Erasmus+ 2026: new grant requirements for youth, sport and non-formal education

Key data

Youth organizations, sports entities and non-formal educators working with Erasmus+ funding face a regulatory change that can alter the conditions of their current and future projects. The Order JUI/463/2026, of May 5, published in the BOE on May 13, 2026, modifies two key rules of the European program: the regulatory bases for grants for non-formal education and the regulations governing the Spanish National Agency responsible for managing the youth and sport chapters.

This is not a new regulation starting from scratch: it is a modification of an existing framework, which means that the changes may be specific but with direct impact on procedures, documentation and criteria for accessing European funds.

What does this regulation establish?

Order JUI/463/2026 acts on two previous regulations that structure access to Erasmus+ grants in Spain for the areas of non-formal education, youth and sport:

The changes introduced may affect the application procedures, the required documentation, the deadlines and the eligibility criteria for accessing European funding in these areas. The full text of the order is the definitive source for knowing the exact scope of each modification.

Economic and operational impact

Although the order does not establish new grant amounts or directly modify available funds, its operational effects are relevant for any organization that depends on Erasmus+ funding:

• Ongoing projects: Entities already benefiting from Erasmus+ funds must verify whether the new conditions affect their active projects. A change in eligibility criteria or required documentation may require adapting justifications or reports already submitted or pending.
• New applications: Organizations planning to submit applications in upcoming calls must work with the updated regulatory bases, not with previous versions of Order DSA/1029/2021.
• National Agency: The modification of Order DSA/1221/2023 may involve changes in the internal functioning of the Spanish National Agency, affecting the management channels, liaison and processing of files for the youth and sport chapters.
• European Solidarity Corps: By modifying the regulation creating the National Agency, projects managed under the European Solidarity Corps umbrella may also be affected.

Who does it affect?

This regulatory modification directly impacts:

• Youth organizations that manage or plan to apply for Erasmus+ projects in the youth chapter.
• Sports entities that access European funding through the sport chapter of the Erasmus+ program.
• Non-formal educators and third sector organizations that develop learning projects outside the formal education system.
• Erasmus+ project managers in any of the aforementioned areas, both in public and private entities.
• Organizations participating in the European Solidarity Corps, whose management in Spain also depends on the National Agency regulated by Order DSA/1221/2023.
• Managers of grants and European funding in municipalities, provincial councils, universities and non-profit entities operating in these areas.

Practical example

A youth association that currently has an approved Erasmus+ project under the regulatory bases of Order DSA/1029/2021 should act as follows:

1. Access the full text of the Order JUI/463/2026 in the BOE and identify which articles or sections of Order DSA/1029/2021 have been modified.
2. Compare the new requirements with the conditions under which your current project was approved to detect possible incompatibilities or new documentation obligations.
3. Contact the Spanish National Agency to confirm whether ongoing projects are subject to the new regime or if there is a transitional period.

Similarly, a sports entity planning to submit an application in the next call should discard guides and regulatory bases prior to May 2026 and work exclusively with the updated version of the regulations.

What should organizations do now?

1. Read the full text of Order JUI/463/2026 in the BOE to identify exactly which articles of the previous regulations have been modified and in what way.
2. Review ongoing Erasmus+ projects to check whether the new eligibility conditions, documentation or deadlines affect already acquired commitments or pending justifications.
3. Update internal application models and documentation for upcoming calls, discarding any template or guide based on the previous version of Order DSA/1029/2021.
4. Consult with the Spanish National Agency any questions about the application of the new requirements to projects in processing or approved before the publication of this order.
5. Inform technical and management teams responsible for Erasmus+ projects about regulatory changes to avoid errors in justification or submission of new applications.