Eligible countries

EU Member States take part in the Erasmus+ Programme. In addition, in accordance with article 16 of the Erasmus+ Regulation, the following third countries are associated to the programme1 :

• members of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) which are members of the European Economic Area (EEA): Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein;
• acceding countries, candidate countries and potential candidates: North Macedonia, Republic of Turkey and Republic of Serbia;

The EU Member States and the above mentioned third countries associated to the programme will be hereafter called “EU Member States and third countries associated to the Programme”. In addition, in accordance with article 17 of the Regulation, entities from other third countries non-associated to the Programme can be eligible in Erasmus+ actions in duly justified cases and in the Union interest (hereafter called “third countries not associated to the Programme”).

EU Member States and third countries associated to the Programme

The following countries can fully take part in all the Actions of the Erasmus+ Programme:

Member States of the European Union (EU)2

Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, Estonia, Ireland, Greece, Spain, France, Croatia, Italy, Cyprus, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Hungary, Malta, Netherlands, Austria, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Slovakia, Finland, Sweden

Third countries associated to the Programme3

 

• North Macedonia
• Serbia
• Iceland
• Liechtenstein
• Norway
• Turkey

Third countries not associated to the Programme

The following countries can take part in certain Actions of the Programme, subject to specific criteria or conditions (for more information, please consult Part B of this Guide). Funding will be allocated to organisations in the countries within their territories as recognised by international law. Applicants and participants must respect any restrictions placed on EU external assistance imposed by the European Council. Applications have to be in line with the overall EU values of respect for human dignity, freedom, democracy, equality, the rule of law and respect for human rights, including the rights of persons belonging to minorities as foreseen in art 2 of the Treaty of the European Union. The following third countries not associated to the Programme are regrouped according to the EU's external action instruments, namely the Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation – Global Europe Instrument (NDICI-Global Europe)4 and the Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA III).5

Western Balkans (Region 1)

Albania; Bosnia and Herzegovina; Kosovo6 ; Montenegro

Neighbourhood East (Region 2)

Armenia; Azerbaijan; Belarus; Georgia; Moldova; Territory of Ukraine as recognised by international law

South-Mediterranean countries (Region 3)7

Algeria; Egypt; Israel; Jordan; Lebanon; Libya; Morocco; Palestine8 ; Syria; Tunisia

Russian Federation (Region 4)

Territory of Russia as recognised by international law

Region 5 Asia9

Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, China, DPR Korea, India, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Maldives, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Vietnam High income countries: Brunei, Hong Kong, Japan, Korea, Macao, Singapore and Taiwan

Region 6 Central Asia10

Afghanistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan

Region 711 Middle East

Iran, Iraq, Yemen High income countries: Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates

Region 812 Pacific

Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Nauru, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Timor-Leste, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu High income countries: Australia, New Zealand

Region 9 Sub-Saharan Africa13 14

Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Cabo Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Congo, Congo - Democratic Republic of the, Côte d’Ivoire, Djibouti, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Eswatini, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe.

Region 10 Latin America

Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay and Venezuela

Region 11 Caribbean15

Antigua & Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Cuba, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent & Grenadines, Suriname and Trinidad & Tobago

Region 12 US and Canada

United States of America, Canada   The following third countries not associated to the Programme are not covered by the External Action Instruments:

Region 13

Andorra, Monaco, San Marino, Vatican City State

Region 14

Faroe Islands, Switzerland, United Kingdom   For more information, please consult the detailed description of the Actions of the Programme in Part B of this Guide.  

Requirements regarding visa and residence permits

Participants in Erasmus+ projects may need to obtain a visa for staying abroad in the EU Member States and third countries associated to the Programme or third country not associated to the Programme hosting the activity. It is a responsibility of all the participating organisations to ensure that the authorisations required (short or long-term stay visas or residence permits) are in order before the planned activity takes place. It is strongly recommended that the authorisations are requested from the competent authorities well in advance, since the process may take several weeks. National Agencies and the Executive Agency may give further advice and support concerning visas, residence permits, social security, etc. The EU Immigration Portal contains general information on visa and residence permits, for both short-term and long-term stays: https://ec.europa.eu/immigration/

• 1Subject to the signature of the Association Agreements between the European Union and those countries.
• 2According to Article  33.2 of Council Decision (EU) 2021/1764 of 5 October 2021 on the association of the Overseas Countries and Territories with the European Union including relations between the European Union on the one hand, and Greenland and the Kingdom of Denmark on the other (Decision on the Overseas Association, including Greenland) (EUR-Lex - 32021D1764 - EN - EUR-Lex (europa.eu)) the Union shall ensure that individuals and organisations from or to Overseas Countries and Territories (OCT) shall be eligible for Erasmus+, subject to the rules of the Programme and the arrangements applicable to the Member State with which these OCTs they are connected. This means that individuals and organisations from the OCTs are participating in the programme on a 'EU Member State or third country associated to the Programme' status, the 'EU Member State or third country associated to the Programme' being the Member State with which they are connected. The list of OCTs can be found at: https://ec.europa.eu/international-partnerships/where-we-work/overseas-countries-and-territories_en
• 3Subject to the signature of the Association Agreements between the European Union and those countries
• 4Official Journal L 209/2021 (europa.eu)
• 5https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2021/1529
• 6This designation is without prejudice to positions on status, and is in line with UNSCR 1244 and the ICJ Opinion on the Kosovo declaration of independence.
• 7The eligibility criteria formulated in Commission notice Nr.2013/C-205/05 (OJEU C-205 of 19/07/2013, pp. 9-11) shall apply for all actions implemented through this Programme Guide, including with respect to third parties receiving financial support in the cases where the respective action involves financial support to third parties by grant beneficiaries in accordance with article 204 of the EU's Financial Regulation.
• 8 This designation shall not be construed as recognition of a State of Palestine and is without prejudice to the individual positions of the Member States on this issue.
• 9The least developed countries amongst these countries can be found at: DAC-List-ODA-Recipients-for-reporting-2021-flows.pdf (oecd.org)
• 10As above
• 11As above
• 12As above
• 13As above
• 14The following are migration key third countries not associated to the Programme: Burkina-Faso, Burundi, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ivory Coast, Guinea, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa, South Sudan, Sudan
• 15The least developed countries amongst these countries can be found at: DAC-List-ODA-Recipients-for-reporting-2021-flows.pdf (oecd.org)