To participate in the ECHE call, or in any other centralised calls, applicants must first check whether they already have a PIC via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal (FTOP). If the institution does not yet have one, it can create a new PIC through the same link.

Please note: In general, institutions often refer to the ORS platform which is not the same as the FTOP platform. The ORS platform should be used at a later stage when institutions want to apply for Erasmus+ and European Solidarity Corps actions managed by the Erasmus+ National Agencies. The details related to PIC information on the ORS platform are not automatically updated and may therefore be incorrect. 

For the ECHE, institutions may receive the certificate even if their PIC has not yet been validated. In such cases, the PIC remains «non-validated.»

PIC validation is carried out by the Research Executive Agency (REA), which oversees validation for all centralised calls. A PIC is therefore validated only once an institution has been selected for funding and the grant agreement is being prepared for signature.

Please note the following rules regarding updates to PIC information:

• Non-validated PICs can be updated by the person who originally created the PIC. No supporting documents (e.g. legal name, VAT number, etc.) are required.
• Validated PICs can only be updated by the LEAR and must be accompanied by the relevant supporting documents. All changes will be checked by the REA validation team.

Once institutions have been awarded the ECHE, these rules for updating PIC information are complemented by additional specific provisions.

Yes, the forms from part A can be changed in Step 5 of the online proposal («Proposal Forms»), with the button «Edit Forms».

Important: Even if you do not want to change the information in part A, you will have to access Part A with the «Edit Forms» button before sending your application in order to check the information provided and to fill out all the mandatory fields/boxes. The information that is automatically filled out based on your PIC cannot be changed in this step.

This happens at a later stage. Consortia will apply for an Erasmus accreditation for higher education mobility consortia directly with the Swiss National Agency in call 2027. However, member HEIs in consortia must have an ECHE.

The EU Funding & Tenders Portal (FTOP) maintains its own FAQ page. You can use the keyword search on the left-hand side to search for your question. 

If your question is still unanswered, there are further contact details on the ECHE page of the FTOP under the section “Get support”. If you still have not received a reply, you can contact Movetia.

The «Acronym», the «Proposal title» and the «Short summary/Abstract» can be chosen freely. 

Recommendation: use your institution’s official acronym and choose a proposal title and a summary that make sense.

Here you should answer with 0, but you can add the number of participations as associated partners in brackets [ ]. Be sure to state what this number refers to.

This only applies to staff currently working for Erasmus+ activities. Here you should answer with 0, but you can add the number of staff working on mobility or cooperation programmes at your IRO in brackets [ ]. Be sure to state what this number refers to.

No, you should indicate 0, but you can mention the number of SEMP interinstitutional agreements in brackets [ ].

International degree students are students with foreign nationality that have completed their previous degree abroad. Students with a foreign nationality that obtained a degree from a Swiss school/institution previous to their entry into higher education do not count as international students.

You have to show your institution’s readiness to comply with all the ECHE principles as well as your institution’s commitment to the four Erasmus+ priorities. It is important that you give concrete examples on how you will enforce those priorities as well as the ECHE principles.

The specific barriers in terms of inclusion and diversity are defined according to the national context of each Erasmus+ country. For Switzerland, Movetia will determine these categories in collaboration with SERI when submitting the application for accreditation as a national agency in 2026. 

This document lists the eight inclusion categories; those highlighted in red will be elaborated on in the 2026 National Inclusion Plan. This will define, for example, which groups of people may be eligible for higher grants. (may be subject to change) You find further information on the priorities of the Erasmus+ Programme in the Erasmus+ Programme Guide 2025.   

When applying for ECHE, you do not need to go into detail but rather show how this Erasmus+ priority is reflected in mobility and cooperation projects. 

You have to address digitalization even if your institution currently has not started the process of digitizing its mobility management processes yet. You will have to show that you are familiar with the European Student Card Initiative (ESCI) and show your commitment to taking the digital turn. You will have to address how you plan to implement the Erasmus Student Card Initiative (ESCI) at your institutions and what your estimated timeline is. You can mention how your institution will connect/is connected to the EWP network, if you have already started implementing the European student identifier, how you will promote the use of the E+ App with your students, etc. 

