Additional Erasmus+ funding for students with fewer opportunities is making a tangible difference to participation in international mobility, according to a new survey published by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD).  

Since 2021, students with fewer opportunities, including first-generation students, working students, students with children, and students with a chronic illness or disability, have been able to receive a “top-up” worth EUR 250 per month on top of their regular Erasmus+ grant. Students with children and students with a chronic illness or disability may also receive reimbursement for additional costs.  

In Germany, NA DAAD has secured EUR 57 million from the European Social Fund Plus (ESF+) to fund the measure for the period 2022–2027. The survey, based on responses from nearly 7,000 Erasmus+ participants with fewer opportunities, looked at its concrete impact. 

The findings confirm the importance of targeted financial support in enabling more inclusive mobility, with more than 60% of respondents stating that they would not have been able to undertake their stay abroad without the additional support. 

In addition, almost 70% indicated that their Erasmus+ grant, including the top-up, covered most of their costs abroad. While this figure suggests that the grant provided meaningful support for many students, it also shows a persistent affordability gap: despite receiving additional funding, around one third of respondents still did not feel that the support covered most of their expenses. 

These findings are very relevant in the context of ongoing discussions on the future Erasmus+ programme and raise questions about whether current grant levels are sufficient to ensure genuinely inclusive access to mobility. Despite this ongoing debate, the German experience shows how top-ups can improve access to mobility for underrepresented groups, making international academic mobility accessible regardless of students’ family background or personal circumstances.