School Education: Proficiency in basic skills

The EU is offering funding opportunities under the Erasmus+ Programme through the call titled "School Education: Proficiency in Basic Skills," associated with the European policy experimentation initiative (ERASMUS-EDU-2026-POL-EXP). The project aims to support transnational cooperation efforts to improve basic skills in educational settings across EU member states and potentially other associated countries, with a total budget of €9 million allocated for this specific topic (T06). This funding is structured as a lump sum grant, meaning recipients receive a fixed amount instead of reimbursements based on actual costs, which simplifies administration. The main objectives involve developing, implementing, and testing innovative educational policies that address key educational priorities according to the 2022 Council Recommendation on Pathways to School Success. Eligible applicants include high-level public authorities responsible for education somewhat at national, regional, or local levels as well as educational institutions. Participation in consortia is required for projects to foster collaboration among different stakeholders across countries. Eligible geographic areas are EU member states and potentially EEA countries, ensuring a broad scope for applicants. The application process is a single-stage, open call with a submission deadline set for April 8, 2026. Detailed project proposals, with a maximum length of 40 pages, are expected to cover the specific activities and expected impacts. Success rates for these grants are not explicitly mentioned, but past patterns suggest competitive selection with a strong emphasis on rigorous evaluation processes. The call aims to align with significant EU educational priorities such as enhancing basic skills—literacy, numeracy, and science—through comprehensive strategies that include early intervention, personalized support, and system-wide reforms. Projects will also focus on creating evidence-based insights applicable at a European scale to drive educational policy improvements. Overall, this opportunity invites organizations within the education sector to engage in meaningful policy experimentation that will support systemic reform and enhance educational outcomes across Europe. Specific guidelines related to eligibility criteria, proposal formatting, and evaluation processes are provided in the official call documentation.

The EU is offering grant opportunities under the Erasmus+ Programme, specifically the European Policy Experimentations call (ERASMUS-EDU-2026-POL-EXP). These grants, categorized as ERASMUS Lump Sum Grants (ERASMUS-LS), aim to support transnational cooperation projects focused on developing, implementing, and testing activities that address policy priorities across different countries. The core objective is to foster mutual learning and support evidence-based policymaking at the European level.

The themes and priorities of these activities are guided by the 2022 Council Recommendation on Pathways to School Success. This recommendation provides a policy framework based on a whole-system, whole-school approach, designed to guide policymakers and education practitioners. The framework includes conditions for effective action, key measures at various levels (school, local, regional, and national), and specific actions to support educational staff. This framework is further complemented by EU-level guidelines that focus on measures with a proven impact on improving basic skills proficiency, emphasizing early intervention and individualized support.

Key conditions for application include adhering to the proposal page limit and layout guidelines, which are detailed in the call document. The Part B of the Application Form (Technical Description) has a page limit of 40 pages, including the list of relevant previous projects. The layout specifications are available in the Important Notice within the Submission System.

Eligibility criteria, including eligible countries and other specific conditions, are thoroughly described in the call document. Applicants must also meet financial and operational capacity requirements, as well as exclusion criteria, which are also detailed in the call document.

The evaluation process involves a submission and evaluation process, with award criteria, scoring, and thresholds comprehensively outlined in the call document.

The indicative timeline for the evaluation and grant agreement process is as follows:

Publication of the call:December 22, 2025

Deadline for submitting applications:April 8, 2026, 17:00 (Brussels time)

Evaluation period:April - July 2026

Information to applicants:October 2026

Signature of grant agreement:by January 2027

The legal and financial setup of the grants is not applicable (n/a).

Applicants should consult the following documents and annexes:

Call document

Standard application form (ERASMUS BB and LSII)

Detailed budget table (ERASMUS LSII)

Erasmus+ Programme Guide, Part C - Information for Applicants

Lump Sum Model Grant Agreement (MGA)

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

Guidance on managing lump sum grants

Funding & Tenders Portal Online Manual

Funding & Tenders Portal Terms and Conditions

Funding & Tenders Portal Privacy Statement

Partner search announcements are available, allowing LEARs, Account Administrators, and self-registrants to publish partner requests for open and forthcoming topics.

The submission system is planned to open on the date specified in the topic header. Applicants are advised to carefully read all provisions before preparing their application.

For assistance, applicants can contact EACEA-POLICY-SUPPORT@EC.EUROPA.EU for call-related inquiries or the IT Helpdesk for technical issues. The Funding & Tenders Portal FAQ and Online Manual provide additional support.

The available topics and their respective budgets for the year 2026 are:

ERASMUS-EDU-2026-POL-EXP-T01-DIGITAL-CONTENT:€2,000,000

ERASMUS-EDU-2026-POL-EXP-T02-DIGITAL-ETHICSAI:€6,000,000

ERASMUS-EDU-2026-POL-EXP-T03-DIGITAL-BS:€5,000,000

ERASMUS-EDU-2026-POL-EXP-T04-MICRO-CRED:€3,000,000

ERASMUS-EDU-2026-POL-EXP-T05-SCHOOL-STEM:€6,000,000

ERASMUS-EDU:€9,000,000

ERASMUS-EDU-2026-POL-EXP-T07-VET-BS:€5,000,000

ERASMUS-EDU-2026-POL-EXP-T08-VET-QUALIFICATIONS:€8,000,000

ERASMUS-EDU-2026-POL-EXP-T09-ADULT-PS:€5,000,000

ERASMUS-EDU-2026-POL-EXP-T10-ADULT-EMPOWER:€5,000,000

All topics follow a single-stage submission process, with the opening date planned for January 6, 2026, and a deadline of April 8, 2026.

