality. If the group has minors, a member aged at least 18 takes the role of representative. The group must be registered and validated in the Organisation Registration System (ORS), with a registration form signed by the group members (Programme Guide 2026, p. 455).
- At least one of the sending or receiving organisations in the activity must be from the country of the National Agency that receives the application (Programme Guide 2026, p. 158).
- The same organisation (one OID) can be involved in at most 5 applications per deadline in this action, as applicant or partner (Programme Guide 2026, p. 157).
- Organisations and informal groups can also join the Programme without applying, as a partner in someone else's project (Programme Guide 2026, p. 143).
There are two routes. Standard projects suit organisations trying Erasmus+ for the first time, one-off projects or a limited number of activities. Accredited projects are only for organisations that hold an Erasmus accreditation in the field of youth (Programme Guide 2026, p. 143). This guide covers standard projects.
What are the age limits and group sizes in a youth exchange?
Participants are young people aged 13 to 30 who live in the countries of their sending and receiving organisations (Programme Guide 2026, p. 158). Age is counted at the start date of the activity: participants must have reached 13 and must not be older than 30 on that day (Programme Guide 2026, p. 158, footnote 158).
| Rule | What the Guide sets |
|---|---|
| Participants' age | 13 to 30, at the start date of the activity (p. 158) |
| Participants per activity | Minimum 16, maximum 60 (p. 158) |
| Activities with only young people with fewer opportunities | Minimum 10 participants (p. 158) |
| National groups | At least 2 groups from 2 different countries, at least 4 participants per group (p. 158) |
| Group leaders | At least one per group, aged at least 18, not counted as participants (p. 158) |
| Facilitators | At most two per activity, aged at least 18, not counted as participants (p. 158) |
| Participating organisations | At least 2 from different countries: at least one sending and one receiving (pp. 157–158) |
| Venue | The country of one of the participating organisations, or several for itinerant activities; never Belarus or Russia (p. 158) |
Group leaders support the participants during the activity and keep the environment safe, respectful and non-discriminatory. Protection and safety must be addressed during planning and preparation (Programme Guide 2026, p. 155).
How long does an Erasmus+ youth exchange last?
Two durations matter. The project lasts from 3 to 24 months (Programme Guide 2026, p. 157). The exchange activity itself lasts from 5 to 21 days, excluding travel days (Programme Guide 2026, p. 157).
A project has four stages: planning, preparation, implementation and follow-up. Planning, which covers needs, objectives, learning outcomes, formats and the schedule, happens before you submit the application (Programme Guide 2026, p. 154).
A project can include preparatory visits, in the country of one of the receiving organisations, before the exchange starts. They help with administrative arrangements, trust and the partnership, and with the needs of participants with fewer opportunities (Programme Guide 2026, pp. 153, 159). The need for a preparatory visit must be justified and approved by the National Agency (Programme Guide 2026, pp. 162–163).
What does an Erasmus+ youth exchange grant cover?
Most of the grant is paid as contributions to unit costs: fixed amounts per participant, per day or per distance band. Inclusion support for participants and exceptional costs are paid as real costs, and each request must be justified by the applicant and approved by the National Agency (Programme Guide 2026, pp. 161–163).
| Budget category | Amount | Based on |
|---|---|---|
| Organisational support | €125 per participant (p. 161) | Number of participants; group leaders, facilitators and accompanying persons are not counted (p. 161) |
| Travel | From €28 (10–99 km, non-green) to €1,735 (8,000 km or more); for example, 500–1,999 km is €417 green or €309 non-green (p. 161) | Distance band from the European Commission's distance calculator, per person, including group leaders, accompanying persons and facilitators (p. 161) |
| Individual support | A daily rate by receiving country, for example Portugal €57, Spain €58, Germany €71, Norway €83, neighbouring non-associated third countries €44 (Table A2.1, pp. 163–164) | Days of activity, plus one travel day before and one after, and up to four extra days for people with a green travel grant (p. 162) |
| Inclusion support for organisations | €125 per participant with fewer opportunities (p. 162) | Number of participants with fewer opportunities (p. 162) |
| Inclusion support for participants | 100% of eligible costs (p. 162) | Real costs, justified by the applicant and approved by the National Agency (p. 162) |
| Preparatory visit support | €680 per participant per preparatory visit (p. 162) | At most 2 participants per participating organisation (the second must be a young person), plus one facilitator per visit; not for the receiving organisation (p. 162) |
| Exceptional costs | 80% for a financial guarantee and for expensive travel; 100% for visas, residence permits, vaccinations and medical certificates (p. 163) | Real costs, justified and approved by the National Agency. Expensive travel applies where the unit cost covers less than 70% of the travel costs (p. 163) |
For example, with 32 participants, organisational support is 32 × €125 = €4,000, before travel, individual support and any inclusion support.
