Higher education projects

Operational Handbooks

Operational Handbooks are important documents produced by the National Agency for all higher education Erasmus+ coordinators. They provide detailed information to support institutions running the Erasmus+ programme. 

Key Action 103

The Key Action 103 Operational Handbook 2020 - version 6 (962 KB) is now available. Please refer to the guide for detailed information on student and staff grant rates.

Key Action 107

The Key Action 107 Operational Handbook 2020 - version 2 (575 KB) is now available. Please refer to the guide for detailed information on student and staff grant rates.

You can also access:

The European Commission's Key Action 107 ICM Handbook (1.4 MB) for International Credit Mobility (ICM) projects.

Key Action 2

The Key Action 203 Strategic Partnership Operational Handbook 2020 - version 2 (954 KB) is now available. 

The Key Action 226 Partnerships for Digital Education Readiness Operational Handbook (740 KB) is now available.

Mobility Tool+ guidance during Covid-19

The UK National Agency has produced a guide to help institutions process Key Action 103, 107 and 203 Force Majeure cases (976 KB), due to Covid-19. Please note that it is based on information available to the UK National Agency to date and subject to change, considering that the current situation is still evolving. This document is intended as a guide for processing a wide range of scenarios, and while it may not be exhaustive, it provides an understanding of how to use the Force Majeure function on the Mobility Tool+ and record mobilities affected by Covid-19. For all other information regarding the Mobility Tool+ please visit our IT tools page.

Erasmus Charter for Higher Education (ECHE) compliance

HEIs will find the National Agency's Monitoring Guide (718 KB) a helpful document for understanding the ECHE expectations, as well as the ECHE Annotated Guidelines (127 KB).  

Another useful tool is the ECHE self-assessment. This shows you how well your institution is implementing the principles of the ECHE and which areas could be strengthened. It generates tailor-made reports with a visual overview of your institution's performance, plus specific suggestions on how to further improve the implementation of the ECHE. Read the handy guide on self-assessment.

Report on Higher Education Outward Mobility Credit Transfer and Recognition

Based on a survey of UK HEIs and selected case studies, the Higher Education Outward Mobility Credit Transfer and Recognition report (5.9 MB) aims to help UK higher education institutions improve their credit transfer and recognition processes.

Guide for widening participation

The European Commission published a guide for HEIs (2.74MB) on the inclusion of higher education students and staff with physical, mental or health-related conditions in the Erasmus+ programme. The guide includes information on promotion, student and staff selection, and monitoring and support.

ICM guidance 

DAAD, the German Academic Exchange Service, has created a guide on how to make ICM work (211 KB), which covers the whole timeline of an ICM project, from applying through to final report. Please note that the UK National Agency is not the author of this document and cannot be held responsible for the accuracy of the guidance. 

Inter-institutional agreements

All Erasmus+ mobility between institutions in Programme Countries must take place as part of an inter-institutional agreement (108 KB) between institutions, which should all hold a valid Erasmus Charter for Higher Education (ECHE), except in the case of a traineeship at an institution. The inter-institutional agreement may cover cooperation between more than one institution. For student and staff mobility with Partner Countries, Partner Country hosts do not need to hold an ECHE, so the principles of the ECHE are incorporated into the partner inter-institutional agreement (95 KB).

The European Commission (EC) has confirmed that all current inter-institutional agreements signed between higher education institutions for student and staff mobilities under Key Action 103 and Key Action 107 projects, are valid until the end of those projects. This includes projects funded under the 2020 Call.

The 2014-2020 template for Inter-Institutional Agreements (IIA) is related to the current Erasmus+ programme. Therefore, if you participate as part of the 2020 call, the 2014-2020 IIA template should be used and will, by default, be valid until the end of the project, unless agreed differently with your partner institution(s).

Student Charter

HEIs must issue each student with the 2018 Erasmus+ Student Charter (854 KB) before the mobility period commences, as an annex to the Learning Agreement.

Learning agreements 

The student, the home higher education institution (HEI) and the host must sign a Student Learning Agreement. Whenever possible, this should be signed before the mobility commences. 

