Student travel
(BRUSSELS) – 18-year-olds in the European Union have until 28 November to apply for the EU’s latest round of DiscoverEU travel passes, launched Thursday, which give them the opportunity to travel across Europe for free.
The idea is that the free DiscoverEU travel allows young people to learn about Europe’s cultural heritage, whilst developing their own knowledge and skills.
All 18-year-olds in the EU have until 12.00 CET on 28 November to apply for the passes for travel between 1 April and 31 October 2020.
So far, the Commission has awarded 50,000 travel passes through three application rounds for which 275,000 young people applied.The new round will allow another 20,000 young people to be part of DiscoverEU.
Interested participants can also take part in a number of organised meet-ups and events during their trips and receive a travel journal to write down their experiences. Every year, DiscoverEU activities are organised around a dedicated theme related to the European Union’s priorities. The theme for 2019 is “learning about Europe”. The theme for 2020 will be “Sustainable Green Europe”.
Who can apply and how?
Applicants must be 18 years old on 31 December 2019, EU citizens and be prepared to travel between 1 April 2020 and 31 October 2020 for a maximum period of 30 days. Those interested in taking part can apply via the European Youth Portal until 28 November 2019. An evaluation committee will assess the applications and select the winners. Applicants will be notified of the selection results in January 2020, based on a quiz on general knowledge about the European Union.
Successful applicants will be able to travel individually or in a group of up to five people. As a general rule, they will travel by rail. However, to ensure wide access across the continent, participants can also use alternative modes of transport, such as buses or ferries or, exceptionally, planes. This will ensure that young people living in remote areas or on islands will also have a chance to take part.
Following the new round launched today, the Commission is planning to launch a further application round in the first half of 2020.
Further information is available on the European Youth Portal, on the European Youth Facebook page.
DiscoverEU - background guide
