The illustrations in the provided Wiki pages are for consultation purpose only and may not always reflect the latest implementation. 

Accreditations under Erasmus and European Solidarity Corps

Erasmus+

An accreditation under the Erasmus+ programme is defined as an:

Administrative procedure to ensure that the organisations wishing to have simplified access to Erasmus+ funding under an Action comply with a set of criteria and minimum requirements. 

Source: Erasmus+ Programme Guide 2025 (Version 1; 19/11/2024), Glossary


Under the Erasmus+ programme, different accreditations are available.

Erasmus Accreditation in the field of VET, ADU and SCH

Erasmus accreditation is a tool for organisations in vocational education and training (VET), school education, and adult education that want to open up to cross-border exchange and cooperation. Award of the Erasmus accreditation confirms that the applicant has set up a plan to implement high quality mobility activities as part of a wider effort to develop their organisation. This plan is called an Erasmus Plan and it is a key part of the application for Erasmus accreditation. 

Source: Erasmus+ Programme Guide 2025 (Version 1; 19/11/2024), Page 72

Erasmus accreditation gives organisations simplified access to Key Action 1 funding every year to implement their planned mobility activities and achieve the Erasmus Plan objectives.

Interested organisations from Programme Countries can apply for one of the following:

  • an individual Erasmus accreditation only for their organisation
  • an Erasmus accreditation as a mobility consortium coordinator. Mobility consortiums are formed by at least two organisations based in the same Programme Country.

It is not possible to apply for both types of accreditation in the same field.

When applying for Erasmus accreditation, organisations agree to follow a set of Erasmus quality standards that ensure good quality of implemented mobility activities. After an accreditation is awarded, it is valid until the end of the period of the programme and dedicated type of reporting during this period may be required, managed by the National Agencies, for example with an Accreditation Progress Report. For additional details, please refer to the Erasmus+ programme guide.


Erasmus Accreditation in the field of Youth

Erasmus accreditations are a tool for organisations that want to open-up their activities to cross-border exchange and cooperation and that plan to implement learning mobility activities on a regular basis. The Erasmus accreditation in the field of youth gives simplified access to funding opportunities under Key Action 1 - Learning mobility activities in the field of youth.

Applicants will be required to lay down their approach to project management, their longer-term objectives and plans in terms of activities to be supported with Erasmus funds and expected benefits. The award of the Erasmus accreditation in the field of youth confirms that the applicant has appropriate and effective processes and measures in place to implement high quality learning mobility activities as planned and use them to benefit the youth field

Source: Erasmus+ Programme Guide 2025 (Version 1; 19/11/2024), Page 141

When applying for the Erasmus accreditation in the field of Youth, organisations agree to follow a set of Erasmus Youth quality standards that ensure good quality of implemented mobility activities. Applicant organisations must be established in an EU Member State or third country associated to the Programme.

The Erasmus accreditation in the field of youth is awarded for the entire period of the programme until 2027, subject to regular monitoring and continued compliance with the accreditation’s requirements and instructions issued by the National Agency, for example with an Accreditation Progress Report.

For additional details regarding the accreditation, please refer to the Erasmus+ programme guide.


Erasmus Accreditation for Higher Education mobility consortia

In addition to individual HEIs, groups of HEIs may also apply for funding of a higher education mobility project. Such a group is called a mobility consortium.

The mobility consortium needs to have an Erasmus accreditation for higher education mobility consortia. The coordinator of the mobility consortium applies on behalf of a mobility consortium for the Erasmus accreditation for higher education mobility consortia and for an Erasmus+ grant. This accreditation is awarded by the same National Agency that assesses the request for funding for a higher education mobility project.

The requests for accreditation and for grants for mobility projects can be made during the same call. However, the grant for mobility projects will be awarded only to those groups of HEIs and organisations that are successful at the end of the accreditation process.

Source: Erasmus+ Programme Guide 2025 (Version 1; 19/11/2024), Page 42 ff


A mobility consortium in higher education can be composed of the following participating organisations:

A mobility consortium must comprise a minimum of three eligible participating organisations, including two HEIs. The consortium organisations must be established in an EU Member State or third country associated to the Programme. 

