Where should a school preparing its first KA210 start?

KA210 Small-scale Partnerships are designed for organisations that are new to Erasmus+ or have little experience. There is less administration than in KA220, but genuine international cooperation is still expected.

Check these basic conditions before applying. The figures are updated each year in the Erasmus+ Programme Guide; always use the guide for your application year.

• At least two organisations from at least two different programme countries
• Lump-sum grant: €30,000 or €60,000
• Project duration: between 6 and 24 months
• The coordinating organisation applies to its national agency on behalf of the partnership

The most common mistake in first applications is to start with an activity, such as “taking pupils abroad”, and write the justification afterwards. Evaluators first look at which problem your school wants to solve.

Choose a problem you have data on: absenteeism, reading skills, gaps in digital skills, pupils struggling to integrate. If you can explain in one sentence why tackling it with a partner school will work better, you are on the right track.

To apply, your organisation needs an Organisation ID (OID), obtained from the European Commission's organisation registration system; your partners need their own. Registration and document checks can take time, so do not leave it to the last week.

KA210 partnerships are small, so each partner's contribution must be clear. A partner facing the same need, or strong in an area where you are not, directly affects the “quality of the partnership” score.

Agree on who leads which activity and who prepares which output before writing the application.

KA210 does not ask for an itemised budget; you are expected to show that the chosen lump sum is proportionate to your planned activities. If activities are not carried out, the grant can be reduced.

With a small, realistic plan, €30,000 is often the safer choice for a first application. If you choose €60,000, explain clearly why the additional activities and outputs require it.

Starting at least 8–10 weeks before the deadline leaves enough time for two or three rounds of talks with partners and several revisions. Deadlines are usually in spring and autumn; follow the current dates on the Open Calls page.