Can Indian Students Get Erasmus+ Funding? The Honest Answer

The short answer is yes — but with important conditions. Indian students can access Erasmus+ funding, but only through a specific route that most students dont know about. Here is the full picture.

The Two Types of Erasmus+

Most people are familiar with Erasmus+ as the European student exchange programme — EU students moving between EU countries. That standard Erasmus+ programme is NOT available to Indian students.

However, there is a second track: Erasmus+ International Credit Mobility (ICM). This programme funds exchanges between European universities and partner universities outside the EU — including Indian universities.

How Erasmus+ ICM Works for Indian Students

1. A European university partners with an Indian university under Erasmus+ ICM
2. As part of that partnership, Indian students from the partner university can apply to go to the European university
3. Selected students receive a monthly stipend (€700–1,000 depending on destination country) plus a travel grant
4. The key: the partnership must exist, and your university must have applied for and received ICM funding

Which Indian Universities Have Erasmus+ Partnerships?

The list changes every year as new partnerships are formed. Universities that have historically had strong Erasmus+ ICM participation include:

• IIT Bombay, IIT Delhi, IIT Madras, IIT Kharagpur
• IIT Hyderabad, IIT Roorkee
• Delhi University (several colleges)
• Jadavpur University
• SRM Institute of Science and Technology
• Manipal Academy of Higher Education
• Symbiosis International University

This is not an exhaustive list. The only way to know for certain is to check with your own universitys International Relations Office (IRO) or Office of International Affairs.

What to Ask Your IRO

Email or visit your universitys International Relations Office and ask these specific questions:

• "Does our university have Erasmus+ International Credit Mobility agreements with any European universities?"
• "Which European universities are we partnered with, and in which faculties?"
• "Are there any open calls for Erasmus+ ICM mobility currently? When is the next deadline?"
• "What does the selection process look like for ICM nominees?"

If your university does have partnerships, the IRO handles the application process — you apply through them, not directly to the European university.

Erasmus+ ICM Grant Amounts (in INR)

These grants typically cover most of your living expenses — effectively turning an expensive European internship into an affordable or even profitable experience.

If Your University Does Not Have ICM Partnerships

You have two options:

• Advocate to your IRO: European universities are always looking for quality Indian partner universities. If your university has not applied, push them to do so — the process takes about a year but benefits future batches.
• Apply for DAAD instead: The German DAAD RISE programme is another well-funded route that does not require a university partnership. It is competitive but well worth applying for if you are in natural sciences, engineering, or life sciences. Deadline is typically November for the following summer.