A total of 35,551 European youngsters will receive travel passes to discover the continent for free this summer.
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The free travel passes will be distributed by the Commission of the EU under the DiscoverEU schemes, Schengen.News reports.
The DiscoverEU scheme is part of the Erasmus+ programme and gives the possibility to residents of the EU member states and countries associated with Erasmus+ of the age of 18 to travel in the continent.
The main aim of the scheme is to make youngsters more aware of Europe’s diversity and to teach them more about history and heritage as well as help them connect with young people from all over the continent.
More than 180,000 young people applied for the free travel pass in the latest round in April of this year.
Those who have been chosen to be awarded the pass will be able to travel alone or in a group of five people between July 1, 2024 and September 2025.
In addition to the passes, the selected youngsters also receive a European Youth Card, which offers discounts on local transportation, cultural visits, accommodation, sports, learning activities, and food.
Who is Eligible for the DiscoverEU Scheme?
In order to be eligible for the DiscoverEU scheme, youngsters must be 18 years old. They must also provide the correct information on their applications.
In addition, to be eligible for the scheme, youngsters must be legal citizens of one of the EU member states or of one of the third countries associated with the Erasmus+ programme – Iceland, Liechtenstein, North Macedonia, Norway, Serbia, and Türkiye.
When Will the Next Round of Applications Open?
There are a total of two application rounds each year. One round is in spring, and the other is in autumn. This means that the next round is after summer is over.
The scheme was launched in 2018, and since then, around 1.4 million youngsters have applied for the passes.
Commenting on the high interest in the scheme among young people, the Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education, and Youth, Iliana Ivanova, said that this round of applications was the most successful since 2021.
In terms of numbers, this application round is the most successful since DiscoverEU joined the Erasmus+ programme in 2021. I am happy that so many young people will get an opportunity to discover Europe and explore its culture and history.
A high number of applications are expected to be registered in the next round, too. Official dates when the next round will open will be shared in the meantime.