Erasmus+ KA1 – Learning Mobility for Individuals
Key Action 1 (KA1) is the best-known and most widely used part of the Erasmus+ programme. Its main goal is to increase opportunities for learning, training, and personal/professional development through international mobility.
This action funds projects that allow individuals (pupils, students, teachers, youth workers, volunteers, etc.) to spend a period abroad taking part in educational, work, or volunteering activities.
Goals of KA1
- Improve skills — especially language, professional, digital, and intercultural skills.
- Increase employability — link education with the labour market.
- Strengthen European identity — promote shared values, understanding, and tolerance.
- Support inclusion — greater participation of people with fewer opportunities.
Support the green and digital transition — sustainability and the use of digital tools in education and youth work.
Who can take part?
Individuals take part in KA1 projects, but applications are submitted by organisations that arrange the mobility for them.
Participating organisations:
- Educational institutions (preschools, schools, universities)
- NGOs and youth organisations
- Sports clubs (within Erasmus+ Sport)
- Public institutions (libraries, cultural centres, municipalities)
- Enterprises and social enterprises
Target groups of individuals:
- Education: pupils, students, trainees, professors, teachers, staff
- Youth sector: young people (13–30), youth workers, volunteers
VET (vocational education and training): learners, apprentices, instructors, mentors
KA1 areas of activity
KA1 includes several sub-programmes depending on the sector:
Mobility in higher education
- Students go abroad for study or traineeships (2–12 months).
- Teaching and administrative staff go abroad to teach or for professional development (5 days–2 months).
Mobility in school education
- Teachers and school staff take part in job shadowing, courses, seminars, or teach at a partner school.
- Primary and secondary pupils can take part in short or long-term mobility.
Mobility in VET
- Learners/apprentices do placements with foreign employers.
- Teachers and instructors go abroad for professional development.
Mobility in adult education
- Trainers and educators attend courses, seminars, or exchanges of experience.
- Focus on innovative methods for adult learning.
Mobility in the youth sector
- Youth exchanges (5–21 days)
- Training courses and seminars for youth workers
- Study visits and job shadowing in youth organisations
Mobility in sport (to a smaller extent under KA1)
Training, workshops, and staff exchanges in sports organisations.
Funding
KA1 projects are fully funded by the Erasmus+ budget and may include:
- Travel costs
- Accommodation and meals
- Course fees (where applicable)
- Organisation and management costs
- Special needs costs (for participants with fewer opportunities)
How to apply?
As an individual
- Follow public calls from organisations running Erasmus+ projects (schools, universities, NGOs).
- Fill in the application, pass the selection process, and complete preparation.
You can find many KA1 calls on the BRAVO NGO website, along with testimonies from young people who have already taken part in exchanges.
As an organisation
- Register on the EU Participant Portal (get a PIC/ORG ID).
- Design a mobility project in line with Erasmus+ guidelines.
- Submit your application to your National Agency (if you’re in an EU Member State) or to EACEA (for some international projects).
For the Western Balkans (e.g., BiH), organisations apply through the Erasmus+ “partner countries” window.
Priorities for 2021–2027
- Inclusion and diversity — involve people with fewer opportunities
- Digital transformation — use e-tools and digital methods
- Green Europe — reduce the environmental footprint of mobility
Participation in democratic life — strengthen active citizenship
Project duration
Mobility projects: 6–24 months
Participant mobility: from a few days up to 12 months (depending on the type)
Impact of KA1
According to the latest European Commission data, KA1 is the largest component of Erasmus+, involving millions of participants each year. Beyond strengthening professional skills, participants gain confidence, intercultural understanding, and a sense of European identity.