In summary, this Erasmus+ call for proposals seeks to fund transnational projects that experiment with and validate policy initiatives aimed at improving education across Europe. The focus is on aligning with the 2022 Council Recommendation on Pathways to School Success, which emphasizes a holistic approach to education, early intervention, and tailored support. The grants are lump sum based, and the application process involves adhering to specific guidelines for proposal length and format, as well as meeting eligibility and capacity requirements. The call covers a range of topics from digital content and ethics in AI to STEM education and adult empowerment, each with a dedicated budget. Successful projects will contribute to evidence-based policy development and promote mutual learning among participating countries.

Eligible Applicant Types:The eligible applicant types are not explicitly stated in the provided text. However, given the context of Erasmus+ and policy experimentation, eligible applicants could include educational institutions (schools, vocational training providers, adult learning centers), research institutes, public authorities, and potentially NGOs or other organizations active in the field of education and training. It is likely that transnational cooperation is required, implying multiple organizations from different eligible countries. The specific eligible applicant types will be detailed in the call document.

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

Consortium Requirement:The opportunity is for transnational cooperation projects, which implies a consortium of multiple applicants is required.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility):The geographic eligibility is not explicitly stated but is likely to be EU member states and potentially other countries participating in the Erasmus+ programme. The call document will provide the definitive list of eligible countries.

Target Sector:The target sector is education, with a focus on school education, vocational education and training (VET), and adult learning. Specific themes include digital content, digital ethics/AI, basic skills, micro-credentials, STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) education, and empowerment in adult learning.

Mentioned Countries:No specific countries are mentioned. The opportunity is at the European level, targeting transnational cooperation.

Project Stage:The project stage is focused on policy experimentation, which involves developing, implementing, and testing activities. This suggests projects should be at the development, validation, and demonstration stages, with the aim of informing policy and promoting scalability.

Funding Amount:The funding amounts vary by topic, ranging from €2,000,000 to €9,000,000 per topic.

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 involves a single stage.

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

Co-funding Requirement:The co-funding requirement is not explicitly mentioned.

Summary:

This opportunity is a call for proposals under the Erasmus+ programme, specifically for European policy experimentations in the field of education. The call, titled ERASMUS-EDU-2026-POL-EXP, aims to fund transnational cooperation projects that develop, implement, and test innovative activities to address policy priorities in education across different European countries. The focus is on strategic leadership, methodological soundness, and a strong European dimension to foster mutual learning and evidence-based policy making.

The call is structured around several specific topics, each with its own budget allocation:

ERASMUS-EDU-2026-POL-EXP-T01-DIGITAL-CONTENT:Focuses on digital content in education, with a budget of €2,000,000.

ERASMUS-EDU-2026-POL-EXP-T02-DIGITAL-ETHICSAI:Addresses digital ethics and AI in education, with a budget of €6,000,000.

ERASMUS-EDU-2026-POL-EXP-T03-DIGITAL-BS:Centers on digital basic skills, with a budget of €5,000,000.

ERASMUS-EDU-2026-POL-EXP-T04-MICRO-CRED:Deals with micro-credentials, with a budget of €3,000,000.

ERASMUS-EDU-2026-POL-EXP-T05-SCHOOL-STEM:Focuses on STEM education in schools, with a budget of €6,000,000.

ERASMUS-EDU:Addresses basic skills in schools, with a budget of €9,000,000.

ERASMUS-EDU-2026-POL-EXP-T07-VET-BS:Centers on basic skills in vocational education and training (VET), with a budget of €5,000,000.

ERASMUS-EDU-2026-POL-EXP-T08-VET-QUALIFICATIONS:Deals with VET qualifications, with a budget of €8,000,000.

ERASMUS-EDU-2026-POL-EXP-T09-ADULT-PS:Focuses on adult learning and personal skills, with a budget of €5,000,000.

ERASMUS-EDU-2026-POL-EXP-T10-ADULT-EMPOWER:Addresses empowerment in adult learning, with a budget of €5,000,000.

Activities under these topics are guided by the 2022 Council Recommendation on Pathways to School Success, which provides a policy framework for improving education systems. The framework emphasizes a whole-system, whole-school approach and focuses on key measures to support school leaders, teachers, and other educational staff.

The call is a single-stage process, with a deadline for submitting applications on April 8, 2026. The evaluation period will take place from April to July 2026, and applicants will be informed of the results in October 2026. The signature of grant agreements is expected by January 2027.

Applicants are required to submit a detailed technical description as part of their application, with a page limit of 40 pages. The call document provides additional information on admissibility conditions, eligible countries, evaluation criteria, and the legal and financial setup of the grants.

This call represents a significant opportunity for organizations in the education sector to secure funding for innovative projects that can contribute to evidence-based policy making and improve education systems across Europe.