As of April 26, 2026, “Travel Grants” are the most common type of scholarship that only pays for travel costs like airfare and moving expenses. Students who have already got money for school often use these to get to their destination.
For the 2026–2027 cycle, the following are the most important travel-related funding opportunities and mobility grants that are currently available.
1. Erasmus+ Travel Help (Rates for 2026)
The Erasmus+ programme has added new levels of travel support for international mobility, starting with the 2026/27 school year. This is a specific part of the larger Erasmus+ package called the “Travel Grant”.
- • The Award: a set amount based on how far away your home city is from the host university.
- • Tiers of Grants in 2026:
- €28 for regular travel and €56 for green travel for distances of 10 to 99 km.
- • 500–1,999 km: €309 (standard) / €417 (green travel).
- • 8,000+ km: Up to €1,735 per participant.
- Green Travel Bonus: Students who use eco-friendly forms of transportation (like trains, buses, or carpooling) for most of their trip will get a bigger travel allowance and up to four extra days of individual help in 2026.
2. National Scholarship Programme (NSP) – Money for Travel
The NSP gives international students and researchers a separate travel grant to study in Slovakia.
- The first-round deadline for the next school year is April 30, 2026 (this week).
- The Award: A travel allowance given as a lump sum based on how far you have to go:
- Up to 750 km: €0 (not usually included).
- €250 for 1,501 to 2,500 km.
- €1,500 for more than 7,000 km.
- Requirement: You apply for this grant as part of the NSP scholarship, but it is only given to help you move to Slovakia.
3. The “Travel Not to Escape” Study Abroad Scholarship
A private scholarship that helps students pay for the costs of travelling to school.
- Status Right Now: Applications Are Open.
- Due date: May 25, 2026 (29 days left).
- The prize is $1,500 to help students who want to use travel to grow as people and as a society.
- Goal: College students who have been accepted to study abroad in 2026/27.
4. Travel Grants from CMEPIUS (Slovenia)
Students who come to Slovenia can get their travel expenses paid for by the Centre of the Republic of Slovenia for Mobility and European Educational and Training Programmes (CMEPIUS).
- The Award: Pays back travel coexpenses based on the actual price of the tickets, up to a certain limit that depends on how far away the person is.
- 2026 Window: If you’re starting school in the winter semester (October 2026), the details of your travel funding are usually set in May and June.
- Note: You usually get a refund after you arrive and show your original travel documents, like tickets and boarding passes.
5. The European Union’s Research Travel Grant Programme
A programme for doctoral and postdoctoral researchers who need to make specific research trips.
- The Prize: Reimbursements of €1,000 to €3,000.
- Requirement: You must be a doctoral student or have recently earned your PhD (within the last three years) from an EU school.
- Cycle: The January 2026 window is now closed, but a second call for travel is expected in September 2026 for late 2026 and 2027.
6. Important 2026 Plan for Travel Grants
To obtain a travel-only grant, you need to provide certain documents that tuition-based scholarships don’t always ask for:
- Proof of Admission: Usually, you need a “Letter of Acceptance” from your host university to prove that the trip is for school.
- Many grants, including Erasmus+ and NSP, utilise the official European Commission Distance Calculator. Before you apply, make sure you check your distance “as the crow flies” again to make sure you are in the right funding range.
- • Keeping Your Boarding Pass: If you get a reimbursement-based grant (like CMEPIUS or some Fulbright travel-only grants), you need to keep your physical or digital boarding passes. Many students lose their funding because they can’t show that the trip really happened.
7. A summary of Global Travel Aid (Current)
- Ongoing through home universities: Erasmus+.
- Slovakia NSP: Due date is April 30, 2026.
- Deadline: May 25, 2026: Don’t travel to get away.
- World in Serbia (Note): The 2026 “World in Serbia” programme covers everything else, but not travel. If you win this, you will need to pair it with a private travel grant like the “Travel Not to Escape” award.