Green travel with Erasmus+
With the adoption of the European Green Deal, it is clear that all EU measures and strategies must contribute to the realisation of the Green Deal. In order to achieve the objectives of the Green Deal (sustainable and inclusive growth, climate neutrality by 2050, the implementation of the United Nations 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals), a corresponding change in attitudes and the associated education and sensitisation to the use of resources is required.
Physical mobility and the associated personal cultural exchange remain a core element of the Erasmus+ programme. However, physical mobility resulting from student and teaching stays, internships or travelling in the context of transnational cooperation projects inevitably leads to CO2 emissions.
The European Commission will therefore support environmentally friendly "green" travel in the Erasmus+ programme with financial grants in the future.
The financial support for sustainable means of transport is intended to increase the number of mobilities with more environmentally friendly means of transport and reduce the ecological footprint of the Erasmus+ programme.
Definition of "Green Travel"
Green travel is defined as travel where low-emission means of transport such as bus, train or carpooling are used for the majority of the journey
Applying for grants for green travel as part of student mobility (study/internship)
If you would like to apply for the Erasmus+ grant for "Green Mobility", please check the requirements and proceed as follows:
Erasmus+ internship: submit the completed application form together with your application documents to the International Office.
Erasmus+ studies: you can submit the application in your workflow in Mobility Online (this happens automatically shortly before you start your stay abroad)
Who is entitled to the "Green Travel" top-up?
Students who are travelling to their host country by train, bus, carpool or bicycle instead of flying can apply for the "Green Travel" top-up. The following are eligible:
- Students who are completing a mobility in an Erasmus programme country
- Students who are on a mobility programme in an Erasmus partner country and do not receive any travel cost support from the university.
What does the top-up for "Green Travel" include?
- For students who receive funding from the Call 2023/24: Unit costs of 50 euros for participants travelling sustainably for up to four days of travel.
- Forstudents receiving funding from the 2024/25 call: additional funding for up to six days of travel
Who is entitled to the increased travel allowance for "Green Travel"?
The following are eligible:
- University staff,
- Students and graduates with fewer opportunities (i.e. with a degree of disability of 20 or more, with chronic illnesses and students with children) in the case of short-term blended mobility
- Students and graduates from programme countries to partner countries, provided that the university has decided to support the travel costs of these international mobilities.
What does the increased travel allowance for "Green Travel" cover?
Distance How much?How much for "Green Travel"
10 and 99 KM EUR 23-
100 and 400 KM 180 EUR210 EUR
500 and 1999 KM275 EUR 320 EUR
2000 and 2999 KM360 EUR 410 EUR
3000 and 3999 KM 530 EUR 610 EUR
4000 and 7999 KM 820 EUR-
8000 KM or more 1500 EUR -
Who is entitled to the additional funding days as part of the individual support for sustainable travel?
All participants who need more time to travel due to the use of sustainable means of transport are eligible.
What do the additional funding days for individual support for sustainable travel include?
- Call 2023/24: Participants who need more time to travel due to the use of sustainable means of transport can receive funding for up to 4 additional days as part of individual support.
- Call 2024/25: Participants who need more time to travel due to the use of sustainable means of transport can receive funding for up to 6 additional days as part of individual support.
Who is entitled to the real cost subsidy?
Eligible are :
- University staff,
- Students and graduates with a degree of disability of 20 or more, with chronic illnesses and students with children,
- Students and graduates from programme countries in partner countries, provided that the university has decided to support the travel costs of these international mobilities.
What does the real cost grant cover?
If the travel allowance does not cover at least 70% of the actual travel costs for sustainable travel according to the distance category, participants can be reimbursed 80% of the actual costs for sustainable travel.
The grants for Erasmus+ Green Mobility are awarded as part of Erasmus+-funded student mobility (study and internship). They can be granted if the majority of the outward and return journey is made by low-emission means of transport (train, bus, carpooling).
There is no standardised application deadline.
- Study abroad: You submit the form via the Mobility Online platform.
- Internship abroad: please send the document as a pdf to teamoutgoing[at]uni-wuppertal.de.
The application must be before The application must be submitted before the grant agreement for Erasmus+ mobility is issued, as the one-off top-up for green travel in the amount of EUR 50 (until Call 2023/24) and the daily rates for any additional travel days that may arise are listed and agreed in the grant agreement.
The following documents must be submitted at the time of application:
the completed application form to teamoutgoing[at]uni-wuppertal.de.
Note:
The requirements for funding must be met. The grant is awarded subject to the realisation of the stay abroad and the submission of the final documents. The grant will be listed in the Grant Agreement.
Interrail Pass for Erasmus+
Erasmus+ students on their way to a semester or internship abroad now have the opportunity to go abroad greener with an Interrail Pass. The pass offers four or six travel days in six months. The new Interrail Pass makes it even easier for students to travel abroad by train and explore cities near their host university while travelling. Further information can be found on the Interrail website.
Applying for grants for green travel as part of staff mobility (teaching/ further education and training)
If you would like to apply for the Erasmus+ grant for "Green Mobility", please check the requirements and submit the completed application form to the International Office.