Only Colleges of Higher VET are eligible to receive an ECHE, that is: “Höhere Fachschulen” (HF) / “écoles supérieures” (ES) / “scuole specializzate superiori” (SSS).

Non-college institutions that offer professional examinations, preparatory courses or practical training for professional examination candidates can participate in Erasmus+ but will do this in the field of Vocational Education and Training.

All questions need to be answered by the applicants. If a question is not relevant, explain why/how it is not relevant. Simply indicating “not applicable” is not enough.

First cycle programmes lead to Bachelor Degrees or equivalent; second cycle programmes lead to Master Degrees or equivalent. As a Swiss Higher VET institution, you can add your statistics to the corresponding cycle. Swiss Higher VET degrees are mainly offered at NQF level 6, some at level 5, and some even at level 7. Swiss NQF levels match the EQF levels.

Please note that this concerns only study programmes. In Higher VET, study programmes are only offered by Higher VET colleges (Höhere Fachschulen, Ecoles Supérieurs, Scuola Specializzate Superiori). Preparatory courses for professional examinations should not be added to the statistics. These courses are not mandatory in order to access the exams, and they are not regulated.

If you do not know the level of your study programme:

VET qualifications, including Higher VET qualifications, are officially referenced in the list of referenced VET qualifications > 2. Professional Education (NQF/EQF 5-8), which is updated twice per year. 

You can open the list, search for the programmes that you offer, find the respective NQF/EQF levels, and use this information for the statistical part in your ECHE application.

The length and scope of the EPS should match the profile of your institution and the resources that you have available to implement Erasmus+. Do not be overambitious, rather be realistic with your goals.

It might also be helpful to have a look at the EPS of a similar institution, e.g. a small institution that provides professional education. EPS must be made publicly available, see e.g. Fagskolen Viken’s EPS (Norway) oder Berufliche Hochschule Hamburg’s EPS (Germany).

The European Credit Transfer System (ECTS) or an equivalent system should be in place in order to allow a proper planning of the exchange, to make the workload for incoming students transparent, and to allow you as a sending institution to automatically recognize credits and grades to your students’ curricula upon their return. If you do not use ECTS, you can describe what else you doguarantee equivalence and recognition. 

For your information: 1 ECTS equals 25-30 hours of work.

Currently, these three building blocks of the so called “European Student Card Initiative” (ESCI) are mainly developed for student exchanges for the purpose of studies. Erasmus without Paper also allows to sign Interinstitutional Agreements electronically (IIAs are compulsory only for Student Mobility for Studies and for Staff Mobility for Teaching, but are sometimes also used for Traineeships and/or for Staff Mobility for Training). If you envisage to use Erasmus+ for internships exclusively, you will not need to invest as much in the ESCI as when you offer mobilities for studies abroad.

In principle, a “course catalogue” should help incoming students plan their study visit at your institution. Through such a catalogue, you enhance transparency by providing early information on course language, learning outcomes, amount of ECTS or equivalent, duration, examination methods. For this purpose, the information needs to be publicly accessible (not only via an intranet). If your institution will only be offering traineeships, the course catalogues are not essential. However, you need to explain that you will only offer traineeships, and how you will ensure that the incoming students have all the information they need in order to know what is expected of them during the traineeship.

Erasmus+ Small Partnerships are NOT available for the higher education sector.

However, higher VET institutions can participate in Erasmus+ Small Partnerships in other education sectors (e.g. vocational education and training or adult education). As a College of Higher Education (HF/ES/SSS), you need an ECHE accreditation for this, but the projects are submitted in the relevant education sector and with effect for the relevant education sector. Information from Erasmus+ on Small Partnerships.

Yes, as a Higher VET institution, you can participate in this initiative. It is an ambitious funding format with at least eight institutions from four Erasmus+ countries. Information from Erasmus+ on COVEs.

This question is difficult to answer. It depends on your resources to write applications, manage grants, on how you intend to use the programmes and whether you are fine with a potential funding break during one or two years. 

Please note that if you are currently SEMP accredited, you will have unconditional access to Swiss funding in the Call 2026. In view of the potential association from 2027 onwards, the project duration of the SEMP Call 2026 will however be shortened. Call 2026 will run from 1 June 2026 to 31 August 2027.