The European Solidarity Corps (ESC) is the European Union programme that supports young people in solidarity activities, mainly volunteering. According to the European Solidarity Corps Guide 2026,"participants must have reached 18 and must not be older than 30 at the start date of the activity", and for humanitarian aid related solidarity activities "the upper age limit at the start of the activity is 35 years old". According to Youth Works Hub, the first thing to check in any ESC offer is which Action it belongs to, because the age limit, the countries you can join from and the costs covered are not the same in every Action. Last updated: October 2026.
The ESC at a glance 📌
🎂 Age: the Guide says participants "must have reached 18 and must not be older than 30 at the start date of the activity", and the upper age limit is 35 for humanitarian aid related activities. You can register on the ESC Portal as of 17 years of age.
🧭 Four Actions: Volunteering Projects, Volunteering Teams in High Priority Areas, Solidarity Projects and Humanitarian Aid Volunteering.
⏳ Length: Individual Volunteering lasts from 2 weeks to 12 months, excluding travel time. Volunteering Teams last from 2 weeks to 2 months (up to 59 days), excluding travel time. A Solidarity Project lasts from 2 to 12 months. Individual Humanitarian Aid Volunteering lasts from 2 to 12 months, excluding travel time.
💶 Cost: taking part in volunteering must be free of charge for the volunteer, according to the Guide. In Volunteering Projects you also get pocket money, from €4 to €12 a day depending on the host country.
🗺️ Countries: all EU Member States and the four associated countries, which are Iceland, Liechtenstein, North Macedonia and Türkiye (subject to the signature of the Association Agreements with the EU), can take part in every Action. Some Actions are also open to third countries not associated to the programme.
📜 Recognition: every young person in an ESC activity is entitled to a Youthpass certificate.
What does the European Solidarity Corps do? 🌍
The European Solidarity Corps supports young people who want to help others, mainly through volunteering. According to the European Solidarity Corps Guide 2026, the general objective of the programme is to "enhance the engagement of young people and organisations" in solidarity activities, "primarily volunteering". The Guide also says the programme should offer young people, including young people with fewer opportunities, "easily accessible opportunities for engagement in solidarity activities".
The Guide explains that young people with fewer opportunities are young people who are "at a disadvantage compared to their peers". Its list of barriers covers disabilities, health problems, barriers linked to education and training systems, cultural differences, social barriers, economic barriers, discrimination and geographical barriers. The Guide says this list "is not exhaustive".
The Guide lists four transversal priorities, which are themes that run through the whole programme:
🌈 Inclusion and diversity: according to the Guide, the Corps "seeks to promote social inclusion, tolerance, human rights and the value of differences and diversity of all kinds".
🌱 Environment and climate: the Guide says the programme "aims at integrating green practices into all projects and activities".
💻 Digital transformation: the Guide says the Corps "promotes the use of virtual and digital components" in all projects and activities.
🗳️ Democratic life and civic engagement: the Guide says the Corps "promotes participation of young people in democratic processes and civic engagement".
The Guide describes volunteering as a way for young people "to acquire useful experience, skills and competences" for their personal, educational, social, cultural, civic and professional development. The Guide also states that the protection, health and safety of participants "are important principles of the programme".
Who can join the ESC? 🎂
Young people can join the ESC if they register on the ESC Portal, live legally in an eligible country and are the right age on the day the activity starts (for Solidarity Projects, the day the project starts). According to the European Solidarity Corps Guide 2026, "participants must have reached 18 and must not be older than 30 at the start date of the activity". For humanitarian aid related activities, the Guide says "the upper age limit at the start of the activity is 35 years old".
The Guide also says "The registration on the European Solidarity Corps Portal is possible as of 17 years of age". Registration at 17 does not let you start an activity, because participants must have reached 18. You can learn how to register on the ESC Portal in our step-by-step guide, and the official portal is on youth.europa.eu.
