Erasmus grants – proposal for a universal baseline of EUR 500 a month

Subject: Erasmus grants – proposal for a universal baseline of EUR 500 a month

For many years, financial obstacles have proven to be the single biggest deterrent to participation in mobility programmes such as Erasmus. Approximately half of all European students work while they study, and those who rely on that income to meet their living expenses find themselves structurally excluded from participating in Erasmus, as the financial support they would receive while on Erasmus is too low.

Given the manifest unfairness of this, will the Commission commit to introducing a minimum baseline grant for Erasmus students of EUR 500 a month, with the possibility of top-ups, with a view to making the Erasmus programme more inclusive?

Answer given by Ms Gabriel on behalf of the European Commission

(11 August 2020)

Making the next Erasmus programme as inclusive as possible is a key objective for the Commission, which has been engaged in a two-year co-creation process involving a wide range of stakeholders, including the Erasmus Student Network and the European Student Union. As a result, the new programme will offer more flexible mobility options to increase students’ freedom to choose a mobility format and duration based on their individual needs.

The Commission is also reviewing the Erasmus grant system with the aim of making it even more inclusive. The objective is to contribute adequately to the extra costs a mobility period abroad entails and provide additional financial support for students with fewer opportunities. This will have to be achieved within the constraints of the available budget while ensuring that a maximum number of participants can benefit from the programme.

Additional measures, such as the Erasmus+ Mobile App (1), will make mobility easier with better access to information and support services.

⋅1∙ https://erasmusapp.eu/index.html | | ( | | )