In this guide
Fast answer
An Erasmus scholarship is rarely a single payment. For most students it is a stack: the Erasmus+ mobility grant as the base, plus top-ups you may qualify for, and sometimes a separate Erasmus Mundus scholarship or national, regional and university funding on top. Knowing which layers you qualify for is what actually changes your budget.
Most “Erasmus scholarship” guides only describe the basic grant and stop there — which is why so many students leave money on the table. In reality, funding comes in layers, and you can often combine several of them. This guide walks through every layer, who qualifies, how to apply, and the honest part: what no scholarship will cover.
The Layers of Erasmus Funding
| Funding layer | Who it is for | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Erasmus+ mobility grant | Almost every Erasmus exchange or traineeship student. | Your host country cost group and stay length set the monthly amount. |
| Top-ups | Students with fewer opportunities, and those choosing green travel or a traineeship. | Your national agency’s eligibility rules and the evidence required. |
| Erasmus Mundus scholarship | Applicants to a full joint master’s degree. | Programme deadline, competition level and whether it covers tuition + living. |
| National / regional grants | Students from countries or regions with their own mobility funding. | Your home ministry or regional government scholarship pages. |
| Home & host university aid | Case-by-case: fee waivers, hardship funds, housing help. | Both international offices — this layer is rarely advertised. |
How Erasmus Funding Actually Stacks
The single biggest mistake students make is thinking “Erasmus scholarship” means one fixed number. It does not. The Erasmus+ mobility grant is the base layer nearly everyone gets, but it is designed as a contribution to your costs, not a full salary. On top of it, several other layers can apply at the same time — and they are usually managed by different offices, which is exactly why students miss them. Your job is to find every layer you qualify for before you commit to a destination, not after.
Layer 1: The Erasmus+ Mobility Grant
This is the core of what people call the Erasmus scholarship. It is a monthly grant paid while you study or train abroad, set by your home country’s national agency based on the cost-of-living group of your host country and how long you stay. As a rough guide it lands somewhere in the region of EUR 250-700 per month, higher for more expensive countries. It is arranged through your home university’s international office — you do not apply to it as a separate scholarship. For the country-by-country detail, see the Erasmus grant amount guide.
Layer 2: The Top-Ups Most Students Miss
Erasmus+ adds extra monthly amounts on top of the base grant for specific situations, and these are the layer students most often forget to claim:
- Fewer-opportunities top-up — for students facing economic or other barriers, subject to your national agency’s criteria.
- Green travel top-up — a bonus for reaching your destination by train, bus or shared car instead of flying, sometimes with extra travel days funded.
- Traineeship supplement — Erasmus+ traineeships (internships) usually carry a higher monthly rate than study mobility.
None of these are automatic — you have to declare eligibility and provide evidence, so ask your international office directly which ones apply to you.
Layer 3: Erasmus Mundus Scholarships
This is a different league, and easy to confuse with the exchange grant. An Erasmus Mundus scholarship is attached to a full joint master’s degree delivered by several universities. When you win one, it is genuinely substantial — often covering tuition, a monthly living allowance and travel — but it is competitive and you apply directly to the programme, not through your home university. If you are looking at a master’s rather than a semester abroad, this is the layer to research first.
Layer 4: National, Regional and University Funding
Beyond Erasmus+ itself, a lot of money sits in sources students never check. Many countries and regions run their own mobility scholarships that can be combined with the Erasmus grant. Some home universities offer hardship funds, travel bursaries or partial fee help; some host universities have housing aid or emergency support. Banks in some countries also offer low-interest student mobility loans. None of these show up if you only read the Erasmus+ page — you have to search your home ministry, your regional government and both international offices.
How to Apply and Stack Funding Without Losing Money
- Start early. Grant and top-up paperwork is tied to your nomination, often a semester ahead. Mundus and national scholarships have their own, earlier deadlines.
- Ask the exact question. Email your international office: “Which top-ups am I eligible for, and what evidence do you need?” Vague questions get vague answers.
- Check combination rules. Some national scholarships can stack with the Erasmus grant, some cannot — confirm before you count the money twice.
- Confirm payment timing. The first instalment often arrives weeks after you land, so you still need cash for the deposit and first month.
What No Erasmus Scholarship Covers
Even a good stack rarely covers everything. Plan separately for the housing deposit (often one to two months’ rent up front), the first month before any grant arrives, flights, visa costs, insurance and a small emergency buffer. These one-time costs are what actually catch students out — map them with the cost calculator and the first-month costs guide before you accept a place.
Estimate Your Real Funding Gap
Do this simple sum before choosing a city: take the monthly cost of living for your target city, multiply by your stay length, add the one-time setup costs above, then subtract every funding layer you have confirmed. The number left is your real gap — the amount you need in savings or income. Run it while you can still change destination, because the unaffordable city creates stress fast. The budget-by-city guide has the monthly figures to start from.
Where To Go Next
Official Sources
- European Commission: Studying abroad with Erasmus+
- European Commission: Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters
- Erasmus+ Programme Guide (funding rules)
Frequently Asked Questions
How much is the Erasmus scholarship?
The base Erasmus+ mobility grant is typically in the region of EUR 250-700 per month depending on your host country group and stay length, with top-ups on certain conditions. Erasmus Mundus scholarships are much larger but competitive. See the grant-amount guide for country-by-country figures.
Can I combine the Erasmus grant with other scholarships?
Often yes — national, regional and some university scholarships can stack with the Erasmus+ grant, but the rules vary by country and funder. Always confirm the combination rules with your international office and the other funder before counting both.
Do I apply for the Erasmus grant separately?
No. The mobility grant is arranged through your home university once you are nominated for the exchange — you do not submit a separate scholarship application for it. Top-ups need you to declare eligibility, and Mundus and national scholarships do have their own applications.
Can an Erasmus scholarship pay all my costs?
For a normal semester exchange, rarely — treat the grant as a contribution and plan savings for the deposit, first month, flights and setup. A full Erasmus Mundus scholarship can cover much more, sometimes tuition plus a living allowance.
When does Erasmus funding arrive?
Timing depends on your home institution and paperwork, but the first instalment often arrives weeks after you start. Have enough cash for the deposit and first month before you leave, and ask your international office for the exact schedule.