Where you must live legally depends on the Action:
🌱 Individual Volunteering and Volunteering Teams: the Guide describes young people between 18 and 30 at the start date of the activity who are "legally residing in an EU Member State, a third country associated to the Programme or in a third country not associated to the Programme" and have registered on the Portal.
🎯 Volunteering Teams in High Priority Areas: the Guide describes young people between 18 and 30 at the start date of the volunteering activity who live legally in an EU Member State, a third country associated to the Programme or a third country not associated to the Programme, and have registered on the Portal.
💡 Solidarity Projects: the Guide describes a group of minimum 5 young people aged between 18 and 30 at the start date of the project who are "legally residing in one and the same EU Member State or a third country associated to the Programme" and have registered on the Portal.
📦 Humanitarian Aid Volunteering: the Guide describes young people aged 18 to 35 at the start date of the activity who are "legally residing in an EU Member State or in a third country associated to the Programme" and have registered on the Portal.
In Volunteering Projects, the Guide says "Organisations have to select the participants from the database of registered young people", and "Young people with fewer opportunities may receive support from organisations to complete the registration phase". In Volunteering Teams in High Priority Areas, the Guide says organisations select "participants that are registered in the Portal" through PASS, the Placement Administration Support System. Humanitarian Aid Volunteering also uses PASS. Solidarity Project groups apply directly.
Humanitarian Aid Volunteering has extra conditions. The Guide says participants must have completed the mandatory trainings organised by the Commission. Candidates who apply for individual volunteering "must not have yet participated in the European Solidarity Corps' Humanitarian Aid individual volunteering".
Which countries take part in the ESC? 🗺️
All EU Member States and the countries associated to the programme can take part in every Action. The European Solidarity Corps Guide 2026 says "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".
🏛️ EU Member States: Belgium, Bulgaria, Czechia, Denmark, Germany, Estonia, Ireland, Greece, Spain, France, Croatia, Italy, Cyprus, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Hungary, Malta, Netherlands, Austria, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Slovakia, Finland and Sweden.
🤝 Third countries associated to the programme: Iceland, Liechtenstein, North Macedonia and Türkiye. The Guide adds a note that this is "Subject to the signature of the Association Agreements" between the European Union and those countries.
🌐 Third countries not associated to the programme: Norway, and the countries that neighbour the EU. These are the Western Balkans (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro and Serbia), Neighbourhood East (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and the territory of Ukraine as recognised by international law), South-Mediterranean countries (Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Palestine, Syria and Tunisia) and the territory of Russia as recognised by international law.
The Guide says that "some Actions are open for participation of third countries not associated to the Programme". Norway and Serbia are both on the Guide's list of third countries not associated to the programme. The Guide also says that for Belarus "mobilities of young people from Belarus can be allowed, no mobilities to Belarus are allowed". For Russia, the Guide says mobilities of Russian young people can be allowed, but no mobilities to the Russian Federation are allowed. For Volunteering Projects and Solidarity Projects, the Guide also says activities cannot take place in Belarus or on the territory of Russia as recognised by international law.
For Humanitarian Aid Volunteering, the Guide lists host countries as "Third countries not associated to the Programme where humanitarian aid activities and operations take place and where there are no ongoing international or non-international armed conflicts".
What can you do with the ESC? 🧭
With the ESC you can volunteer, run your own solidarity project or support humanitarian aid. According to the European Solidarity Corps Guide 2026, "the European Solidarity Corps implements four Actions": Volunteering Projects, Volunteering Teams in High Priority Areas, Solidarity Projects and Humanitarian Aid Volunteering. The Guide groups them in two strands. The first strand is participation of young people in solidarity activities. The second strand is participation of young people in humanitarian aid related solidarity activities.
What is Individual Volunteering? 🌱
Individual Volunteering is volunteering on your own at a host organisation, and it is part of Volunteering Projects. The Guide describes it as "a solidarity activity of a duration of 2 weeks to 12 months", and the eligibility table lists the duration as "From 2 weeks to 12 months, excluding travel time". Travel days therefore do not count towards the length.