2020/21 Forms

1. For student study learning agreements (same form applies for KA103 and KA107):

• Student Learning Agreement - studies (101 KB)
• Guidance for Student Learning Agreement - studies (72 KB)

2. For student traineeships learning agreements (KA103 only):

Student Learning Agreement KA103 - traineeships (97 KB)

Guidance for Student Learning Agreement KA103 - traineeships (58 KB)

3. For student traineeships learning agreements (KA107 only):

Student Learning Agreement and Guidelines KA107 - traineeships (98 KB)

4. For staff mobility agreements (same form applies for KA103 and KA107):

• Staff Mobility Agreement - teaching (89 KB)
• Staff Mobility Agreement - training (87 KB)

2019/20 Forms

1. For student study learning agreements (same form applies for KA103 and KA107):

• Student Learning Agreement - studies (101 KB)
• Guidance for Student Learning Agreement - studies (72 KB)

2. For student traineeships learning agreements (KA103 only):

Student Learning Agreement KA103 - traineeships (97 KB)

Guidance for Student Learning Agreement KA103 - traineeships (58 KB)

3. For student traineeships learning agreements (KA107 only):

Student Learning Agreement and Guidelines KA107 - traineeships (98 KB)

4. For staff mobility agreements (same form applies for KA103 and KA107):

• Staff Mobility Agreement - teaching (89 KB)
• Staff Mobility Agreement - training (87 KB)

It is no longer necessary to keep the guidelines attached to the learning agreements when the documents are exchanged. In this case, HEIs could make the guidelines available on their website where they would be easily accessible to their students and staff.

Grant agreements

Before staff or student mobility has commenced, the HEI must ensure that each student or staff member has signed a mobility grant agreement with their home HEI, formally accepting the grant and acknowledging the obligations associated with its acceptance.

2020/21 Forms

For students and staff for Key Action 1 – Mobility between Programme Countries projects (KA103):

• Student Grant Agreement studies and traineeships KA 103 (61 KB)
• Staff Grant Agreement for teaching and training KA 103 (58 KB)

For students and staff for Key Action 1 – Mobility between Programme and Partner Countries projects (KA107):

• Student Grant Agreement studies and traineeships KA 107 (73 KB)
• Staff Grant Agreement teaching and training KA 107 (71 KB)

2019/20 Forms

For students and staff for Key Action 1 – Mobility between Programme Countries projects (KA103):

• Student Grant Agreement studies and traineeships KA 103 (69 KB)
• Staff Grant Agreement for teaching and training KA 103 (66 KB)

For students and staff for Key Action 1 – Mobility between Programme and Partner Countries projects (KA107):

• Student Grant Agreement studies and traineeships KA 107 (80 KB)
• Staff Grant Agreement teaching and training KA 107 (75 KB)

The participant Grant Agreements provide the minimum text issued by the European Commission (EC). Institutions cannot remove text, unless it is highlighted in blue or yellow, but institutions can add clauses and text if necessary.

The Erasmus+ Programme offers an additional support fund that is paid in addition to the approved grant amount of your main project for participants who may have disabilities or other needs that result in other costs being incurred by the participant. It is designed to support students and staff with disabilities who are on the Erasmus+ programme at your institution. Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) that have selected students and/or staff with disabilities can apply to the UK National Agency (NA) for additional grant support in order to cover the supplementary costs for their participation in mobility activities.

Funding is directly available for Key Action 103. For Key Action 107, the receiving HEI should ensure that any inbound or outbound student or staff participants considering participation in an Erasmus+ activity who have needs or requirements that would incur additional mobility costs are identified at the earliest possible opportunity. Once identified an evaluation should be made as to the extent of the additional funding required to support such a participant in their mobility. Where possible, existing budget within your awarded envelope for the receiving country in question should be utilised, if this is not possible then please contact the UK NA to discuss what further options may be available to you.

Areas that could be eligible for Erasmus+ funds for students and staff support linked to your Erasmus+ mobility, according to individual needs, include but are not limited to:

• Mental health mentoring via Skype
• Additional costs for adapted rooms
• Note takers
• Flights for treatment that cannot be taken overseas
• Adapted accommodation
• Travel assistance
• Medical attendance
• Supportive equipment
• Adaption of learning materials
• An accompanying person

Further examples of commonly requested items are available in the Additional Support Application Form.

