Here you can go through our Erasmus+ FAQ section to find answers about internship, youth exchange, how to become a partner, travel and finance-related questions.
Travel-related questions
Which travel documents are needed for the reimbursement in EU projects?
It’s necessary to have everything, which proves that you have travelled: 1) from your departure point to your destination; and then 2) back to your departure point.
For example: You live in Paris and the project takes place in Kaunas, Lithuania. All the documents that you use for travel “Paris-Kaunas-Paris” need to be presented.
The needed documents vary for different means of transport:
Mean of transport What is needed Private car Receipts for gasoline/diesel/battery charge, etc. (If the car is rented) an invoice from the rent company
Bus/coach Ticket Train (🌱 greenest option) Ticket Plane (flight) Boarding pass Invoice (please get it before your flight)
Taxi NOT REIMBURSABLE Printed or electronic/digital travel documents?
Generally, it is sufficient to provide the project organiser with an electronic/digital document when BOTH of the following is true:
1) you have received your invoice/ticket/boarding pass via email;
2) you don’t need to print it to travel.If you have such documents, you don’t need to print them out, just send them over to the organiser (in one e-mail, preferably).
Original/printed document is needed if:
1) you have received your ticket/receipt/boarding pass in a paper form (e.g. machine printed it out);
2) your electronic ticket/boarding pass is invalid for boarding.When / how do I present the travel documents to the project organiser?
- Your trip to the destination: bring the needed travel documents with you to the project (for example, create an easily accessible folder with all of them on your laptop or cloud storage).
- Your trip back home: you will have to send the travel documents to the project organiser in one email (only for fully digital documents) or via post. Don’t lose the documents, because the organiser will NOT be able to reimburse you!
What happens if the boarding pass is lost?
If a boarding pass or travel ticket is lost, a Declaration of Honour from the participant and a proof from the travel agency and/or the travel company are required.
Erasmus+ green travel
Yes, that’s a thing & we much recommend that!
Read more: Erasmus Green Travel – Sustainable Way of Erasmus+ Mobilities 💚🌍 (activeyouth.lt)
Internship-related questions
Applying to AY
Am I eligible for an Erasmus+ internship at Active Youth?
Any student can apply for an internship at Active Youth. You can find more information here: www.activeyouth.lt/join and https://www.activeyouth.lt/erasmus-internship
How can I apply for an internship?
- To apply for an internship, you will have to:
– complete a brief task (15-20 mins)
– send it to ruta@akt.lt
– you will then receive an email with a feedback or an an invitation to a Skype interview.
Find the task here: www.activeyouth.lt/join
More on how to apply for an Erasmus+ internship: https://www.activeyouth.lt/erasmus-internship
- To apply for an internship, you will have to:
Which language(s) do I need to be fluent in? Do I need to provide documentation to prove that I have passed a particular language test?
You need to be fluent in English. Speaking other languages gives you greater chances to become a part of Active Youth team. You don’t have to speak Lithuanian. Lastly, no documentation is needed.
Can I still send my application if the deadline is over?
There are no deadlines. You can send your application anytime.
How long should the internship last?
Your internship at Active Youth can last from a minimum of 3 months to a maximum of 12 months.
When should the internship start?
The starting date is flexible (and will be agreed between the candidate and us).
How many interns are accepted at the same time / period?
We may accept up to 4 interns at the same time/period.
How will I know if I am selected or not?
You will receive an email within a few days following the Skype interview with the confirmation or rejection of your candidacy.
Are interns being paid?
Unfortunately, not. However, you get free lunch every workday at Active Youth.
Do you provide interns with any kind of insurance?
No. Please take care of your insurance before coming to Lithuania. You can either order the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) or choose a private health insurance. Without having one of those, for every injury you will be asked to pay from your own pocket.
Once accepted to AY
Where is the office?
Active Youth’s office is located at Naugarduko 32/2, Vilnius, LT-03225.
Where and at what time should I come on my first day?
