You have seen the posts about projects abroad, and you do not know which door is yours. Erasmus+, the European Solidarity Corps (ESC), an internship, a scholarship: the options sit side by side, and nobody tells you where to begin.
The European Solidarity Corps brings together young people to build a more inclusive society, supporting vulnerable people and responding to societal and humanitarian challenges. Erasmus+ is the EU Programme in the fields of education, training, youth and sport for the 2021-2027 period. This page is your map: pick the line that sounds like you, follow the link, and go deeper from there.
Last updated: October 2026.
Which path fits what you want to do?
🧑🤝🧑 If you want a short meeting with young people from other countries: The duration of a Youth Exchange activity is from 5 to 21 days, excluding travel days. Our guide on what a Youth Exchange is describes what happens on one.
🙋 If you want weeks or months with one organisation: Individual Volunteering is a solidarity activity of 2 weeks to 12 months. Volunteering teams allow teams of participants coming from at least two different countries to volunteer together for a period between 2 weeks and 2 months. Our guide on what the European Solidarity Corps is covers the whole programme, and ESC Volunteering Teams explains the team format.
🧑🏫 For youth workers: Professional development activities are transnational or international learning mobility activities supporting the professional development of youth workers. Our guide on mobility of youth workers and job shadowing explains these activities.
💡 If you want a project of your own: A Solidarity Project is implemented by a group of minimum 5 young people aged between 18 and 30 years who are legally residing in one and the same EU Member State or a third country associated to the Programme and have registered in the European Solidarity Corps Portal. Our guide on what ESC Solidarity Projects are covers how a group starts one, and Erasmus+ Youth Participation Activities covers the Erasmus+ side.
🌐 For humanitarian aid: Humanitarian Aid Volunteering takes place in third countries where there are ongoing humanitarian aid operations. Our guide on Humanitarian Aid Volunteering explains where these projects run.
🗺️ If you want to travel at eighteen: DiscoverEU offers 18-year-olds the opportunity to have a short-term individual or group travel experience throughout Europe. Our guide on what #discoverEU is covers the travel pass.
🎓 If you are a student: Our guide on Erasmus+ vs regular study abroad explains the difference, and what Erasmus Mundus is explains the joint Master's scholarships.
💼 If you want an internship: Our guide on paid internships abroad explains the options.
🏅 If you want a scholarship: Our guide on scholarships vs Erasmus+ grants explains the difference, DAAD scholarships explains the German route, and government scholarships in Europe explains the national ones.
Not sure between ESC and Erasmus+? Our guide on the difference between ESC and Erasmus+ explains how to choose.
How do you know you can join?
In the European Solidarity Corps, participants must have reached 18 and must not be older than 30 at the start date of the activity. For participants in humanitarian aid related solidarity activities, the upper age limit at the start of the activity is 35 years old. Eligible participants in Youth Exchanges are young people aged between 13 and 30 residing in the countries of their sending and receiving organisations. Member States of the European Union and third countries associated to the Programme can participate fully in all the Actions of the European Solidarity Corps. Our guide on the age limits by activity explains which activities match your age, which countries can apply lists the countries, and opportunities for young people outside the European Union explains what is open to you if yours is not on the list.
What does it cost?
ESC volunteering is fully funded: technically you pay nothing, although you sometimes pay costs such as tickets and visas first and are reimbursed afterwards. In Youth Exchanges and youth worker activities, food and accommodation are fully covered for participants; this is mandatory, not an exception. No fee is ever asked for applying, in ESC or Erasmus+ youth projects; nobody should pay anything at the application stage. Our guide on what being fully funded means sets out what is and is not paid.
How do you find your project?
Youth Works Hub has a Match page that finds projects suited to you: it asks 8 questions and shows the results as a swipeable deck of cards, and saved projects stay on your profile page. Using Match requires creating an account on the site; signing up with Google is available but not required. Our guide on how to find Erasmus+ and ESC projects shows where the offers are published, and how to apply for Erasmus+ or ESC takes the steps one by one.
Can you try more than one path?
There is no limit on the number of applications: you can apply to every project that suits you. Your total time in European Solidarity Corps volunteering activities must not exceed 12 months, and the activities must not overlap. Solidarity Projects are not included in the 12-month time limit. Our guide on doing ESC more than once explains how to plan another ESC activity.
Want to read how it went for others?
These Youth Works Hub stories tell how it went for other young people:
📖 Inspiring Stories from Young People
📖 Silvia's Erasmus+ and ESC Story
Frequently asked questions
Is the European Solidarity Corps a paid job?
No, volunteering is a full-time unpaid activity that has a duration of up to 12 months. ESC is not an internship, a tourist trip, a language course or a work camp. Our guide on paid internships abroad explains the paid route.
Do I need experience, a degree or good English?
No: your level of education is not a barrier, and someone who has only finished middle school can also take part in the projects. Most projects accept participants with basic English. Being active in a youth organisation is important but not required. Our guide on who can apply to Erasmus+ and the European Solidarity Corps goes through the conditions.
Pick one and take the first step
Youth Works Hub collects these paths in one place, so you can start with Match or with the categories below. The related pages below from Youth Works Hub cover each part of this page in more detail.
Related pages: what the European Solidarity Corps is · what Erasmus+ is · the difference between ESC and Erasmus+ · who can apply · how to find projects · paid internships abroad
👉 ESC projects: youthworkshub.org/?tab=esc-projects
👉 Erasmus+ projects: youthworkshub.org/?tab=erasmus-projects
👉 Internships: youthworkshub.org/?tab=internship
👉 Scholarships: youthworkshub.org/?tab=scholarships
