Funding through Erasmus+
Setting up and running a European University
Erasmus+ supports the set-up and running of the European Universities alliances through calls for proposals, covering education and the link with research and innovation, all at the service of society.
Under the budgetary period of 2021-2027, Erasmus+ will assign a record of around €1.2 billion to the European Universities initiative. This means up to €14.4 million available for each European Universities alliance covering 4 years, which is almost 3 times more than the amount offered during the 2019-2020 piloting phase.
Alliances may be able to extend this period of 4 years of funding with “bridge” funding into the next EU budgetary period starting in 2028.
This possibility will be part of the upcoming Erasmus+ work programmes to be adopted.
Other Erasmus+ funding opportunities
Next to these dedicated funding streams for European Universities, they can also access other Erasmus+ funding opportunities, linked to for example student and staff mobility and innovation.
Upcoming calls
2026
The 2026 Erasmus+ open call for proposals has budget of € 145,6 million and offers 2 years support.
The aim of the call is to support higher education institutions consortia engaged in existing deep transnational cooperation at institutional level, including but not limited to the European Universities alliances previously funded under the 2022 Erasmus+ call for proposals.
2027
Visit the page ‘Timeline and future developments’ to find out more on future opportunities.
Results of past Erasmus+ calls for European Universities
- 14 university alliances selected in the results published in 2024
- 30 university alliances selected in the results published in 2023
- 20 university alliances selected in the results published in 2022
- 24 university alliances selected in the results published in 2020
- 17 university alliances selected in the first call published in 2019
Complementary support
National level
On top of the Erasmus+ funding, most EU countries provide additional national or regional financial support to their higher education institutions be part of a European Universities alliance.
It is up to each country to decide how to allocate funds. You can contact the relevant authorities in your country of interest.
If you are interested in understanding how and to what extent such national funding schemes can be used to support transnational cooperation, read about the study on national funding systems of higher education to support the European Universities Initiative.
For the research and innovation dimension
On top of the Erasmus+ funding, several European Universities alliances have received complementary support for the development of their research and innovation dimension from Horizon.
Read about Horizon's European Excellence Initiative.