Below 500 km, participants travel, as a general rule, by low-emissions means of transport. Above 500 km, they are strongly encouraged to combine modes of transport to make travel more sustainable (Programme Guide 2026, p. 161).
Can participants be asked to pay? Only if needed, and the amount must be very low, proportional to the grant, justified by a direct benefit to the participant, collected on a non-profit basis and declared in the final report. It cannot be collected from participants with fewer opportunities, and service providers cannot charge extra fees (Programme Guide 2026, p. 154).
How to apply for an Erasmus+ youth exchange, step by step
The Programme Guide gives four steps for every application: registration, checking the programme criteria, checking the financial conditions, and filling in and submitting the form (Programme Guide 2026, p. 413). For a youth exchange, that means:
- Get your OID. The applicant's legal representative creates an EU Login account and registers the organisation, once, in the Organisation Registration system for Erasmus+ and European Solidarity Corps (Programme Guide 2026, pp. 413–414). An informal group also uploads its signed registration form (Programme Guide 2026, p. 455).
- Plan with your partners and the young people. All participating organisations must be identified when you apply (Programme Guide 2026, p. 154), and young people should help identify their needs and the learning they want (Programme Guide 2026, p. 154).
- Collect consent and accession forms. You need each partner's explicit consent to use its OID in your form (Programme Guide 2026, p. 414). Partners sign an accession form to the applicant, at application stage and at the latest by the grant agreement signature (Programme Guide 2026, p. 156, footnote 155).
- Prepare the timetable annex. A timetable of each youth exchange and preparatory visit in the project must be annexed to the application form (Programme Guide 2026, p. 157).
- Submit the form online. For actions managed by National Agencies, applications are submitted electronically through the forms on the Erasmus+ and European Solidarity Corps website (Programme Guide 2026, p. 416), to the National Agency of the country where the applicant is established (Programme Guide 2026, p. 157).
Our guide to the two organisation codes explains where the OID comes from and how to check yours. OID and PIC: which code goes where
The Commission publishes a 2026 template of the KA152-YOU form. It is for information only, to help organisations prepare; the application itself is made on the application website (European Commission, 2026 template application form: Mobility of young people (KA152-YOU)). See the 2026 KA152-YOU template page
When is the deadline for an Erasmus+ youth exchange?
The 2026 Programme Guide sets two deadlines for youth exchanges (Programme Guide 2026, p. 157):
- 12 February at 12:00:00 (midday Brussels time), for projects starting between 1 June and 31 December of the same year;
- 1 October at 12:00:00 (midday Brussels time), for projects starting between 1 January and 31 May of the following year.
Both 2026 deadlines have passed. On 9 November 2026, the Commission's Programme Guide page still showed the 2026 Guide, version 1 of 12 November 2025, as the current version and as part of the 2026 Call (European Commission, Erasmus+ website, 'Erasmus+ Programme Guide'). The 2027 dates are set in the next Programme Guide.
For actions managed by National Agencies, the deadline is always 12:00:00 midday Brussels time, whatever the day. Applicants in other time zones should check the time difference to avoid rejection (Programme Guide 2026, p. 434).
For Key Action 1 projects managed by National Agencies, the award decision and the grant agreement signature come about 4 months after the deadline. This timeline is indicative (Programme Guide 2026, p. 435).
How are youth exchange applications scored?
Applications are scored out of 100. To be considered for a grant, they need at least 60 points in total and at least half of the maximum in each of the three criteria (Programme Guide 2026, p. 159).
| Criterion | Maximum (minimum) | Some of what evaluators check |
|---|---|---|
| Relevance, rationale and impact | 30 (15) (p. 159) | The applicant's profile, experience, activities and target young people are relevant for youth; the project meets the needs of the organisations and participants; it introduces newcomers and less experienced organisations (p. 159) |
| Quality of project design | 40 (20) (p. 160) | All phases are clear, with young people involved in each; balanced representation of countries and gender; accessible and inclusive activities; sustainable practices; learning outcomes documented, in particular with Youthpass (p. 160) |
| Quality of project management | 30 (15) (p. 160) | Practical arrangements; safety and protection of participants; clearly defined tasks; cooperation and communication between the organisations; evaluation, dissemination and sustainable results (p. 160) |
From the Programme Guide
“the applicant’s profile, experience, activities and target population of young people are relevant for the field of youth”
Projects must also follow the Erasmus Youth Quality Standards, which cover the selection and preparation of participants, learning outcomes and their recognition, and sharing project results (Programme Guide 2026, p. 155).
Why are Erasmus+ youth exchange applications rejected?
The Programme Guide names the grounds. They fall into four groups.
