Erasmus+
Enriching lives, opening minds
Erasmus+ in Switzerland
Erasmus+ is the European Union's programme for promoting education, training, youth, and sport, facilitating exchange, mobility, and international cooperation in these areas. The Federal Council aims at an association with Erasmus+ as of 2027, which will give Switzerland access to all the funding opportunities and networks offered by the EU education programme. Here you find all the information about Erasmus+, its various programmes and the support that Movetia offers for interested education stakeholders during this preparatory phase.
Movetia-Konferenz 2026 - Erasmus+ in Switzerland, March 16 - 17, 2026
By becoming associated with Erasmus+, Switzerland will gain access to all the funding opportunities, networks, and tools offered by this globally unique education programme. As the national agency for exchange and mobility commissioned by the federal government and the cantons, Movetia is responsible for promoting mobility and cooperation projects at the national and international level in Switzerland. This includes mobility and cooperation projects within the framework of Erasmus+.
What is Erasmus+?
Erasmus+ is the European Union's programme for promoting education, training, youth and sport in Europe. Before 2014, the programme was known as Erasmus. Currently, 33 programme countries from Europe are participating in the programme, but mobility and cooperation are also possible worldwide. The programme offers options for young people, education staff and organisations and institutions to participate in various mobility and cooperation projects. Mobility projects allow for encounters across national borders, open up new perspectives and strengthen important skills. In cooperation projects, organisations and institutions from several countries jointly develop new, innovative approaches, further develop them and strengthen the educational area. The programme is thus an important part of the European education agenda and the European youth sector.
The development of Erasmus+ and the role of Switzerland
Erasmus+ was launched in 1987 as a mobility programme for students. Since then, it has enabled millions of people to gain international educational and life experience. Over time, the programme has been expanded and now covers school education, vocational education and training, higher education, adult education, extracurricular youth work and sport. Erasmus+ plays an increasingly important role in educational institutions across Europe, both in terms of funding volume and funding opportunities.
Switzerland is not currently associated with the current Erasmus+ programme 2021–2027, but is implementing its own funding programme, the Swiss Programme for Erasmus+.
This programme, financed by the federal government, enables the promotion of mobility and cooperation projects with Erasmus+ countries and beyond. More information on the Swiss solution can be found on the page ‘Swiss Programme for Erasmus+’.
Opportunities offered by Erasmus+ in Switzerland: shaping the future of education, youth and exchange together
Erasmus+ is the European Union's largest education programme and connects stakeholders and institutions in the sectors of education, youth and sport with partners across national borders. The aim is to promote learning mobility and cooperation, innovation and quality at all educational levels and beyond.
Strong networks, further development and strengthening of the educational area: Erasmus+ is perfectly in line with the strategic objectives of the Swiss educational landscape. Let us take advantage of the opportunities offered by Switzerland's re-association:
- Participate in the European educational area, actively help shape it and benefit from its further development
- Full access to existing networks, offers, and tools
- No more additional effort for the development and implementation of a parallel Swiss solution
Switzerland's participation in Erasmus+ strengthens access and opens up new perspectives for young people, professionals, and organisations since the European funding programme is unique in its scope, structure, and network.
Erasmus+ for educational institutions: support in implementation
By being associated with Erasmus+, Swiss educational institutions can benefit from the European Union's funding opportunities, networks, and tools. This opens up new opportunities such as:
- A wider range of exchange opportunities
- Easier cooperation with foreign partners thanks to existing networks
- Use of proven tools and the chance to benefit from extensive know-how
We support you as an educational institution during the preparatory phase envisaging an association, so that you can take advantage of the new options right from the start. Together, we design successful projects and make the most of the opportunities offered by Erasmus+.
Political process of Switzerland's association with Erasmus+
The Federal Council's stated goal is for Switzerland to become associated with Erasmus+. Negotiations on this were part of the negotiations on the package between Switzerland and the EU. The parameters for participation in EU programmes and, specifically, for association with Erasmus+ in 2027 were agreed in the negotiated EU Programme Agreement (EUPA). The signing of the programme agreement will be brought forward ahead of the other agreements and is scheduled for November 2025. The Federal Council will request the necessary funds for association with Erasmus+ from Parliament in the overall message for the Switzerland-EU package, probably in the first quarter of 2026.
In order to be able to administer the Erasmus+ programme for Switzerland in the future, Movetia is preparing for the necessary accreditation as a ‘national agency’. At the same time, Movetia is preparing the processes for education stakeholders in Switzerland so that they can participate in Erasmus+ calls and apply for funding from 2027 onwards.
More information can be found on the page ‘International mobility and cooperation in education’ of the State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (SERI).
Do you have any questions about Erasmus+? We are happy to help.