The Guide describes volunteering as a full-time activity, and a note explains this as "At least 30 and not more than 38 hours per week". The Guide also says "Participation in volunteering activities must be free of charge for the volunteer".
Individual Volunteering can happen in two ways, according to the Guide:
🌍 Cross-border: the Guide describes this as "activities taking place in a country different from the country of residence of the participant(s)".
🏠 In-country: the Guide describes this as "activities taking place in the same country as the country of residence of the participant".
The Guide says these individual volunteering activities "aim to encourage and facilitate the participation of young people with fewer opportunities; however, they are open to all participants". The scope of Volunteering Projects is broad, and the Guide names areas such as environmental protection, climate change mitigation, greater social inclusion, integration of refugees, support for vulnerable groups, digital skills development, civic engagement and human rights.
What are Volunteering Teams? 👥
Volunteering Teams are short volunteering activities that you do in a group, and they are also part of Volunteering Projects. The eligibility table in the European Solidarity Corps Guide 2026 lists the duration as "From 2 weeks to 2 months", excluding travel time, with a note saying "Up to 59 days, excluding travel days".
The Guide says volunteers in teams carry out tasks over a short period of time, for example during holidays or breaks between study periods. The Guide also says the group format "can be an incentive for youngsters who do not feel ready to embark into challenging experiences on their own", and that Volunteering Teams are "particularly suitable for a first experience in volunteering". According to the Guide, examples of valuable work in a short time include "organising educational activities in refugee camps" and "catering for species threatened by extinction".
What are Volunteering Teams in High Priority Areas? 🎯
Volunteering Teams in High Priority Areas are a separate Action, not the same as Volunteering Teams in Volunteering Projects. The European Solidarity Corps Guide 2026 describes them as "large scale, high impact projects supporting voluntary activities carried out by young people from at least two different countries", doing short-term interventions on common European challenges in policy areas defined each year at EU level.
The Guide lists three priorities for the 2026 call:
🛟 Enhancing a culture of preparedness across the whole of society and providing relief to persons fleeing armed conflicts and other victims of disasters from natural hazards and human-induced risks.
📚 Fostering positive learning experiences and outcomes for young people with fewer opportunities.
🧓 Enhancing intergenerational fairness and solidarity.
The Guide says the teams volunteer together for a period between 2 weeks and 2 months, "up to 59 days, excluding travel days". The Guide describes the activity as one of the "non-remunerated solidarity activities", and says "Young people can only be involved in one activity at a time". Examples of work include "organising recreational and educational activities for children" and "regeneration of green spaces, recovery and redistribution of unused food, recycling of materials".
What is a Solidarity Project? 💡
A Solidarity Project is a project that young people plan and run themselves in their own community. The European Solidarity Corps Guide 2026 defines it as "a non-profit solidarity activity initiated, developed and implemented by young people themselves for a period from 2 to 12 months".
The Guide says a Solidarity Project gives "a group of minimum five young persons" the chance to bring positive change to their local community. The group must have at least 5 young people aged between 18 and 30 at the start date of the project, and the Guide says "There is no maximum number of the group's members". The project takes place in the country of residence of the applicant, and the young people in the group must be registered on the Portal.
One group member acts as legal representative and submits the application, "unless an organisation applies on behalf of the group". Young people can also get support from a coach. The Guide says a coach is "a resource person who could have youth work experience to accompany groups of young people", and that the coach "will remain outside the Solidarity Project". For recognising what the group learns, the Guide says "it is recommended to use Youthpass and the related learning process reflection".
The Guide also says "Special funding for the participation of people with fewer opportunities is available both for the members of the group and the target group".
What is Humanitarian Aid Volunteering? 📦
Humanitarian Aid Volunteering is volunteering in third countries where humanitarian aid operations are ongoing. The European Solidarity Corps Guide 2026 says it "takes place in third countries where there are ongoing humanitarian aid operations", and that it gives "young people aged 18 to 35 years old" the chance to volunteer in the short term or the long term to improve living conditions of people in need.
