🧠 Calquify Intelligence
Erasmus+ grants cover 30-60% of living costs in most destinations — a gap students must fund independently
Erasmus+ grants are a contribution toward costs, not full funding. In Amsterdam (Group 2), the grant of €260-€600/month compares to actual student living costs of approximately €1.200-€1.500/month including rent. In Warsaw (Group 3), €200-€540/month versus actual costs of approximately €600-€800/month — a better coverage ratio. Students in high-cost Group 1 destinations (Oslo, Stockholm, Copenhagen) face the largest gaps — grants of €310-€700 versus living costs of €1.400-€2.000/month. Home country top-ups from national agencies and universities are essential for most students.
Source: European Commission Erasmus+ 2026 + Numbeo student cost data
The disadvantaged student top-up of €250/month significantly improves access — but awareness remains low
Students from low-income backgrounds (defined by national criteria — typically parental income below a threshold), students with disabilities, and those from 'fewer opportunities' backgrounds receive an additional €250/month on top of the standard grant. This brings Group 1 grants to €560-€950/month — meaningful coverage improvement. However, uptake of the disadvantaged top-up is consistently below entitlement across EU member states, with many eligible students not applying or not knowing they qualify.
Source: European Commission Erasmus+ Impact Study 2025
UK students use the Turing Scheme — rates are lower and coverage narrower than Erasmus+
UK left Erasmus+ in 2021 post-Brexit, replacing it with the Turing Scheme. Turing pays £165-£490/month depending on destination cost group — lower than equivalent Erasmus+ rates and without the reciprocal incoming student funding. UK universities consequently receive fewer international Erasmus+ students than pre-Brexit. The 2025-2026 Turing budget (approximately £105m) is roughly 60% of the UK's equivalent Erasmus+ budget, resulting in fewer placements and lower per-student grants on average.
Source: UK DfE Turing Scheme 2026
Erasmus+ Monthly Grant vs Living Cost — by Destination 2026
European Commission Erasmus+ 2026 + Numbeo
Grant Coverage % — Erasmus+ Destination 2026
European Commission + Numbeo
📋 Reference Data
Erasmus+ Monthly Grant Rates by Destination Country — 2026
European Commission Erasmus+ Programme Guide 2026
| Destination Country | Cost Group | Standard Grant/month | With Traineeship Top-Up | With Disadvantaged Top-Up | Approx. Living Cost/month | Grant Coverage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Norway 🇳🇴 | Group 1 | €700 | €800-850 | €950 | €1.600-2.000 | 35-44% |
| Denmark 🇩🇰 | Group 1 | €700 | €800-850 | €950 | €1.500-1.900 | 37-47% |
| Sweden 🇸🇪 | Group 1 | €600 | €700-750 | €850 | €1.300-1.700 | 35-46% |
| Finland 🇫🇮 | Group 1 | €580 | €680-730 | €830 | €1.200-1.600 | 36-48% |
| Ireland 🇮🇪 | Group 1 | €580 | €680-730 | €830 | €1.400-1.900 | 31-41% |
| Luxembourg 🇱🇺 | Group 1 | €560 | €660-710 | €810 | €1.300-1.700 | 33-43% |
| Netherlands 🇳🇱 | Group 2 | €520 | €620-670 | €770 | €1.200-1.500 | 35-43% |
| Germany 🇩🇪 | Group 2 | €490 | €590-640 | €740 | €900-1.300 | 38-54% |
| Austria 🇦🇹 | Group 2 | €480 | €580-630 | €730 | €900-1.200 | 40-53% |
| France 🇫🇷 | Group 2 | €470 | €570-620 | €720 | €900-1.300 | 36-52% |
| Belgium 🇧🇪 | Group 2 | €460 | €560-610 | €710 | €900-1.200 | 38-51% |
| Italy 🇮🇹 | Group 2 | €440 | €540-590 | €690 | €700-1.100 | 40-63% |
| Spain 🇪🇸 | Group 2 | €420 | €520-570 | €670 | €700-1.000 | 42-60% |
| Greece 🇬🇷 | Group 2 | €400 | €500-550 | €650 | €600-900 | 44-67% |
| Portugal 🇵🇹 | Group 2 | €390 | €490-540 | €640 | €700-1.000 | 39-56% |
| Czech Republic 🇨🇿 | Group 3 | €360 | €460-510 | €610 | €500-800 | 45-72% |
| Poland 🇵🇱 | Group 3 | €340 | €440-490 | €590 | €500-750 | 45-68% |
| Hungary 🇭🇺 | Group 3 | €320 | €420-470 | €570 | €500-700 | 46-64% |
| Romania 🇷🇴 | Group 3 | €300 | €400-450 | €550 | €450-650 | 46-67% |
| Bulgaria 🇧🇬 | Group 3 | €260 | €360-410 | €510 | €400-600 | 43-65% |
ⓘ Grant rates are standard national agency rates — individual institutions may set rates within the EC ranges. Traineeship top-up applies to work placement Erasmus+ only. Disadvantaged top-up requires application and eligibility verification. Living costs are estimated monthly totals including rent, food, transport, and personal expenses — significant variation by city within each country.
