In Erasmus+ and the European Solidarity Corps (ESC), if you are legally based in an EU Member Stateor a third country associated to the Programme, you can participate fully in all the Actions. Young people from third countries not associated to the Programme neighbouring the EU (regions 1 to 4) can apply to the European Solidarity Corps and the Erasmus+ youth projects, but there are fewer places and more competition. Young people from countries that are not EU Member States, third countries associated to the Programme or third countries not associated to the Programme neighbouring the EU (regions 1 to 4) cannot take part in the European Solidarity Corps or in the Erasmus+ youth projects (Youth Exchanges, Mobility projects for youth workers, Youth participation activities); for them, Erasmus+ higher education mobility, Erasmus+ Virtual Exchanges (Region 9 only) and Erasmus Mundus are open. Our guide on what the European Solidarity Corps is explains the programme itself, and what Erasmus+ is does the same for the other one.
Last updated: October 2026.
Can you apply if you live in an EU country or an associated country?
Yes: 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. The Member States of the European Union and the third countries associated to the Programme can fully take part in all the Actions of the Erasmus+ Programme. In the European Solidarity Corps, the third countries associated to the Programme are subject to the signature of the Association Agreements between the European Union and those countries. In Erasmus+, the third countries associated to the Programme are subject to the signature of the Association Agreements between the European Union and those countries.
These are the Member States of the European Union.
🇧🇪 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
🇸🇪 Sweden
In the European Solidarity Corps, the third countries associated to the Programme are Iceland, Liechtenstein, North Macedonia and Türkiye.
🇮🇸 Iceland
🇱🇮 Liechtenstein
🇲🇰 North Macedonia
🇹🇷 Türkiye
In Erasmus+, the third countries associated to the Programme are North Macedonia, Serbia, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Türkiye.
🇲🇰 North Macedonia
🇷🇸 Serbia
🇮🇸 Iceland
🇱🇮 Liechtenstein
🇳🇴 Norway
🇹🇷 Türkiye
If you live in one of the Overseas Countries and Territories (OCT) of the European Union, you take part in the European Solidarity Corps on an EU Member State status, so you can participate fully in all the Actions of the European Solidarity Corps, subject to the rules of the Programme and the arrangements applicable to the Member State with which your territory is connected. In Erasmus+, you take part on an EU Member State status, the EU Member State being the one with which your territory is connected, so you can fully take part in all the Actions of the Erasmus+ Programme, subject to the rules of the Programme and the arrangements applicable to that Member State. The Overseas Countries and Territories are neither part of the EU territory nor of the EU single market, and it is important to distinguish the Overseas Countries and Territories from the Outermost Regions (OR) of the EU, which are an integral part of the EU and its single market.
These are the 13 Overseas Countries and Territories and the Member State each one is linked to.
Greenland (Denmark)
Aruba (Netherlands)
Bonaire (Netherlands)
Curaçao (Netherlands)
Saba (Netherlands)
Sint Eustatius (Netherlands)
Sint Maarten (Netherlands)
French Polynesia (France)
French Southern and Antarctic Territories (France)
New Caledonia (France)
Saint Barthélemy (France)
Saint Pierre and Miquelon (France)
Wallis and Futuna (France)
Norway and Serbia are third countries associated to the Erasmus+ Programme. The European Solidarity Corps Guide lists Norway and Serbia in the third countries not associated to the Programme. Our guide on who can apply to Erasmus+ and the European Solidarity Corps goes through the other conditions, and the difference between ESC and Erasmus+ compares the two programmes side by side.
Can you apply if you live in a country neighbouring the EU?
Yes, you can. In Individual Volunteering and Volunteering Teams of the European Solidarity Corps, the eligible participants are young people between 18 and 30 years 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 in the European Solidarity Corps Portal. In Volunteering Teams in High Priority Areas, the eligible participants are young people between 18 and 30 years who are legally residing in an EU Member State, a third country associated to the Programme or a third country not associated to the Programme and have registered in the European Solidarity Corps Portal. Young people from third countries not associated to the Programme neighbouring the EU (regions 1 to 4) can apply to the European Solidarity Corps and the Erasmus+ youth projects, but there are fewer places and more competition, because projects give priority to participants from EU Member States and third countries associated to the Programme.
