More than 18 million people have participated in Erasmus+ since the programme began.
90% confidence
EducationEuropean Union
Omissions
The 18 million figure aggregates the Erasmus programme (from 1987) and its successors, including Erasmus Mundus and the current Erasmus+ programme (2014–2027). Commission breakdowns show around 7.1 million participants from 1987 to 2013 and another 8.5 million between 2014 and 2023, plus almost 1.5 million mobility participants in 2024 alone — the cumulative total is therefore in the region of 17–18 million, consistent with the '18 million' headline but not far above it.
The second part of the statement ('almost 100 percent say they benefited from this mobility experience') could not be independently verified within this check; no official source matching that exact near-100% beneficiary satisfaction wording was retrieved.
The Commission's statistics page carrying the 18 million figure shows 'Figures updated on: 1 August 2026', i.e. data available before the session date of 21 October 2026.
Geographic scope is broader than the EU-27: Erasmus+ participants include associated countries and, for some actions, partner countries worldwide.