Don’t miss out: 19 free opportunities for young people in Armenia

October 15, 2022

  • If you are a student
  • For civil society activists, young leaders and volunteers
  • If you are still at school
  • Internships and training
  • Young professional
  • Looking for inspiration
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If you are a student

Erasmus+

The EU offers a wide range of study opportunities through the Erasmus+ programme, including student exchanges in European universities at bachelor, master and doctoral levels – the exchanges will be part of the programme you are following and can last between one term and one year. And your expenses will be covered! You can also apply for an Erasmus+ scholarship to study for a Master’s degree at top European universities.

For exchanges, visit the international relations office at your university – they will tell you which opportunities are available in your subject and will help you to apply.

For a Master’s degree, you need to check out the catalogue of Erasmus Mundus Joint Master Degrees, which lists the courses offering Erasmus scholarships in the upcoming academic year (there are 163 courses currently listed), then contact the university to apply for the course and scholarship.

The National Erasmus+ Office in Armenia is there to help you with any information. You can check out their website for more information or follow them on Facebook, email them at [email protected], or call them on +374 91 216258.

College of Europe Scholarships

The College of Europe offers a large number of scholarships to university graduates coming from Armenia and other countries of the European Neighbourhood Policy for post-graduate studies. Scholarships are also available for students from the Eastern Partnership countries, funded by the EU4Youth programme. Applications for the academic year 2023/2024 will open in October 2022 and close in mid-January 2023. You can pre-register now at coleuropenatolin.eu to receive a reminder about the opening of applications.

Young European Ambassadors

The Young European Ambassadors (YEAs) initiative is a non-political, voluntary, vibrant communication network connecting young people from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, the Republic of Moldova, Ukraine and the EU Member States and the United Kingdom. The aim of the network is to raise awareness about the EU’s cooperation with its Eastern partner countries, showcase the tangible results of this cooperation, and contribute to policy dialogue on various topics. There are currently more than 500 active YEAs representing over 34 different nationalities, including 95 in Armenia (click here to meet them). The network is open to young people aged between 16 and 26, interested in public diplomacy and outreach activities. Applications take place every year, usually in the autumn.

For civil society activists, young leaders and volunteers

Erasmus+ Youth Exchanges

Erasmus+ is not just for students. Indeed, in recent years, thousands of young people and youth workers from Armenia have participated in joint Erasmus+ Youth projects (exchanges, trainings, policy debate, volunteering). Erasmus+ youth exchanges are open to anyone between the ages of 13 and 30, and last between 5 and 21 days. These exchanges take place through youth organisations and you cannot apply directly as an individual. To find out more, contact the Erasmus+ Youth Info Centre in Armenia by visiting their website or their Facebook page, calling +374 94 525254, or email [email protected].

 European Solidarity Corps

One way to gain experience abroad is by volunteering through the European Solidarity Corps. This is a unique way to experience different cultures and make new friends, while also helping others and learning new skills. You need to be between 17 and 30 and be willing to spend between two weeks and 12 months abroad. Volunteer projects could be anywhere in the EU or its partner countries, and in fields as varied as culture, youth, sports, children, cultural heritage, arts, animal welfare or the environment. Find out how to apply and check out hundreds of opportunities on the European Solidarity Corps portal.

Civil Society Fellowships

The EU supports young civil society leaders and activists in Armenia and across the Eastern Partnership through its EaP Civil Society Fellowships programme. Every year, the programme helps 20 civil society activists in their efforts to achieve positive social change in their communities, offering tailored training, grants of €5,000 and access to networking opportunities. Details about the Fellows selected since the programme began 2017 and their areas of interest can be found here. Applications, currently open until 15 October, usually take place very year in the autumn. Check here for updates.

EU4Youth Alumni

The EU4Youth Alumni Network brings together young beneficiaries (aged 18-30) of the Erasmus+ Youth and European Solidarity Corps, EU4Youth grant projects, Young European Ambassadors Network as well as other regional programmes targeting young people across the Eastern Partnership. The Network offers Alumni the opportunity to connect with disadvantaged young people in Armenia and support them to become more active in their communities and actively participate in EU mobility programmes. Applications take place once a year, usually in the autumn, with up to 15 alumni selected in each country to participate in the programme for 10 months.