The 1st day of your internship will start at 11:00 (Naugarduko 3, Vilnius). There is an electronic bell next to the entrance – press “Aktyvus jaunimas” and we will let you in.
Will I have my own desk?
AY members work in an open-space room, thus, you can sit wherever you want, desk or sofas.
Do I need to bring something on the first day?
Yes, you will need your own computer for the everyday work. Do not forget to bring it from the very first day!
Can I really choose my working hours?
As long as you do your work, you can choose at what time you arrive & leave. The important thing is that you complete the tasks you receive in time and work 8 hours a day. You can work remotely (from home, caffe etc.) up to 2 days per month.
Will I be asked to work during weekends?
Working days usually are Monday-Friday. However, if you choose to participate in a project/workshop/event, you might work on weekends. It’s optional, though.
How does the lunch system work?
Your lunch will be covered (only if you are full day at the office). You just have to look up the menu on the internet and write your choice in the “Food” table that will be shared with you on your first day.
Do I have free days during my internship?
Yes, you can take up to 3 free days a month.
Do I have to wear formal clothes? Is there any dress code?
There is no dress code at the office. Wear anything you like and that you feel comfortable with.
How can I find accommodation?
You will need to find accommodation on your own, but here are a few sites that may be helpful:
- https://en.aruodas.lt/butu-nuoma/vilniuje/
- https://erasmusu.com/en/erasmus-vilnius/student-flat-rent
Facebook groups:
If you need help with comparing prices or advice on locations – don’t hesitate to ask.
Do you do team meetings? Will I have to participate in them?
Yes, we usually schedule the meeting of the whole team in advance. All AY members including interns participate in the team meetings.
Work related questions
What communication resources will I use?
- Facebook chat (e.g. reminder to order food or giving the notice that you will work from home).
- Trello (e.g. tasks to do)
- Slack (sharing files, important chats)
What are Erasmus+ projects exactly?
Erasmus+ is the EU program for education, training, youth and sport in Europe. It is not only about studying or doing an internship abroad, there are a plenty of possibilities, among which is the Key Actions Program. There are three of them, referred to as KA1, KA2 and KA3.
What does Active Youth do?
Any member of AY can decide to write a project on a subject that one finds interesting (e.g. gender equality). When a topic is chosen, we look for partner organisations in different countries that are up for participation in the project.
Once a project gets the approval of the European Commission, it receives a funding calculated on specific indicators (e.g. the travel distance between a sending country to the city where the training course will take place). After the approval, AY team keeps on working with the implementation of the project – organizes events, youth exchanges, training courses, etc.
What will my tasks be during this internship?
You will have a lot of different tasks, depending on what AY members will need your help on. It can be research work on a subject, a website page creation, posts writing in Facebook groups, updates on social media, writing your own project, etc.
Will I be allowed to write my own project?
At the beginning of your internship, you will receive AY guidelines to write your project. You can start as soon as you have an idea. AY team will help you through the whole process.
Is there anything else I should know?
Yes! That we are super excited to receive and welcome you to our amazing Lithuania and even more – to our wonderful family. We also hope that your internship will be unforgettable for you and for us too. We expect you to give 100% to every little thing you will do as well as we promise to put our 100% effort in you, so that we would contribute to your knowledge, skills and experiences.
Partners-related questions
What are the criteria to be an Active Youth Partner?
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- The partner should have a following on social networks, a pool of volunteers and trainers to use for the project’s activities;
- The partner should have relevant experience in the topic of the project;
- The partner has to have professional approach to work:
- be easily reachable (via phone, email or messaging) ;
- make sure that all the deadlines are met;
- results/products are relevant and usable, as well as disseminated.
- The partner needs to have digital skills;
The partner should be speaking English.
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How do I become an Active Youth partner?
We are open to all proposals and/or inquiries. So, don’t hesitate and:
- Drop us an email (mobility@activeyouth.lt)
- Fill in the contact form at the bottom
Before a project do partner organisations also need to register on the Participant Portal?
Yes, both the hosting organisation and the partner organisations must register on the European Commission’s Participant Portal before completing the Erasmus + application form.