- Not admissible: submitted after the deadline, an invalid OID, an incomplete form or missing documents (Programme Guide 2026, p. 416). In a youth exchange, the timetable annex is one of the documents required (p. 157).
- Not eligible: for example fewer than 16 participants, a group under 4, a venue outside the partners' countries, or no sending or receiving organisation from the National Agency's country (Programme Guide 2026, pp. 157–158). An ineligible project is rejected without further evaluation (Programme Guide 2026, p. 416).
- Below the thresholds: under 60 points in total, or under half the maximum in any one criterion (Programme Guide 2026, p. 159). A strong idea with a vague management plan can still fail.
- Not original: applications must contain original content by the applicant and partners, and all proposals are screened automatically for plagiarism and double funding. Almost identical or similar applications, from the same or different applicants, may all be rejected (Programme Guide 2026, p. 428).
An application can also be rejected for insufficient financial or operational capacity (Programme Guide 2026, p. 416).
From the Programme Guide
“Applicants are strongly advised against relying on external entities or individuals for drafting of the application.”
How do you find partners for an Erasmus+ youth exchange?
National Agencies regularly organise Training and Cooperation Activities (TCAs), which include contact seminars, online events and other partner-finding opportunities. They are listed in the European Training Calendar on the SALTO-YOUTH website (Programme Guide 2026, p. 154). For help linking a project to the EU Youth Strategy, the Guide points to your National Agency or the SALTO Resource Centres (Programme Guide 2026, p. 153). European Training Calendar (SALTO-YOUTH)
The project should be relevant to each organisation's regular work with young people and in line with its objectives and needs (Programme Guide 2026, p. 154). So the coordinator needs to know what each partner really does.
Our guide lists what partners usually send the coordinator, and why. What Erasmus+ partners send the coordinator
Why does an up-to-date partner profile matter for a youth exchange?
Three rules in this guide depend on facts about each partner. The OID must be valid and used with consent (Programme Guide 2026, pp. 414, 416). The applicant's profile, experience and target young people are scored under relevance (Programme Guide 2026, p. 159). And every participating organisation must be identified at application stage (Programme Guide 2026, p. 154).
Our PIF template shows the sections a partner profile usually covers. See the PIF template
Our 18 PIF checks start with the identity facts the application form relies on. See the 18 PIF checks
MyPIF, which opens soon, will keep your PIF behind one permanent link that always shows the latest version, with an AI Quality Score, version history, PDF and Word export, and copying of any field. It does not write your application. Join the waiting list before 1 December 2026 and get 2 months of Pro free, no card needed. Join the waiting list: 2 months of Pro free
Questions and answers
- Can I apply for an Erasmus+ youth exchange as an individual?
- No. Organisations and informal groups of young people apply, on behalf of all the participating organisations (Programme Guide 2026, pp. 152, 156). Young people take part through a sending organisation or group, so ask a youth organisation near you or your National Agency.
- Is there an age limit for group leaders?
- Group leaders, facilitators and accompanying persons must be at least 18 years old. They are not counted as participants (Programme Guide 2026, p. 158). The eligibility criteria for this action set no upper age for them (p. 158).
- Can an informal group of young people apply?
- Yes. A group of at least four young people aged 13 to 30 can apply if it is registered and validated in the Organisation Registration System, with a member aged at least 18 as representative where the group has minors (Programme Guide 2026, pp. 157 footnote 156, 455).
- When will we know if our youth exchange is funded?
- Indicatively, about 4 months after the deadline, when the National Agency notifies the award decision and signs the grant agreement (Programme Guide 2026, p. 435).
Sources
- Erasmus+ Programme Guide 2026, version 1 (12 November 2025)Pages used: 143, 152–164, 413–414, 416, 428, 434–435, 454–455. Opened 2026-11-09.
- European Commission, Erasmus+ website: Erasmus+ Programme Guide (current version)Shows version 1 of 12.11.2025 as current, part of the 2026 Call. Opened 2026-11-09.
- European Commission, Erasmus+ website: Funding for youth exchanges and activitiesLast updated 27 August 2025. Opened 2026-11-09.
- 2026 template application form: Mobility of young people (KA152-YOU)Template page, "for information only". Opened 2026-11-09.
- European Commission, Erasmus+ website: National AgenciesCountry list of National Agencies. Last updated 19 June 2026. Opened 2026-11-09.
Why we publish this: a PIF only helps you if it is right, and most mistakes come from rules that change.
MyPIF, which opens soon, will keep your organisation's PIF behind one link that always opens the latest version: correct a fact once, such as your OID or staff, and every coordinator with the link sees it, and export a PDF or Word file when someone needs one. The youth exchange itself is still planned and written with your partners.
MyPIF is an independent service, not affiliated with or endorsed by the European Commission, EACEA or any National Agency.