Empowered and Active Youth for a more Democratic Armenia Today and Tomorrow

This project supports young people between the ages of 13 and 29, particularly those with fewer opportunities living in the communities of Gyumri, Amasia, Talin, Yerevan, Vardenis, Tchambarak, and Vanadzor. The project is active in schools in the region, where it has established debate clubs and worked with student councils, and has set up six SKYE clubs, bringing together around 100 young people to identify community problems, brainstorm, plan and implement community service and social enterprise projects.

If you are still at school

Erasmus+ Youth Exchanges

Erasmus+ is not just for students: the programme also offers youth exchanges, and these are open to anyone between the ages of 13 and 30. Activities could involve workshops, exercises, debates, role-plays, outdoor activities and more. These exchanges take place through youth organisations and you cannot apply directly as an individual. To find out more, contact the Erasmus+ Youth Info Centre in Armenia by visiting their website or their Facebook page, calling +374 94 525254, or email [email protected].

Eastern Partnership European School

The Eastern Partnership European School in Tbilisi offers a two-year International Baccalaureate programme for pupils from all six Eastern Partnership countries, including Armenia, with full scholarships paid by the European Union, including fees, boarding and travel home for holidays. But the number of places is limited – only 35 per year – so you have to meet certain conditions and pass through competitive process in order to apply. Since the launch of the programme in 2018, 145 students have received scholarships for the school, graduating with the IB diploma and going on to study at top universities across the world. The next cohort of students will be recruited to join for the 2023-2025 IB programme.

Young European Ambassadors

The Young European Ambassadors (YEAs) initiative is open to young people from the age of 16, so if you are interested in Europe and its values, want to learn new skills and make new friends, then you can apply to join to join this network that brings together more than 500 young people from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova, Ukraine and the EU Member States and United Kingdom. Note that candidates aged 16-17 can take part in online engagement and local activities in their countries, but not international travel. Applications take place every year, usually in the autumn.

Internships and training

Erasmus+ traineeships

Erasmus+ supports work placements and internships abroad for Bachelor, Masters and Doctoral students, as well as recent graduates (within one year of your graduation). But your traineeship must be relevant to your degree and, wherever possible, be integrated in your study programme, so check the opportunities with your university. Work placements can last between two and twelve months, and Erasmus+ grants are available to cover your costs.

Work placements or study periods abroad are also available if you are currently enrolled in vocational education and training (VET). You will be hosted either in a workplace or in another VET institution abroad, with periods of work-based learning as part of your studies. You need to check with your VET organisation to find out if these opportunities are available to you.

Blue Book traineeships

Twice a year, the EU offers five-month paid traineeships at the European Commission, its services and agencies, mostly in Brussels, but also in Luxembourg and elsewhere across the European Union. The call is mostly for EU citizens, but a limited number of places are also allocated to non-EU nationals. You can apply if you are a university graduate of any discipline who does not have more than six weeks of experience working in an EU institution, body, agency or delegation, and have a very good knowledge of English, German or French. Find out more.

Schuman Traineeships in the European Parliament

Twice a year, the European Parliament offers different traineeships within its Secretariat, including to applicants from outside the European Union. The traineeships are awarded for a period of five months, and are open to anyone over the age of 18, with a university level diploma. The goal of the Schuman traineeships is to contribute to participants’ European education and vocational training, and to provide an insight into the work of the European Parliament. The deadlines for application are at the end of May and October every year. Click here to find out more.

Young professional

Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs

Young Armenian entrepreneurs can join the Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs programme, open to anyone who plans to set up a business or has started one within the last three years. The programme matches up young entrepreneurs with experienced small businesses in another European country for a placement of up to six months, helping the new entrepreneur acquire the skills needed to run a small firm. The EU covers 75% of the costs of the exchange, with 25% of the costs borne by the entrepreneur. Click here for the contact points in Armenia.

Innovative Tourism and Technology Development

If you’re thinking of creating a start-up in tourism or technology, or just an enthusiast interested in tourism and tech topics, check out the opportunities available under the EU4Business Innovative Tourism and Technology Development for Armenia project, which offers grants from €5,000 to €50,000 as well as advice, events and networking opportunities. Check their website for upcoming opportunities.