If you are a Ukrainian national and volunteer in the European Solidarity Corps, you are counted as a participant coming from an EU Member State, whether you legally reside in the EU or in Ukraine, and this applies at least until 4 March 2027, or longer if the temporary protection is extended beyond this date. For Ukrainian nationals, the fewer places and more competition for young people from neighbouring countries do not apply in the European Solidarity Corps, because the exception depends on Ukrainian nationality, not on the country where you live. Erasmus+ has no such exception: in Erasmus+, young people from Ukraine are treated the same as young people from the other third countries not associated to the Programme neighbouring the EU (regions 1 to 4).
Two Actions of the European Solidarity Corps are open only to young people legally residing in an EU Member State or a third country associated to the Programme:
🚫 Solidarity Projects: 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.
🚫 Humanitarian Aid Volunteering: eligible participants are young people aged 18 to 35 who are legally residing in an EU Member State or in a third country associated to the Programme and who have registered in the European Solidarity Corps Portal to express their interest in engaging in Humanitarian Aid Volunteering.
Our guide on opportunities for young people outside the European Union explains what is open to you.
In the European Solidarity Corps, these are the third countries not associated to the Programme.
EFTA countries
🇳🇴 Norway
Western Balkans (Region 1)
🇦🇱 Albania
🇧🇦 Bosnia and Herzegovina
🇽🇰 Kosovo
🇲🇪 Montenegro
🇷🇸 Serbia
Neighbourhood East (Region 2)
🇦🇲 Armenia
🇦🇿 Azerbaijan
🇧🇾 Belarus
🇬🇪 Georgia
🇲🇩 Moldova
🇺🇦 Territory of Ukraine as recognised by international law
South-Mediterranean countries (Region 3)
🇩🇿 Algeria
🇪🇬 Egypt
🇮🇱 Israel
🇯🇴 Jordan
🇱🇧 Lebanon
🇱🇾 Libya
🇲🇦 Morocco
🇵🇸 Palestine
🇸🇾 Syria
🇹🇳 Tunisia
Russian Federation (Region 4)
🇷🇺 Territory of Russia as recognised by international law
Note: The two statements below appear in the official guides of the European Union. Youth Works Hub publishes them only because the guides include them.
The designation Kosovo is without prejudice to positions on status and is in line with UNSCR 1244 and the ICJ Opinion on the Kosovo declaration of independence. The designation Palestine shall not be construed as recognition of a State of Palestine and is without prejudice to the individual positions of the Member States on this issue.
In Erasmus+, these are the third countries not associated to the Programme neighbouring the EU (regions 1 to 4).
Western Balkans (Region 1)
🇦🇱 Albania
🇧🇦 Bosnia and Herzegovina
🇽🇰 Kosovo
🇲🇪 Montenegro
Neighbourhood East (Region 2)
🇦🇲 Armenia
🇦🇿 Azerbaijan
🇧🇾 Belarus
🇬🇪 Georgia
🇲🇩 Moldova
🇺🇦 Ukraine
South-Mediterranean countries (Region 3)
🇩🇿 Algeria
🇪🇬 Egypt
🇮🇱 Israel
🇯🇴 Jordan
🇱🇧 Lebanon
🇱🇾 Libya
🇲🇦 Morocco
🇵🇸 Palestine
🇸🇾 Syria
🇹🇳 Tunisia
Russian Federation (Region 4)
🇷🇺 Russia
What is open to you if your country is not on these lists?
Young people from countries that are not EU Member States, third countries associated to the Programme or third countries not associated to the Programme neighbouring the EU (regions 1 to 4) cannot take part in the European Solidarity Corps or in the Erasmus+ youth projects (Youth Exchanges, Mobility projects for youth workers, Youth participation activities); for them, Erasmus+ higher education mobility, Erasmus+ Virtual Exchanges (Region 9 only) and Erasmus Mundus are open:
🎓 Higher education mobility: One strand of Erasmus+ higher education mobility supports mobility to and from third countries not associated to the Programme, with the exception of mobility to Belarus and Russia and staff mobility from Belarus and Russia.
💻 Virtual exchanges: Erasmus+ Virtual Exchanges projects consist of online people-to-people activities, and the eligible regions covered by this action are Region 1, Region 2, Region 3 and Region 9.
🌐 Erasmus Mundus: Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters (EMJM) scholarships can be offered to students from all over the world.
In Erasmus+, the countries below are the other third countries not associated to the Programme, in Region 5 to Region 14. Young people from the countries below cannot take part in the European Solidarity Corps or in the Erasmus+ youth projects (Youth Exchanges, Mobility projects for youth workers, Youth participation activities); for them, Erasmus+ higher education mobility, Erasmus+ Virtual Exchanges (Region 9 only) and Erasmus Mundus are open. Our guide on what Erasmus Mundus is explains the scholarship.