The Guide describes volunteering here as a full-time, non-remunerated activity of "At least 30 and not more than 38 hours per week". The Guide states that projects must follow "the humanitarian aid principles of humanity, neutrality, impartiality and independence", as well as the "do no harm" principle.
There are two formats, according to the Guide:
🧍 Individual volunteering: the Guide describes "a duration of 2 to 12 months, excluding travel time". The activity takes place cross-border, in a country different from the country of residence of the volunteer.
👥 Volunteering teams: the Guide describes a period "between 2 weeks and 2 months (up to 59 days, excluding travel time)". The activity takes place cross-border.
Before you can be selected, the Guide says you must complete mandatory training. You complete on the EU Academy portal "a self-assessment and specific online training, followed by a test". Those who pass may be invited to a "face-to-face training of 5 days", and the Guide says "the number of places for face-to-face training is limited". The Guide also says young people interested in the training "must not have previously engaged in EU volunteering activities for more than a cumulative total of 6 months".
The Guide says "Arrangements and procedures foreseen by the host organisation to ensure the security and safety of volunteers" must be in place before the volunteer arrives.
How long does an ESC activity last? ⏳
The length of an ESC activity depends on the Action, and the shortest is 2 weeks and the longest is 12 months. These are the durations in the European Solidarity Corps Guide 2026:
📅 Individual Volunteering: the Guide's eligibility table says "From 2 weeks to 12 months, excluding travel time".
👥 Volunteering Teams in Volunteering Projects: the Guide's table says "From 2 weeks to 2 months", excluding travel time, and a note adds "Up to 59 days, excluding travel days".
🎯 Volunteering Teams in High Priority Areas: between 2 weeks and 2 months, which the Guide describes as "up to 59 days, excluding travel days".
💡 Solidarity Projects: the Guide gives a duration of "2 to 12 months".
📦 Humanitarian Aid Volunteering: individual volunteering lasts 2 to 12 months, excluding travel time. Volunteering teams last between 2 weeks and 2 months, up to 59 days, excluding travel time.
The Guide also limits how much volunteering you can do. The Guide says "The total amount of time spent by a young person in European Solidarity Corps volunteering activities must not exceed 12 months and the activities carried out must not overlap". Earlier Erasmus+ volunteering or European Voluntary Service counts towards the 12 months, and the Guide states that "Solidarity Projects are not included in the 12-month time limit".
In Volunteering Projects, the Guide says a volunteer can take part in "multiple volunteering teams activities" and "multiple in-country volunteering activities". A volunteer can also do one individual cross-border activity longer than 2 months. A second one is allowed only if the National Agency approves it, for young people with fewer opportunities or in other duly justified cases. Our guide to ESC project lengths and our answer on doing the ESC more than once explain this in more detail.
Where can you volunteer? 🌍
Where you can volunteer depends on the Action and on the country where you live. The European Solidarity Corps Guide 2026 sets these rules:
🌱 Individual Volunteering: the Guide says activities "have to take place in a host organisation or one of its locations". A volunteer from an EU Member State or an associated country can volunteer in an EU Member State, an associated country or a third country not associated to the Programme. A volunteer from a third country not associated to the Programme must volunteer in an EU Member State or an associated country.
👥 Volunteering Teams: the Guide says the activities may take place in an EU Member State, an associated country or a third country not associated to the Programme.
💡 Solidarity Projects: the Guide says "The project should take place in the country of the applicant". If a project addresses cross-border challenges, activities can also take place in cross-border regions of neighbouring countries.
📦 Humanitarian Aid Volunteering: the activity takes place in third countries not associated to the Programme where humanitarian aid operations are ongoing. Individual volunteering and volunteering teams both take place cross-border.
