1. Erasmus+ in pre-university education: What is it and who can go?
The program is not just about “high grades,” but about intercultural competences and life experiences.
- Group or individual mobilities: Students can go in groups (accompanied by teachers) for learning activities with students from other countries, or individually (for longer periods, from one month to a school year).
- Minimum age: Although most projects target high schoolers, there are opportunities for middle school students as well (over 12-19 years old), especially through school partnership projects.
- 100% Funding: The European Union covers transport, accommodation, and meal costs, and depending on the project, pocket money. A student does not have to pay anything out of their own pocket to participate.
2. What teachers “forget” to tell you (the practical part)
In many high schools, information remains stuck at the level of the board of directors or a few teachers. Here are the steps you must take on your own:
- School accreditation: To send students consistently, your school must have an “Erasmus Accreditation”. Ask the secretariat or the European projects coordinator directly if your high school has this status.
- Youth exchanges: This is the “shortcut” that isn’t talked about in class. You can go on a youth exchange (5-21 days) even if your school does NOT have projects, through accredited NGOs.
- Selection is not just based on grades: Many schools focus only on the general average, but the Erasmus Guide encourages the inclusion of young people with “fewer opportunities” (financial problems, social difficulties, disabilities). If you are in a difficult situation, you have priority in selection.
3. Where do you start it all?
If you want to go and the school does not provide information, take the initiative:
- Check eTwinning: It is the platform where teachers find external partners. Suggest to your English teacher to create an account there.
- Follow Facebook/Telegram groups: Search for “Erasmus projects Romania” or “Youth exchanges.” NGOs post calls daily for young people aged 15-18.
- Project results: Consult the Erasmus project results platform to see which schools in your city have won projects in the past.
Your passport to maturity
Erasmus+ for students is much more than a free trip; it is proof that you can manage in a foreign country, speaking a foreign language, before turning 18. This experience weighs heavily in your future CV and offers you a perspective that no high school textbook can teach.
If you feel that your school is not active, do not wait. There are dozens of youth organizations ready to send you on a European mobility; all you have to do is demonstrate motivation and cultural openness.
Article written by Mihai Marcel Ghinea.