Additional funding for participants with special needs

Under the Erasmus+ Programme Guide and the guidelines of the Education Exchanges Support Foundation (ŠMPF), a person with special needs is a potential participant whose physical, mental or other health-related condition is such that they could not take part in a mobility activity without additional funding.

The additional support covers the extra costs that the regular travel and individual support grant does not.

The funding pays for individual measures and services, depending on the person’s health condition, illness or disability:

• Special transport (e.g. special transport from home to the institution, extra costs at the airport).
• Rent of adapted accommodation (the price difference between standard and specially adapted accommodation in the mobility country).
• Travel and subsistence costs of an accompanying person during the mobility.
• Goods and services (medicines, hygiene products, massage, swimming pool, sign-language interpreting, etc. — the price difference between the home and the host country).
• Preparatory visits (travel and subsistence of the participant or an accompanying person before the main visit).

Important conditions:

• The support does not cover everyday costs the person would also have in Lithuania (unless they rise significantly because of price differences abroad).
• It cannot cover every cost of the mobility: it funds the additional need or the price difference.
• It is not granted for standard travel and subsistence costs.

The following can apply for the additional grant:

• VCD academic and administrative staff going on teaching (STA) or training (STT) visits to higher education institutions, companies or other organisations abroad.
• VCD students going on a study period and/or traineeship, and graduates going on a traineeship.
• Incoming teachers, staff or students from institutions abroad, including partner countries (associated and not associated to the programme), taking part in VCD Erasmus+ activities.

Step 1: Submitting documents to VCD

At least 5 weeks before the mobility starts, the participant submits the following to the VCD International Relations and Project Management Department (TRPVS):

• A detailed budget breakdown.
• Documents for the institution: medical documents on the participant’s medical condition and/or disability-related individual needs that confirm the requested costs are necessary.
• Documents supporting the amount requested (e.g. price differences in the mobility country, rental offers, service rates).

Storage of medical documents: medical documents confirming individual needs are kept at VCD for 5 years after the final payment. The Education Exchanges Support Foundation may ask the institution to present them in support of the request.

Step 2: Application to the Education Exchanges Support Foundation (ŠMPF)

• At least 1 month before departure, VCD TRPVS sends the application to ŠMPF at HEKA1papildomadotacija@smpf.lt.
• ŠMPF evaluates the applications and awards the grant.

Step 3: Reporting on the grant

Please note that the participant must account to the institution for the costs incurred during the mobility with documents proving them:

• receipts;
• invoices;
• payment transfers;
• the rental agreement and other proof of costs.

All personal and medical data given in an application for additional support are strictly confidential. Applicants’ personal information is used only to assess applications and administer the financial side, in line with the GDPR.

• More about the funding on the Education Exchanges Support Foundation website (in Lithuanian).
• MappED! – a tool with information on the accessibility of higher education institutions and their services for people with disabilities.

If you have questions about preparing the documents, contact the VCD International Relations and Project Management Department (TRPVS): erasmus@vcd.lt.