A consortium accreditation is valid for three years. After the award of the accreditation, substantial changes to the composition of the mobility consortium require a new application for accreditation. For additional details regarding the accreditation, please also refer to the Erasmus+ programme guide and the information available on the Erasmus+ Europa website.


European Solidarity Corps


Under the European Solidarity Corps, the Quality Label accreditation is defined as a:

Procedure that ensures that the organisations wishing to receive funding under an Action of the European Solidarity Corps respect a set of qualitative standards or prerequisites defined by the European Commission for that given Action. Depending on the type of organisation and/or the country where the requesting organisation is located, the Quality Label is carried out by the Executive Agency, a National Agency or a SALTO Resource Centre.

Source: European Solidarity Corps Programme Guide 2025 (Version 1), Glossary


The Quality label specifically is further defined as follows:

WHAT IS THE QUALITY LABEL?

The Quality Label is a process that certifies that an organisation is able and willing to carry out high quality solidarity activities in compliance with the principles, objectives and quality standards of the European Solidarity Corps. Obtaining a Quality Label is a precondition for participation in volunteering activities.


WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF QUALITY LABEL?

There are three types of Quality Label, depending on the role(s) that the organisation wishes to play in the process:

  • Host role - covers the full range of activities related to hosting a participant, including the development of a programme of the young person's activities and providing guidance and support to the participant during all the phases as appropriate;
  • Support role - entails supporting, preparing and/or training participants before departure, a mediation between them and their host organisations and/or providing support to participants upon return from their activity;
  • Lead role - for organisations who apply for grants, manage and coordinate volunteering projects. This role cannot be awarded independently, organisations must hold a Quality Label for host/support in order to be able to act in a lead capacity. ... 

Source: European Solidarity Corps Programme Guide 2025 (Version 1), page 42

Accreditation management

Accreditation Progress Report

At least once during a period of five years, Erasmus accredited organisations must update their Erasmus Plan (KA120)/Activity Plan (KA150) and report on respect of Erasmus quality standards, and their Erasmus Plan (KA120)/Activity Plan (KA150) progress. See the Erasmus+ Programme Guide for details.

Organisations awarded with the ESC50/ESC52 Quality Label will also be required to report on their Objectives, Quality standards and Activity Plan at least once during the validity of the Quality Label. See the European Solidarity Corps Programme Guide for details.

This type of reporting is done with the Accreditation Progress Report, requested periodically by the National Agency. The National Agency may decide to request a progress report on the different elements of the accreditation at the same time, or separately. The composition and timing of accreditation reports is decided by the National Agency for each accredited beneficiary. Upon requesting an Accreditation Progress Report from the accredited beneficiary organisation, the National Agency will define the specific report parts to be reported on. The requested report can consist of one or multiple specific report parts, as per selection by the National Agency. 

For Erasmus+ accreditations (KA120 and KA150):

Depending on the roles awarded with the European Solidarity Corps Quality label (Host, Support and/or Lead), the requested report can consist of one, multiple or all of the following report parts, as per selection by the National Agency.

For ESC50 - Quality Label:

For ESC52 - Quality Label:

  • Progress report Host role

  • Progress report Support role

  • Locations/Standard Activities Update

In addition to selecting the report parts, the National Agency will define a submission deadline for the requested report, specifying by when the report must be submitted from Beneficiary module. An email notification is sent to the contacts of the accredited organisation when the accreditation report request is launched. The accreditation report can then be completed and submitted from Beneficiary module.

The National Agency may decide to replace any Accreditation Progress Report with a Structured Monitoring Visit.

Accreditation Progress Reports and Structured Monitoring Visits can be requested for accreditations in status Accredited, Accredited (under observation) and Suspended. 


Accreditations in the IT Tools

How to apply for accreditations?


How to apply for accredited grants?


Accreditation and Accredited Grant management


Accreditation Progress Report 


Accreditation assessments

Footnote

When possible, this glossary quotes from the programme guides. The programme guide definitions and explanations precede the definitions based in Erasmus+ and European Solidarity Corps guides. The programme guides' glossary can be downloaded or viewed on line from:

Glossary entries in this wiki assist the end user to navigate to content on how to perform related tasks in Erasmus+ and European Solidarity Corp Platform and related modules.