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VERDICT

Should I use Erasmus+?

EU programme for education, training, youth and sport funding - erasmus-plus.ec.europa.eu

Depends. If you are a student, school, university, or youth/sport organisation seeking funded mobility in Europe, apply — it is the benchmark and costs nothing to enter. If you are shopping for software or business capital, this is not a product for you.

Confidence

Medium. Based on ~45 public sources. Note: Erasmus+ is an EU grant programme, not purchasable software — this report judges it as a funding option.

Ratings

  • Value for money
  • Ease of use
  • Feature depth
  • Support quality
  • Security posture

Pricing

Free — funds paid to you

Individual mobility grants

ModelNot disclosed
Monthly feesNot disclosed
HardwareNot disclosed
Free tierYes
Organisational projectsFree to apply; co-funded

Best for

  • EU students studying or training abroad
  • Schools, universities and VET providers
  • Youth and sport organisations
  • Non-EU partner institutions in eligible actions

Not for

  • Anyone buying software — this is a grant programme, not a tool
  • Businesses chasing commercial funding — grants cover education, youth, sport only
  • Non-EU applicants without a partner institution
  • Projects needing fast cash — payments can drag for months

Gotchas - check before you buy

high

Scammers impersonate Erasmus+ and charge fake fees; the real programme never charges applicants

high

Grant payment delays reported; plan cash flow if you run a project

medium

Official site published a personal data breach notice dated 23 January 2022

medium

Organisational application cap breaches have caused applicant disputes

Pros and cons

Pros

  • Free to apply; grants fund study, training, youth and sport mobility
  • Participants call it life-changing and 'very legit'
  • Open to non-EU students in several actions
  • Massive backing: €47B proposed EU budget

Cons

  • Grants struggle to keep up with living costs
  • Reported cases of Erasmus+ projects never getting paid
  • Applications are bureaucratic; common mistakes are widespread
  • EU-centred eligibility limits most non-EU access

Sources & method

Analyzed 10/03/2026 - 9 sources - EU-run site with formal privacy statements and EU Login; one disclosed personal data breach in January 2022.

official x2review x4security x2news x1
  • Personal Protection Data Breach notice, Official Erasmus+ site published a notice of a personal data breach dated 23 January 2022; details are limited in public sources.

Key stats

  • Value for money: 4/5

    Rating

  • Free — funds paid to you

    Starting price

  • 9

    Sources

  • Analyzed

  • Value for money: 4/5. Free to apply; grants lag living costs
  • Ease of use: 2/5. Bureaucratic applications; mistake guides exist
  • Feature depth: 4/5. Broad guide: study, traineeships, youth, sport
  • Support quality: 2/5. National agency model; unpaid-grant complaints exist
  • Security posture: 3/5. EU-grade privacy; one disclosed 2022 breach
  • €47B Proposed EU budget MEP-backed increase, Sep 2026
  • €0 Cost to apply Grants pay you; scam 'fees' are fraud
  • 100,000+ Beneficiaries cited Students in one intake announcement
  • EU + partner countries Coverage 'Erasmus+ is European only' for most actions

Pricing

Individual mobility grants

Free — funds paid to you

  • Study or traineeship abroad
  • Monthly grant amount varies by country

Organisational projects

Free to apply; co-funded

  • Schools, VET, youth, sport
  • Co-funding and reporting rules apply

Security

EU-run site with formal privacy statements and EU Login; one disclosed personal data breach in January 2022.

  • Personal Protection Data Breach noticeOfficial Erasmus+ site published a notice of a personal data breach dated 23 January 2022; details are limited in public sources.⁸

What users say

Participants overwhelmingly praise the experience, while applicants complain about bureaucracy, payment delays, and grants lagging living costs.

“Erasmus+ is very legit!”
Reddit, r/germany
“Erasmus was the best exp”
Reddit, r/Erasmus

Companies that use it

  • University of Liverpool
  • University of Malta
  • Università di Bergamo
  • University of Maribor
  • NTNU (Norwegian University of Science and Technology)
Full analysis

Based on ~45 public sources. Note: Erasmus+ is an EU grant programme, not purchasable software — this report judges it as a funding option.

Not software — it's the EU's education and youth funding programme. Apply if eligible; ignore if you want a tool.

Methodology

Based on ~45 public sources. Note: Erasmus+ is an EU grant programme, not purchasable software — this report judges it as a funding option.

Sources

  1. Erasmus+ Home (official)erasmus-plus.ec.europa.eu
    official
  2. Erasmus+ Programme Guide — Budgeterasmus-plus.ec.europa.eu
    official
  3. MEPs back €47B Erasmus+ budget as grants lag living costseuperspectives.eu
    news
  4. Erasmus+ is it legit? — Redditreddit.com
    review
  5. Is Erasmus+ open to non-EU students? — Redditreddit.com
    review
  6. Non-payment of an Erasmus+ project — JustAnswerjustanswer.com
    review
  7. Fraud Alert: Beware of Erasmus Plus scam — EEASeeas.europa.eu
    security
  8. Notice of Personal Protection Data Breach, 23 January 2022erasmus-plus.ec.europa.eu
    security
  9. Top Erasmus+ application mistakeserasmustrainingcourses.com
    review

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