Region 5 Asia
🇧🇩 Bangladesh
🇧🇹 Bhutan
🇰🇭 Cambodia
🇨🇳 China
🇰🇵 DPR Korea
🇮🇳 India
🇮🇩 Indonesia
🇱🇦 Laos
🇲🇾 Malaysia
🇲🇻 Maldives
🇲🇳 Mongolia
🇲🇲 Myanmar
🇳🇵 Nepal
🇵🇰 Pakistan
🇵🇭 Philippines
🇱🇰 Sri Lanka
🇹🇭 Thailand
🇻🇳 Vietnam
Region 5 Asia, high income countries and territories
🇧🇳 Brunei
🇭🇰 Hong Kong
🇯🇵 Japan
🇰🇷 Republic of Korea
🇲🇴 Macao
🇸🇬 Singapore
🇹🇼 Taiwan
Region 6 Central Asia
🇦🇫 Afghanistan
🇰🇿 Kazakhstan
🇰🇬 Kyrgyzstan
🇹🇯 Tajikistan
🇹🇲 Turkmenistan
🇺🇿 Uzbekistan
Region 7 Middle East
🇮🇷 Iran
🇮🇶 Iraq
🇾🇪 Yemen
Region 7 Middle East, high income countries
🇧🇭 Bahrain
🇰🇼 Kuwait
🇴🇲 Oman
🇶🇦 Qatar
🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia
🇦🇪 United Arab Emirates
Region 8 Pacific
🇫🇯 Fiji
🇰🇮 Kiribati
🇲🇭 Marshall Islands
🇫🇲 Micronesia
🇳🇷 Nauru
🇳🇺 Niue
🇵🇼 Palau
🇵🇬 Papua New Guinea
🇼🇸 Samoa
🇸🇧 Solomon Islands
🇹🇱 Timor-Leste
🇹🇴 Tonga
🇹🇻 Tuvalu
🇻🇺 Vanuatu
Region 8 Pacific, high income countries
🇦🇺 Australia
🇨🇰 Cook Islands
🇳🇿 New Zealand
Region 9 Sub-Saharan Africa
🇦🇴 Angola
🇧🇯 Benin
🇧🇼 Botswana
🇧🇫 Burkina Faso
🇧🇮 Burundi
🇨🇲 Cameroon
🇨🇻 Cabo Verde
🇨🇫 Central African Republic
🇹🇩 Chad
🇰🇲 Comoros
🇨🇬 Congo
🇨🇩 Democratic Republic of the Congo
🇨🇮 Côte d'Ivoire
🇩🇯 Djibouti
🇬🇶 Equatorial Guinea
🇪🇷 Eritrea
🇸🇿 Eswatini
🇪🇹 Ethiopia
🇬🇦 Gabon
🇬🇲 Gambia
🇬🇭 Ghana
🇬🇳 Guinea
🇬🇼 Guinea Bissau
🇰🇪 Kenya
🇱🇸 Lesotho
🇱🇷 Liberia
🇲🇬 Madagascar
🇲🇼 Malawi
🇲🇱 Mali
🇲🇷 Mauritania
🇲🇺 Mauritius
🇲🇿 Mozambique
🇳🇦 Namibia
🇳🇪 Niger
🇳🇬 Nigeria
🇷🇼 Rwanda
🇸🇹 Sao Tome and Principe
🇸🇳 Senegal
🇸🇨 Seychelles
🇸🇱 Sierra Leone
🇸🇴 Somalia
🇿🇦 South Africa
🇸🇸 South Sudan
🇸🇩 Sudan
🇹🇿 Tanzania
🇹🇬 Togo
🇺🇬 Uganda
🇿🇲 Zambia
🇿🇼 Zimbabwe
Region 10 Latin America
🇦🇷 Argentina
🇧🇴 Bolivia
🇧🇷 Brazil
🇨🇱 Chile
🇨🇴 Colombia
🇨🇷 Costa Rica
🇪🇨 Ecuador
🇸🇻 El Salvador
🇬🇹 Guatemala
🇭🇳 Honduras
🇲🇽 Mexico
🇳🇮 Nicaragua
🇵🇦 Panama
🇵🇾 Paraguay
🇵🇪 Peru
🇺🇾 Uruguay
🇻🇪 Venezuela
Region 11 Caribbean
🇦🇬 Antigua & Barbuda
🇧🇸 Bahamas
🇧🇧 Barbados
🇧🇿 Belize
🇨🇺 Cuba
🇩🇲 Dominica
🇩🇴 Dominican Republic
🇬🇩 Grenada
🇬🇾 Guyana
🇭🇹 Haiti
🇯🇲 Jamaica
🇰🇳 St Kitts and Nevis
🇱🇨 St Lucia
🇻🇨 St Vincent & Grenadines
🇸🇷 Suriname
🇹🇹 Trinidad & Tobago
Region 12 US and Canada
🇺🇸 United States of America
🇨🇦 Canada
Region 13
🇦🇩 Andorra
🇲🇨 Monaco
🇸🇲 San Marino
🇻🇦 Vatican City State
Region 14
🇫🇴 Faroe Islands
🇨🇭 Switzerland
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
Are there countries you cannot travel to?