🚫 Belarus and Russia: for Volunteering Projects the Guide states "Activities cannot take place in Belarus or on the territory of Russia as recognised by international law", and a note for Solidarity Projects says the same. The Guide also says no mobilities to Belarus or to the Russian Federation are allowed.
The full country lists are in our guide to the eligible countries for Erasmus+ and the ESC.
What does the ESC cover? 📋
The ESC provides travel support, pocket money, insurance, language support, training and a Youthpass certificate, and the details depend on the Action. The European Solidarity Corps Guide 2026 says "Participation in volunteering activities must be free of charge for the volunteer". You can also read our guide on whether the ESC is fully funded. The amounts in this section come from the European Solidarity Corps Guide 2026.
How does the ESC pay for travel? ✈️
In Volunteering Projects, the grant gives a contribution to the travel costs of participants from their place of origin to the venue of the activity and return. The contribution depends on the distance band. The Guide says the applicant must indicate the distance of a one-way travel to calculate the amount of the EU grant that will support the round trip.
According to the Guide, these are the amounts per participant, with the higher amount for green travel:
📏 10 to 99 km: €28, or €56 for green travel.
📏 100 to 499 km: €211, or €285 for green travel.
📏 500 to 1 999 km: €309, or €417 for green travel.
📏 2 000 to 2 999 km: €395, or €535 for green travel.
📏 3 000 to 3 999 km: €580, or €785 for green travel.
📏 4 000 to 7 999 km: €1 188, the same for green travel.
📏 8 000 km or more: €1 735, the same for green travel.
The Guide gives an example: "calculate the distance from Madrid to Rome" as 1365,28 km, choose the band between 500 and 1999 km, and the grant contributes 309 EUR for the trip from Madrid to Rome and return.
The Guide defines green travel as "Travel that uses low-emissions means of transport for at least half of the round trip such as bus, train, bike or car-pooling". The Guide adds that travelling by boat counts as green travel if it is combined with another low emissions means of transport. Below 500 km, participants will as a general rule travel with low-emissions means of transport, and over 500 km the Guide says they are "strongly encouraged to use a combination of different modes of transport". Our guides on travel reimbursement and distance bands and green travel explain more.
The Guide also allows exceptional costs for expensive travel. Applicants must justify that the standard rules do not cover at least 70 % of the travel costs, and the Guide says expensive travel costs are paid at 80 % of eligible costs. The Guide says "The request for financial support for exceptional costs must be motivated and approved by the National Agency".
How much pocket money do you get? 🧾
In Volunteering Projects, you get pocket money for your additional personal expenses, and the amount depends on the host country. The Guide describes it as a "Contribution to additional personal expenses for participants", paid per day per participant. The amounts in the Guide range from €4 a day in Romania and North Macedonia to €12 a day in Denmark.
The Guide lists these pocket money amounts in euros per day, by host country: Austria 7; Belgium 6; Bulgaria 7; Croatia 10; Cyprus 7; Czechia 7; Denmark 12; Estonia 5; Finland 7; France 8; Germany 7; Greece 7; Hungary 7; Ireland 11; Italy 6; Latvia 5; Lithuania 6; Luxembourg 7; Malta 6; Netherlands 7; Poland 6; Portugal 6; Romania 4; Slovakia 6; Slovenia 5; Spain 6; Sweden 7; North Macedonia 4; Iceland 8; Liechtenstein 8; Türkiye 6; Norway 8; and 6 for a third country neighbouring the EU. You can read more in our guide to ESC pocket money.
The Guide says the days counted are based on the host country and the duration of the activity, "including also one travel day before the activity and one travel day following the activity", and "up to four additional days for participants receiving a green travel grant".
What do volunteers get in High Priority Areas and Humanitarian Aid Volunteering? 🧳
In these two Actions the grant gives a single daily amount for volunteer support, instead of separate travel and pocket money amounts. According to the European Solidarity Corps Guide 2026, Volunteering Teams in High Priority Areas get "26 EUR per day per volunteer". Humanitarian Aid Volunteering gets "35 EUR per day per volunteer".
