The next EU budget should allocate specific funding to strengthen mental health support for Erasmus students during their stay abroad. Many students receive psychological assistance before departure, but lose access to continuous support due to the lack of a structured network in the host country. Mental health services for Erasmus students are currently inconsistent and often difficult to access. Although Erasmus+ offers valuable growth opportunities, students frequently face challenges such as isolation, stress, anxiety, and cultural adjustment difficulties, which are not sufficiently addressed by the existing system.
The new budget must ensure that every host institution provides free or low-cost multilingual psychological counseling, online support options, continuous access to crisis helplines, and peer support networks.
Strengthening psychological support means ensuring continuity of care, protecting students’ wellbeing, and guaranteeing that European mobility is not only an academic experience but also a safe, empathetic, and sustainable path of personal growth.