Erasmus+ for Serbia: the complete guide

Erasmus+ is the European Union's programme for education, training, youth and sport, running from 2021 to 2027. It funds people to study, train, volunteer and gain experience abroad, and funds organisations to work together across borders.

Yes. Serbia became a full Programme Country in 2019. In practice this means people and organisations in Serbia have the same access as those in EU member states for most parts of the programme, including youth exchanges, training courses and volunteering.

A wide range of people: university students and recent graduates, teachers and youth workers, and — importantly — any young person aged roughly 13 to 30 for youth activities, with no requirement to be enrolled at a university. Organisations such as NGOs, schools and informal youth groups can also take part.

A youth exchange brings together groups of young people from several countries for 5 to 21 days to work on a shared theme through workshops and activities. A training course is for people who already work with young people and runs 3 to 10 days, focused on methods and skills. Neither requires prior qualifications for participants.

The European Solidarity Corps is a closely related EU programme offering volunteering placements of 2 to 12 months abroad for people aged 18 to 30. It covers travel, accommodation, food, insurance and a monthly allowance. Serbian citizens are fully eligible.

For projects up to 90 days in the Schengen Area, holders of a Serbian biometric passport do not need a short-stay visa. For stays longer than 90 days, such as long volunteering placements, you normally apply for a long-stay (Type D) visa and a residence permit in the host country. Requirements vary by country.

Because the European Health Insurance Card is not available to Serbian citizens, you need your own travel and health insurance that is valid in the host country. This is one of the details people most often overlook. For European Solidarity Corps volunteering, the programme provides insurance.

For longer university study or traineeship mobility, the monthly grant depends on the cost of living in the destination, roughly in the range of €350 to €500 per month, with extra support available for those with fewer opportunities. Youth exchanges and training courses are not paid but cover travel, accommodation and food.

No. A core principle of Erasmus+ is that students do not pay tuition, registration or examination fees at the host institution. You continue paying any fees at your home institution only.

Yes. Under the Erasmus+ rules and the Bologna Process, a Learning Agreement signed before departure sets out the credits to be earned, and the home institution recognises them on successful completion, based on the Transcript of Records issued abroad.

Travel is reimbursed as a set amount based on the distance between home and the project, in bands — for example a mid-range European trip falls in the 500 to 1999 km band. Using low-emission transport such as train or bus can qualify for a higher green-travel amount and extra travel days.

For youth exchanges, participants are usually 18 to 30, but group leaders and youth workers accompanying a group can be older. Training courses for youth workers have no upper age limit, and there is no upper age limit for university student mobility.

Usually not. Youth exchanges and many courses work in English, and free online language support is available. For long university placements a B1 to B2 level in the language of instruction may be required, but everyday life rarely demands fluency in the local language.

Youthpass is a European recognition certificate given to participants at the end of a youth project. It records the project and the competences developed, is free, available in many languages, and is widely recognised on CVs and applications.

Yes. For youth exchanges and training courses there is no limit on how many you can join over time. For longer university mobility there is a cap of 12 months per study cycle, but that resets for each cycle — bachelor, master and doctorate.

The national agency is Foundation Tempus (Fondacija Tempus), based in Belgrade. It provides information and support to applicants and manages parts of the programme in Serbia. For youth exchanges and training courses, you generally apply through a sending organisation such as OEV rather than the agency directly.

Yes. NGOs, schools, informal youth groups and other bodies in Serbia can apply for or partner in youth exchanges, training courses, volunteering and cooperation partnerships. An organisation first registers for an identification number and then applies to the relevant call.

No. The programme is built around inclusion. Grants offset costs for everyone, extra support exists for people facing financial, geographical, health or social barriers, and youth exchanges and volunteering are essentially free for participants.

Evidence collected across the programme suggests participants tend to develop adaptability, communication and intercultural skills that employers value, alongside language ability and international contacts. It is worth recording the experience with a Youthpass or Europass Mobility document.

Open calls appear on sending organisations' channels, on the national agency's site, on the SALTO-YOUTH platform, and in youth networks. OEV publishes its current open calls on its Linktree, linked from this website.