The Guide says this amount is a contribution to travel costs and exceptional costs such as visa and vaccination costs, residence permits, medical certifications and additional personal expenses for volunteers (pocket money). For Volunteering Teams in High Priority Areas, it also covers personal insurance for in-country activities. The Guide says the days counted are based on the duration of the activity, including, if necessary, one travel day before and one travel day after the activity, per volunteer, including accompanying persons.
What does a Solidarity Project grant cover? 🧮
A Solidarity Project grant pays for the running of the project, a coach and extra support for young people with fewer opportunities. The European Solidarity Corps Guide 2026 gives "630 EUR per month" for project management costs, based on the duration of the Solidarity Project.
For coaching, the Guide gives a unit cost "per day of work. Maximum 12 days". The daily amount depends on the country of the applicant:
🧑🏫 €255 per day: Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Netherlands and Sweden.
🧑🏫 €227 per day: Cyprus, Czechia, Estonia, Greece, Latvia, Malta, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia and Spain.
🧑🏫 €137 per day: Bulgaria, Croatia, Hungary, Lithuania, North Macedonia, Poland, Romania and Türkiye.
The Guide also gives exceptional costs to support the participation of young people with fewer opportunities, at 100 % of eligible costs. The request must be duly justified and approved by the National Agency. For people with fewer opportunities who are a target group of the project, the request "should not exceed 7000 EUR per project".
How does language support work? 🗣️
The ESC offers language learning support through an online course or a grant, depending on the Action. The European Solidarity Corps Guide 2026 says "Depending on the Action, Language learning support takes the form either of a grant (150 EUR linguistic support) or of an online course via the Online Language Support". You can learn more in our guide to OLS, the Online Language Support.
For participants in Volunteering Projects, the Guide's text says the 150 EUR grant may be provided if the required language or level is not available in OLS. The Guide's funding table adds that the grant is "Conditional: Only for activities lasting 60 days or more" and, for cross-border activities, only for languages or levels not offered by the Online Language Support.
What training and learning support do volunteers get? 📚
The ESC gives volunteers a training and evaluation cycle, mentoring, and recognition of what they learn. According to the Guide, the training and evaluation cycle is for volunteers, including those volunteering in Humanitarian Aid, and "Participants in Solidarity Projects can take part only in annual events".
🧳 Pre-departure training: the Guide says this preparation "should take place at least one month before departure". The training is only mandatory for participants in cross-border volunteering activities.
🛬 On-arrival training: the Guide's overview table lists it as mandatory for volunteers in individual volunteering, Volunteering Teams, Volunteering Teams in High Priority Areas and Humanitarian Aid volunteering. For activities of at least 2 months it is organised by National Agencies or SALTOs, which are Support, Advanced Learning and Training Opportunities centres. For individual volunteering shorter than 2 months, volunteering teams and Humanitarian Aid volunteering, the host or support organisation organises it.
🔄 Mid-term evaluation: the Guide's overview table says "Mandatory for activities longer than 6 months", and for Humanitarian Aid volunteers it is mandatory.
🎉 Annual event: the Guide says "Attending the annual event is not mandatory, however it is highly recommended".
For mentoring, the Guide says "Personal support through mentoring should be provided to all participants in volunteering activities". The Guide describes "regular meetings between the mentor appointed by the host or support organisation and the participant". The Guide says Reinforced Mentorship, an intensified mentoring process, might be necessary to support young people with fewer opportunities who are not able to implement an activity independently or with normal mentoring or tutoring support. The Guide says it involves closer contact and more frequent meetings. Our guide to your ESC mentor explains the role.
For recognition, the Guide says "Every young person taking part in European Solidarity Corps activities is entitled to go through the Youthpass process and receive a Youthpass certificate at the end of the process". You can read about what Youthpass is in our guide. The Guide also names Europass as another recognition tool. At the end of a volunteering experience, participants are entitled to a certificate of participation, issued in the Portal once the activity is finalised and the participant report is submitted.
