For greater fairness. For greater inclusion. For you!
Erasmus+ Studies and Traineeship
If you opt for Erasmus+ studies or an Erasmus+ traineeship, you can apply for a social top-up of €250 per month. The top-up is paid in addition to the regular grant.
Short-Term Mobilities
If you participate in a Blended Intensive Program or short-term doctoral mobility, you receive a one-time payment of €100 for day 1 through 14 and a one-time payment of €150 for day 15 through 30.
Target Groups
You have a chronic illness or disability that corresponds to a degree of disability of 20 or more and have additional financial needs abroad as a result.
Social top-up and/or real costs
You can opt for the social top-up or reimbursement of real costs. The social top-up and funding of real costs can only be combined if
- there are two different criteria for receiving the top-up amount and reimbursement of real costs (e.g., top-up amount for working students and additional real costs for students with a disability)
- if only one criterion is present, it can be ruled out that the same costs are covered by both the social top-up and the real costs application.
Supporting document: chronic illness
You must submit a medical certificate confirming that your chronic illness results in additional financial needs abroad as supporting documentation. The nature of the illness does not need to be specified. Please do not disclose any diagnoses!
Supporting document: disability
You must submit a severely disabled person's ID card, the decision of the state social welfare office, or a medical certificate as supporting documentation. Please do not disclose any diagnoses!
You are taking at least one of your children with you for the entire duration of your stay abroad. The amount of the supplement is independent of the number of children. Double funding for the child is not permitted.
You can also apply for the supplementary allowance if your partner is traveling with you. If you are both receiving support for at least two children, you can both receive the supplementary allowance as parents.
You can choose between a social top-up or reimbursement of real costs.
Support via social top-up and real costs can be combined if
- there are two different criteria for receiving the top-up amount and the real costs (e.g., top-up amount for working students and additional real costs for students with children),
- if only one criterion is met, it can be ruled out that the same costs are covered by the top-up or real costs application.
Supporting documents
For each child traveling with you, the child's travel documents must be submitted as supporting documents.
You are considered a first-generation academic if your parents or guardians do not have a degree from a university or university of applied sciences.
A degree from a vocational academy that is comparable to a university degree is considered an academic degree. A master craftsman's certificate is not considered equivalent to an academic degree.
Degrees from abroad
In case of doubt, it is your responsibility to prove that your parents' or guardians' degrees are not considered academic degrees in the country in which they were obtained and that you are therefore entitled to the social top-up.
Degrees obtained abroad by a parent that are not recognized as such in Germany (e.g., physiotherapy) are considered academic degrees here, meaning that there is no entitlement to the social top-up.
Supporting documents
A Declaration on Honor from the parents or guardians containing information on their respective educational qualifications must be submitted as supporting documentation.
Your employment must have taken place within a period of at least 6 months prior to the planned start of your stay. Your monthly income must be between EUR 450 and EUR 850. If you have several jobs, the net income from all jobs per month is added together.
As a rule, self-employed activities and dual/part-time courses of study with a fixed salary are excluded.
You must not continue your employment in Germany during your stay abroad (this also includes mobile working, online working, paid vacation, etc.). Termination is not a prerequisite; the employment contract can also be paused.
Supperting document
Pay slips or tax returns for a period of 6 months prior to the submission deadline must be provided as supporting documents.
Apply now!
To apply for the social top-up, fill out the Declaration on Honor and submit it together with the relevant supporting document(s) to the International Office. Information on when and how to submit the documents can be found on our websites on Erasmus+ studies, traineeships, Blended Intensive Program or doctoral short-term mobility.
Good for the environment and for you!
Additional travel days
If you use sustainable modes of transportation such as train, bus, or carpooling for most of your outward and return journey, you will receive funding for up to 6 travel days!
Travel grant
For mobilities starting in the 2026/27 academic year, travel grants are also covered! If you use sustainable means of transportation for most of your outward and return journey, the travel grant is higher!
Apply now!
To apply for the Green Travel Top-up, all you need to do is fill out a Declaration on Honor and submit it to the International Office. Travel documents are not required when applying; we check the documents on a random basis. Information on when and how to submit the documents can be found on our websites on Erasmus+ studies, traineeships, Blended Intensive Program or doctoral short-term mobility.
