Erasmus+ Virtual Exchanges in South Mediterranean Countries

The Erasmus+ Virtual Exchanges in South Mediterranean Countries initiative is a funding opportunity geared towards promoting intercultural dialogue and soft skills development through online activities. This program is specifically designed for young people aged 13-30, allowing them to engage in international exchanges without physical mobility.

Eligible applicants include public and private organizations involved in higher education and youth sectors, such as higher education institutions, youth organizations, and legally recognized national or international organizations from EU Member States, Erasmus+ associated countries, and South Mediterranean countries. A minimum of four independent entities from four different eligible countries is required to form a consortium, with at least two organizations from EU Member States or associated countries, and two from eligible South Mediterranean nations.

The funding type provided is through Erasmus Lump Sum Grants, with a maximum grant of €500,000 available per project and a capped funding rate of €200 per participant. Projects can run for a maximum duration of three years, with a total budget allocation of €1,646,667 specifically for South Mediterranean countries in 2026.

The application process features a single-stage submission, opening on December 4, 2025, with a deadline on March 26, 2026. Key thematic areas for projects include inclusion and diversity, digital transformation, environmental sustainability, and civic engagement. The call emphasizes the integration of these virtual exchanges into existing educational frameworks and stresses the need for projects to foster soft skills among participants.

Overall, this program represents a significant investment in fostering EU-Mediterranean relations, enhancing critical thinking and media literacy among youth, and addressing barriers to access in international education.

The ERASMUS+ Virtual Exchanges call for proposals (ERASMUS-EDU-2026-VIRT-EXCH) aims to promote intercultural dialogue and soft skills development through online people-to-people activities. These virtual exchanges are designed to provide young people with access to high-quality international and cross-cultural education without the need for physical mobility. The call encourages projects that integrate virtual exchanges into youth projects or higher education courses, involving participants from EU Member States, third countries associated with the Programme, and third countries not associated with the Programme in eligible regions.

The objectives of the action are to encourage intercultural dialogue, promote virtual exchanges as a complement to physical mobility, enhance critical thinking and media literacy, foster digital and soft skills development, promote citizenship and common values, and strengthen the youth dimension in EU relations with third countries.

Thematic areas for virtual exchanges include inclusion and diversity, digital transformation, environment and fight against climate change, and participation in democratic life, common values, and civic engagement. Participating organizations have the flexibility to choose specific topics within these areas, demonstrating the expected impact of their proposals. Gender aspects and the inclusion of socially and economically vulnerable people are to be considered.

Key dates for the call are: Publication of the call: 27 November 2025, Deadline for submitting applications: 26 March 2026, 17:00 (Brussels time), Evaluation period: April - September 2026, Information to applicants: September 2026, Signature of grant agreement: December 2026.

The admissibility conditions include compliance with the ERASMUS+ Programme Guide 2026 and a page limit of 40 pages for Part B of the Application Form (Technical Description). Eligible countries and other eligible conditions are described in the ERASMUS+ Programme Guide 2026. The financial and operational capacity and exclusion criteria are also detailed in the ERASMUS+ Programme Guide 2026. The submission and evaluation processes, award criteria, scoring, thresholds, and indicative timeline are all described in the ERASMUS+ Programme Guide 2026. The legal and financial setup of the grants is not applicable (n/a).

Applicants should consult the ERASMUS+ Programme Guide 2026 for detailed information. Application form templates include a standard application form (ERASMUS BB and LSII) and a detailed budget table (ERASMUS LSII). Guidance is provided in the ERASMUS Programme Guide. Model Grant Agreements (MGA) include a Lump Sum MGA. Additional documents include the ERASMUS+ Work Programme, ERASMUS Regulation 2021/817, EU Financial Regulation 2024/2509, Rules for Legal Entity Validation, LEAR Appointment and Financial Capacity Assessment, EU Grants AGA Annotated Model Grant Agreement, Funding & Tenders Portal Online Manual, Funding & Tenders Portal Terms and Conditions, Funding & Tenders Portal Privacy Statement, and guidance on how to manage lump sum grants.

The call includes several topics with specific budgets: ERASMUS-EDU-2026-VIRT-EXCH-NE with a budget of 2,040,948 EUR, ERASMUS-EDU-2026-VIRT-EXCH-SMC with a budget of 1,646,667 EUR, ERASMUS-EDU-2026-VIRT-EXCH-SSA with a budget of 5,174,285 EUR, and ERASMUS-EDU-2026-VIRT-EXCH-WB with a budget of 1,000,000 EUR. All topics follow a single-stage submission process, with the opening date planned for 4 December 2025 and a deadline of 26 March 2026.

