What is Erasmus+ Youth Exchange?

Erasmus Plus (Erasmus+) is the European Union's largest education, youth, and sports program. Under the main title of Erasmus Plus, there are many sub-programs related to education, youth, and sports. The most well-known of these is Erasmus, officially titled “Higher Education Student Mobility.” However, there are over 50 sub-programs under Erasmus+, including activities that young people can participate in without any requirement for education level or foreign language proficiency. These are short-term (lasting between 5–21 days) group-based mobility activities. These projects are called “Youth Exchange” projects.

Unlike the Erasmus program, which is mainly for university students and requires enrollment in a higher education institution, passing a language test, and attending a partner university abroad, youth exchange projects do not have such requirements. These projects are usually implemented by informal youth groups (formed by at least five young people) or youth associations. When you participate in a youth exchange project, you join workshops, training sessions, group work, and outdoor activities with peers from other program or partner countries, focusing on a specific theme.

There are no requirements such as being a student, having a university degree, knowing a foreign language, or holding a green passport. Anyone aged between 13–30 (inclusive) can participate as a youth exchange participant. Each group of participants from a country is also accompanied by a group leader over the age of 18. There is no upper age limit for group leaders.

Youth exchanges are carried out by at least two partner organizations from program or neighboring partner countries (such as youth groups or associations). Excluding group leaders, there can be a minimum of 16 and a maximum of 60 participants in a single activity. Each partner organizes its group of young participants from their own country. These activities last between 5–21 days. Participants receive financial support for travel, accommodation, meals, visas, and similar expenses.

What Kind of Support Do Participants Receive and How?

Participants selected for youth exchange projects are entitled to the following types of support, as per program rules. These are usually not given as cash payments but provided as services. The project organizers/coordinators decide on this. Therefore, participants cannot request cash for the supports listed below. Additionally, participants must attend the entire activity program organized by the host organization. Failure to attend the full program may result in loss of entitlements.

Travel Support

Travel costs to and from the country where the project takes place are covered. Normally, the host organization expects you to buy your own round-trip ticket and reimburse you upon arrival with proof of your original ticket, invoice, boarding pass, etc. This reimbursement can happen during the project or 3–4 months later, depending on the project. Contact your local project representative for exact details. Travel grants are not unlimited; they are capped based on distance bands. If your expenses exceed the limit, you will need to cover the difference. Your group leader can inform you of the specific budget limit.

Accommodation Support

During the project, you will receive accommodation support for the full duration of the activity. Accommodation is typically provided in hotels, hostels, or dormitories and may require sharing a room with 2–4 other participants. The host organization arranges accommodation and shares the details with you before the project begins. You must stay in the assigned accommodation and attend all activities. Support is only provided for the official project dates. If you plan to arrive 1–2 days early or stay 1–2 days longer, you must cover your own accommodation for those extra days. You must also obtain approval from the host organization and your sending organization in Turkey for any extra days.

Meal Support

Like accommodation, your three daily meals during the project are covered by the host organization. This support is also provided in kind, not cash. Meals are usually provided on-site and participants are expected to eat together. For any extra days before or after the official project dates, you must pay for your own meals. If you are vegetarian, vegan, or have any allergies, inform the organizers in advance so that they can make the necessary arrangements.

Visa Support

If you are accepted into a project, your visa-related expenses are covered under the project budget. However, passport issuance costs are not included. Covered expenses may include visa application fees, translation fees, agency fees, health insurance costs (if separate insurance is required), and travel to the visa office (e.g., to Ankara or Istanbul). You must provide original receipts and invoices to receive reimbursement. The only exception is if the project budget did not include a visa allocation during the application stage, such as when the applicant initially planned to work only with EU citizens. If the host later accepts participants from visa-required countries like Turkey, they may not be able to provide visa support. Therefore, confirm the availability and limits of visa support with your host or sending organization before participating.

What Are the Requirements to Join a Project?

As mentioned earlier, the only requirement to participate in a youth exchange project is to be between the ages of 13–30. There is no need to be a student, university graduate, know a foreign language, or have a green passport. However, the host organization may narrow the age range (e.g., 18–25) or prioritize participants with relevant experience. Although some Turkish organizations prefer green passport holders, this is not an officially accepted practice. At Yeskad Association, we do not prioritize green passport holders unless the project is less than a month away or we urgently need participants. In such cases, we may prioritize applicants who already have a visa or green passport.

I Want to Apply—What Should I Do?

First, you need to obtain a passport, as you will be traveling abroad. Some candidates want to wait until they are accepted into a project, but we recommend getting a passport first. You could be selected at any time, so it’s best to be prepared. We recommend getting a passport valid for at least 3 years.

Once you have your passport, you're ready to apply. Follow youth organizations and associations in Turkey on social media and their websites. Join Facebook groups and other platforms where youth exchange projects are announced. Apply regularly to projects that suit you.

At Yeskad Association, we announce participant calls for youth exchange projects on our website and social media accounts using the code “EPYE-XXX.” Each announcement includes instructions on how to apply and detailed information about the project.

As a prospective participant, the essential things you need to know about Erasmus+ “Youth Exchange” projects have been explained above. For any further questions or clarifications, feel free to contact us at yeskadernegi@gmail.com or call +90 533 346 41 32.