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European Solidarity Corps: funded volunteering abroad (ages 18–30)

You go volunteering in another European country for several months with the programme covering placement, housing and food. Register at 17, start at 18.

European Commission (European Solidarity Corps)· European Solidarity Corps – volunteering abroad

At a glance

Amount

A volunteering placement with accommodation, food, travel and insurance covered, plus pocket money. The amount depends on the host country

Deadline
No application deadline
Covers
HousingMealsTravelCash paymentProgramme
Duration

One-off

About this grant

The European Solidarity Corps offers paid volunteering abroad for people aged 18–30. The programme covers housing, meals, travel and insurance and provides pocket money; the amount depends on the project's country. You can register from age 17 but start a project only at 18, and you must be no older than 30 when it starts; legal residence in the EU or partner countries is needed.

You first register on the portal and then choose an organisation with an open project; organisations select participants themselves, including by profile. The pocket-money amounts and project durations are not given on the official pages read, so the record gives no figures: they depend on the country and the host organisation.

Is this right for you

Checking against your answers…

Who can apply

Citizenship
any
Other
You can register at 17 but not start until 18; no older than 30 at the start. Legal residence in the EU or partner countries

How to apply

Where to go and what to do, step by step

Where to apply
European Solidarity Corps portal (youth.europa.eu/solidarity)
https://youth.europa.eu/solidarity_en
Go to the application page
Who submits it
You yourself
Account and access
An EU Login account is required
Application language
English
Time needed
Registration ≈ 30 minutes; finding a placement takes weeks

Steps

  1. 1

    Create an EU Login account and register on the European Solidarity Corps portal (you can do it from age 17).

  2. 2

    Complete your profile: interests, languages, experience, topic and country preferences.

  3. 3

    Browse the opportunities and contact organisations whose placements suit you; organisations also search participants by profile.

  4. 4

    Agree the terms with the host organisation: dates, tasks, housing and pocket money.

  5. 5

    You can only start the placement once you are 18 and not yet 30 on the start date.

What exactly to submit

Documents and materials to attach to the application.

  • An EU Login account
  • A profile on the European Solidarity Corps portal (interests, languages, experience)
  • Proof of age: register from 17, start a project from 18 and not older than 30 at the start
  • Proof of legal residence in the EU or partner countries

Example

Example (written by us): Ana registers on the portal at 17, fills in a profile with languages and interests, after turning 18 writes to three organisations with suitable projects and agrees dates, duties and lodging with one.

An example we wrote to illustrate: it is not an official sample, replace the details with your own.

How applicants are chosen

First you register on the portal, then pick an organisation with an open project; organisations choose participants themselves (including by profile).

What happens after you apply

A volunteering project with lodging, meals, travel and insurance covered plus pocket money; the amount depends on the project's country. The official pages we read give no pocket-money figures or dates.

Common mistakes

  • Expecting a project before 18: you can register at 17 but only start at 18
  • Not contacting organisations: registering alone does not give you a project
  • Not confirming lodging, meals and pocket money with the host organisation

Official links

Guide checked against the official pages: 9 October 2026. Guide written from official sources. Details may change: check them on the application page.

A letter template and a checklist to review before sending. If a local model is running on your computer, the text reads more naturally.

Verbatim from the source

“You can register for the European Solidarity Corps when you are 17 years old, but you cannot start an activity until you have reached 18. Also, you must not be older than 30 at the start of the activity.”
Original in englishOfficial source

Reviews

Experience from people who have already applied. These are user opinions and are not verified by the organiser.

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This information is for guidance only. Conditions change every year — check them on the provider's official website before applying.

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