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Turkey has been an Erasmus+ programme country since 2014 — meaning Turkish young people and organisations can participate in the full range of Erasmus+ actions on equal terms with EU member states. This is not widely understood, even among young people in Turkey. This article explains what that means in practice, and what opportunities exist for Turkish youth organisations in 2026.
Turkey's Status in Erasmus+
Programme country status means Turkish organisations can lead Erasmus+ projects — not just participate as partners. A Turkish NGO can write and submit a KA1 application to the Turkish National Agency (Türkiye Ulusal Ajansı — TUA), receive funding, and host international participants in Turkey. This is a significant distinction from third countries, which can only participate in certain actions under specific conditions.
The Turkish National Agency
The Turkish National Agency (TUA) is the body responsible for managing Erasmus+ funds in Turkey. Based in Ankara, it handles applications, evaluations, monitoring, and payments for all Erasmus+ actions in the country. For youth actions, TUA publishes calls for proposals two to three times per year, aligned with the European Commission's deadlines.
Turkish organisations have been consistently competitive in Erasmus+ evaluation rounds. TUA reports strong absorption rates — meaning Turkish organisations successfully spend the grants they receive, which is a positive signal for future funding allocations.
Which Actions Are Open to Turkish Organisations?
As a programme country, Turkey participates in:
- KA1 Youth Exchanges: Turkish organisations can lead or partner. Groups of 13–30 year olds travel between countries.
- KA1 European Solidarity Corps (ESC): Young Turks aged 18–30 can volunteer abroad for 2–12 months; foreign volunteers can come to Turkey.
- KA1 Training Courses: Turkish youth workers can attend short training courses across Europe, or Turkish organisations can host them.
- KA2 Strategic Partnerships: Turkish NGOs can join or lead collaborative projects with partners across Europe.
Practical Considerations for Turkish Applicants
Language: Applications to TUA are submitted in Turkish, which removes a significant barrier for smaller organisations. Partnership: Finding international partners is often the hardest step. The SALTO Resource Centre for Eastern Europe and the Caucasus (based in Warsaw) specifically supports partnerships involving Turkish organisations.
Registration: Turkish organisations must be registered with TUA and have a valid PIC on the EU Funding and Tenders Portal. This process is free but takes time — allow at least two weeks before a deadline.
Challenges Specific to Turkey
Despite programme country status, Turkish organisations sometimes face practical challenges: visa requirements for participants traveling to certain EU countries (though programme funding can cover visa costs), exchange rate fluctuations affecting the real value of grants, and finding Turkish young people without prior international experience who are willing to commit to a 1–3 week programme abroad. These are manageable but worth planning for.
The Opportunity in 2026
The 2021–2027 Erasmus+ programme budget is the largest in the programme's history — €26.2 billion across all sectors. Youth organisations in Turkey that build their capacity now — by securing accreditations, developing partnerships, and submitting their first applications — are well positioned to grow significantly over the next three years. The pipeline from first application to established programme typically takes 18–36 months.
YouthTICK and Turkey
YouthTICK was founded by young people with roots in Turkey and a commitment to building bridges between Turkish civil society and the wider European youth sector. We are actively developing our first Erasmus+ applications and building a partnership network. If you are a young person or youth organisation in Turkey interested in Erasmus+, we want to hear from you.