The European Commission has announced the results of the March 2026 round of DiscoverEU, the initiative included in the program Erasmus + which offers young people the opportunity to travel around Europe and experience the continent's cultural, historical, and social diversity firsthand. 40.912 eighteen-year-olds selected who will receive a travel pass to discover Europe, connecting with places, communities, and peers from different countries.
Travel from July 2026 to September 2027
Participants will be able to travel alone or in groups of up to five people, mainly by train, in the period between July 2026 and September 2027The initiative's goal is to foster first-hand knowledge of Europe through travel, while also promoting youth mobility, inclusion, European citizenship, and awareness of our shared heritage. DiscoverEU allows selected young people to cross borders, visit cities and regions, discover local traditions, and engage with diverse cultural realities.
Commissioner Glenn Micallef's message
The European Commissioner for Intergenerational Equity, Youth, Culture and Sport, Glenn Micallef, emphasized the symbolic and educational value of the initiative. “A DiscoverEU pass is not just a ticket, but an invitation to experience firsthand the cultural richness and beauty of Europe,” he said. Addressing the selected young people, Micallef added: “Europe awaits you. Bring your curiosity and ambition, and turn this journey into a story worth telling.”
Over 220 applications for the March round
The March 2026 session was open to young people born between July 1, 2007, and June 30, 2008, coming from the Member States of the European Union and come on Countries associated with Erasmus+The interest registered was very high: the applications submitted were 220.501, confirming the program's strong appeal among younger generations. The selection process will allow tens of thousands of eighteen-year-olds to experience international mobility at a crucial stage in their personal and educational journey.
A journey that is also educational and community-based
DiscoverEU is not limited to the delivery of a travel pass, but also includes an educational and relational dimension. Selected participants will be able to take part in pre-departure information sessions and at meetings called “meet-up”, organized in various European locations. These events are designed to guide young people in preparing for the experience and foster new connections between participants, creating a truly European community on the move.
The DiscoverEU network and the official Facebook group
The selected young people will also be able to join the official Facebook group #DiscoverEU, a space dedicated to discussion among participants, sharing travel tips, and building relationships before, during, and after the experience. The digital community represents an additional tool for strengthening the sense of European belonging and transforming the journey into a shared journey, capable of continuing beyond the individual stages.
A program born in 2018 and constantly growing
Since the birth of DiscoverEU in 2018beyond 2 million young people have applied for travel passes in the fourteen rounds of the program. This figure confirms the initiative's growing role within European policies aimed at youth and mobility. With the new 2026 round, DiscoverEU continues to position itself as one of the most concrete tools for bringing young people closer to Europe, offering them the opportunity to explore it not only through study but also through the direct experience of travel.
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