Erasmus+ Budget 2028-2034: What the EU's Next Funding Cycle Could Mean for Student Mobility
By Muntasir Minhaz • Published Aug 03, 2026 • Education Planning, Study in Europe, Erasmus & Exchange, Money & Budgeting, Education News & Policy
The European Commission proposed a 40.8 billion euro Erasmus+ budget for 2028-2034, up from 26.2 billion euros in the current 2021-2027 period. This is a Commission proposal only, not a final budget, and still needs approval from the European Parliament and EU governments.
💶 Proposed budget: 40.8 billion euros for 2028-2034
Current budget: 26.2 billion euros for 2021-2027
Proposal folds in the European Solidarity Corps and adds scholarships in strategic study fields
⏱️ Final figures depend on negotiations between Parliament and EU governments
What the Commission Proposed
The European Commission put forward a budget of 40.8 billion euros for the next Erasmus+ programme , covering 2028 to 2034. That compares with 26.2 billion euros for the current 2021-2027 period, a sizeable increase if it survives the negotiation process unchanged.
The proposal is part of the EU's next long-term budget, the Multiannual Financial Framework, which the Commission published around the same time. Treat the 40.8 billion euro figure as a starting point for negotiation rather than the amount you should expect when the new programme launches.
What Changes in the Proposal
Beyond the higher figure, the Commission describes the next Erasmus+ as broader in scope. The proposal folds the European Solidarity Corps into the same programme structure and adds scholarships targeted at strategic study fields, alongside continuing support for exchanges, traineeships and cooperation projects across education, youth and sport.
For you as a student, a bigger programme pot would mean more exchange places and grants, assuming the final budget stays close to the proposed figure. A smaller final settlement would mean tighter competition for grants or fewer supported places, similar to previous funding cycles where demand for Erasmus+ mobility has outpaced available grants in popular destinations.
How Erasmus+ Funding Reaches You
Erasmus+ money does not go directly from Brussels to individual students. The European Commission allocates funding to national agencies in each participating country, which then distribute grants to universities and, from there, to students taking part in exchanges, traineeships and other mobility. A change in the overall EU-level budget eventually filters down to how much your national agency has to work with, though the exact effect on your grant amount also depends on decisions made at the national level.
What Erasmus+ Currently Funds
The current programme supports student and staff exchanges between universities, traineeships in another country, joint study programmes between institutions, and cooperation projects that help universities build new courses and partnerships together. The proposed 2028-2034 budget would continue all of this while adding the European Solidarity Corps and new strategic-field scholarships on top.
Why the Final Number Will Likely Change
EU budget proposals go through years of negotiation between the European Parliament and the Council, where national governments represent member states. Both bodies regularly adjust Commission proposals before final adoption, and the overall Multiannual Financial Framework covers dozens of programmes competing for the same pot of money. Erasmus+ funding has shifted during these negotiations in past cycles, so the 40.8 billion euro figure is not guaranteed to survive unchanged.
What This Means for Your Planning
If you are years away from applying for an Erasmus+ exchange, this proposal signals the EU's direction of travel rather than a guaranteed outcome. Do not delay or bring forward study plans based on this figure alone. Keep checking your national Erasmus+ agency or your university's international office for confirmed grant amounts and available places each academic year, since these depend on the final adopted budget and how your country's agency allocates its share.