Erasmus+ myths that stop FE colleges applying — and the truth
Of the three sectors we work with, further education colleges have the strongest historical presence in Erasmus+ — and the most stubborn set of myths about why they shouldn't apply in 2027. Here are six of the most common, and what the Erasmus+ rules actually say.
Myth 1: "Brexit killed Erasmus+ for UK colleges."
It didn't. The UK rejoins Erasmus+ on 1 January 2027, and UK colleges can apply in the 2027 call, which is expected to open in November 2026. Until then, colleges with Turing funding for 2026/27, the scheme's final year, use that. The funded activities — staff mobility, learner mobility, vocational placements — are back on the table.
Myth 2: "Only big colleges win."
No. Assessors score the relevance of the project, the quality of its design and its follow-up — not the size of the college. A small, sharply designed project can score as well as a much larger one.
Myth 3: "It only really funds work placements."
Placements are only one part of it, and they aren't limited to one qualification. Depending on the activity, Erasmus+ funds group mobility of VET learners (2 to 30 days), individual placements of 10 to 89 days, ErasmusPro placements of 90 to 365 days, and staff job shadowing, teaching and training.
Myth 4: "You can't apply without a long EU funding history."
No. Short-term projects are designed as a simple way to gain experience of Erasmus+, and supporting newcomers and less experienced organisations is one of the priorities assessors look for. What matters is the quality of the application, not the length of your past project list.
Myth 5: "The grant won't cover the real cost."
Partly true. Erasmus+ is co-financed: in vocational education and training, unit costs are designed to cover around 80% of actual costs on average, and the rest comes from the college or other sources. But the grant covers more than most colleges expect once you add travel, subsistence, organisational support and inclusion support together. We walk through the numbers on every discovery call.
Myth 6: "It's a finance team job, not a curriculum job."
This is the costliest myth. In a short-term project, 80 of the 100 marks are for project design and follow-up: what participants will learn, how, and how the results are used. That is mostly curriculum work, so the strongest applications are led by curriculum staff, with finance close behind.
For how the funding works in more detail, read what Erasmus+ funds, or book a 30-minute discovery call to talk through your college's situation.