What does the ESC insurance cover? 🛡️
The European Solidarity Corps Guide 2026 says beneficiaries must ensure that every participant in a cross-border activity is enrolled in the ESC insurance scheme. Another part of the Guide says the participant must be enrolled in that scheme or in the host country's national health system. The Guide says the areas to cover are medical and dental care, pregnancy and childbirth, accident and hospitalisation, life insurance, permanent disability, third party liability and travel insurance.
The Guide says the ESC insurance gives cover "from the moment participants leave their residence to the host country until their return home after finishing the activity". The insurance also covers follow-up medical treatments until 2 months after finishing the activity. The cover finishes for volunteers who decide not to return to their country of residence after the activity.
The scheme works with the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC):
🩺 Complementary coverage is for participants who are eligible for the card.
🏥 Primary coverage is for participants who are not eligible for the card, not eligible for it free of charge, not entitled to it for reasons of national rules or their individual situation, or who come from or go to a country where EU social security coordination does not apply.
The Guide says "it is strongly recommended that participants in transnational activities" taking place in EU Member States or some associated countries carry the card. The Guide describes the card as a free card that gives access to medically necessary healthcare during a temporary stay in any of the 27 EU countries, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway.
Enrolment is done before departure. The Guide says "The enrolment to the insurance must be done before the departure of the participants". The Guide also says "it is highly recommended to contact the insurer before incurring a medical expense". For in-country activities, if a participant needs private personal insurance, the organisation must provide insurance with the same coverage as for cross-border activities. Our guide to ESC insurance has the details.
Which documents and cards come with an ESC activity? 🪪
You get a volunteering agreement before you leave, and you may need a visa. According to the European Solidarity Corps Guide 2026, each young person in individual or team volunteering "must sign a volunteering agreement using the template provided by the European Commission". The agreement includes rights and obligations, duration and location, tasks, reference to the participant's insurance and the financial contribution from the Corps. Our guide to the volunteering agreement explains it.
The Guide says participants "may need to obtain a visa for staying abroad". The Guide says the participating organisations must make sure the authorisations required are in order before the planned activity takes place. The Guide strongly recommends requesting them well in advance, since the process "may take several weeks". See our guide to visas and residence permits and the EU Immigration Portal.
Every young person in the ESC also receives the European Volunteer Card. The Guide says "The card is valid for 18 months independent of the length of the European Solidarity Corps experience".
How do you apply to the ESC? 🎒
To volunteer with the ESC, you register on the ESC Portal, look for opportunities, express your interest, and an organisation sends you an offer. These are the steps in the European Solidarity Corps Guide 2026:
1️⃣ Register on the Portal. Young people who are at least 17 years old and want to take part in solidarity activities register on the European Solidarity Corps Portal. The Guide says registered candidates "obtain a unique Personal Registration Number", and that "Each person should only have one participant account". Our guide shows how to register on the ESC Portal.
2️⃣ Look for opportunities. The Guide says registered candidates "can look for opportunities and express their interest in them". Our tips on how to find Erasmus+ and ESC projects show where to look.
3️⃣ Wait for an offer. Organisations holding a Quality Label can advertise volunteering opportunities in the Portal, search for registered candidates and contact them. The Guide says "Once the organisation and the registered candidate found each other, the organisation sends an offer to the registered candidate".
4️⃣ Prepare to leave. You sign a volunteering agreement before you go. If your activity is cross-border, pre-departure training is mandatory, and the Guide says it should take place at least one month before departure.
Our complete guide to applying for an ESC project walks through every step. The Guide also says the Portal lets young people follow online trainings, use a mobile app and join networks such as the European Solidarity Network or the EuroPeers network.
