ESC volunteering is fully funded: technically you pay nothing, although you sometimes pay costs such as tickets and visas first and are reimbursed afterwards. 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 ESC volunteering covers lists what is paid for you, and what Erasmus+ covers does the same for the other programme.
Last updated: October 2026.
Is a fully funded project really free?
Participation in volunteering activities must be free of charge for the volunteer. Nobody transfers money to an organisation. Our guide on how to spot a real Erasmus+ or ESC project lists the warning signs of a fake or problematic call.
Which costs do you pay first and get back later?
In Erasmus+ and European Solidarity Corps projects, participants usually buy their own return ticket first and the organisation reimburses them afterwards; for participants with limited financial means, organisations can also support them, so this should be agreed with the sending and host organisations before buying. In ESC the volunteer buys the ticket after the visa is issued and the host organisation reimburses it during the project; some organisations buy the ticket themselves and tell the volunteer in advance. Before buying, email the route, date, time and price to the host organisation and get its approval (this is required). Send the flight invoice to both the host and the sending organisation; a bank receipt or payment confirmation is not an invoice. Other journeys (train, bus) are paid by the volunteer, the original tickets are kept and handed to the host organisation, and the costs are reimbursed.
Visa and vaccination costs are usually paid first by the volunteer and reimbursed later, but this must always be confirmed with the organisation in advance.
In ESC, the volunteer first pays all official fees (short-stay Schengen or long-stay national visa fees, official appointment fees, residence permit and residence card fees for stays over 90 days, biometrics, card delivery and government fees, mandatory registration fees) and keeps every bank receipt and official receipt, including those of visa service providers; the host organisation then reimburses them by bank transfer, in cash with a receipt, or together with the pocket money. Some organisations pay these costs in advance, but this is their own choice. Visa and residence permit fees are reimbursed at their actual amount: 100% of the eligible cost, as long as you hand in the receipts.
When travel costs are reimbursed differs from project to project; it should be written in the info pack, and if it is not, you must clarify it with the organisation before the project. Our guide on how flights are booked and reimbursed covers the ticket step by step, and visas and residence permits covers the visa side.
What if the ticket costs more than the travel amount?
If the ticket costs more than the travel distance band amount, the participant pays the difference; if it costs less, the remaining amount stays with the organisation. The ESC travel contribution is a contribution to the travel costs of participants from their place of origin to the venue of the activity and return. In an Erasmus+ Youth Exchange, the travel contribution covers the travel costs of participants, including group leaders, accompanying persons and facilitators, from their place of origin to the venue of the activity and return. Learn your travel budget from the volunteering agreement or the host organisation; if the ticket costs more than the limit, it may not be fully reimbursed.
The green travel top-up belongs to the participant. For green travel, all tickets and invoices are needed as proof. Green travel must be agreed with the organisation before you buy tickets.
The common travel problems are:
🧭 Wrong distance: a wrongly calculated distance puts you in the wrong distance band
🧾 Missing documents: missing tickets or invoices mean the contribution may not be paid in full
🌿 Green travel proof: without enough proof the green travel top-up may be refused
✈️ Journey not made: if the journey does not happen, the contribution does not get paid
📅 Earlier years: projects funded in earlier years may have different travel limits, so ask the host and sending organisations which limits apply to your project before you travel
Our guide on how travel distance bands work explains the bands, and green travel in Erasmus+ and ESC explains the extra top-up.
Are baggage fees and airport transfers covered?
Baggage fees are part of the ticket cost and are reimbursed within the travel limits; for any extra cost, get the organisation's approval first. Transfer from the airport to the project town is part of the travel costs and is reimbursed within the travel limits. Our guide on how travel distance bands work explains the limits.
What do you pay for yourself during the project?
Pocket money is for personal needs only, because accommodation, food and insurance are already covered: small shopping, personal trips around the city, cafés, social events, books, sport and cultural activities, personal care products, phone line or mobile data top-ups, snacks and other small pleasures. A SIM card and phone line are usually paid by the volunteer from pocket money; some organisations provide them, so clarify this with the organisation. Pocket money cannot be cut on days off; under the rules it is paid for every day of the activity.
In the European Solidarity Corps, the organisation usually provides the accommodation and gives food money, so the volunteer can cook at home or eat out; the details are set out in the info pack. In Youth Exchanges and youth worker activities, food and accommodation are fully covered for participants; this is mandatory, not an exception. Our guide on how much pocket money you get explains the amount and the payment.
It helps to bring 50 to 100 EUR for the first weeks until a bank account is opened. Our guide on how much money you need for Erasmus+ and ESC sets out the cash plan.
Which costs are never covered, and what happens if you leave early?
Not covered: VIP or fast-track processing, premium lounges, courier or other optional service fees, fees of consultancy offices or visa agencies, and private health insurance, because ESC volunteers already have the free Henner insurance. The volunteer does not receive money directly from the National Agency.
If you leave early without force majeure, pocket money and food money are paid only for the days you stayed, the return journey is not guaranteed, especially if you leave before the middle of the project, and visa or permit costs are usually not reimbursed. Our guide on leaving a project early explains what happens step by step.
Does Erasmus+ ask participants for a participation fee?
In Erasmus+ Youth Exchanges, training courses, seminars and study visits, about one in ten calls asks participants for a participation fee; Youth Works Hub does not support this practice. The participation fee is not a payment made in advance: it is usually deducted from the travel reimbursement. A participation fee is usually a contribution the organisation asks for its own institutional capacity, not a cost of the programme. A participation fee is never paid at application, only by selected participants, and in many cases it can be negotiated or even waived by the organisation. If an organisation asks you to pay at the application stage, report it to the National Agency or the European Commission and let us know, so we can report it too. Our guide on National Agencies explains who to report to, and what Erasmus+ covers explains what the programme pays for.
How do you avoid surprise costs?
Many volunteers do not clarify everything with the organisation, especially the details of their tasks; the right questions bring the right answers. Many volunteers do not read the agreement before signing it, and in particular do not fully understand the withdrawal clauses and their own rights. The volunteer sees the text before signing and signs first; we recommend asking about anything unclear and clarifying everything with the organisation, and the volunteer can request changes, which the organisation may accept. What happens if the volunteer withdraws after signing (the consequences) should be written in the agreement. Our guide on the agreement you sign before starting explains each part, and ESC mistakes before you go lists what volunteers get wrong.
Frequently asked questions
Do you pay your sending organisation?
No: if a call asks for a sending (support) organisation, you can find all organisations holding a Quality Label on the European Youth Portal and ask one of them to be your sending (support) organisation; this is completely free, so most organisations will accept you. Our guide on the supporting organisation explains who the sending organisation is.
Do you pay for insurance in the ESC?
You will be insured throughout your activity, either through the insurance provided by the European Commission (for cross-border activities) or through the national health system or private personal insurance (for in-country activities). ESC volunteers already have the free Henner insurance. Our guide on insurance for ESC volunteers explains how it works.
Who pays visa fees?
Visa and vaccination costs are usually paid first by the volunteer and reimbursed later, but this must always be confirmed with the organisation in advance. Our guide on visas and residence permits covers the paperwork.
Where to go next
Youth Works Hub has a Match page that finds projects suited to you; using Match requires an account on the site, and signing up with Google is available but not required. Youth Works Hub pages below cover the next steps.
Related pages: what ESC volunteering covers · how much pocket money you get · how travel distance bands work · visas and residence permits · how to spot a real Erasmus+ or ESC project · what Erasmus+ covers
👉 ESC projects: youthworkshub.org/?tab=esc-projects
👉 Erasmus+ projects: youthworkshub.org/?tab=erasmus-projects