UK Turing Scheme vs Erasmus+ — Rate Comparison 2026
UK DfE Turing Scheme + European Commission Erasmus+
| Destination Group | Erasmus+ Rate/month | Turing Scheme Rate/month | Difference | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| High cost (Norway, Denmark) | €700 (~£590) | £490 | −£100 | Turing lower; no reciprocal incoming funding |
| Medium cost (Germany, France) | €490 (~£413) | £335 | −£78 | Turing disadvantaged: +£136/month top-up |
| Lower cost (Poland, Romania) | €340 (~£286) | £165 | −£121 | Largest gap in lower-cost destinations |
| With disadvantaged top-up | €750 (~£632) avg | £471 avg | −£161 | Turing has means-tested top-up but lower base |
ⓘ UK students on Turing Scheme receive lower grants than EU peers on Erasmus+ for equivalent destinations. EU students can still study in the UK under Erasmus+ — their home universities fund the placement — but UK universities receive no incoming Erasmus+ funding, reducing reciprocal exchange incentives.
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🔬 Methodology & Sources
Erasmus+ Grant Data
Erasmus+ grants are published by the European Commission in the annual Programme Guide. National Agencies (one per country) implement the programme and may set rates within EC ranges. Rates shown are standard higher education student mobility grants — traineeship and disadvantaged top-ups are additional. Living cost estimates from Numbeo, Eurostat student cost surveys, and national student housing data.
Formula
Total_monthly_support = Standard_grant + Traineeship_topup (if applicable) + Disadvantaged_topup (if eligible) + Home_institution_supplement
CitationEuropean Commission Erasmus+ Programme Guide 2026; Regulation (EU) 2021/817 establishing Erasmus+ 2021-2027.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Erasmus+ monthly grants depend on the destination country cost group. Group 1 (high cost: Norway, Denmark, Sweden, Ireland, Luxembourg, Finland): €310-€700/month. Group 2 (medium cost: Netherlands, Germany, France, Austria, Belgium, Italy, Spain, Greece, Portugal): €260-€600/month. Group 3 (lower cost: Poland, Czech Republic, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria): €200-€540/month. Students from disadvantaged backgrounds receive an additional €250/month. Traineeship placements receive an additional €100-150/month.
Rarely in full. The grant typically covers 30-60% of living costs depending on destination. In Amsterdam, the €520/month grant covers approximately 35-40% of actual living costs (€1.200-1.500/month). In Warsaw, the €340/month covers approximately 45-55% of costs (€500-750/month). Students must supplement with savings, part-time work, home country grants, or institutional top-ups. Group 3 destinations (Eastern Europe) offer the best grant-to-cost coverage ratios.
The €250/month disadvantaged top-up is available to students from low-income families (defined by national income thresholds), students with disabilities, students in foster or social care, students from remote rural areas, and students with other defined 'fewer opportunities' factors. Eligibility is assessed by the sending institution using national criteria. Students must apply — it is not automatically added. Many eligible students do not receive it due to lack of awareness.
No — the UK left the Erasmus+ programme in 2021 post-Brexit. UK students use the Turing Scheme, a UK government replacement that pays £165-£490/month to UK students studying abroad. EU students can still study in the UK under Erasmus+ funded by their home institutions, but UK universities receive no incoming Erasmus+ funding directly. The Turing Scheme has lower grants than Erasmus+ and does not fund reciprocal incoming students.
Erasmus+ mobility for higher education students is available for 2-12 months per study cycle (bachelor's, master's, doctoral). Students can receive Erasmus+ grants for multiple cycles — up to 12 months at bachelor level, 12 months at master's level, and 12 months at doctoral level — a maximum of 36 months total across all study cycles. Traineeships count toward the same 12-month limit per cycle.
Sources & References
Data sourced from official institutional publications. Results are for informational purposes only. Last reviewed Jan 2026.
Data Disclaimer
Erasmus+ grant rates set by European Commission for 2026 programme year. National agencies may apply different rates within the published ranges. Actual grant received depends on sending institution, destination, and duration. UK Turing Scheme replaces Erasmus+ for UK students.
Erasmus+ grant rates set by European Commission for 2026 programme year. National agencies may apply different rates within the published ranges. Actual grant received depends on sending institution, destination, and duration. UK Turing Scheme replaces Erasmus+ for UK students.