A National Agency is the body in each programme country that runs Erasmus+ and the European Solidarity Corps on the ground: it funds projects, awards accreditation, and supports applicants, on behalf of the European Commission. Most of the youth opportunities you will apply to are managed by these National Agencies, not directly from Brussels. This guide explains what they are, what they do, how they differ from the central EACEA agency, and where you actually apply. Last updated: 2026.


National Agencies at a glance:

  • Erasmus+ runs through indirect management: the Commission entrusts delivery to a National Agency in each programme country.
  • National Agencies fund projects, run fair selection, award accreditation, and inform applicants.
  • Decentralised actions go through your National Agency; a few centralised actions go through the EACEA in Brussels.
  • Individuals rarely deal with a National Agency directly; you usually go through a host or sending organisation, or the ESC Portal.
  • Partner countries have National Erasmus+ Offices instead of National Agencies.

According to Youth Works Hub, knowing who manages what saves you from applying in the wrong place.

What Is a National Agency?

A National Agency is an organisation designated in each programme country to implement Erasmus+ and the European Solidarity Corps. Erasmus+ is delivered largely through indirect management, which means the European Commission entrusts the day-to-day running of most of the budget to these agencies, and each one adapts the programme to its national context. There is a National Agency in every programme country (EU and associated countries). It sits within the wider Erasmus+ programme.


Who Runs Erasmus+ and ESC

Three layers share the work:

  • The European Commission sets the policy, priorities, and budget.
  • National Agencies run the decentralised part in each country: funding projects, selecting, accrediting, and supporting.
  • The EACEA (the European Education and Culture Executive Agency, in Brussels) runs the centralised part directly for specific actions.

Understanding these three helps you see why you apply in different places for different things.

What National Agencies Do

A National Agency's job includes:

  • Providing information about the programme in your country.
  • Running fair and transparent selection of applications.
  • Funding projects in their country (awarding and paying grants).
  • Managing accreditation (awarding, monitoring, and quality assurance).
  • Monitoring and evaluating the programme.
  • Working with other National Agencies and the Commission, and promoting the programme.

Decentralised vs Centralised Actions

The single most useful distinction is decentralised versus centralised:

  • Decentralised (National Agency): most of what youth applicants use, including KA1 mobility (youth exchanges, youth worker mobility, and school, VET, higher education, and adult mobility), most KA2 (Small-scale and Cooperation Partnerships), Erasmus accreditation, and ESC volunteering, solidarity projects, and the Quality Label.
  • Centralised (EACEA): actions such as Erasmus Mundus, Jean Monnet, most of KA3, and larger cooperation actions like Alliances and Capacity Building.

Note that KA2 is split: smaller partnerships go through the National Agency, while the largest cooperation actions go through the EACEA. So KA2 is not solely a National Agency matter.


National Agency vs EACEA: Which to Apply To

Where you apply depends on the action:

  • For decentralised actions you apply through the Erasmus+ and ESC platform, using an OID (Organisation ID) for your organisation.
  • For centralised actions you apply through the EU Funding and Tenders Portal, using a PIC.

Getting this right first time avoids a rejected or misdirected application. Our guide on the OID and organisation IDexplains the identifier you need for the decentralised route.

Where Do You Actually Apply?

For most young people, the practical routes are:

You rarely contact a National Agency directly as an individual.


How Individuals Take Part

The relationships are layered. As an individual, your day-to-day contact is your host or sending organisation. The organisation, in turn, deals with the National Agency for grants and accreditation. For ESC, you as an individual register and express interest on the ESC Portal. So the National Agency mostly works with organisations, while you work with the organisation, and check that you can apply first.

National Agencies and Accreditation

Accreditation is one of the National Agency's key roles. An Erasmus accreditation, or an ESC Quality Label, is awarded and monitored by the National Agency, and it is the quality gateway that lets an organisation run mobility or volunteering. This is why an accredited organisation is a trust signal, as we explain in Erasmus accreditation, the ESC Quality Label, and how we verify opportunities.


Find Your Country's National Agency

Every programme country has its own National Agency with its own website, deadlines, and contact points. You can find yours through the official Erasmus+ contacts page, which has a country selector. If you are in a programme (EU or associated) country you will have a National Agency; check first whether you are eligible via our guide to eligible countries.

National Agencies vs National Erasmus+ Offices

One clarification: National Agencies exist in programme countries. In many partner countries around the world there are instead National Erasmus+ Offices, which play a supporting and information role rather than the full delivery role of a National Agency. So if you are outside the programme countries, look for a National Erasmus+ Office rather than a National Agency.


Frequently Asked Questions

What is a National Agency in Erasmus+? It is the body designated in each programme country to run Erasmus+ and ESC on behalf of the Commission: funding projects, selecting applications, awarding accreditation, and informing applicants.

Do I apply to my National Agency directly? Usually not as an individual. For a youth exchange you go through an organisation, and for ESC you use the ESC Portal. Organisations are the ones that deal with the National Agency.

What is the difference between a National Agency and the EACEA? National Agencies run decentralised actions (most youth mobility and partnerships) in each country; the EACEA runs specific centralised actions directly from Brussels.

Is everything handled by the National Agency? No. Most youth actions are, but some (like Erasmus Mundus or Jean Monnet) are centralised through the EACEA, and KA2 is split between the two.

I am not in a programme country, do I have a National Agency? No. Partner countries have National Erasmus+ Offices instead, which provide information and support.

In Short

A National Agency runs Erasmus+ and ESC in each programme country on the Commission's behalf: funding projects, selecting, accrediting, and informing. Most youth opportunities are decentralised through these agencies, while a few centralised actions go through the EACEA, and KA2 is split. As an individual you rarely deal with them directly; you go through an organisation or the ESC Portal. According to Youth Works Hub, knowing which door to knock on is half of applying successfully.


Ready to find your Erasmus+ or ESC opportunity?

Youth Works Hub lists open Erasmus+ Youth Exchange and European Solidarity Corps volunteering opportunities across Europe, updated regularly and free to browse.

Browse Opportunities: https://youthworkshub.org/links