Erasmus+ Scholarships to help retain talented European students in the EU in strategic STEM fields and strengthen Europe’s competitiveness
The European Commission has published a pilot call for Erasmus+ grants; the application deadline is 28th of May.
Why Erasmus+ Scholarships in Strategic Fields?
Erasmus+ Scholarships for students in strategic STEM fields (STEM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) were proposed by the European Commission with the aim of retaining European talent within the EU, in line with the Competitiveness Compass, the Union of Skills, and the STEM Education Strategic Plan. The aim is to attract and retain more European students in fields that are key to the EU’s competitiveness: clean and circular technologies, the bioeconomy, transportation, digital technologies including AI, energy, water resilience, healthcare, the aerospace industry, and defense. The scholarships are intended for students in tertiary education (universities and providers of tertiary vocational education and training (VET), EQF levels 5, 6, and 7). The scholarship is designed to support a student for a maximum of three academic years (or potentially fewer, depending on the length of the study programme). The aim of the current pilot action is to lay the groundwork for the further development of this scholarship initiative and to enable its implementation in the next multiannual financial framework based on the proposed Erasmus+ Regulation for the period 2028–2034, which provides for “Erasmus+ scholarships in strategic areas of education, particularly in joint study programmes.”
How to apply?
Applications must be submitted by a consortium of at least four higher education institutions and/or institutions providing tertiary vocational education and training from four Erasmus+ programme countries. The project duration is two years. The total budget is five million euros, and the European Commission expects to fund four successful projects, amounting to 1 250 000 euros per project. Applications may be submitted by 28th of May 2026, via the FTOP portal. All eligibility criteria can be found in the call for proposals document. The EACEA also held an info session on this call on Thursday 12th of March; the recording and presentations are available on the EACEA website.
What can be covered by the grant?
In its grant application, the consortium should propose several study programmes in defined strategic areas. These should include a significant portion of student mobility during academic semesters and/or internships or work placements abroad, in industry, and at research or innovation centers. Programmes with high added value for the EU, such as joint study programmes should be the focal point of applications. Mobility and internships may also take place at an institution or organisation outside the consortium, provided it has a bilateral or multilateral agreement with at least one consortium member. Study-related mobility and internships or work placements may take place in other EU Member States and countries associated with the Erasmus+ programme.
It is expected that 90% of the grant will be used directly for scholarships covering participation costs, including, but not limited to: travel expenses, tuition and administrative fees, study materials and books, accommodation and living expenses, access to university facilities, and health and student insurance. Up to 10% of the grant may be used for administrative costs directly related to the implementation, management, and monitoring of the scholarship programme, including staff costs, legal advice, communication, or event organisation. The project application must include at least 25 three-year scholarships (scholarships may also be one-year or two-year, depending on the length of the study programme; these options may be combined, but the total must correspond to 75 one-year scholarships). Scholarships should be awarded only to students who begin their studies in the 2027/2028 academic year (only one cohort of scholarship recipients). The amount of each individual scholarship must not exceed 60 000 euros.
The scholarships should foster synergies with other initiatives in the field of higher education, such as the European University Alliance, the Joint European Degree, and the European Degree in Engineering.