The UK NA assesses each application based upon the applicant’s requirements, the supporting evidence provided and the costs requested. We cannot guarantee that your application will be funded. We can only provide additional funding for costs that occur during the period of the mobility. Therefore, applications must be submitted in good time before the commencement of the mobility. Any request for funding that falls outside of your agreed mobility period must be justified via Section 4 of the application form.

The UK NA is currently accepting applications for the 2019 and 2020 Calls. If you would like to make an application, please read the guidelines in the Additional Support Application Form (96 KB). We can accept applications via email but not post due to the current ongoing Covid-19 epidemic. All applications must be fully signed by the applicant and the person submitting the application on the applicant’s behalf.

By no later than 30 days after the end of the mobility, the applicant will need to submit an Additional Support Financial Report (77 KB) detailing the actual costs incurred. Please read the guidelines in the financial report before completing it.

Please note, we can only accept applications from a Higher Education Institution coordinator who is managing an Erasmus+ mobility. Students cannot directly apply for funding from the Erasmus+ funds for students and staff with disabilities; if you are a student you should contact your Higher Education Institution's Erasmus+ coordinator.

Exceptional costs for the Implementation of Virtual Mobility

Beneficiaries are allowed to transfer up to 10% of the funds from any budget category based on unit contributions to exceptional costs in order to cover costs related to buying and/or renting of equipment and/or services necessary for the implementation of virtual mobility activities due to COVID-19, even if no funds were initially allocated to the Exceptional Costs budget category. Any request to record exceptional costs associated with virtual mobility implementation must be reviewed and approved by the UK NA prior to being encoded in the MT+. Please complete and return the Exceptional Costs Virtual Mobility Implementation Higher Education form (68 KB) by emailing the team. 

New Coordinator Contact Form

If the project coordinator changes during the project, we need to be informed as soon as possible, even if the change is temporary. Please complete the Project Contact Form (500 KB) to let us know of the changes and to add additional contacts. You can indicate on the form whether you would like the new contact(s) to be added to our mailing list. 

New Legal Representative

If the Legal Representative changes during the project duration, we need to be informed as soon as possible via the change of data form (54 KB) to reduce the potential delay of Grant Agreements. A letter of appointment will also be required as evidence that the newly appointed Legal Representative has the legal authority to sign on behalf of the institution. Using the same documentation, you will also need to notify the Erasmus Charter for Higher Education (ECHE) team at the European Commission so they can update the contact person of your institution’s ECHE.

Short Duration Request Form

Any mobilities that do not meet the minimum duration required must be approved by the UK National Agency. This Short Duration Request Form (367 KB) allows an official submission for a short duration request for the National Agency to approve. Supporting documents are also required in the assessment. The form and supporting documents must be emailed to us.  

Grade Conversion Tools

The Egracons (European Grade Conversion System) project is a Lifelong Learning project (2012-2015) co-funded by the European Commission aiming to facilitate exchange mobility by working out a conversion system based on ECTS grade conversion tables as recommended in their 2015 ECTS Users’ guide.

Final reports

The Final Beneficiary Report can now be downloaded from the ‘Reports’ tab of Mobility Tool+. The Grant Agreement allows for financial penalties in exceptional cases as a result of Final Beneficiary Report assessment but the NA will do everything possible to support you in your final report. Please refer to Annex III of your Grant Agreement for more information on the assessment of final reports and financial penalties.

The Final Beneficiary Report must be completed within 60 days of the project end date. HEIs are able to begin completing their narrative report prior to their mobility data being completed, as the Mobility Tool+ automatically updates the report with any changes to the mobility data.

Final Beneficiary Report Guidance

1. Key Action 103 Higher Education Guide (835 KB) for Final Beneficiary Report for projects successful under the 2019 Call
2. Key Action 107 Higher Education Guide (691 KB) for Final Beneficiary Report for projects successful under the 2019 Call
3. Key Action 203 and 227 Higher Education Final Reporting FAQ (180KB) and Final Reporting Webinar.

2020 online workshop webinar slides:

• Start Up Webinar for Key Action 103 and 107 (2MB) -  for newcomers who are managing a Key Action 103 or 107 for the first time.
• Grants Update for Key Action 103 and 107 (337 KB)- focuses on understanding the 2020 Grant Agreement and its annexes, and how to implement a successful project.