For partner searches, LEARs, Account Administrators, or self-registrants can publish partner requests for open and forthcoming topics. The submission system is planned to open on the date stated on the topic header. Applicants are advised to read all provisions carefully before preparing their application. For help related to this call, applicants can contact EACEA-EPLUS-VIRTUAL-EXCHANGES@ec.europa.eu. The deadline for addressing queries is 13 March 2026 (eob). Additional support resources include the Funding & Tenders Portal FAQ, IT Helpdesk, and Online Manual.

In summary, this Erasmus+ call focuses on virtual exchange projects designed to foster intercultural dialogue and develop soft skills among young people. It leverages digital platforms to overcome mobility constraints and promote European values. The call is structured around specific thematic areas, encouraging bottom-up initiatives that address key priorities of the Erasmus+ Programme. The application process involves adherence to the Erasmus+ Programme Guide, submission of detailed proposals, and engagement with various support resources provided by the European Commission. The call provides funding opportunities for projects targeting different geographical regions, with a focus on inclusion, digital transformation, environmental sustainability, and democratic participation.

Eligible Applicant Types: The eligible applicant types are organizations involved in higher education and youth, including those involved in non-formal education. This includes organizations from EU Member States, third countries associated with the Programme, and third countries not associated with the Programme in eligible regions. Youth workers, defined as professional or volunteers involved in non-formal learning who support young people in their personal socio-educational and professional development, are also considered eligible participants.

Funding Type: The funding type is a grant, specifically an ERASMUS Lump Sum Grant (ERASMUS-LS).

Consortium Requirement: The call requires projects to involve organizations and participants from both EU Member States and third countries associated to the Programme, and third countries not associated to the Programme in eligible regions, suggesting a consortium approach is necessary.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The geographic eligibility includes EU Member States, third countries associated with the Erasmus+ Programme, and third countries not associated with the Programme but located in eligible regions.

Target Sector: The target sectors are education and youth, with a focus on promoting intercultural dialogue, soft skills development, digital transformation, inclusion and diversity, environment and fight against climate change, and participation in democratic life, common values, and civic engagement.

Mentioned Countries: EU Member States, third countries associated to the Programme, and third countries not associated to the Programme in eligible regions. The South Mediterranean Countries are specifically mentioned in the title of one of the calls.

Project Stage: The project stage is focused on the implementation of virtual exchanges, which implies a stage of development and implementation rather than basic research or initial idea conception.

Funding Amount: The funding amounts vary by topic: ERASMUS-EDU-2026-VIRT-EXCH-NE has a budget of 2,040,948 EUR, ERASMUS-EDU-2026-VIRT-EXCH-SMC has a budget of 1,646,667 EUR, ERASMUS-EDU-2026-VIRT-EXCH-SSA has a budget of 5,174,285 EUR, and ERASMUS-EDU-2026-VIRT-EXCH-WB has a budget of 1,000,000 EUR. All are lump sum grants.

Application Type: The application type is an open call, with a single-stage submission process.

Nature of Support: Beneficiaries will receive money in the form of lump sum grants.

Application Stages: The application process is single-stage.

Success Rates: The success rates are not specified in the provided text.

Co-funding Requirement: The text does not explicitly mention a co-funding requirement.

Summary:

This opportunity is an Erasmus+ call for proposals focused on Virtual Exchanges (ERASMUS-EDU-2026-VIRT-EXCH). It aims to promote intercultural dialogue and develop soft skills among young people through online activities. The call is open to organizations involved in higher education and youth from EU Member States, third countries associated with the Erasmus+ Programme, and eligible third countries not associated with the Programme. The projects should integrate virtual exchanges into youth projects or higher education courses, fostering digital and soft skills, critical thinking, and civic engagement. The thematic areas include inclusion and diversity, digital transformation, environment and climate change, and democratic participation. The funding is provided as lump sum grants, with varying budgets allocated to different topics and regions. The application process is single-stage, with a deadline of March 26, 2026. The call seeks to encourage innovative, bottom-up initiatives that complement physical mobility and enhance the international educational experience for young people. The call emphasizes the inclusion of socially and economically vulnerable people and those unable to participate in physical mobility programs.