What are the deadlines for a Solidarity Project? 📆
These deadlines are only for Solidarity Projects. For the other Actions you register on the Portal and an organisation sends you an offer, as described above. In a Solidarity Project the group applies itself: the European Solidarity Corps Guide 2026 says you apply "To the National Agency of the country where the applicant is legally resident", and that applicants "have to submit their grant application by the following dates".
📆 18 February at 12:00 (midday Brussels time): the deadline for Solidarity Projects starting between 1 June and 31 December of the same year.
📆 7 May at 12:00 (midday Brussels time): an optional round, for Solidarity Projects starting between 1 August and 31 December of the same year.
📆 1 October at 12:00 (midday Brussels time): the deadline for Solidarity Projects starting between 1 January and 31 May of the following year.
For Solidarity Projects, the Guide says "National Agencies may organise three selection rounds by setting three deadlines as above or only the first (18 February) and the last (1 October) one". Each National Agency publishes this information on its own site.
For Humanitarian Aid Volunteering, you complete the mandatory training first. After the face-to-face training, the Guide says "the candidates will be able to apply for vacancies proposed by Humanitarian Aid Volunteering projects".
According to Youth Works Hub, the safest way to start is to read the rules of the Action in the offer before you apply, because the conditions above change from one Action to another.
Why join the ESC? ✨
Joining the ESC lets you help your community while you gain skills and experience. The European Solidarity Corps Guide 2026 says non-formal and informal learning "enable young people to acquire essential competences". For Solidarity Projects, the Guide says participation "should foster sense of initiative, active European citizenship and entrepreneurial spirit".
Your learning is recognised with a Youthpass certificate, and our guide shows how to get your learning recognised. The Guide says the European Volunteer Card gives volunteers "the opportunity to enjoy all the discounts and opportunities available through the European Youth Card scheme". The Portal lets you build a community with other young people who want to take part.
Frequently Asked Questions ❓
Is the ESC only for EU citizens?
No, the conditions depend on where you legally live and on the Action. The European Solidarity Corps Guide 2026 says "the conditions for participation depend on the country in which they are legally based, and on the Action concerned". Depending on the Action, you can take part if you legally live in an EU Member State, an associated country or a third country not associated to the Programme.
Can I join the ESC from Norway or Serbia?
Yes, but only in some Actions. Norway and Serbia are on the Guide's list of third countries not associated to the Programme. Young people living in these countries can take part in Individual Volunteering, Volunteering Teams and Volunteering Teams in High Priority Areas. Young people living in these countries cannot take part in Solidarity Projects or Humanitarian Aid Volunteering, which are for people who legally live in an EU Member State or an associated country. The official ESC website lists Norway among the countries not associated to the programme. For all the countries it lists, the website says some opportunities are open to young people residing in them while others have a more limited scope, and that the countries participants must come from are shown on the page of each opportunity.
Is ESC volunteering free?
Yes, the Guide says "Participation in volunteering activities must be free of charge for the volunteer". In Volunteering Projects you also get travel support and pocket money, and the amounts depend on the distance and the host country.
Do you get paid to volunteer with the ESC?
No, the Guide describes volunteering as an "unpaid activity that has a duration of up to 12 months". In Volunteering Projects you get pocket money for your additional personal expenses, from €4 to €12 a day depending on the host country.
Can I do more than one ESC activity?
Yes, as long as your total time in ESC volunteering does not exceed 12 months and the activities do not overlap. Earlier Erasmus+ volunteering or European Voluntary Service counts towards the 12 months, and Solidarity Projects do not. A second individual cross-border activity longer than 2 months needs the approval of the National Agency, and the Guide says candidates for individual Humanitarian Aid Volunteering must not have yet taken part in it.
Can I volunteer in my own country?
Yes, Individual Volunteering can be in-country, in the same country as your country of residence.The Guide says individual volunteering activities "are open to all participants". A Solidarity Project also takes place in the country of the applicant.
👉 Youth Works Hub lists open ESC placements: youthworkshub.org/category/esc-projects