EU TUMO Convergence Center for Engineering and Applied Science

A hub for research, education, and start-ups geared towards university students and young professionals, the EU TUMO Convergence Center will bring together partners to bridge the gap between higher education and industry in Armenia, connecting students, researchers, and professionals while fostering innovation and entrepreneurship. You can already apply for TUMO Labs – a free educational programme for young professionals and university students over the age of 18, supporting collaborative projects that explore the technologies and topics shaping the new digital age – and 42 Yerevan, a tuition-free programming school designed to train the coders of the future.

EU4Business

If you are setting up or have a small business, the EU4Business initiative offers a wide range of loans and grants depending on the type and size of your business, as well as advice and consultancy services to help you take the next step in developing your business. Visit the EU4Business page for full details of partner banks and projects that you can apply to, as well as examples of successful beneficiaries.

Mayors for Economic Growth

The EU is supporting skills development and enterprise in the municipalities of Kapan, Dilijan and Ijevan, which have been selected to implement three pilot projects under the Mayors for Economic Growth facility:

Kapan: a TUMO Center for Creative Technologies – a free educational centre specialising in design and technology for children aged 12-18 – is being set up in the city’s historic train station. Renovation work is planned to be completed in 2023, but until then, courses are available at the mini Tumo Box in Kapan.

Dilijan: an abandoned Soviet-era sewing factory will be transformed into a modern art cluster co-working space for enterprises and individuals in partnership with Dilijan Municipality, IDeA foundation, Tourism and Urbanism Foundation and Dilijan Community Center.

Ijevan: the ‘InnoIjevan’ platform has been set up hosting new Armath Engineering Laboratories, a ‘Real School’ offering professional opportunities through trainings, work-based learning, and the development of hard and soft skills, and a co-working space for businesses and individuals in partnership with the Union of Advanced Technology Enterprises-UATE and COWO.

Young artists and culture professionals

Young Armenian artists and cultural professionals can apply for grants to go abroad, in the EU and beyond, as well as to take part in artistic residencies, under the Creative Europe programme’s new Culture Moves Europe scheme. The first call targets artists and cultural professionals working in architecture, cultural heritage, design, fashion design, literary translation, music, visual arts and performing arts, and there will be rolling calls open every year from autumn to spring, with monthly evaluations. The grants include standard travel costs and per diem for expenses. Visit the programme page to find out more.

The EU-funded EU4Culture project also offers mobility grants to support artists and cultural professionals from Armenia and other countries of the Eastern Partnership. Follow the EU4Culture website for upcoming opportunities.

EU4Youth

The EU4Youth programme will soon launch a series of projects aimed at developing digital skills among young people, especially in disadvantaged communities, and for the development of social entrepreneurship and career management skills, linked to the promotion of youth entrepreneurship in the green and digital economies. Under the previous wave of EU4Youth projects, almost 300 skills development activities were carried out in Armenia in 2021 alone, young people received work experience through apprenticeships and internships, others received grants to implement business ideas, while three rural innovation knowledge hubs were set up in Shirak, Lori and Tavush regions, which still provide internet access, training and skills development for young people. Community projects also support disadvantaged youth, such as the Yazidi minority in the Aragatsotn region. Follow the EU4Youth page for upcoming opportunities.

Looking for inspiration

Hundreds of young Armenians are there to give you inspiration and new ideas!

David took part in two Erasmus+ exchanges in Italy as a doctoral researcher on food safety. He is now head of Food Chain Risk Assessment Department of the Centre for Ecological Noosphere Studies at the National Academy of Sciences of Armenia.

Razmik was a Young European Ambassador: now, as an EU4Youth Alumnus, he is helping young people in his village in the mountainous region of Aragatsotn to access the kind of opportunities from which he benefitted so much.

Lilit won a scholarship to the Eastern Partnership European School and is now off to study aerospace engineering in France.

Samvel received training under the EU4Youth programme to develop his social enterprise producing natural and eco-friendly products in the Tavush region and now sells Armenian honey to Dubai.

Arman from Ijevan has developed an innovative business in mountain drone tourism with funding and training from EU4Youth.

Zoya learned marketing and social media management at the Sevan Innovative Business Centre established under Mayors for Economic Growth. She now has a job as a Social Media Manager and volunteers at the business centre.

Nelly spent three months with an experienced tech company in Malta under Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs, helping her company to grow from a small start-up to a sustainable business.

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