In the European Solidarity Corps, for security reasons, while mobilities of young people from Belarus can be allowed, no mobilities to Belarus are allowed. In the European Solidarity Corps, for security reasons, while mobilities of Russian young people can be allowed, no mobilities to the Russian Federation are allowed. In Erasmus+ Youth Exchanges, the activity must take place in the country of one of the organisations participating in the activity, with the exception that activities cannot take place in Belarus or Russia. Our guide on visa and residence rules for ESC and Erasmus+ covers the paperwork.
Where can an ESC activity take place?
A volunteer from an EU Member State or third country associated to the Programme must carry out the activity in an EU Member State or third country associated to the Programme, or in a third country not associated to the Programme. A volunteer from a third country not associated to the Programme must carry out the activity in an EU Member State or a third country associated to the Programme. Host countries for Humanitarian Aid Volunteering are 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. Our guide on what Humanitarian Aid Volunteering is explains where these projects run.
Frequently asked questions
I live in Morocco. Can I join an Erasmus+ Youth Exchange?
Yes: Morocco is one of the South-Mediterranean countries (Region 3), and young people from third countries not associated to the Programme neighbouring the EU (regions 1 to 4) can apply to the Erasmus+ youth projects, but there are fewer places and more competition. Our guide on what a Youth Exchange is explains how one works.
I live in India. Can I join a Youth Exchange or ESC volunteering?
No: India is in Region 5 Asia, and the European Solidarity Corps and Erasmus+ Youth Exchanges are not open to countries outside EU Member States, associated countries and neighbouring countries (regions 1 to 4). One strand of Erasmus+ higher education mobility supports mobility to and from third countries not associated to the Programme, with the exception of mobility to Belarus and Russia and staff mobility from Belarus and Russia. Our guide on opportunities for young people outside the European Union explains what is open to you.
Can I join a Solidarity Project or Humanitarian Aid Volunteering from a neighbouring country?
No: Solidarity Projects and Humanitarian Aid Volunteering are open only to young people legally residing in an EU Member State or a third country associated to the Programme who have registered in the European Solidarity Corps Portal. Our guide on what ESC Solidarity Projects arecovers how a group starts one.
Is Türkiye part of Erasmus+ and the European Solidarity Corps?
Yes: Türkiye is one of the third countries associated to the Programme in the European Solidarity Corps, with Iceland, Liechtenstein and North Macedonia. In Erasmus+, the Republic of Türkiye is associated to the programme with the Republic of North Macedonia and the Republic of Serbia. Our guide on who can take part in Erasmus+ and the European Solidarity Corps goes through the conditions besides your country.
Is Norway treated the same way in Erasmus+ and the European Solidarity Corps?
No: Norway is one of the third countries associated to the Erasmus+ Programme, while the European Solidarity Corps Guide lists Norway in the third countries not associated to the Programme. Our guide on Erasmus+ and ESC for participants from outside the EU covers what this status means for you.
Are Overseas Countries and Territories included?
Individuals and organisations from or to Overseas Countries and Territories (OCT) shall be eligible for Erasmus+, subject to the rules of the Programme and the arrangements applicable to the Member State with which these OCTs are connected. Our guide on how to apply for Erasmus+ or ESCtakes the steps one by one.
Start from where you live
Our guide on how to find Erasmus+ and ESC projects shows where the offers are published. The Youth Works Hub pages below cover the next steps.
Related pages: who can apply to Erasmus+ and ESC · Erasmus+ and ESC age limits · how to apply for Erasmus+ or ESC · opportunities for young people outside the European Union · how to find Erasmus+ and ESC projects
👉 ESC projects: youthworkshub.org/?tab=esc-projects
👉 Erasmus+ projects: youthworkshub.org/?tab=erasmus-projects