What do the partners need to upload into the Participant Portal?
The organisation’s legal representative must complete, sign and date the Legal Entity Form. Organisations should also upload their VAT certificate if they have a VAT number.
The Financial Identification Form must be completed, signed, and stamped by the organisation’s bank or alternatively should be accompanied by a recent bank statement for the given bank account.
The legal representative should upload his/her valid ID/passport scan.
Lastly, if you are NGO you have to upload statutes of the organisation.
Will we need to sign a cooperation agreement if we partner up for the project?
It depends on the project.
The cooperation agreement usually defines the role of each participating organisation and describes the necessary arrangements agreed between the partners.
When partners come from international networks, are they allowed to send participants from branch organisations established in other countries or they strictly have to be residents of the country where the network is registered?
Participants must be residing in the participating countries.
Finance-related questions
During a project, what costs are reimbursed by the European Union?
“Organisational support” e.g. costs directly linked to the implementation of the mobility activities are covered by the European Union. It includes:
- preparation,
- rental of rooms/material,
- accommodation,
- food and local transport,
- equipment and materials,
- dissemination and exploitation of results,
- follow-up activities.
Are residents of the city/country where the activity takes place eligible for (i.e. can they benefit from) organisational support?
All participants from eligible countries represented by the consortium are eligible, including the residents of the country where the activity takes place.
What are indirect costs and who are eligible for them?
Indirect costs are beneficiary’s general administrative costs which can be attributed to the project (e.g. staff costs, electricity, internet bills, etc.).
Note: only certain types of projects account for these costs. Both the lead organisation and the partners can be eligible.
For mobility activities: insurances are sometimes requested before obtaining a visa. Are they considered as eligible costs?
Visa related-costs are eligible and must be declared under ‘Exceptional costs’.
Are budget transfers between partners allowed?
It varies per programme / project. Usually, budget transfers are permitted under the same budget heading (e.g. funds for one partner’s travel can be assigned to the travel of another).
Can the lead partner transfer the budget to the hosting organisation, so that they can manage the expenses connected to their activities easier?
The coordinating organisation bears the responsibility for financial management of the project. For that reason it can decide whether to allocate the budget to the partners or to centralise all the payments.
Are partners requested to send invoices of real costs?
All invoices must be available upon request, they have to be conserved for 5 years and available for auditors.
Generally, the coordinating organisation decides whether to centralise all the invoices or to request the documents from the partners if necessary.
Are payments in cash accepted, how to prove the payment?
Payment in cash should be documented, you should have what we call a “Pity cash” and keep all proof of cash withdrawals.
What invoices / proofs (of payment) are eligible?
Eligible Printed or electronic invoice (from the service provider) Salary slip / employee’s timesheet (or a similar document) Only as a supporting document Bank statement Work contract (or similar) Printed receipt Non-eligible Hand-written notes / cheques ATM (cash-machine) receipt If unsure, please ask us before the expense has been made. Otherwise, a reimbursement might not be possible.
When does Active Youth make payments to partners?
The payments are (generally) made when the following 3 conditons are fulfilled:
- The partner has provided the required proof / documents for the expense / payment (see the question & answer above)
- The partner has done that within the given deadline (usually within 3 months of the payment)
- Active Youth has itself received the appropriate funds from the funding agency / fund (e.g. EACEA)
How does Active Youth cover expenses for partner meetings?
Generally, we provide what’s required (i.e. accommodation, working space, subsistence) and cover only the necessary extra expenses up to the set amount.
For example, Erasmus+ transnational partner meeting gives €575 per foreign participant. Using these funds we book a hotel, meals & working room/space for the participants of the meeting.
We also cover the following expenses (once the participants provide the required proof within the given deadline):
- Transport to/from destination country (e.g. flights)
- Necessary transport within the destination country (e.g. bus tickets)
- Other necessities
Yet, the maximum possible reimbursement per participant is limited to €575 (minus the accommodation & meals). If the participant incurs less expenses, we reimburse only the incurred amount.