You can apply again: a rejection comes from something you did wrong, so you should update and improve your application. In Erasmus+ youth projects, applicants who keep applying do get into a project. Neither Erasmus+ nor the European Solidarity Corps is hard to get into if you apply properly and show your motivation clearly. Our guide on why European Solidarity Corps (ESC) and Erasmus+ applications get rejected covers the mistakes, and the sections below cover what to do next.
Last updated: November 2026.
Can you ask why you were rejected?
Yes: feedback can be requested from organisations, but organisations generally do not give feedback after a rejection. Our guide on Erasmus+ interview questions helps if you reached the interview stage.
What should you change in your next application?
In your next application, change these points:
📖 Read the call: most applications are rejected at the first screening because the details of the call were not read.
👤 Profile: a complete profile and projects that match your own interests make the difference.
📝 Motivation letter: give at least half of the letter to what you can do, concretely.
📄 No copied letters: write a new motivation letter for each project, and do not copy a motivation letter found online or sent by a friend. Our guide on the motivation letter shows how to write one.
🧾 Application forms: take the time to fill in the form properly, in full sentences.
📧 Email: use your name and surname in the email address, fill in the subject, a message and a signature, do not write in capital letters, and in every email name the project and say why you chose it.
🏢 Sending organisation: give your sending organisation's details in your first email: its name, Quality Label number, OID and contact details.
📋 CV: our guide on the Europass CV shows the format organisations know.
⏳ Timing: apply at least four months before the project starts; for long-term projects, six months is better.
🌍 Country: demand is much lower in the Baltic countries, Poland, Romania, Bulgaria, Slovakia, Hungary and North Macedonia, so the chance of being accepted is higher.
Our guide on ESC application mistakes, our guide on Erasmus+ application mistakes and our guide on Erasmus+ application tips go through each point.
Can you apply again?
Yes: you can apply again, and you should update and improve your application. There is no limit on the number of applications. Our guide on how to choose a project helps you pick the next one.
How many applications should you send?
Five applications a week, with half an hour on each, gives you twenty strong applications after a month. Mass applying does not work and can even hurt. Our guide on how to find Erasmus+ and ESC projects shows where the offers are.
Frequently asked questions
Should I change countries?
You can: demand is much lower in the Baltic countries, Poland, Romania, Bulgaria, Slovakia, Hungary and North Macedonia, so the chance of being accepted is higher. Our guide on how to choose a project helps you compare offers.
Is it harder if I live in a country neighbouring the EU?
Yes: young people from third countries not associated to the Programme neighbouring the EU (regions 1 to 4) have fewer places and more competition. In the European Solidarity Corps, Ukrainian nationals are counted as participants coming from an EU Member State, so the fewer places and more competition do not apply to Ukrainian nationals; the exception depends on Ukrainian nationality, not on the country where the person lives. Our guide on opportunities for young people outside the EU explains what is open.
What if nobody replied at all?
Our guide on what to do when you heard nothing explains how long to wait and when to write.
What should you do now?
A rejection or no reply should not discourage you. The Youth Works Hub pages below cover the next steps.
Related pages: why applications get rejected · how to choose a project · what to do when you heard nothing · ESC application tips
👉 ESC projects: youthworkshub.org/?tab=esc-projects
👉 Erasmus+ projects: youthworkshub.org/?tab=erasmus-projects
